I only have 4 dives under my belt as an OW diver and a refresher course but I definitely must say watching all of these makes me way more confident. I am heading to Cancun to dive this weekend and now I really can't wait.
It had been quite a few years since I dived. Were in the Dominican Republic last week. My 17 yr old daughter had her first open water dive. She was great. I’m usually a bit stressed the first few minutes. The dive master was chewing me out with hand signals to get more parallel and use breathing for buoyancy and not the BCD so much. I eventually got the hang of it. He even clapped underwater eventually. Your video was excellent. I really enjoyed the 2 nd dive and used breathing for the neutral buoyancy joist of things. Excited to do more of it. Thanks, Sam
2:20 "by adding air to your BCD/dry suit, you are creating more volume, displacing more water, displacing more weight of water, increasing the upward force" I had not thought or understood of it that way. The true explanation. Thanks!
Same, this makes me feel much more prepared for my advanced open water course. I don’t feel ready after just open water. Getting my own BCD with integrated weight packs is even more important since I never felt right wearing weight belt.
Learned way more than I did than in some portions of my paid classes. You are a very thorough and knowledgeable teacher. I wish PADI courses covered some of these topics. Thank you so much for helping educate and keep us safe
You are a brilliant teacher. Clear and calm. I wish you’d taught me! I’ve learnt so much from your videos and am looking forward to putting it all into practice on my next dive holiday. Thanks 😁
Just recently did my refresher. I’m trying to remember all the skills I learned 10-11 years ago. This video has been the most helpful for buoyancy control!
Wow. As a recently qualified open water diver (12 months ) I thought I was reasonably competent. This is the back to basics that every diver ,new or old should learn . I think that knowing the "why" is just as important as knowing the "how"" . like many people watching this serious of video by you I wish that this was part of my training.
Just another additional tip for those who still try to find out their neutral bouyancy. When I teach people I let them stand on their right hand, trying to be horizontal hovering. So they can feel the pressure of their weight or their down force on their right hand. They can feel the difference between inhaling and exhaling. Now they put air into their BCD and they have a feedback on the change. So they usually can estimate when neutral buoyancy is achieved than by laying on the ground or ascending towards the surface. Next step is doing the same with just a finger. So they usually can hover their finger a centimeter above the ground within minutes. I never sold a Perfect Buoyancy course to any of my OWD students so far. ;-)
I am finshing my Advanced Open Water Cert tonight. My neutral buoyancy is fine horizontal. While doing a vertical, my body tends yo fall backwards and I struggle to nlbring it back without 1 kick.
Amazing video! It's so great that you share your love for the ocean. Scuba diving is such an amazing water activity and it's lovely to see you enjoy it, keep going with these great videos. If it doesn't bother you, I'd like to give you a suggestion, a tip for the next videos: Basically, you could try inserting some comic and funny stuff... to give everyone a pinch of humor that, in the world of diving, can never be missing. Now, I don't think much of it, but the first thing I could think of in your sport might be peeing in the water. Once, my uncle, who is a scuba diver, peed in his wetsuit during a long diving session and that moment was absolutely funny, he even wrote "I’m peeing" on a waterproof notebook during the session. He has always been telling me that there are 2 types of divers and swimmers: those who pee in the water and those who lie. I know it may sound strange as a request but, in my opinion, these are moments of happiness and carefree that always make everyone smile. I hope you like the idea and I hope you have a wonderful day!
such a great resource. i find it very hard to control buoyancy in the top 10m due to the percentage of volume change. will definitely have to try these exercises when i can access some water(has been 3 years). very much appreciate these videos. keep up the great work.
I have 12 lbs in my bcd and a big breath makes me rise lol. Only took one pool session so far... Maybe i had some air stuck in there i didn't know about.
New diver here, I feel like I feel short of breath if I don't take solid breaths in and out. Does your body just eventually learn to adapt to not have to take full breaths?
Great video. Thanks. I am a recreational diver. Very few warm water dives a year. I went to a pool to focus on buoyancy and found that I was too distracted because I was always moving. I could not stop myself from drifting. I tried focusing on not moving at all. It did not work. Is this something that also takes time and practice?
