YOGA & SCUBA DIVING
Yoga & Scuba Diving - what is the connection?
Yoga and scuba diving are both forms of meditative movement which focus on breath synchronized movement. The more controlled
our breathing, the more we can enjoy these incredible experiences- focusing on breathing relieves stress and promotes relaxation.
Both yoga and scuba diving involve a sense of deep relaxation, a focus on breathing and a holistic approach to the environment.
As in yoga, slow breathing works best in scuba diving.
For those of us who have experienced an incredible dive, we can surely appreciate the amazing underwater world – the landscape,
scenery, treasures and aquatic life living in harmony in a quiet, calm and serene world. When we visit this strange and wonderous
world, we are blessed with the unique opportunity to encounter magic. I personally have been diving for over
thirteen years and am in love with this phenomenal experience!
For those of us who have experienced an incredible dive, we can surely appreciate the amazing underwater world – the landscape,
scenery, treasures and aquatic life living in harmony in a quiet, calm and serene world. When we visit this strange and wonderful
world, we are blessed with the unique opportunity to encounter magic. I personally have been diving for over thirteen years and
am in love with this phenomenal experience!
Having said that, as most of us know, not every dive is a “perfect dive” since, at times we become tense and stressed during a
dive due to unexpected or unfamiliar circumstances. This tension and pressure immediately affects our breathing which becomes
shorter and faster and causes us to consume our oxygen supply more rapidly.
Several years ago, I discovered another incredible world - yoga. I immediately connected to this incredible domain which unites
body and soul in perfect harmony. Yoga has given me many wonderful gifts – inner peace, contentment, harmony and the ability to
control my breath.
After practicing yoga on a regular basis for several months, I went on a scuba diving safari and was amazed to discover the
remarkable improvement in my air consumption and in the quality of my diving. My entire diving experience had reached new levels!
I had personally experienced the direct correlation between yoga and improved air consumption during scuba diving.
How does this happen?
What is the correlation between yoga and scuba diving?
Scuba diving is meditative practice just like yoga. During scuba diving meditative breathing takes place which enables peace,
harmony and serenity which connects us to our inner self and is always whole and in perfect balance.
However, unlike aquatic life, humans are not completely free to move and breathe as we please underwater since we are only
guests there and not in our natural habitat. Our air supply is limited by external factors – the air supply in our oxygen tank
and our diving charts/computers.
The quality and enjoyment of our dive is directly affected by our breathing rate:
the calmer we are during the dive
↓
the slower our breathing rate
↓
the better our air consumption
↓
the longer bottom time and improved quality of our dive.
Q: How can we improve air consumption between dives?
A: Regular yoga practice.
YOGA & BREATHING
The word yoga means “union” in Sanskrit.
Yoga is an ancient philosophy of life as well as a system of exercises that encourages the union of mind, body, and spirit.
Yoga involves a physical practice that combines the movement with the breath. The quality of the physical practice is
determined by the quality of the breath. Our breath is the tool that connects us to our inner essence and links our physical
body to our spiritual self.
During our yoga practice, we practice breathing exercises (pranayama) that teach us to control and regulate our breathing. We
do this by lengthening the time of our inhales and exhales which enable us to deepen our physical postures. Breath control is
an integral part of yoga practice.
When we become stressed or attempt to practice a challenging posture, our breathing rate accelerates and we leave our inner
peace and rhythm and become unaware of our physical limitations and that is when injuries may occur.
The same is true for scuba diving. When we are calm and move according to our own rhythm, we maintain a uniform breathing rate
and are able to enjoy a wonderful diving experience. When we become tense or stressed during a dive, our breathing rate
accelerates, leading to increased air consumption which results in shorter bottom time.
The way to calm ourselves in any stressful situation is to return to our breath. Regular yoga practice teaches our body to
control our breathing, calm our body and our mind. Once we learn to calm and regulate our breathing, we can enjoy and get
more out of each and every dive.
In a study of 58 men and women that took place in Thailand, researchers discovered a direct correlation between regular yoga
practice and improved air consumption. (For more details about this research go to scubadiving.com).
According to pulmonary expert Paul Davenport, Ph.D. who has worked with Navy divers, “yoga adjusts your posture by opening
your chest, lengthening your spine and reducing muscle tension, which can have a huge positive effect on breathing. It also
helps you relax and control stress and anxiety by controlling your breathing. As a scuba diver, that's a great skill to have."
We can, therefore, conclude that there is a direct correlation between yoga and scuba diving. Regular yoga practice improves
scuba diving quality. So, in order to improve air consumption and benefit more from your scuba diving experience, regular yoga
practice is highly recommended.
