Winter Warm Up for Scuba Divers

Posted on February 17, 2014 by admin

SCUBA equipment on the ice. It is bracing cold outside and time for a zero dark thirty workout. Like most mornings my training buddy and I are the first to arrive. We converge at the fitness center entrance without words, grab a half cup of black coffee from the courtesy table and bolt for the sauna. Still bundled up in coats, hats and gloves we defrost for a few minutes on the inside and outside before peeling off layers and making our way to the gym floor. Although we are now acclimated to moderate indoor temperatures, the sauna is an unconventional first stop, not recommended for everyone, and definitely not a complete warm up. We move on to the treadmills where this winter warm up for divers begins with aerobic exercise focusing on the areas of the body to be trained.

All warm ups should begin low and slow gradually working up to increases in breathing and heart rate over a period of 10 to 15 minutes. The easiest way to accomplish this is to walk beginning at a pace of 1.5 miles per hour and increasing to 3.0 miles per hour. Warming up prepares the body (including the heart, blood vessels, lungs and muscles) for the more intense exercise of the workout session, helps to prevent injury during exercise, and reduce soreness that some divers may experience after exercise.

More specifically, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, moving the body through a gradual progression utilizing large muscles increases blood flow to muscles, increases the speed of nerve impulses, enhances the flow of oxygen to muscles and removal of waste products. This preparation of the body enhances performance during the workout. Also during this warm up synovial fluid (an oily substance in the joints) changes in response to exercise lubricating the joints. Divers with respiratory conditions or allergies may find a longer warm up helps prevent exercise induced asthma.

Divers who participate in group exercise may be accustomed to warm ups consisting of a low intensity sampling of the same movements that will be performed during the class. During strength training workouts, even after a pre-workout warm up, it is recommended that the first set of each exercise be performed with less weight before performing working sets at higher intensity. Stretching by itself is not a warm up, but may be performed afterward.

A cool down period of gradually decreasing exercise is just as important as the warm up. Again, aerobic exercise at a low intensity works well. This is also a great time to stretch, mediate and then perhaps enjoy a short sauna. Remember to bundle up if it is cold outside. Leaving the gym sweaty makes the body work harder to maintain its normal temperature.

Exercising Outdoors in Cold Temperatures. It is even more important to warm up before exercising outdoors in cold temperatures. Begin with a walk or gentle calisthenics before running, cross country skiing or other winter sports activities. Never stretch when the body is cold. Divers who enjoy snowboarding and downhill skiing may have the option of warming up in a resort fitness facility before hitting the slopes. Stay as warm as possible without overheating before, during and after these activities. Stay well hydrated before, during and after exercise and recreational activities in cold weather.

Dress in layers with a quick dry base close to the body. Protect hands, head, feet and face from the extreme temperatures. Exercising in cold temperatures may not be recommended for divers with heart and respiratory conditions.

Remember diving is not a workout. Ice diving (as shown in this cool photograph) requires special protection from the elements and unique safety protocols. It is highly recommended that divers who enjoy diving in extreme environments achieve and maintain a high level of physical fitness.

Calories Burned in Cold Temperatures. The body utilizes slightly more energy to regulate normal body temperature in cold environments such as diving in cold water. However the additional calories from temperature are negligible. Exercise exertion, which during diving is to be avoided as much as possible, is what produces higher calorie burn. Generically speaking, a diver utilizes approximately 300 calories during a typical dive – about the same as going for a moderate to fast walk for an hour.

FitDiver^® Featured Exercise: Basic Crunch

Posted on June 25, 2012 by admin

Exercise: Basic Crunch with Feet on Wall
Level: Beginner to Advanced

Performing the basic crunch in this fashion reduces recruitment of the hip flexors and allows more focus on the anterior abdominals. Begin with a natural position of the spine. If needed a small folded towel or pad may be placed under the low back for added support. Contract the abdominals (pull the belly button toward the spine), place hands behind the head for gentle support, lift the chin upward and inhale deeply through the nose. Exhale while continuing to pull the belly button toward the spine and lifting the upper body as shown until the curve of the low back flattens against the floor or pad. Increasing the lift of the upper body any further would involve enough other muscles to become less efficient and increase risk of injury. Inhale while maintaining the abdominal contraction and lowering the upper body to the starting position and repeat.

FitDiver Featured Exercise: Basic Crunch

Modification: Divers with precluding conditions of the upper spine, neck and shoulders may perform the abdominal contraction portion of this exercise for repetitions without raising the upper body and with a pad under the neck.

FitDiver^® Mobile App for Scuba Diver Fitness

Posted on March 23, 2012 by admin

FitDiver Mobile App: A Treasured Chest

“Navigating the waters of fitness for scuba diving may seem daunting however, these tried and true exercises for the major muscles of the upper body are as certain as the tides to develop A Treasured Chest.”

ScubaFit^® debuts the first in a series of mobile fitness applications for scuba divers. To purchase the application click here. Available now in the Android Market, and soon in the Apple market, search for it by “fitdiver” or locate it in “scuba diving” or “fitness”. Link to the application through the website at www.fit-diver.com. Divers may also find FitDiver^® on Facebook and Twitter.

“It is the only fitness application for scuba divers you’ll find, but we have more on the way,” says Gretchen M. Ashton, CFT, NBFE, and founder of ScubaFit^®. This project compliments the PADI ScubaFit^® Diver Distinctive Specialty Course, co-authored by Ashton. Gretchen explains, “While all divers now have access to our specialized workouts, the exercises will be most meaningful for divers who have completed the ScubaFit^® Diver Distinctive Specialty. Both instructors and students have the greatest understanding of the benefits of physical fitness for divers and the applications function as an extension of the certification. The workouts encourage all divers to embrace a healthy, fit and active lifestyle.”

FitDiver^® Workouts are based on sound research including a health profile of the diving community and the unique physiological demands of the underwater environment. Scuba diving is often considered moderate-intensity activity. Yet, there are differences in the physical requirements for diving depending on the type of diving and the conditions. Diving may be recreational, technical, industrial or military. Conditions vary greatly in water temperature, visibility, currents and surf. Further, other stresses on human physiology must be considered in an underwater environment. Along with the proper gear, divers must also prepare with proper training, including physical fitness, for safety and performance. The ultimate physical fitness recommendation for scuba divers is to be in excellent health; free from disease, medical conditions and injury. As we go through life, we often have difficulty maintaining this clean slate. It is important for divers to know how to become and remain physically fit, prevent illness and injury, and rehabilitate and manage conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, and obesity.

In addition to improving health and quality of life, physical fitness for scuba diving:

Improves transportation of oxygen to muscles
Reduces amount of air used
Extends bottom time
Increases physical endurance and reduces fatigue
Facilitates carrying less weight
Improves mental acuity
Reduces the risk of decompressions sickness (DCS)
Improves agility on boats and uneven terrain
Improves comfort and movement on the surface and underwater
Improves fin-kick efficiency and diving performance

Certain to capture the interest of scuba divers, the featured exercises were photographed at the Ponto Beach Overlook in Carlsbad, California, with the beautiful Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. This location is an excellent site for running stairs with the spectacular view as a reward.

The application(s) are developed, designed and marketed with the expertise of Phrogger Interactive, Designs by Brie, jb design, and Loren Kurz, Fitness Model. For more information contact: gretchen@fit-diver.com.