Practice practice practice Albert. And yea it can take some time to get yourself stable. Working on that core strength also to maintain upper body stability is a good thing! Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments!
Love the videos Lyell. I have a question, however. You mention using the BC or Drysuit as your source of buoyancy. There is an argument that you should never put more air in dry suit than necessary to stop suit squeeze. Others teach you to use the suit as your buoyancy compensation only put air in the bc to keep you on the surface. What are the arguments both ways?
Michael you are correct some divers primarily use their dry suit for buoyancy and some merely inflate their suit to avoid a squeeze and then adjust further using their bcd. I personally only use my dry suit once my bcd is fully deflated. But in either case the principle still holds that using either method effectively increases the volume/weight of water being displaced thus increasing buoyant upward force on that diver. It somewhat boils down to personal preference and training as to which method a diver uses. I’m not sure it makes a huge difference either way.
excellent video. showing buoyancy in a swallow pool is incredibly hard for the drastic change in water pressure in first few feet of water just one small thing on part 6, as we go deeper, the downward force ie gravity does not change a lot. Instead the water pressure causes air in BCD become smaller and we compensate the decreased volume back into the volume we need to balance out gravity by adding air into BCD. but the execution is the same
Thanks for your kind words. Gravity may not change but certainly water (ambient) pressure does change. We add 1 atm of pressure for every 10m/33ft of descent. I do agree that compression of gear increases thus the need for additional bcd volume to balance out that additional pressure. Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
Check out the rest of our video series on the 5 Basic Fundamentals of Scuba Diving here: ua-cam.com/play/PLiTZTkl7G_gxUcxI6NTfsVHu5MWWdEEN9.html If you'd like to support our channel and help us continue to provide great UA-cam scuba content, consider visiting our "Merch" store and order some great Everything Scuba clothing or accessories at this link: (New items being added regularly): everything-scuba-merch-store.creator-spring.com Subscribe to Everything Scuba (If you're already subscribed, thanks! We appreciate your support!) ua-cam.com/channels/qkYj52oqx4kie11AMtdRDw.html
Lyle, where can I purchase that articulated, wooden scuba diver (with cylinder and fins, etc.) that's in the background of this video? It'd be a useful tool for instructing my students! THANKS for all your great videos!
This was a great video and you explained really well how we can improve our buoyancy. My only issue is with the hovering. I always dive with full body 5mm suit and I cannot stay in an horizontal position because my fins stay at the bottom. Is it possible that i should change my suit or fins or i should just practice my breathing more?
Thanks for your comments. Check out our video on how to perfect your trim at this link. Hope it helps. How to perfect your buoyancy for scuba diving. (3rd basic Fundamental of Scuba Diving) ua-cam.com/video/F5zDadCoZRM/v-deo.html
I have a question: I am new diver, when I am diving I feel dry mouth, Its so bad that I have to come up immediate Do you think if I add a scuba tank heater will help? Atomic Aquatics sells it. Please advise .
I find that I'm having problems with fine tune control. I feel like I must take big deep breaths, otherwise I'm 'suffocating' - I know I am not, but if I take few shallow breaths, I feel I MUST take a deep breath. It's messing with my buoyancy. Any advice, suggestions?
I feel like my buoyancy and my trim is right and I can maintain my 15’ deco stop but I have trouble at the deco stop standing vertical. It seems like I loose my balance. Any tips?
I need some advice. Imo I've got good buoyancy control and trim. I've never felt a need to use my arms and I hover fine in any position - vert, horizontal, head down, on my back or side. I keep my back slightly arched, arms relaxed in front of me, and my knees bent when I don't kick. Everything feels great - as long as I'm moving. If I stop finning and just relax my legs will slowly but surely sink and I'll find myself in a semi vertical position no matter my body position. I've tried putting a weight on my tank strap and it helped somewhat but I still find myself fluttering and not quite fully relaxed. It should be noted I've only used jacket style BCDs and not tried a bpw setup yet. Still, I don't want to have to rely on a piece of equipment to maintain a good relaxed position in the water. All advice appreciated!
