55 & Scuba Diving? Be Scuba Strong & Feel Like You’re 35 Again.

I am a Scuba Woman. In fact, I am a Senior Scuba Diver. Learning to scuba dive at 55, I have decided that age is just a number. My mindset is youthful, though my body does not feel quite so young. My mantra, 55 is the new 35 when you dive, is being tested. I would like to improve my fitness for scuba diving and become Scuba Strong to enhance my Scuba Diving adventures.

It’s Never Too Late to Become a Confident Scuba Woman – Take the Dive with Me, Tanya.

How to be a Scuba Strong Woman at 55?

My thighs burn, and my back and arms ache as I slog through the sand or wade to the boat with my BCD and tank. After a dive, I am the only diver taking my gear off at the boat ladder and passing it up. My calves cramp when I do a surface swim, and even pulling on my wetsuit is difficult. Diving itself is easy; it’s the before and after I am struggling with. I am determined to improve my dive fitness, become Scuba Strong, and overcome the challenges of heavy dive equipment and age.

I consider my training options. I could try the gym, but then I have all the macho weight trainers. Not really for me; besides, I want something replicating my diving environment. I could swim laps in the pool? Not a bad option, though I don’t like chlorine and I’m not keen on public pools. I could do a daily ocean swim. If I add my mask, snorkel, wetsuit & fins, I am almost diving. Pleased with the idea of my new exercise routine, I begin.

Still haunted by memories of getting stuck in my wetsuit at a dive shop, I put my wetsuit on at home to avoid public embarrassment. A hot, sweaty 20 minutes later, I am exhausted but have my wetsuit on and zipped up. Another ten minutes, and I have struggled into my dive boots. I grab my mask, snorkel, and fins and head to the beach. Note to self: Driving in a wetsuit is very hot and awkward. I will try to get my gear off before driving back home.

A Scuba Fitness Workout Learning Curve to be Scuba Strong

I have found everything in life, and in diving has a learning curve.  I discover a beach swim has a very steep learning curve. Who would have thought?

Lesson 1/- It helps to read the tide chart correctly. Your car keys and towel will get washed away if it is an incoming tide, not an outgoing tide.

Lesson 2/- If the beach you choose to train on is shallow and sandy, it is very difficult to see when swimming. Pop your head up to ensure you are swimming along the coastline and not out to sea.

Lesson 3/- The combination of choppy waves and murky sandy water can make you nauseous. A sea sickness tablet will not go astray.

Lesson 4/- Wading through waves to locate your towel is a lesson in perseverance. Add extra cardio and endurance to your training by carrying a very wet and heavy towel up the beach to the car.

Lesson 5/- Hey, you’re already exhausted; you may as well do some extra strength training and pull off your dive boots.

Lesson 6/- Check your halter top is still done up before unzipping your wetsuit. This is especially applicable if you are undressing in a public carpark. It helps not to have both hands stuck in the sleeves of your wetsuit. The use of a wet sandy, soggy towel does not improve the situation.

Lesson 7/- A well-rounded workout includes lessons in gratitude.

• “I am very grateful to find my car keys rolling around in the surf.”
• “I am very, very grateful when my wet sandy keys start the car.”
• “I am extremely grateful to get home after 4 hours and have a big glass of wine.”

I think it may be time to revise my Scuba Strong training regime and how I plan to get fit for scuba diving. Sipping my wine thoughtfully, I devise the perfect training routine.

Great Keppel Island is only 15km from my home. Maybe I could train there? The following day, I begin my new and improved workout. I have learned a lot.

Scuba Strong: A Revised Fitness Routine for Senior Scuba Divers

Revision 1/- Catch the ferry to Great Keppel Island and disembark onto pristine, white sandy beaches. Enjoy the view as you stroll to the Hideaway Bar & Bistro for a relaxed latte and breakfast. Watch the antics of the seagulls while chatting with other guests.

Revision 2/- Leisurely wander down to the beach and struggle into your wetsuit and boots. Ask a random stranger for help. Spend a lovely hour snorkeling with turtles, sting rays, and schools of fish.

Revision 3/- Practice finning to strengthen your leg muscles. Out of the water, just unzip your wetsuit; who can be bothered to take it off? Rest on the beach in the shade.

Revision 4/- Have another snorkel, enjoy the marine life, and admire the different corals and colorful fish. Exit the water, go behind a tree, and remove your wetsuit and boots. Let them dry on a warm rock while you recover with a power nap under a shady tree.

Revision 5/- Return to the Hideaway for a cold beer and burger, and chat some more. Get the young ones from Keppel Dives to take your gear to the ferry by jeep. Relax for half an hour as Keppel Konnections ferries you back to the mainland. If you are very lucky, enjoy some free whale watching.

Feeling virtuous, return home, and tell everyone how hard you have trained. Finish the day with a glass of wine, toasting to being a Scuba Strong Senior Scuba Diver.

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of Great Keppel Island on their doorstep, and even though I love it, it is not a practical daily training option for me.

How to Get in Good Physical Condition for SCUBA Diving

Any type of cardiovascular work will help Scuba Women become Scuba Strong. The secret is to enjoy what you are doing and have a goal in mind. Cardio will help increase lung function and build stamina. It can include walking, dancing, running, bike riding, or swimming. I started with 10 minutes a day and gradually built as I began to feel stronger.

I also found strength training beneficial for my legs, especially when I have long surface swims or have to fin in strong currents. Strengthening my core and upper body has helped with the rigors of heavy dive equipment.

I try to remain active and exercise at least 4 times a week. I enjoy walking and love the strength and flexibility I have found through yoga and Pilates. Committing to regular practice has produced amazing results.

Whatever you decide to do, be kind to yourself – we are Senior Scuba Women. Literally, my initial scuba workout was stretching while waiting for my morning coffee. I found stretching for 5 minutes in the morning made me feel better, and I wanted to do more.

I also began to add more natural foods to my diet and remove processed foods. I continually sipped water to ensure I was always hydrated. I soon felt more confident, stronger, and healthier.

Diving benefits can stretch into all areas of your life if you allow them to. Become a Confident Scuba Woman and be Scuba Strong.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE – TAKE THE DIVE WITH ME, TANYA – HELPING WOMEN DIVE CONFIDENTLY

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