DIVING PHYSICAL PREPARATION

No competitions among divers, and an activity accessible to all ages, out of any performance. And yet! Diving in shape remains essential. We asked Pascale Estripeau, author of "Diving, physical preparation" to explain why training is important, and how to work. Once again, to dive safely.

ESSOUFFLEMENT IN QUESTION

Shortness of breath is the cause of too many diving accidents, triggers reflexes and often unfortunate decisions. And if in principle the 1 level is under the full responsibility of his instructor, as soon as one extends his progress towards autonomy, it is also the rest of the team that is put in danger. But for most of us anyway, we lead more and more sedentary lives between office and transport. Past 40 years is often worse, and we neglect the sporty aspect of diving.

DO NOT NEGLECT THE MEDICAL VISIT

We have already mentioned it in the Mag, but the medical examination, particularly after 40 years, that is to say the age group where the greatest number of readers of the Mag are counted, is all the more essential. : our cardiovascular apparatus must be in good condition, we must rule out any pathology and it is the essential starting point for diving. But that is not enough and it is then necessary, to dive safely, to make it work.

PREPARE ALL YEAR

Diving in shape is to maintain a level of acceptable physical performance throughout the year, and by all means: if the practice of swimming with fins seems of course to make sense, all the others Physical activities are welcome, especially if they involve especially the lower limbs: cycling, running ... The goal is to develop your muscular abilities, but especially your endurance.

BE ABLE TO MEET THE UNINTENDED SUPPLEMENTARY EFFORT

The purpose of a physical preparation that develops your stamina, and what is called the aerobic abilities of your body is not to become more and more driven for the principle. But to push the threshold of your physical performance to be able to cope with the unexpected: in a simple way, if you find yourself leaving the head of water away from the boat, this extra effort should not lead to shortness of breath That's why your physical preparation is planned.

 

FORCING YOUR ORGANISM TO PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

For a diver, we recommend 2 to 3 training sessions per week, of about 45 minutes each, the ideal being to do at least one aquatic session if you have access to a swimming pool, and two land sessions which will develop your skills. cardiovascular capacities. “And if regularity is important,” says Pascale, “you also have to regularly put your body under physiological stress during the sessions in order to create adaptations in the energy processes. »For example, if you are used to running while being able to talk to your activity companion, push the machine a little until you can no longer speak for ten minutes and then try to increase this step by step. duration. Little by little, your body will adapt, your capacities will go up a notch. “This is the principle of all physical training, whether it is to keep in good shape or to go further in performance. We proceed in stages.

MUSCLES, BUT ESPECIALLY CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICE

It will be understood, it is not so much your muscles that your organization as a whole that you must keep fit. By increasing its peak speed and recovery capabilities, you'll be able to cope with the unexpected, and the extra effort you'll be able to make if there's a problem. "But you must not neglect the notion of pleasure in your physical preparation," insists the instructor. This is a constraint, but a constraint that will allow you to dive relaxed, without fear of the dreaded breathlessness: for fun and safely.

TO HYDRATE AND ENHANCE

Your lifestyle also participates in the same process. A healthy and varied diet will be at the heart of your fitness. On the other hand, we have seen in recent years flourish the theories according to which it was necessary to absorb fast sugars before the dive, or they only have the effect of causing a reaction hypoglycemia shortly after, and one obtains the opposite effect of what was wanted. A contribution of slow sugars a little more important is recommended. And properly hydrate is essential: in all sports activities of course, but especially diving. Diving dehydrates, and a significant drop in your blood volume can lead to bad desaturation.

FOR FURTHER

For those who want to go further, the book by Pascale Estripeau has just been reissued by Turtle Prod Edition: a book in small format that can become the bible of all those who practice diving regularly, and is particularly for divers preparing for exams from Level 1 to Level 4. She herself BEES 2 and instructor FFESSM, she also holds a Master of Research in Physiology of Physical Exercise and a University Diploma of Sports Nutrition. His book explains all the physiological constraints to be taken into account and is also a real guide, very practical, which accompanies you step by step in your physical preparation, detailing the training to follow, the points to watch, the diet to adopt, at each stage of your training curriculum. It's sharp, and extremely detailed.

WHEN THE MARITIME PREFET SHOPS THE ALARM STICK

“The results of the last two years have triggered the alarm siren. We have made the sad observation that diving remains, along with swimming, the main cause of death in the Mediterranean Sea in 2009 and 2010 ”already explained last year the Maritime Prefect of the Mediterranean, the Vice-Admiral of the squadron. Yann Tainguy. “The major cause of these accidents is the poor physical condition of the practitioners. It should be noted that the majority of deaths in recent years have occurred in scuba diving, often during dives 40 meters and more. We can deduce from these observations that the victims are people with a good level of diving, perhaps showing excessive confidence in their abilities. The age of the practitioners can also be an aggravating factor because our physical capacities evolve over the years… ”

Text: Isabelle Croizeau