Kids and depth

[cdavis]

Here is a question for those of you with kids. Do most kids take to depth slowly until they hit puberty and then go much deeper, quickly?

My oldest was a twenty foot diver for years. I knew he could go deeper, but could not get him to do it. We only get to dive 10-20 days each summer. He hit puberty and, from one season to the next, went from 20 to 45 ft. My youngest seems to be following the same path. I got him down to 40 last year (at 11) but only with a lot of coaching. This year he is back at twenty and quite happy to stay there. His equipment is much better this year and I know he has the capacity. So, what gives?? Does anybody have an explanation for this? What experiance have the rest of you had?

Connor

 

[Charles Engles]

Dear Connor,

I have three girls. The youngest is unable to descend due to ear problems. The oldest two started at about ages 12 and 10. They were doing 15-20 feet their first year in the ocean. By ages 14 &12, they were doing 25-30 feet. When they were 16 & 14, we all took Tanya Streeter's Two Day Clinic in Texas. Their graduation dive was in cold, dark Lake Travis with full wet suits and lights. They quickly were doing fifty feet with Tanya's supervision. Since then they both do fifty feet or so on our once yearly ocean excursions. For what it is worth.

Warmest regards, Charles Engles

 

[JPPLAY]

It all about getting them comfortable in water and comfortable at depths. I had a fear of not seeing the bottom for two dives but I basically got over that and am progressing deeper and deeper. My ears/equlization are really the only think holding me back.

 

[JMD]

My seven year old can swim about 30 feet in a pool, without coming up winded, but when we go and dive the reefs he hardly ever goes deeper than 5 or 6 feet. The one day we were at blue springs he went about 10 feet down before being pushed back up by the flow.

I've never pushed him to go deeper I figure when there's something down there he wants to see badly enough he'll go for it .

 

[DeepThought]

Are you sure you're kid knows how to breath properly and how to fill his lungs to the maximum? one would think it's natural but I think that till I started freediving I never really knew how to do it well.

Asking because the lungs is the first thing that really feels the depth if one equalizes well and kinds are known to have small lungs.

 

[JPPLAY]

One thing also how about depth is that basically you are comfortable at half your maximum depth so most likely at a young age they don't want to push as much but just enjoy themselfs. One thing you might do to help increase there depth is to add say only 3-5 feet and get them comfortable diving that depth then push it up 3-5 feet again.

 

[gwpcasey]

I can't speak as someone who has kids, but only as a former kid.

Basically I agree with the sentiment that they'll be the best judges of when it's right for them to go deeper. I think it's great that your kids enjoy diving with you, you're really priveleged to be able to share your love of the ocean with them and that you'll be there when they do want to go deeper - I hope I get to do the same with my kids (when I have them).

When I was a kid I used to love going down deep and swimming the length of the pool underwater too. It was years before I tried to actually "push" myself though, but when I did I found a teacher and was able to do that. (A guy called Samir in the Doha Club in Qatar - if you're out there buddy, thanks for that!)

Anyway, unfortunately, I can't comment on capacity as a function of age as I never went very deep as a kid. If Pippin is to be believed though, he was hunting as deep as 30m or 40m when he was quite young, I think under 13. That would imply that age isn't prohibitive in terms of capabilities relating to depth.

All the best,
Gordon.

 

[iceselkie]

Can't comment as my 6 year old is so far just learning to get to the bottom of our deep end, however I am always interested in what other parents have to say about teaching their young ones the sport! So far she loves diving, and uses snorkling fins (equipment might have a bit to do with it too, you can't get freediving fins smaller than a size 38). My daughter is also in synchro now, I think it makes a good building block.

 

[tahoedeep]

I think it has a lot to do with your comfort level and confidance in the water. I started at 11 with my dad but I was sure I was going to die underwater. because of this I only made 10m and under "race" dives. I really wanted to go deeper like my dad but couldn't get comfortable. At 18 I finally did some pool time with statics to 2:30. I realized that I wasn't going to die. That summer I jumped to 30m in five or six diving days. I have a twelve year old sister who has always had the confidence that she can do anything. This summer she decided that she wanted to dive and her first time out went 15m and has worked up to 22m. Diving is a very mental game up to your residual capacity. If kids feel they can do it, they can (if their ears will clear). I don't think pushing them works or would be safe. Let them stay comfortable and they will go farther.
The blue is the ultimate drug,
Nick