Carl - I’d say that falls more into the concept of “center of gravity” versus “buoyancy control”. I had this issue as well. If you think about how much weight you have above your belly button (rough approximation of the center of your body) compared to below your belly button that would give a sense of opportunities to fix. I’m not sure of your exact bcd setup, but if you have integrated weights - you likely have all of your weight below or at your belly button making you feet heavy. For me, I had to switch out of my super heavy negative fins to lighter positive fins. I then added a couple pounds to my top tank strap. It evened me out almost perfectly
Carl I would agree with B. Are your fins negatively buoyant? If so switching out to more neutrally buoyant or even positively buoyant find may help you out! But in addition I’d makes sure to have some trim weights potentially on my tank strap to balance out your weight distribution. If you haven’t already, check out our video where we talk about setting your trim: ua-cam.com/video/swFWri2ln3c/v-deo.html Thanks for you question!
You can use your arms and legs as a balance. If you tip forward, draw your arms toward your body and extend legs. Reverse if you have "heavy" feet. Push your arms forward like Superman and place legs 90 degrees up.
This comment is not going to be received well by the vast majority of divers and I do apologize for that in advance. This is not a good video for perfect buoyancy. First, fin pivots are not perfected neutrally buoyant. They are performed slightly negatively buoyant and foot heavy. One of the problems of how buoyancy/diving is taught today is that center of mass and center of volume (or displacement) results in a diver going vertical. Weight distribution is critically important to ensure that a diver can hover effortlessly without hand or fin sculling. Unfortunately, the rebreather diver shown here is foot heavy as shown by the sculling. Center of mass and center of volume/displacement are critical concepts that need to be understood by new divers. When it comes to starting CW1 neutrally buoyant and trimmed, a better approach is to have students lay face down at the surface. Slowly hand them weights until they sink sufficiently to rise and fall with their breath in the water column. As weights are added, distribute weight appropriately to maintain the horizontal position effortlessly. Trim pockets on the cylinder straps are an ideal location. As people tend to be naturally foot heavy which is exacerbated by shorty wetsuits, it may even be necessary to add trim pockets in a cylinder strap not attached to the BCD but at the top of the cylinder to address this. This method is sometimes needed for less expensive BCDs that only have one cylinder strap. Weight distribution is key for buoyancy.
A fin pivot is not a method to become “perfectly neutrally” buoyant but to allow students to begin to practice their use of breath control to alter their position in the water column. Your method is an interesting alternative….I have never seen any agency teach in this method. Lastly, we fully agree that weight distribution and center of gravity is critical and we did address this in our previous video about achieving good trim. ua-cam.com/video/F5zDadCoZRM/v-deo.html Thank you for your comments and thanks for watching!
@@everythingscuba sorry, I haven't seen your previous video before commented as this one was sent to me. I did look at the link of your previous video and I didn't see anything concerning the difference between center of mass versus center of displacement/volume. At what time do you discuss it as I watched it twice (but at 2x). Nor did I see discussion on the varying density of the human body as this affects trim. Nor did I see the difference in using a BCD versus dry suit for buoyancy and its affect on trim (when teaching dry suit, I have students compare the impact on trim a BCD and dry suit being inflated has on their trim). I'm not a RAID instructor, but you may want to look at their instructor guide information. It is very good and they provide similar techniques to my own. The traditional techniques after the invention of the BCD and when PADI started the "we put you on scuba before anybody else" resulted in poor buoyancy techniques being taught. I hestitate to say that as it can easily lead to a fight. Not trying to be an ass.
@@__-oq8gz I don’t see you as being an “ass”…..We are alway willing to learn from others and are open to other ideas (as long as they are backed up with science). You also have to realize that in the UA-cam Universe we have a VERY limited amount of time to grab viewers attention and try our best to use that time productively. You raise some great points but unfortunately in today’s environment of limited attention it so tough to cover every aspect and detail of diving. I’m well aware of the PADI deficiencies but we try our best to give the most informative videos we can. (Although reviewing all PADI materials does not give us the option to teach buoyancy in the way you describe). Thanks again for your input!
