Whats your height?

[ApneaBlue]

Re: Bathyscaph driver needed!

Hi All, I am 173cm...I have to say that neshmah is right. Height doesn't have much really to do with your unassisted performance. However, Arm length does. I have found from the my own experience and watching our students that the majority of propulsion comes from the arms. I have an advantage because according to my doctor I have the arm span of a 193cm male...So I am some what like an ape

I have managed to consistently do 25m horizontal in 2 strokes. Granted, this is not the most efficient way. For examply. My pulse is about 60bpm (after each repetition) when I doing sets of 25m in 5 strokes...BUT when I do 2 stroke reps my pulse is much higher...about 125 bpm...

So I would say that to complete a 25m distance in 2 strokes is really great only to say "Hey, I can do 25m in 2 strokes!" and to show you know what streamlining is all about. But it's really not the best way to go as far as energy conservation is concerned. To complete this distance in 2 strokes you have to keep so streamlined your body has to resemble a tooth pick...to keep this form it takes a lot of energy to do so. There is a fine line between keeping a perfect streamlined position and energy conservation.

Just my obeservation.

 

[waterlover]

Dear neshamah and apneablue I consider height a natural physical attribute. Just like big hands, long limbs, big lungs etc.
Since CW no fins is a physical activity we cannot ignore the fact that physical attributes can affect performance (streamlining, motion etc).
Technique is also very important.
Mindframe and psychology is also very important.
And other things, too.

Essentially, since our propulsion in water is a very complicated process many things combine in a myriad of ways to give ultimate performance. I hope we can all agree on this ‘cos I think there are other more important subjects beginners and intermediate freedivers (most deeperblue.net readers) should have their attention drawn to.

A good example is how modern equipment can take a beginner to depths that should normally only be reached after many years of slow and pain-staking experience in shallow water. And the inherent danger in this. This is what I was trying to get at when I de-emphasized technique, CW fins and the rest of it.

 

[groats]

Still, the poll shows that freedivers might be taller than the average land dweller. The average height of europeans and north americans is around 1.77- 1.78m. Our poll shows that the average freediver is taller than 1.80m. It's only a couple of centimenters and this poll is by no means representative but i got curious when i saw that the people posting their height were all 1.80m and taller (except one), which i consider relatively tall already. A lot have posted heights in the 1.85m region which is certainly quite 'high'.

Joe

I don't really know my height. Must be around 1.80m too.

 

[Tommy Engfors]

Originally posted by groats
Still, the poll shows that freedivers might be taller than the average land dweller. The average height of europeans and north americans is around 1.77- 1.78m. Our poll shows that the average freediver is taller than 1.80m. It's only a couple of centimenters and this poll is by no means representative but i got curious when i saw that the people posting their height were all 1.80m and taller (except one), which i consider relatively tall already. A lot have posted heights in the 1.85m region which is certainly quite 'high'.

Joe

I don't really know my height. Must be around 1.80m too.

I was thinking the same thing. The poll is, like you say, not really representative, but it does play tricks with the mind. It just looks odd. In addition all the freedivers I have meet (only four...), are all taller than me. I am 180 cm. They are around 190 cm. And skinny...

Maybe if you are short the water just doesn't look that appealing.