Being in good physical shape will have a very positive impact on your diving. Contrary to popular belief the most important workout for a diver is the aerobic workout. Most people think because diving is 1) not a very aerobic sport, and 2) since hauling tanks is an anaerobic activity that the most important workout for a diver is a weights routine. However, the aerobic workout is more important for several reasons. It improves the overall physical conditioning, which lowers the heart rate at rest, thus improving overall gas consumption - hence, longer bottom times on a tank, or reduced gas consumption on a more strenuous dive. Also, physical conditioning increases lean muscle mass, which off-gasses inert gas much more easily. It improves the gas exchange ability of the lungs, so the aerobic fit diver will be able to off-gas more inert gas with every single breath and send more O2 through the bloodstream than the unfit diver. And finally, aerobic training increases the diameter of the blood vessels and increases the amount of pathways. This has two implications: bubbles formed in the bloodstream won't get lodged as easily because of the larger diameter, and if they do get lodged the blood has different pathways to bypass the blocked area, thus reducing the chance of clinical DCS. The kind of workout isn't as important as the fact you do it, but a workout of a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week should be considered. For more information, visit http://www.divefitness.com.
At the core of what makes diving so much fun is a solid technical foundation. Without technique, diving becomes laborious and devoid of pleasure. Proper technique starts with proper posture: you should always strive to move horizontally through the water, thus reducing your overall profile. Careful consideration should also be given to the use of proper finning techniques: the kicking motion is always directed back- and upward - never downwards. This produces the most efficient force with minimal impact on the environment. Another main component of proper technique concerns the mastery of buoyancy. Good buoyancy technique minimizes the diver's impact on the environment (no bumping into fragile coral), while it also enhances the joy and ease of diving. All of these skills are honed through constant practice. It is not only important to develop the necessary skill set, but also to maintain it. Through practice diving will become second nature, which in turn will further enhance the underwater experience.
In diving, your buddy is your most important backup. Not only does diving with a like-minded friend greatly enhance your fun, both in and out of the water, it also greatly increases your safety. This is one of the main reasons why I only dive with a fairly limited number of people. My wife is always my first choice for a dive buddy as we’re absolutely dialed in together. I also love diving with my friend Dan Dawson from Horizon Divers, or some of my former students. I’ve also had good experiences diving with GUE trained people, as they tend to be pretty squared away and attentive as dive buddies.
A streamlined gear configuration will greatly enhance your diving fun. I dive a Hogarthian backplate-harness setup for all my dives. This system is simple and rugged, yet extremely versatile, and will grow with you as a diver, from your first open water dive to a highly technical dive, requiring multiple stage bottles. At the heart of the system is the aluminum or stainless steel plate, strung with a single-piece of 2-inch nylon webbing. A wing sandwiched between the tank and the back plate provides the buoyancy. For single tank diving, the 18 to 40# range is optimal, for doubles diving a 40-65# bladder is recommended. When properly weighted, you should be neutrally buoyant at 15 ft with no gas in the wing when using a wet- or drysuit. I breathe a long-hose regulator, on a 7 ft hose. The long hose goes straight down from the regulator's first stage, across the the chest, loops around the neck into the mouth. The backup regulator is worn in a bungee loop around the neck, and hangs directly underneath the diver's chin. The pressure gauge, which is a simple gauge and not a bulky console, is clipped off to the left hip D-ring.
DIR is a holistic approach to diving. In my opinion there are four main components that should receive equal attention in order to be truly DIR and not some internet forum wannabe...
