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Physical Fitness for Diving
RESEARCH, EDUCATION & MEDICINE
EXPERT OPINIONS
48
|
SPRING 2016
By Neal W. Pollock, Ph.D.
T
he physical fitness requirements
for diving depend on a number of
factors. While this makes establishing
a single standard challenging, it can
also lead to interesting discussion.
At the most basic level, divers need
to be able to easily meet the normal demands of diving
with a fitness reserve sufficient to meet the additional
demands of emergency situations. Environmental
conditions dramatically influence “normal demands.” Calm,
warm tropical waters are generally much less taxing than
colder water. The demands increase as equipment, sea
state, and entry and exit conditions intensify.
Diver skill also plays an important role in determining
the demands of a dive. A diver with excellent buoyancy
control wearing minimum ballast weight will work far less
than a diver fighting improper weighting or having less
refined buoyancy control.
Similar issues exist in
establishing reasonable
physical fitness buffers to
handle emergency demands.
Environmental conditions,
equipment worn, proximity
to a safe exit, available
surface support and even
the buddy’s physical fitness,
size and skill have influence.
While the highest level of
physical fitness is desired,
a practical approach
is to consider minimal
competencies.
HOW TO EVALUATE
PHYSICAL FITNESS
A review of health history may be sufficient for healthy,
active individuals. Functional fitness tests help ensure
that a person is fit for diving. These can often be
conducted in a pool or in open water. Lab-based tests
of physical capacity may be appropriate in the case of a
poor history of physical activity, concerns about safety
during performance tests, or the presence of potential
medical issues.
FUNCTIONAL FITNESS TESTING
Functional fitness testing has natural relevance to
real-world activity. One simple series was proposed to
evaluate recreational divers.
1
Divers would demonstrate
the following capabilities: 1) lift and carry individual
items of diving equipment on land; 2) stand from sitting
and walk 100 feet in standard scuba equipment; 3)
ascend a 5-foot vertical ladder from the water wearing
standard scuba equipment; and 4) swim underwater at
0.5 knot for 30 minutes and at 1.2 knots for 3 minutes
wearing standard scuba gear.
Another approach was proposed for scientific divers,
focusing on rescue capabilities.
2
Evaluations followed
a normal dive to start with typical fatigue levels. Since
open-water environments are not available year-round
in all places, a pool modification was also provided.
The details can be seen in Table 1.
Table 1. Proposed physical fitness test for scientific divers to be completed
in continuous sequence
Open-Water Testing Scenario*
Pool Modifications**
219-yard (200 m) surface swim in
full gear
328-yard (300 m) surface swim (full gear,
no suit)
109-yard (100 m) rescue tow (both in
full gear)
220-yard (200 m) rescue tow (full gear,
no suit)
Beach/dock/boat removal of victim Poolside removal of victim with both victim
and rescuer wearing 15-pound (7 kg)
weight belts
Basic life-support simulation
Same
35 (male) / 25 (female) military-style
push-ups
Same
* immediately following a working dive
** immediately following underwater skill drills
CORKY WAGNER