Bottom Times

[Gahiel]

Hey all I have an interesting question about bottom time. So I was at the Ymca with a few of my lifeguarding friends and I finally coaxed them into standing in the pool and spot me while I do some bottom time training. With safty personell in place I started this drill. I was wearing regular swimming trunks, crappy Ymca Bi-fins and was in about a 5' deep pool. I would start with a 3min breath up and then "swim down" to my "depth" with was 40' across the pool. once there I would slow down and kind of chilax while holding my breath. Then after X amount of time I would turn around and "swim up" the 40' to get back to the wall. Well I didn't have any way to time my exact bottom time but my total dive times were around 1:15-1:30. I was slightly dissapointed. Is a 1:15-1:30 min total dive time average?? thanks for all of your help.

 

[bglaeser]

Hi Gaheil. Anything over a minute sounds pretty good to me. But then I'm just a spearfisherman...not really a free diver. I read some things on hear about these guys who do real long dives and experience "laryngeal spasms" and "contractions" and I think.... "Guys.... I think that is your body trying to tell you 'Hey!!! You're going to DIE!!!!!'". LOL But..... more power to you.... I'll stay at less than one minute and less than 30' depth, thank you very much

 

[Jon]

You'll be able to spear plenty of fish with those times around here. Depth isn't too big a deal for spearing in most lakes because the fish that we can shoot hang out around the thermocline- which never gets much deeper than 30. This also happens to be the depth where you find the deeper weeds thin out and it turns to muck/marl on the bottom and not too many fish.

More important that doing a super long, single, dive is to get into a rhythem where you can do a minute up followed by a minute down over and over again for a few hours. You'll get plenty of fish that way. There have been times where i've pushed my bottom times past 2 minutes to get a shot at a very skittish crappie, but those kind of times are not, normally, needed around here. In the ocean it can be a whole different ball game and longer times may be needed depending upon where you are and what your hunting for.

Another thing to keep in mind is that once you find an area with fish all of your hunting will be aspetto- holding as still as possible on the bottom and waiting for the fish to come to you. This uses a lot less energy than swimming around looking for them.

Jon

 

[Pinggene]

I agree with Brian & Jon...1:00 - 1:30 bottom time tops is all one really needs here in Wisconsin.

One always needs to be certain to leave some reserve...never dive to your max PB :rcard ...you never know when you push off bottom, or start to go up, and you are in a tangle or something...without any reserve time, you die! :naughty You need to be able to get out of a situation...

Always, always, leave some reserve...

Gene

 

[Gahiel]

leaving some in reserve, that is a really good idea and I will definatly take that into consideration when diveing. Thanks so much for all of your help.

 

[bglaeser]

John.... where did you get the underwater camera? Digital? How much did it cost?

~Brian

 

[Jon]

I've had a bunch of cameras over the years. My last two have been digitals. My latest is a Casio Z1000 in a Casio housing. The best part is how small it is- so I can mount it on my speargun!

Jon

 

[Pinggene]

Brian,

My daughter has a Casio Exilim (about 2" x 3.5" x 1/2"). I'm saving up for the underwater housing ($180 & S&H). (One thing at a time)

I inherited a milling machine from my father-in-law & will start making camera mounts for spear guns shortly (custom to the camera & speargun).

Jon's pictures are so cool...especially video of a shot from the shooter's point of view! :inlove

Gene

 

[cdavis]

HI Gahiel,

Your times are just fine, lots of fish in your future.

You have figured out a technique that I use regularly in workouts. Its great practice for real diving, spearing or whatever. Make it closer to real diving (and easier) with a weight belt with ,say 4 lbs, just so you are still slightly positive, but don't have to fight to stay down. Do it a lot and it becomes a good base to experiment with different breath ups, stroke techniques, FRC, etc. Try swimming very very slow the first length and see if that increases your time on the "bottom".

Connor

Connor

 

[Gahiel]

connor thanks for the help. I will try swimming alot slower on the 'decent' and see how long it increases my time. Also just so everyone knows, I am a wildlife lover-not a fighter I don't spear. However I totally think that it is a cool way to hunt and if I had the money I would probably go and get me a gun!

 

[Pinggene]

Gahiel,

I bet spearguns are a lot less expensive than what you are thinking...Also, you could try out a poll spear first...Can get one of those for $30.

Not trying to convert you or anything. I too, find most of my enjoyment from watching the wildlife around me...

Gene

 

[Gahiel]

well as it stands right now Im going to be spending around 600$ for a mono, suit and mask. So 30 sounds like a ton of money right now on my little high school budget... Anyway Pinggene Ill look into it and it does sound exiting! I cannot wait to go with you guys.
~Ben