Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
How to Master Scuba Buoyancy: Weight, Trim, Breath
Good buoyancy comes from correct weighting, a balanced rig, horizontal trim and calm breathing, in that order. Here's how to fix each one.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
Build your understanding, one dive at a time.
Articles in this topic
8 articlesBuoyancy, Trim & Breathing
Drysuit Buoyancy and Trim: Fixes for Floaty Feet
In a drysuit, gas moves to the highest point, often your feet. How to manage suit gas, weighting and trim, recover from floaty feet and dive dry in San Diego.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
How to Hover Without Using Your Hands
Sculling hands are a symptom of weighting, trim or breathing problems. Why hands creep in, how UTD scores buoyancy and drills to keep your hands still.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
Breathing for Buoyancy: Fine-Tune With Your Lungs, Not Your BCD
Your wing balances the rig; your lungs do the fine buoyancy work. How breathing changes buoyancy, the mistakes to avoid and drills for your next dive.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
Horizontal Trim: Why Your Feet Sink and How to Fix It
If your feet sink when you stop kicking, the cause is usually weight placement or posture, not buoyancy. How to diagnose your trim and fix it in order.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
How to Improve Air Consumption
Air consumption improves when the whole system does: correct weight, horizontal trim, efficient kicks and calm breathing. What works and how to measure it.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
What Is a Balanced Rig (and How to Check Yours)
A balanced rig lets you hold a shallow stop with near-empty tanks and still manage the full rig at depth if your wing fails. What it means and how to check it.
Buoyancy, Trim & Breathing
How Much Weight Do I Need? The End-of-Dive Weight Check
The right amount of scuba weight lets you hold a shallow stop with a nearly empty tank and an empty wing. How to do the end-of-dive weight check, step by step.