32 replies to this topic

[mcgintz]

You could always use a float and take the gear out for him as long as he can perform all the tasks in the water and make a crawling exit or always do boat dives and have him place the equipment on in the water, a physical would be first on the list

[Sylvia]

Brent,

Good morning.
My workout consists of 2 hours of different classes and 3 miles every other day:

Mon: Winsor Pillates
Tue: Caribbean Wave
Wed: Work Forge Body Sculpting
Thurs: Belly Dancing
Fri.: Yoga
Sat: Belly Dancing

As for my diet, I do not eat carbs or sugar. I eat every three hours salads, preferably with pre-wash spinach leaves, lean chicken cutlets or salmon and lots of Zephyrhills natural spring water.

I have a trainer and a gym but my running I do on the beach after my expresso.
So there you have it. I had specific goals but it has turned out to be a life style that I'm having fun with.

[jextract]

Good to hear about everyone's fitness routines. I run in the morning four days a week (take the day off that I'm going to do legs in my lifting). Time and intensity vary from day to day, somedays are longer and slower, some are hills, some are interval training.

I lift weights four days a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. This varies week to week whether I'm doing heavy-weight/less-repetitions or the opposite.

On the weekends I have at least one active day.

My diet is pretty good, mostly protein and quality carbs but do have a weakness for greasy cheeseburgers although I don't give in too often.

For those of you who love chocolate and ice cream, you might enjoy Soy Delicious brand - great taste and fat free.

As to minimum fitness requirements, I would just say this. I'm in the process of getting my DM certification and I help my instructor with quite a few classes, so I've seen a whole lotta folks come through. The only time I really have an issue is if a person is so out of shape that they can not keep a weight belt on - his/her belly is so large relative to hips and behind that he/she physically can not keep the weight belt up when standing. I have to draw the line there. Let's face it, much of recreational diving is NOT a heavy physical strain when compared to other activities. Divers will go with what they can handle physically - when I go out beach diving here in SoCal, you don't see too many folks who aren't at least in decent shape, because divers who can't handle the stress won't do it - they'll hold out for what we call "princess diving" where they just have to fall off a boat and be caddied to.

[chinacat46]

I've been meanig to weigh in on this subject too. I workout on a regular basis about 5 times a week. Usually do some type of cardio, either running, swimming or stairmaster, also hit the weight machines and a few free weights twice a week. The cardio stuff is great for diving. My eating habits aren't that great but I just had a complete physical and my Doc said my blood work was great. My cholesterol was 165 overall with triglycerides 61, HDL 50 and LDL 103. MY BP was 109/66 and my resting pulse rate was 52. Not to bad for almost being 50. I'd have to say the exercise plays a vital part in staying healthy.

[Divegirl412]

"princess diving"

????? Sounds pretty good to me!!!

[rbs262]

This all shows there are many ways to answer the fitness question. It really comes down to what works for you. I mean, I'm a mileage junkie and have no problem extending runs just for the fun of it. On the other hand, I know people who spend all their time groaning under a weight bar. They're in great shape but labor to run a couple of miles. As always, the reasonable mixture of cardio, core training, and strength training probably results in the best fitness for diving.

[rbs262]

Oh, and don't leave out the appropriate dose of belly dancing! Yeah!

Thurs: Belly Dancing

[Kawika]

Interesting to see everyone's work out routines...here's the one I have been using so far...

Mondays: 15 min treadmill (warm-up); weight training - Chest & Triceps; ab workout
Tuesdays: 20 min treadmill; 20 min stairclimber; 10 min swim (alternate between free & breast strokes)
Wednesdays: 15 min treadmill (warm-up); weight training - Back & Biceps; ab workout
Thursdays: 20 min treadmill; 20 min stairclimber; 10 min swim (alternate between free & breast strokes)
Fridays: 15 min treadmill (warm-up); weight training - Shoulder & Legs; ab workout
Saturdays: 20 min treadmill; 20 min stairclimber; 10 min swim (alternate between free & breast strokes)
Sundays: Time to rest! Although I do have a basketball league starting up at the end of July

I'm also working towards getting up early in the morning (5 am or so) to get in a quick 1-2 mile run & some additional ab workouts. Since I've been out of the military...I haven't been much of an early riser...but I hope to get this started within the next week or two.

I've already dropped a good 50 lbs over the past 4 months...and am aiming to drop another 40 lbs so I can get back into playing softball, tennis, volleyball & basketball on a weekly basis like I did back in the mid-90s. Add in some diving every so many weekends...and I think I'll be in tip-top shape in no time...

Kawika

[Mishelle]

So drown me if I am wrong but, when I took my OW class I had to perform certain skills in the water (swim a certain number of laps, tread water in the deep end for 10 minutes w/o floating.....)

I think these tasks take a certain level of physical fitness. As for others, I say if you can get the reg in your mouth, go for it!

[Kawika]

Yeah Mishelle...I remember a swimming "test" as part of the OW class as well. Pretty minimal if I remember...but someone else was there for his DM test I believe...and he had to do a longer swim. I remember back at West Point...one of the things they had us do for physical fitness was to do a 10 minute swim...you can use any stroke you want...but you have to keep moving...no hanging on the edge of the pool or treading water...always moving. When I first started working out a few months ago...I thought the 10 minute swim would be hard...but remarkably...it was fairly easy to do...and I am almost to the point where I can freestyle the full 10 minutes. Swimming is always a good way to get a full body work out as well...so definitely a good idea to make it a part of your workout routine if at all possible...

K

[Mishelle]

I NEED A POOL!!!!

MY KINGDOM FOR A POOL!!!

[Kawika]

Ha ha...I hear ya...I didn't have access to one until I had joined our local fitness club...no more excuses for me...

[CaliD]

I work out 6 days a week. I have a trainer for weight training 3 days
and do a kickboxing class 6 days. And once a week do reformer pilates

Now it's my diet that is the problem. Darn the vegetables don't taste like twinkies.
I have a six pack you just can't see it.

[ddierolf]

I started Competition Swimming when I was 9, we swam 2.5 hours every day except sundays all year up until 10th grade and into college then we cross trained 7 hours a day for 3/4 of the year and 3 hrs a day during Water Polo Season. I kind of got burnt out on the exercise thing! My profession is very physical and does give me some form of exercise although I don't think it is enough for me to be where I think I should be. Time and accessibility are some of the issues I face as far as being able to workout. As far as a min. level of fitness for diving.. I say if you can perform the skills needed to be a safe diver and not endanger yourself or others, that should be acceptable. I think this is more up to the individual then being a general requirement. As far a diet... I eat whatever I feel like. I think allot of the dieting and thoughts about it are bunk, but to each his own. I work outside often and go through the extremes as far as physical and climate. It is not uncommon to go from 110 degree heat in the summer to -10 degree cold in the winter and I don't get sick very often. I have been working like this for over 20 years now, I also average 4 to 6 hours of sleep a night. So you can draw your own conclusions about diet and exercise levels. Again, I think it is more about the individual the a general thing. Just my 2 psi worth.

[Trimix2dive]

Strict diet of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Twinkies, and Pizza. Followed by a large volume of Diet Pills and Strong Black Coffee, with Caffeine Tablet Supplements.

But it is the exercise regement that is critial to one's success. 1 hour of weight training in the morning, and 1 to 3 hours of skirt chasing night. Maybe an additional cardio workout just before one doses off.