2007, Piran, Slovenia

Diving Physiology
DISCUSSION
The main finding of the study is that the mean oxygen requirement for finning in open
water at a simulated velocity of 0.7 kts is 1.55 L.min -1 and 2.70 L.min -1 at simulated
1.1 kts. When exercising continuously for longer than two minutes it is recommended
that in fit, trained but non-elite athletes the work rate should not be higher than 70%
of VO2 peak; otherwise they will experience excessive anaerobic metabolism and
fatigue. Based upon this information, to be able to fin at 1.1 kts for a sustained period
the diver would require a finning peak VO2 of 3.86 L.min -1 .
None of the divers in this study achieved a finning VO2 peak of this magnitude, the
highest attained by any of the subjects was 3.39 L.min -1 and the mean (SD) for the
eight subjects was 2.99 (0.27) L.min -1 . The data collected whilst finning at 1.1 kts in
the lake support the suggestion that the subjects would not be capable of finning
aerobically for 30 minutes at 1.1 kts. The subjects found finning at this speed difficult
and of the sixteen dives at this pace only two were completed (by two different
subjects) at the required velocity, the other fourteen were at a slower pace (at a mean
of 1.01 kts; SD 0.04 kts). The subjects were experienced military divers and would be
considered competent at finning. In addition the running VO2max data indicate that
these were reasonably fit subjects. This suggests that the requirement to be able to fin
at 1.1 kts for 30 minutes is unrealistic and cannot be achieved aerobically, and not that
the performance of the subjects on the finning VO2 peak test was poor. The divers
stated that 0.9 kts was more representative of the pace at which they finned during
normal occupational activities. Further work will be undertaken to quantify the
demands of finning at 0.9 kts and to develop an equation that accurately predicts
finning capability from running performance.
REFERENCES
Marcinik, E., Hyde, D., and Taylor W., 1995. The relationship between the U.S. Navy
Fleet diver physical screening test and job task performance. Aviat Space Environ
Med 66: 320-4.
Pisula P., Andrews T., Bridger R., House C., Green A., and Lunt H. 2007 Kinematic
comparison of underwater finning in open water and on an ergometer. INM
Report No. 2007.018.
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