Zen and the Art of Not Sucking (Gas)

Benjamin Hadfield Sep 04, 2025

Zen and the Art of Not Sucking (Gas): 7 Proven Tricks to a better SAC rate

(No crystals. No “manifesting.” Just physics, lungs, and some common sense.)

Ever surface with 700 psi while your wife still has a small gas station on their back? Good news: you don’t need gills—you need better breathing habits and less wasted effort. Here are seven proven, fun-to-practice tweaks that make your air last longer without turning your dive into a yoga class.

When Nikki and I started diving together, I was the smug PSI accountant—always surfacing with a few extra bar and a “want me to spot you a breath?” grin. Nikki was newer, learning fast, and occasionally giving the fish a little extra air.

Then she dialed in her trim, learned to glide, and suddenly our post-dive pressure checks became a photo finish. Some days I’d win by a fin length; other days she’d edge me out just enough to trigger a polite, professional amount of PSI envy. (Not a blowout—more like, “huh… interesting… please teach me your ways.”)

So I did what any sensible buddy does: I stopped flexing, started learning, and put together a simple game plan to breathe smarter, move less, and keep our dives long without strapping on extra tanks for ego reasons.

Here are 7 ideas I teach—with a bonus at the end—to help you find your inner SAC-rate yogi and keep the friendly rivalry fun.

1) Belly > Chest: Use Your Diaphragm

What to do: Breathe from your belly. On the inhale, your stomach should rise more than your shoulders. On the exhale, let your belly fall completely.

Why it works: Diaphragmatic breaths are deeper and more efficient. Chest-only breathing is shallow, fast, and invites CO₂ buildup. You’ll feel calmer and move less gas per minute.

How to feel it on land (30 seconds):
Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Inhale through the regulator or a snorkel; keep the chest-hand quiet while the belly-hand rises. That’s the move.

Underwater cue: If your shoulders bob with each breath, you’re chest-breathing. Relax your traps, lengthen the neck, and think “inflate the belt line.”

Important: Don’t “skip-breathe.” Pausing too long between breaths traps CO₂ and can make you anxious or headachy. Smooth and steady wins.

2) Trim: Become an Underwater Coffee Table

Goal: Flat, balanced, and boring—in a good way.

What to do: Aim for a horizontal body line with your head slightly forward and fins up behind you. Adjust weight placement until you can hover flat without sculling.

Why it works: Good trim slices drag. Bad trim (knees hanging, fins below your torso) is like towing a parachute. Less drag = fewer kicks = less gas.

Quick fixes:

Slide a pound or two from your belt to trim pockets or tank band.
Tuck hoses, straps, and octo into a streamlined profile.
Keep your hands still (you are not participating in an Italian debate underwater).

3) Buoyancy: Nail “Neutral Without Thinking”

What to do: Add tiny bursts to your BCD on arrival depth, then stop touching it. Ride micro-changes with breath control: slightly fuller inhale to rise, more complete exhale to sink.

Why it works: Constant inflator fiddling and yo-yo depth changes waste gas and effort.

Mini test: If your depth graph looks like an EKG, you’re working too hard. Aim for a line that looks like Tuesday.

Common leaks: Overweighting (you compensate with more air in the BCD = balloon + drag). Do a proper weight check; most divers carry 2–6 lb too much.

4) Slow Your Fins (and Choose the Right Kick)

What to do: Switch to a deliberate frog kick or a slow flutter. Think kick… glide… kick… glide. Keep ankles relaxed; power from hips, not knees.

Why it works: Rapid flutter is cardio with a side of CO₂. Slower, wider kicks are efficient and stir up less silt. On calm reef? Frog + glide is your new best friend.

Cadence cue: If you can’t count “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand” during your glide, you’re kick-happy.

5) Early CO₂ Clues: Catch It Before It Catches You

CO₂ is the quiet thief of air. When it rises, your brain screams “BREATHE FASTER,” which burns… more air.

Watch for:

Sudden urge to pant or feeling “air hungry” despite plenty of pressure
Unexplained anxiety, headache, or flushed feeling
Effort climbing a swim-through, into current, or while task-loaded (camera, reel, new gear)

Fix it fast:

Stop & rest. Signal your buddy, find neutral, hang for 30–60 seconds.
Breathe normally but fully. Big exhale → smooth inhale.
Reduce workload. Turn out of current, tuck in, or change the plan.
Add a touch of gas to the BCD if you’re finning to stay off the bottom.

