No Fin CW Technic

[matrixed82]

unfortunately I don't have the natural ability to equalize hands free and this make a descent with no fins very difficult.

My very inefficient technic is to do an arm stroke, then kick and as I bring my arms forward I plug my nose to equalize before extending them. When I'm still positively buoyant I sometimes stop gliding completely because I have to equalize, making the whole dive a struggle :vangry.

Has anyone here had this problem? Any tips?

 

[subaquaticus]

unfortunately I don't have the natural ability to equalize hands free and this make a descent with no fins very difficult.

My very inefficient technic is to do an arm stroke, then kick and as I bring my arms forward I plug my nose to equalize before extending them. When I'm still positively buoyant I sometimes stop gliding completely because I have to equalize, making the whole dive a struggle :vangry.

Has anyone here had this problem? Any tips?

First : have you already got some experience in dynamic with no fin (DNF) ?

Last month in Nice I did a try at CNF... but I am not ready ! The duckdive is very difficult all the more since you are weighted for a CWT depth of 30 m...

I felt a pain in my ear : the armstroke gives a high speed of descent... and I was to buoyant... and of course you cannot afford to "waste" one of your arm to press your nose...

My conclusions :

1. in order to do CNF I need to improve my hands free equalization either with an improved BTV or with a nose clip (see the numerous threads on that very subject...)

2. a first phase of learning would be for me to use the cable to go down in free immersion and having reached a certain depth to train with arm and leg stroke...

3. you can add a good kilo to your CWT weighting...

 

[efattah]

unfortunately I don't have the natural ability to equalize hands free and this make a descent with no fins very difficult.

My very inefficient technic is to do an arm stroke, then kick and as I bring my arms forward I plug my nose to equalize before extending them. When I'm still positively buoyant I sometimes stop gliding completely because I have to equalize, making the whole dive a struggle :vangry.

Has anyone here had this problem? Any tips?

How about fluid goggles or a pipe mask? That way you don't have to pinch your nose.

 

[JasonWelbourne]

I would say if you have the ability to transfer pressure WHATSOEVER hands free, regardless of the strain involved, you should take some time off and develop the technique. The best time to test this is at the begining of a dive day after taking some time to relax. It is easiest in water that isn't cold. BTW, if you can make your ears pop hands free above water, with sufficient muscular isolation and development, you should be able to do it in the water.

If you don't, go ahead and aquire a nose clip and pipe mask.

 

[matrixed82]

Thanks for your responses!
I'll definetly give those suggestions a try. I think I'll work on hands free equalisation and if that does'nt work I'll try to make a pipe mask.

 

[ApneaBlue]

Long live the nose clip!

 

[quasimoto]

Jason, or anyone who knows

i have the ability to open my tubes and equalize above water, but cant seem to do it in water, so can you reccomend me some training to isolate the muscles? it would be greatly appreciated

thanks
rory

 

[JasonWelbourne]

There was a stage during the learning process where I found myself in the same situation. I was so happy because I knew I had finally figured it out. I kept it going all the way to the quarry just to make sure I didn't forget how or anything. As soon as I hopped in the water it stopped working. At somepoint I pushed beyond that. Now if I am too tense I find myself once again unable to equalize. My advice is to continue isolating and strengthening the muscles involved. Practice in the tub if you think you have got it. To do that create a small possitive or negative disparity and allow your tubes to close on it, then submerge and see if you can equalize it. next time you find yourself in divable waters, get in and swim for a bit, relax and get comfortable in the water before trying to dive. Then when you do dive, try it on a line, so that you can try the technique at minimal depths, slowly descending further if it works. It took me about a month from the time I figured it out on land until I accomplished it for the first time in deep water.

 

[subaquaticus]

unfortunately I don't have the natural ability to equalize hands free and this make a descent with no fins very difficult.

My very inefficient technic is to do an arm stroke, then kick and as I bring my arms forward I plug my nose to equalize before extending them. When I'm still positively buoyant I sometimes stop gliding completely because I have to equalize, making the whole dive a struggle :vangry.

Has anyone here had this problem? Any tips?

I just spent 10 days in Nice (France) and trained with CNF...

I departed from the beach, with no cable... from the Promenade des Anglais...

My equipment was :

. One 2 mm-thick shorty
. A marseillaise around my waist with 1 kg
. 2 kg around my neck (2 pairs of ankle weights tied to one another)
. A nose-clip (the 2 € one at le Vieux Plongeur in Marseille)
. XP Seal goggles
. A front snorkel
. Swimming paddles (TYR Medium size)

Unfortunately, you cannot reach quickly depth from the beach in Nice and since I did not want to cross motor boats, I restricted myself to the 300 m area where the max depth was 14 m...(300 m away from the shore)...

I was able to do very nice trainings in CNF... With my front snorkel, my nose-clip and my XP Seals, I could relax gently, doing some Valsalvas without touching my nose, I could concentrate on my (folding) duckdive....

My paddles were very useful to help me "feel" the water, and the increase the safety when it come to ascending...

There was no suction effect with my XP Seals at -15 m... During my descent I did some mixture of Valsalva with BTV...

Though I feel that my 2 € nose-clip from Le Vieux Plongeur is a bit weak...

Next step : I have to buy the paradisia...