Scuba diving involves much more than strapping on some gear and going swimming in the ocean. While it’s often a more pleasant experience, it also constitutes a full-body workout that nearly everyone can benefit from.
Muscles that scuba diving works include:
- Shoulder muscles
- Pectoral muscles
- Abdominal muscles
- Quads
- Hip flexors
- Hamstrings
- Ankles
Keep reading as we explore how scuba diving works with different muscle groups, primarily those in your legs and core, and why many consider it a good workout. We’ll also touch on how this helps you build muscle, and what to expect in terms of muscle growth.
Effects of Scuba Diving on Muscles
Scuba diving is not effortless, and you need to be able to perform tasks to get around on land, on the boat, and in the water. Your entire body is learning how to move in a new environment, but you’ll notice the most change in the muscles in your:
- Legs
- Abdominal region
- Back/shoulders
While your arms aren’t doing much during the dive, they’re still on the hook for hauling gear and pulling you up out of the water. Even a short dive can leave your arms sore, and you’re bound to feel it in the rest of your body.
Legs
Like on land, your legs are your primary form of movement. That’s about where the similarities end.
During a dive, you use swim fins to move more effectively in the water. While useful, they require a completely different form of movement to get around. When finning correctly, you feel it all the way from your hips down to your ankles.
Your legs also support all the weight from the gear you carry on land, and even a short walk on the deck can get those muscles fired up.
Abdominal Region
Your abdominal muscles carry more responsibility for maneuvering in the water than they do on land. When you’re moving through air your core muscles keep you upright, but in water they move in new ways to help you change direction.
While you can’t feel it, these muscles also bear the weight of your gear underwater, and they’re ensuring you hold your balance in the foreign environment while keeping you stable and moving forward.
Many find that their abdominal region is difficult to target using standard exercises, but this area improves naturally with frequent diving.
Back and Shoulders
The rest of your body may share the weight of your gear, but your back and shoulders do the most. A scuba tank can weigh as little as 10 lbs, but it can also get up to 80 lbs. Most setups weight around 50 lbs, which is more than most people carry for any extended period.
This isn’t something you notice in the water, but your back and shoulders do their time when carrying gear across land or moving between the water and the boat.
Strength in this area also increases your ability to act in an emergency, especially when you need to carry the body of someone else. You may not think about working out in the water, but scuba diving comes with the inherent need for strength in this area.
Is Scuba Diving a Good Workout?
Understanding how scuba diving affects different muscle groups is one way to qualify it as a “good” workout, but there are plenty of other benefits to consider. The most effective workout is the one that you’re likely to do, and those interested in scuba diving are more likely to get into the water for rewards beyond physical gains.
This doesn’t mean that it’s for everyone, and there are a few situations when scuba diving may not be the best exercise option. While most people can scuba dive with minimal risk, it’s not a great option for those who have a history of lung problems or ear issues. It also requires some effort to get into scuba safely.
Benefits of Scuba Diving as a Workout
Scuba diving tends to offer more reward than risk, and it’s considered a good workout because:
- It makes working out more accessible
- It’s more enjoyable than other forms of exercise
- It stimulates the mind and the body
Scuba diving is beneficial for those with existing joint problems or a tendency to injury while exercising. Your time spent in the water is far less impactful than running, and it allows you to stay in shape without stressing your joints or bones.
You may not feel like you are working out during your dive, but you usually feel it after. Finning around and observing marine life in an unfamiliar environment is more rewarding and distracting than running through your neighborhood for the hundredth time, and you’re more likely to want to return to a dive site than the gym.
Diving is also great for working on your mental health, which is just as important to exercise as your body. On top of physical muscle groups, you’re working on mental skills by:
- Exercising situational awareness
- Improving hand-eye coordination
- Keeping and using technical knowledge
- Sensory experience
Scuba diving also takes your exercise outdoors, and the blend of physical activity and fresh air helps combat negative emotions.
Does Scuba Diving Build Muscle?
Because scuba diving works certain muscle groups, it builds muscle. You won’t see the same type of growth that you might in a gym with a targeted regiment, but you’ll notice stronger muscles in your:
- Legs
- Shoulders/back
- Core
Keep in mind that growth is subjective, and no two people will get the same results from diving alone. Your previous level of fitness, the intensity of your dive, and external exercise factors all affect your ability to build muscle.
Final Thoughts
It may not be a prime muscle-building activity, but scuba diving is an enriching way to work on your fitness with minimal stress and plenty of sensory rewards. Many find that this is one of the few physical activities they can tolerate that benefit their physical health without putting too much stress on the body.
As with any form of exercise, it’s important to stay in touch with your body while scuba diving and understand your own limitations. There are a few increased risk factors that come with diving, and focusing on safety allows for better health with minimal issues.
References
https://aquasportsplanet.com/this-is-why-scuba-diving-is-an-amazing-workout/