If symptoms persist or worsen, end the dive. Pride is cheaper than a chamber ride.

6) Rhythm Rules: Make Your Breathing Boring

What to do: Find a calm rhythm that suits your lungs and the dive conditions. Many divers land around ~6–10 full breaths per minute at easy depths.

How to set it:
Pick a four-count out, four-count in, or similar. Keep it fluid—no long breath-holds, no staccato sniffs. If your breathing soundtrack would win a jazz award, smooth it out.

Reality check: Your rate should rise for work (currents, descents) and fall when cruising. Adapt, don’t force it.

7) Micro-Drills You Can Do on Your Next Dive

Fun, fast, and skill-building—fit these between fish and photos.

A. The 60-Second Hover Box

Find neutral at 20–30 ft.
Hover hands-free for 60 seconds without finning.
If your fin tips drift, adjust trim/weight.
Why: Reveals real trim and buoyancy without motion cheating.

B. 5-5-5 Kick Set

Slow frog kick → five-second glide → repeat 5 times.
Note the distance per set and how calm your breathing feels.
Why: Trains efficient cadence and glide discipline.

C. Bubble Metronome

Count “four out, four in” for two minutes while cruising.
If you lose the count, you’re task-loaded—slow down and simplify.
Why: Builds automatic rhythm under mild task load.

D. Safety-Stop Stillness

During your 3–5 min stop, hold depth within ±1 ft, in diver position, using breath only.
No finning, no inflator taps.
Why: Buoyancy mastery when it counts.

E. Streamline Snapshot

Before entry, have your buddy snap a quick photo from the side at depth, or even better, take some video.
Adjust the dangling gear after the dive based on what you see.
Why: Photos don’t lie, and going to the game film is hard to argue with; drag does.

Easy Fixes: Fast Wins Before You Splash

Proper weight check: End of dive, 500 psi (or more), eye level at the surface with an empty BCD.
Hydrate & relax: Dehydration and stress bump your breathing rate.
Thermals: Cold = shivers = higher RMV. Dress warm enough to want a long dive.
Plan the route: Start in the current; cruise home easily. Your tank will thank you.

Myths to Ignore

“Skip-breathe to save air.” Nope. That stores CO₂ and can make you feel awful—and breathe more.
“Tiny sips are efficient.” Shallow sips = low gas exchange. Go for smooth, complete breaths.
“Fitness doesn’t matter.” Better cardio = lower resting RMV. You don’t need to be an athlete, but walking stairs without drama helps.

Bonus: The Lotus Rule (3 Things I’m Looking For)

When I teach, I show my students a little lotus (meditation) symbol with my hands and explain that I’m watching for three simple things—each one makes your dive smoother and lowers your SAC.

To ensure understanding, I discuss this before entering the water, show them this when we are getting ready to descend, and many times will repeat this at depth before we start our dive.

Calm the mind (while pointing to my head)
Leave surface stress on the boat. On descent, do a quick “mental mute”: pick a fish, watch it for two breaths, and let the busy thoughts drift off like bubbles. Less anxiety = lower heart rate = less air burned.
Relax the breath (diaphragm, not chest, showing them the gentle hand signal for breathing in and out)
Think yoga breathing: smooth, belly-led inhales and complete, unhurried exhales. No breath-holding, no sniffy sips. Your cue: shoulders quiet, belt line moves. This boosts gas exchange and keeps CO₂ from overwhelming you.
Shake out the body (goodbye, tension tax. I literally shake out my entire body)
Tension wastes energy (and gas). At depth, give yourself a quick full-body “de-rigidify”: wiggle your fingers, roll your shoulders, loosen your jaw, flex-and-relax calves and thighs. You’ll trim out easier, fin slower, and your muscles will oxygenate better—so you stop sipping your tank like it’s a stress latte.

20-Second Lotus Ritual (do this at the start of every dive):
Exhale long → two belly breaths → shoulder roll–jaw wiggle–ankle loosen → tiny BCD tweak → glide.
That’s it: calmer brain, calmer lungs, calmer gauge.

The Payoff

When you combine belly-breathing, tidy trim, neutral buoyancy, and snail-smooth fins, your dive stops feeling like exercise and starts feeling like flying. You’ll see more, stress less, and surface with air to spare (and bragging rights over That One Buddy).

Ready to Put This Into Practice?

Book our Buoyancy & Air-Use Workshop.
Hands-on coaching, video feedback of your trim, and guided drills you can reuse forever. Bring your usual kit—we’ll tune your setup so your next dive feels effortless.