wot is skip breathing??

[Last Man Standing]

Agree with all above. For me, I noticed a big improvement when I dive on nitrox, especially with repeat diving such as a week's dive holiday. Have found that using a rich deco mix has further improved the situation as you are still breathing the rich mix for the period between completing your stops, and getting back onto the boat. May sound like a small and insignificant thing but that extra 2-5 mins from completing stops, getting to the surface, getting onto the boat and finally sitting down and taking the reg our of your mouth definitely leaves me feeling brighter. As I move into longer and more technical dives, I've taken a bigger focus on hydration and have again noticed a big improvement to the way I feel after dives.

So I'd advise trying all 3 - check your breathing, make sure you're well hydrated and do a nitrox course.

[Sixsquid]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

It does sound like CO2 retention.

Skip breathing is holding your breath after every in and out rather than a continual breathing.

Don't forget that usual breathing incorporates a 'rest' moment. Apart from trying to calm breathing etc. particularly after hard, fast breathing on exertion (as mentioned re CO2) it could be best to just relax and breathe normally.

The more you think about breathing the more erratic it can become. All being well, our bodies know how to do it naturally, we don't have to make it happen, like raising your arm etc. and I gather those in the medical profession monitor patient's breathing rates when the patient is unaware for this reason.

Being calm is a good start to letting your body do what it knows how to do properly

[bob wippin]

Originally Posted by Aquatic Mammal

You can learn to perfect this technique by going to a yoga class which covers "pranayama" (yogic breathing techniques). It's done wonders for my air consumption amongst the many benefits.

Read the article linked from my sig box

Yoga is 'skip breathing'.

You breath in for a set ammount of time hold your breath for the same time, then breath out for the same period of time. This is skip breathing!

Skip breathing is only bad in diving when you are doing it to save air. You are then depriving yourself of oxygen that you actually need.

Skip breathing if you are able to do it properly makes you more relaxed(like yoga) you are breathing in a more controlled manner, but it does save air!

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by gtm

I,ve been looking at some past threads regarding headaches after
diving . which i have often even on shallow dives, so i was wondering
if co2 retention could be causing it, what is skip breathing i have noticed
sometimes as im diving i need to do a extra big exhale . They are really
bad headaches and i feel absolutely shagged out , all weird n funky like.

Certainly the headaches are typical of CO2 retention but the absolutely shagged out bit could be more to do with how you dive and more specifically how you do your ascents.

Whilst a certain amount of fatigue is to be expected from exertion, especially if one does not normally do much exercise, the type of tiredness at the end of a diving day is normally caused by nitrogen bubbles at a very mild DCS level.

This can be prevented to a large degree by using Nitrox, ensuring slow ascents to the safety stop and then ascending *really* slowly from the safety stop at about 1m per minute.

Try that and see whether it helps.

Ma

[Aquatic Mammal]

Originally Posted by bob wippin

Yoga is 'skip breathing'.

You breath in for a set amount of time hold your breath for the same time, then breath out for the same period of time. This is skip breathing!

Skip breathing is only bad in diving when you are doing it to save air. You are then depriving yourself of oxygen that you actually need.

Skip breathing if you are able to do it properly makes you more relaxed(like yoga) you are breathing in a more controlled manner, but it does save air!

In all fairness that's only one of several breathing exercises that are performed. Overall yogic breathing techniques combine to make you more aware and in control of your breathing.

[e14724]

I did suffer from this myself some time ago. Like previously mentioned there are several things to consider. I am almost convinced that it was CO2 build up, firstly i have kept well hydrated before a dive and in between dives, i dive nitrox where possible. I also analysed how I breath and how it changed throughout the dive,I found i would breath less/ breath hold when i was performing tasks. keep relaxed take your time approach is best (for me). I also take my time kitting up, prepare as much as you can beforehand instead of a mad rush in the last 10 mins getting you out of breath as you head for the plunge. I have also tried to become fitter, if you are fitter you are going to have a more efficient gas exchange thus less CO2. I no longer suffer, im not sure how i did it but every little helps I guess. Hope this helps.

Oh yes, if you smoke it will have significant effect, carbon monoxide takes up valuable red blood cells needed to move the normal gas. It will have also reduced your lung efficiency anyway. If you do try not smoking the day of the dive and see if it helps....

[gtm]

thanks to all some good advice and tips there , i have considered if it
could be dehydration as it feels just like a right good hangover .
I shall be taking a nitrox course and work on a correct breathing
technique . Hopefully one or a combination of these things will cure
it as it really starting to cast shadow over my diving . thanks again ,
Grant

[Seadeuce]

All very good advice there.

Regarding the headaches - very often I see divers having the wrong attitude in the water. A position that has them "looking at the sky" if they were on dry land.

They don't realise it but they are constantly putting a strain on their neck muscles as they hold this attitude.

Check yours and ask if you have a relaxed neck position.

BTW if you tend to yawn a lot on the boat after a dive, then your breathing has been incorrect.

Seadeuce

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Seadeuce

All very good advice there.

Regarding the headaches - very often I see divers having the wrong attitude in the water. A position that has them "looking at the sky" if they were on dry land.

They don't realise it but they are constantly putting a strain on their neck muscles as they hold this attitude.

Check yours and ask if you have a relaxed neck position.

BTW if you tend to yawn a lot on the boat after a dive, then your breathing has been incorrect.

Seadeuce

I don't quite get this. In order to have good trim and therefore be able to move efficiently in the water you have to hold your head back to be able to see where you are going.

The alternative is to adopt the attitude of a sea horse and we all know how inefficient that is for a diver.

I hold the position you describe as wrong but do not suffer from neck strain nor headaches so I cannot see how it's related. The causes of the headaches and fatigue are much more likely to be CO2 retention and inefficent offgassing procedures as already advised.

Rgrds
Mal

[Sixsquid]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

I don't quite get this. In order to have good trim and therefore be able to move efficiently in the water you have to hold your head back to be able to see where you are going.

The alternative is to adopt the attitude of a sea horse and we all know how inefficient that is for a diver.

I hold the position you describe as wrong but do not suffer from neck strain nor headaches so I cannot see how it's related. The causes of the headaches and fatigue are much more likely to be CO2 retention and inefficent offgassing procedures as already advised.

Rgrds
Mal

Velly intelesting
I was talking to a very experienced (34 yrs diving & deep) diving mate a while back about this, horizontal and neck strain etc. He said, while horizontal (great trim) is important on the stops you have to be at a bit of a tilt in order to see when actually on the wreck (or whatever). I think the main point will be "a bit of a tilt" as in still nicely in line, just slightly tilted, as opposed to the "seahorse" position you mention.
I'm guessing it also only applies when facing down is not ideal. Certainly I'm aware of the neck strain and really enjoy hanging at a stop, head in line, facing down. Unfortunately I frequently feel the need to look up to check my buddies are still there Be nicer if I could just turn the head right or left but, apart from the mate mentioned above, few buddies are at exactly the same depth or staying next to me (of course I seem to be very good at drifting at a different rate to everyone else )