How fit are you?

Pelagian

From Age 21(when I started diving) to now(29) I have not had any disciplined Exercise routine. I did martial arts before a lot before.

I have workes full time in the dive industry for 8 years, but contary to popular belief hauling tanks all day while baking in the tropical sun doens't make you fit. Neither does diving every day.

I don't smoke, don't drink the day before I go diving but I eat like a pig.

My last medical sais my bad cholesterol is low and my good cholesterol is average.

As I approcah 30 I realize that previously my youth has protected me from serious injury despite my many attempts to the contrary. This is no longer the case. I feel my fitness slipping away.

I have susepnded all dives deeper 200ft until I get back in shape.

Cheers

Seb

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'Because... I was Inverted!'

nigelh

No, that is 'heart stopped beating'. Probably too much or too little of some gas or other. Heart attacks are overrated and, from personal experience, I'd say they aren't fun so shouldn't be attempted when diving. Sadly OC divers drown fighting for breath while we fade away still on the loop. The problems just show to the medical investigators in diferent ways and they report what they see. You've been sold the line that fit is good with a defective definition of fit.
I was that sort of fit once.
I needed strength and stamina for my chosen sport so I worked at it.
Now I'm a diver and I just need the systems to work well not deliver excessive strength or stamina.
The 'fit means working out' idea is a common delusion. It is actively put about by people selling an agenda.
I am of the opinion that heavily muscled is as bad for a diver as heavily fat.

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nigelh

Pelagian

I always thought fitness was a measure of cardiovascualr efficiency, not simply body mass.

For diving aren't we mainly talking about the ease at which any gas that gets in can get back out for deco and minimizing the availabilty of reactants that could form toxic species in the presence of higg PPo2's?

Seb

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'Because... I was Inverted!'

decoweenie

IMHO, the type of "fitness" suitable for each technical diver is really depending on what type of diving s/he does.

For someone doing deeper OC Trimix dives, muscular strength plays an important role. You do need some level of strength to support the twinset, plus stages, plus accessories to get off and on a rocking boat. And if you have to climb a ladder on top of that...

For someone doing deeper CC Trimix dives, the load could be a little less if not an Alpinist, or a lot less if an Alpinist. However, muscular strength is still more important than most people gives credit for.

That's just on surface of the water. Now go underwater...

Unless someone dives 100% of their time in slack tide, shoots a bag and doing drift deco, s/he will eventually have to fight current for one reason or another.

Swimming against current is similar to climbing stairs at a fast pace (not the grandma snail pace) because you have to go somewhere against a strong resisting force. This will strain and test your fitness level.

And I have seen too many people dissing exercise or being fit, only to have chest pains or breath like a pig walking up just a few flights when they had to.

So you also do need some level of "fitness" in terms of cardiovascular.

I play one sport or another all my life, and inadvertantly exercise without trying to make the time for it. But as I get older (43 now), I notice that injuries don't heal as fast, need more rest, slower in reaction, etc. I see the importance of getting fit (or maintain fitness) more important than ever.

We don't just need to be fit for doing technical dives, we need to be fit to have a better lifestyle.

I don't want to brag that I survived a heart-attack. I want to brag to my grand-children that I never had a heart attack and could still chase them around the football field without an ambulance near by.

seafox

I am at the gym 2 hrs/day, 5 days/week, and reguraly do lengthy Katas to keep the Chi flowing.
When you're over 40, you better be a few steps ahead of your 20 year old something students!
Cheers,

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Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities.


Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards!

ryvor

I think exercise is not only important for diving but for living a healthy life in general. I work out 5 times a week during lunch Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 1h 15 mins of heavy weight training followed by 30 mins of cardio and on Wed I do 1.5 hours of Cardio. I'll be starting up BJJ and Muay Thai again in the evenings next week. Being ex-military I believe the mantra of being fit to fight. I believe that when the "fit hits the shan" being in the best physical condition that you can be in will be a deciding factor.

divetheworld

Now I've read all this I'm feeling a little inadequate. I really should exercise a lot more. Good job I stopped smoking last year.

Now I'm going for a nice walk.......................To the pizza shop, and the offy for some Stella.

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IDS_Bill

Does racing Ironman triathlons count as being fit???

E-man

I don't train at all except randomly when the mood strikes...then again I'm in my early twenties

tomhanaway

Hmmm,
I exercise because it makes me feel good and good about myself. Of course, I'll be 59 in May. Primary emphasis on cardio, secondarily strength.
Spinning (bicycle training) 5-6 hours per week (switched from running to lessen impact), weight workouts 3-4 times per week.

Being in shape leaves me with a good attitude about myself, respect for my body, the fantasy that I could still go out with the cute Columbian girls I spin with, etc.

Saturday morning and I'm off for weights and spin. Will dive this afternoon.

Tom

Prism coming in September. Still OC.