Actually when I was a PADI IDC Staff instructor years ago, I had a long discussion with my region's training rep who had my technique above discussed in a staff meeting. As i was starting from the surface, i was not violating standards. I know a number of the PADI dive pros who wrote the article "Moving to Neutral Buoyancy" that was published in 2011. (I recommend others reading this exchange to Google it as it is a available in PDF form). Several of the authors helped me teach neutrally buoyant and trimmed. The primary author of the article has been teaching fully neutrally buoyant and trimmed. He also has a cave background. I have had the fortune of having several mentors from multiple agencies with revresthers/cave backgrounds help me. Nothing of what I said to you I invented. For the sake of others reading this, nothing I am discussing do I deserve credit. Not. A. Thing. I do appreciate this exchange and your integrity to converse with me. While I do appreciate the time limitation due to short attention spans (as I often watch videos at 1.5x speed myself), but you did make several analogies regarding course/fine buoyancy control using the BCD/lungs. I personally don't think that was necessary. Finally, fin pivots are detrimental for achieving neutral buoyancy due to the foot heaviness (however so slight). One of the things I observed when I was in Belize last February was divers using half of their finning to become horizontal. Finning masks buoyancy issues. In full disclosure, one of my mentors sent me your video as a bad example on buoyancy. He may very well be the best open water instructor worldwide as he understands body mechanics like no one else. While I am an instructor, I will not certify my own daughter, but travel cross country to him to train her while I dive with his business partner.
Yup. Sorry mate for the very first time for students to learn the feel of neutral buoyancy we allow them to kneel ONE time. Sorry to be such a huge disappointment.
@@everythingscuba mate it was *you* that was kneeling, not your student, i understand that your ego was bruised, it wasn't my intention, but your irony is totally uncalled for... i get it though, you are put another dollar in instructor indoctrinated, just like i was, then i started looking at this with a critical mind instead of repeating 40 year old bullshit mantras, that's why when i brief my students i point that while i'm gonna do the demos while neutrally buoyant i don't expect them to, as long as they empty their mask and recover their 2nd stage properly i'm fine with them doing it kneeling, but the first thing i do once they are certified is recommend they ditch the snorkel as soon as they can since it is more a tangle hazard than any niche use one could give it... i also recommend them to get a wing instead of a jacket, a suit with pockets on their legs, and proper hogarthian hose configuration (yes, it's doable on single 1st stage) and learn to long hose donate with backup 2nd stage hanging on their necks with a collar... i even throw an extra dive to demonstrate and practice those skills after their course if they want. maybe someday you will realise that recreational diving has become stagnant since the 2000's, has refused to learn and incorporate simple stuff from the tech and commercial diving communities and that the money making agencies, despite their arrogance, don't know it all.
I only have 4 dives under my belt as an OW diver and a refresher course but I definitely must say watching all of these makes me way more confident. I am heading to Cancun to dive this weekend and now I really can't wait.
It had been quite a few years since I dived. Were in the Dominican Republic last week. My 17 yr old daughter had her first open water dive. She was great. I’m usually a bit stressed the first few minutes. The dive master was chewing me out with hand signals to get more parallel and use breathing for buoyancy and not the BCD so much. I eventually got the hang of it. He even clapped underwater eventually. Your video was excellent. I really enjoyed the 2 nd dive and used breathing for the neutral buoyancy joist of things. Excited to do more of it. Thanks, Sam
Great video Lyell! Thanks for inviting me to help out on this one. :-) It's always a great time diving with you.
2:20 "by adding air to your BCD/dry suit, you are creating more volume, displacing more water, displacing more weight of water, increasing the upward force"
I had not thought or understood of it that way. The true explanation. Thanks!
Same, this makes me feel much more prepared for my advanced open water course.
I don’t feel ready after just open water.
Getting my own BCD with integrated weight packs is even more important since I never felt right wearing weight belt.
