How do you stop being an air-monster?

[BrianG]

There is plenty of good advice in earlier replies, for me diving practice and relaxation are the major contributors. Once you feel comfortable in the underwater environment and have confidence in your kit air consumption usually falls dramatically. Fitness can be a double edged sword in this respect, a fit diver copes better when working hard underwater, but all those muscles increase their normal metabolic rate and most dives are intended to be relaxing, at least during the planning. It is however essential that you have the necessary fitness to cope with the increased physical demands of the sport, all too often I see divers in obvious physical distress just putting on their kit.
A tip I have given inexperienced divers is to analyse their consumption for different phases of the dive ie descent,ascent, bottom time, time in current etc. This can help identify parts of the dive that parhaps cause heightened levels of anxiety or where fitness is an issue. In my experience it is not unusual for divers to have widely varying consumption rates when a particular phase of a dive causes concern. A common example being a descent in poor viz .
At the end of the day some people use more air than others. Getting larger tanks helps, but usually increasing equipment loads increases air consumption, so choose carefully.

The main message is the more you dive the more you enjoy it, surely this is what we are all about!

[Snorkeldude]

Hi Vio

[Snorkeldude]

Err oops - Try again

I used to have a similar problem and then got it sorted

Buy a very long snorkel and suck like crazy....only kidding

[onthetrain]

Originally Posted by Violent Ken

From what a few of you have said, maybe I should stop whinging if 45 mins @ 20m off a 12 is ok. I was just comparing myself to some of the lads I dive with from time to time who always seem to have a substantial amount more than me at the end of every dive. They have been doing it for years though, so if general diving experience helps decrease air consumption that would explain a lot.

There are no refunds for having gas left at the end of a dive. If you have sufficient to dive the plan (and it sounds like you do) then you are doing great. If you are getting 45 mins in the cold & dark of UK diving then just wait until you see how you do in warm clear water You'll be surprised

[DiveNow]

I guess if you really want to use less air you just need to dive, dive dive...

More practise will make you feel more at ease and you will use less and less air at the same kind off dive.
Alternitivly you can practise some "freedive" techniques this will set your mind at ease before the dive and make your more relaxed.

[Neil M]

I can only suggest 2 things..
1. relax
2. yoga

Yoga is brilliant for helping reduce air cons.....

I do notice that if I dont dive for a month or 2 then my air cons does rise slightly...

It does get better with time........

[BJ]

What's wrong with being an air monster? - provided you get back to the surface before you run out!

[tfh]

I was being a bit of an air pig earlier this year & the divemaster gave me a tip that worked - breathe in - count to three - then out.

Basically I was just breathnig too fast (& probably shallow too), & it just slowed it all down. By the end of the trip I found it was becoming more automatic & I wasn't have to come up early.

[Richie]

I learned by using, and now probably discredited by all and sundry, by adopting a 10 second cycle - in 3 seconds hold 3 and exhale 4.
Only works of course when you're warm, holding depth and initially at least when you're thinking about it.

Seems to work still as age and lack of ;cough: Olympian fitness disappears.

[andy_chesney]

Keep diving the more you do the more comfortable you will become. This will result in you using less air.