Thanks, after 50+ dives, I'm still trying to sharpen my buoyancy and trimming skill. eagerly to try sooner
Learned way more than I did than in some portions of my paid classes. You are a very thorough and knowledgeable teacher. I wish PADI courses covered some of these topics. Thank you so much for helping educate and keep us safe
Yes, the explanation at 2:20 on increasing volume was helpful.
You are a brilliant teacher. Clear and calm. I wish you’d taught me! I’ve learnt so much from your videos and am looking forward to putting it all into practice on my next dive holiday. Thanks 😁
That’s possibly the nicest compliment any viewer has paid us. Thank you for your kind words Lynda! We are glad we can help in your diving pursuits!
Just recently did my refresher. I’m trying to remember all the skills I learned 10-11 years ago. This video has been the most helpful for buoyancy control!
Wow. As a recently qualified open water diver (12 months ) I thought I was reasonably competent. This is the back to basics that every diver ,new or old should learn . I think that knowing the "why" is just as important as knowing the "how"" . like many people watching this serious of video by you I wish that this was part of my training.
Thanks a lot... It's great explained... love to learn from expierienced divers.... looking forward to the next dives so much.... 🙂
More to come!
Great vid. Im going to have my OW training in a week. This vid helps a lot. 😊
You are so good at explaining scuba terms and I can finally say that now I understand buoyancy :)
I'm so glad!
Will you continue this series? Seems you haven't posted #4 Propulsion and #5 Breathing Control? My OCD compels me to watch all 5 in the series!
Everything changed when I started to frog-kick.
We will be discussing that very topic next video! Thanks for watching Wayne!
Same here 😊
This is my favorite scuba channel, your explanations are excellent.
very helpfull for me as a newly certified owd with 8 dives and two try dives in total.
Just another additional tip for those who still try to find out their neutral bouyancy. When I teach people I let them stand on their right hand, trying to be horizontal hovering. So they can feel the pressure of their weight or their down force on their right hand. They can feel the difference between inhaling and exhaling. Now they put air into their BCD and they have a feedback on the change. So they usually can estimate when neutral buoyancy is achieved than by laying on the ground or ascending towards the surface.
Next step is doing the same with just a finger. So they usually can hover their finger a centimeter above the ground within minutes.
I never sold a Perfect Buoyancy course to any of my OWD students so far. ;-)
I am finshing my Advanced Open Water Cert tonight. My neutral buoyancy is fine horizontal. While doing a vertical, my body tends yo fall backwards and I struggle to nlbring it back without 1 kick.
Amazing video! It's so great that you share your love for the ocean. Scuba diving is such an amazing water activity and it's lovely to see you enjoy it, keep going with these great videos. If it doesn't bother you, I'd like to give you a suggestion, a tip for the next videos: Basically, you could try inserting some comic and funny stuff... to give everyone a pinch of humor that, in the world of diving, can never be missing. Now, I don't think much of it, but the first thing I could think of in your sport might be peeing in the water. Once, my uncle, who is a scuba diver, peed in his wetsuit during a long diving session and that moment was absolutely funny, he even wrote "I’m peeing" on a waterproof notebook during the session. He has always been telling me that there are 2 types of divers and swimmers: those who pee in the water and those who lie. I know it may sound strange as a request but, in my opinion, these are moments of happiness and carefree that always make everyone smile. I hope you like the idea and I hope you have a wonderful day!
such a great resource.
i find it very hard to control buoyancy in the top 10m due to the percentage of volume change.
will definitely have to try these exercises when i can access some water(has been 3 years).
very much appreciate these videos.
keep up the great work.
Love your videos!! Always informative.
I have 12 lbs in my bcd and a big breath makes me rise lol. Only took one pool session so far... Maybe i had some air stuck in there i didn't know about.
New diver here, I feel like I feel short of breath if I don't take solid breaths in and out. Does your body just eventually learn to adapt to not have to take full breaths?
It is interesting to watch the videos of Jacques Cousteau , he managed to dive not using BCD.
Thanks, very helpful
Well done explaining this. Very useful for newbies and oldies 😂👍
Excellent lesson !
Great video. Thanks. I am a recreational diver. Very few warm water dives a year. I went to a pool to focus on buoyancy and found that I was too distracted because I was always moving. I could not stop myself from drifting. I tried focusing on not moving at all. It did not work. Is this something that also takes time and practice?
Practice practice practice Albert. And yea it can take some time to get yourself stable. Working on that core strength also to maintain upper body stability is a good thing! Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments!
Amazing tips !
Wow!
Love the videos Lyell. I have a question, however. You mention using the BC or Drysuit as your source of buoyancy. There is an argument that you should never put more air in dry suit than necessary to stop suit squeeze. Others teach you to use the suit as your buoyancy compensation only put air in the bc to keep you on the surface. What are the arguments both ways?
Michael you are correct some divers primarily use their dry suit for buoyancy and some merely inflate their suit to avoid a squeeze and then adjust further using their bcd. I personally only use my dry suit once my bcd is fully deflated. But in either case the principle still holds that using either method effectively increases the volume/weight of water being displaced thus increasing buoyant upward force on that diver.
It somewhat boils down to personal preference and training as to which method a diver uses. I’m not sure it makes a huge difference either way.
excellent video. showing buoyancy in a swallow pool is incredibly hard for the drastic change in water pressure in first few feet of water
just one small thing on part 6, as we go deeper, the downward force ie gravity does not change a lot. Instead the water pressure causes air in BCD become smaller and we compensate the decreased volume back into the volume we need to balance out gravity by adding air into BCD.
but the execution is the same
Thanks for your kind words. Gravity may not change but certainly water (ambient) pressure does change. We add 1 atm of pressure for every 10m/33ft of descent. I do agree that compression of gear increases thus the need for additional bcd volume to balance out that additional pressure.
Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
Check out the rest of our video series on the 5 Basic Fundamentals of Scuba Diving here: ua-cam.com/play/PLiTZTkl7G_gxUcxI6NTfsVHu5MWWdEEN9.html
If you'd like to support our channel and help us continue to provide great UA-cam scuba content, consider visiting our "Merch" store and order some great Everything Scuba clothing or accessories at this link: (New items being added regularly):
everything-scuba-merch-store.creator-spring.com
Subscribe to Everything Scuba (If you're already subscribed, thanks! We appreciate your support!)
ua-cam.com/channels/qkYj52oqx4kie11AMtdRDw.html
Lyle, where can I purchase that articulated, wooden scuba diver (with cylinder and fins, etc.) that's in the background of this video? It'd be a useful tool for instructing my students! THANKS for all your great videos!
Morgan, that is a one of a kind creation that Josh made for our Trim video.
Thanks for watching!
This was a great video and you explained really well how we can improve our buoyancy. My only issue is with the hovering. I always dive with full body 5mm suit and I cannot stay in an horizontal position because my fins stay at the bottom. Is it possible that i should change my suit or fins or i should just practice my breathing more?
Thanks for your comments. Check out our video on how to perfect your trim at this link. Hope it helps.
How to perfect your buoyancy for scuba diving. (3rd basic Fundamental of Scuba Diving)
ua-cam.com/video/F5zDadCoZRM/v-deo.html
I have a question:
I am new diver, when I am diving I feel dry mouth, Its so bad that I have to come up immediate Do you think if I add a scuba tank heater will help?
Atomic Aquatics sells it.
Please advise .
Love your introduction on buoyancy
Thank you!
When are we going to get some new videos?
I find that I'm having problems with fine tune control. I feel like I must take big deep breaths, otherwise I'm 'suffocating' - I know I am not, but if I take few shallow breaths, I feel I MUST take a deep breath. It's messing with my buoyancy. Any advice, suggestions?
try breathing slower and once your heart rate slows you'll feel more able to take shallower slow breaths
@@theswagman1263 I'm going diving soon so I'll definitely try it out!
WOW had no idea.
What happened to next video about propulsion. Has been 8 months.
Nothing has happened to it. It has not been released yet. It will be soon.
I feel like my buoyancy and my trim is right and I can maintain my 15’ deco stop but I have trouble at the deco stop standing vertical. It seems like I loose my balance. Any tips?
Why vertical? Horizontal trim will help stabilize you.
@@agreberag yes I know but every good dive master that I’ve been with set at 15’ vertical with their fins crossed and arms folded and never move.
What is neutral buoyancy?
Being properly weighted is first. Before practicing buoyancy, which I didn't hear you talk about. Everything else I can agee with. Thank you.
We already covered proper weighting in one of the previous videos in this series.
I need some advice. Imo I've got good buoyancy control and trim. I've never felt a need to use my arms and I hover fine in any position - vert, horizontal, head down, on my back or side. I keep my back slightly arched, arms relaxed in front of me, and my knees bent when I don't kick. Everything feels great - as long as I'm moving. If I stop finning and just relax my legs will slowly but surely sink and I'll find myself in a semi vertical position no matter my body position. I've tried putting a weight on my tank strap and it helped somewhat but I still find myself fluttering and not quite fully relaxed. It should be noted I've only used jacket style BCDs and not tried a bpw setup yet. Still, I don't want to have to rely on a piece of equipment to maintain a good relaxed position in the water.
All advice appreciated!
Carl - I’d say that falls more into the concept of “center of gravity” versus “buoyancy control”. I had this issue as well. If you think about how much weight you have above your belly button (rough approximation of the center of your body) compared to below your belly button that would give a sense of opportunities to fix. I’m not sure of your exact bcd setup, but if you have integrated weights - you likely have all of your weight below or at your belly button making you feet heavy.
For me, I had to switch out of my super heavy negative fins to lighter positive fins. I then added a couple pounds to my top tank strap. It evened me out almost perfectly
Carl I would agree with B. Are your fins negatively buoyant? If so switching out to more neutrally buoyant or even positively buoyant find may help you out!
But in addition I’d makes sure to have some trim weights potentially on my tank strap to balance out your weight distribution.
If you haven’t already, check out our video where we talk about setting your trim:
ua-cam.com/video/swFWri2ln3c/v-deo.html
Thanks for you question!
@@everythingscuba I'll check it out right away!
You can use your arms and legs as a balance. If you tip forward, draw your arms toward your body and extend legs. Reverse if you have "heavy" feet. Push your arms forward like Superman and place legs 90 degrees up.
Buoyancy should be done from the top down.
Braeden Corner
👍😎
This comment is not going to be received well by the vast majority of divers and I do apologize for that in advance. This is not a good video for perfect buoyancy. First, fin pivots are not perfected neutrally buoyant. They are performed slightly negatively buoyant and foot heavy. One of the problems of how buoyancy/diving is taught today is that center of mass and center of volume (or displacement) results in a diver going vertical. Weight distribution is critically important to ensure that a diver can hover effortlessly without hand or fin sculling. Unfortunately, the rebreather diver shown here is foot heavy as shown by the sculling. Center of mass and center of volume/displacement are critical concepts that need to be understood by new divers. When it comes to starting CW1 neutrally buoyant and trimmed, a better approach is to have students lay face down at the surface. Slowly hand them weights until they sink sufficiently to rise and fall with their breath in the water column. As weights are added, distribute weight appropriately to maintain the horizontal position effortlessly. Trim pockets on the cylinder straps are an ideal location. As people tend to be naturally foot heavy which is exacerbated by shorty wetsuits, it may even be necessary to add trim pockets in a cylinder strap not attached to the BCD but at the top of the cylinder to address this. This method is sometimes needed for less expensive BCDs that only have one cylinder strap.
Weight distribution is key for buoyancy.
A fin pivot is not a method to become “perfectly neutrally” buoyant but to allow students to begin to practice their use of breath control to alter their position in the water column.
Your method is an interesting alternative….I have never seen any agency teach in this method.
Lastly, we fully agree that weight distribution and center of gravity is critical and we did address this in our previous video about achieving good trim.
ua-cam.com/video/F5zDadCoZRM/v-deo.html
Thank you for your comments and thanks for watching!
@@everythingscuba sorry, I haven't seen your previous video before commented as this one was sent to me. I did look at the link of your previous video and I didn't see anything concerning the difference between center of mass versus center of displacement/volume. At what time do you discuss it as I watched it twice (but at 2x). Nor did I see discussion on the varying density of the human body as this affects trim. Nor did I see the difference in using a BCD versus dry suit for buoyancy and its affect on trim (when teaching dry suit, I have students compare the impact on trim a BCD and dry suit being inflated has on their trim).
I'm not a RAID instructor, but you may want to look at their instructor guide information. It is very good and they provide similar techniques to my own. The traditional techniques after the invention of the BCD and when PADI started the "we put you on scuba before anybody else" resulted in poor buoyancy techniques being taught. I hestitate to say that as it can easily lead to a fight. Not trying to be an ass.
@@__-oq8gz I don’t see you as being an “ass”…..We are alway willing to learn from others and are open to other ideas (as long as they are backed up with science).
You also have to realize that in the UA-cam Universe we have a VERY limited amount of time to grab viewers attention and try our best to use that time productively.
You raise some great points but unfortunately in today’s environment of limited attention it so tough to cover every aspect and detail of diving.
I’m well aware of the PADI deficiencies but we try our best to give the most informative videos we can. (Although reviewing all PADI materials does not give us the option to teach buoyancy in the way you describe).
Thanks again for your input!
Actually when I was a PADI IDC Staff instructor years ago, I had a long discussion with my region's training rep who had my technique above discussed in a staff meeting. As i was starting from the surface, i was not violating standards. I know a number of the PADI dive pros who wrote the article "Moving to Neutral Buoyancy" that was published in 2011. (I recommend others reading this exchange to Google it as it is a available in PDF form). Several of the authors helped me teach neutrally buoyant and trimmed. The primary author of the article has been teaching fully neutrally buoyant and trimmed. He also has a cave background.
I have had the fortune of having several mentors from multiple agencies with revresthers/cave backgrounds help me. Nothing of what I said to you I invented.
For the sake of others reading this, nothing I am discussing do I deserve credit. Not. A. Thing.
I do appreciate this exchange and your integrity to converse with me.
While I do appreciate the time limitation due to short attention spans (as I often watch videos at 1.5x speed myself), but you did make several analogies regarding course/fine buoyancy control using the BCD/lungs. I personally don't think that was necessary.
Finally, fin pivots are detrimental for achieving neutral buoyancy due to the foot heaviness (however so slight). One of the things I observed when I was in Belize last February was divers using half of their finning to become horizontal. Finning masks buoyancy issues.
In full disclosure, one of my mentors sent me your video as a bad example on buoyancy. He may very well be the best open water instructor worldwide as he understands body mechanics like no one else. While I am an instructor, I will not certify my own daughter, but travel cross country to him to train her while I dive with his business partner.
@@__-oq8gz appreciative your input. Sounds like you need to start a UA-cam channel.
was looking with interest until i reached 3:50 and saw you kneeling... you lost me there, mate...
Yup. Sorry mate for the very first time for students to learn the feel of neutral buoyancy we allow them to kneel ONE time. Sorry to be such a huge disappointment.
@@everythingscuba mate it was *you* that was kneeling, not your student, i understand that your ego was bruised, it wasn't my intention, but your irony is totally uncalled for... i get it though, you are put another dollar in instructor indoctrinated, just like i was, then i started looking at this with a critical mind instead of repeating 40 year old bullshit mantras, that's why when i brief my students i point that while i'm gonna do the demos while neutrally buoyant i don't expect them to, as long as they empty their mask and recover their 2nd stage properly i'm fine with them doing it kneeling, but the first thing i do once they are certified is recommend they ditch the snorkel as soon as they can since it is more a tangle hazard than any niche use one could give it... i also recommend them to get a wing instead of a jacket, a suit with pockets on their legs, and proper hogarthian hose configuration (yes, it's doable on single 1st stage) and learn to long hose donate with backup 2nd stage hanging on their necks with a collar... i even throw an extra dive to demonstrate and practice those skills after their course if they want.
maybe someday you will realise that recreational diving has become stagnant since the 2000's, has refused to learn and incorporate simple stuff from the tech and commercial diving communities and that the money making agencies, despite their arrogance, don't know it all.