Burpees for Scuba Divers

When I first heard the word “burpee,” for a moment I thought of indigestion. Divers who’ve incorporated burpees into their exercise routine know that may not be far from the truth. Although burpees aren’t everyone’s favorite exercise, they’re quite effective. Depending on individual goals, burpees for scuba divers can offer a quick total body workout.

Physiologist Royal H. Burpee developed burpees in the 1930s to measure fitness in athletes and new military recruits. The Burpee Test, as it became known, is more beneficial to divers as an exercise to help develop physical fitness for scuba diving. In fact, burpees break down into several individual body-weight exercises with unique fitness benefits that divers can master and perform separately. When comfortable with the individual components, divers can combine the vertical jump, squat thrust and plank into the burpee.

The burpee creates a high oxygen demand because it involves multiple muscles. At a low intensity the resulting elevated heart rate makes it seem to be an aerobic (presence of oxygen) exercise. In fact, as long as there is an aerobic pathway, this is partially the case. But as the muscles fatigue and become anaerobic (lack of oxygen), strength adaptations occur in the muscles. This makes for a great combination to increase strength and stamina for diving. Start with five or 10 repetitions and progress to about 25 per interval, then rest for one minute and repeat.

Breaking Down the Burpee

Vertical Jump

Begin the vertical jump with the feet together and the arms alongside the torso. Sit into a squat then jump up while swinging the arms up and overhead. Extend the body and reach as high as possible. Your feet should leave the ground. On the way down, control the landing and return to a squat position with arms alongside the body. Repeat or move on to the squat thrust.

Squat Thrust and Plank

The squat thrust begins in the straight-arm plank position. The plank is a foundational exercise. Holding this position for one minute helps strengthen arms, abs, chest and low back. Transition into the squat thrust with hands in contact with the ground and arms straight. Push slightly with both feet at the same time and pull the knees up toward the chest between the elbows. Without more than a second’s hesitation, lift the feet and return to the straight-leg position. Repeat or move onto the vertical jump.

 

 

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Joe-Time: A Ritual of Continuity

Joe-time should have almost no rules except to focus on the couple and their interactions, inner thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.

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IUCN Red List Reclassifies Whale Sharks as Endangered

Many of us have encountered whale sharks in the wild. Those who haven’t yet usually rank the experience high on the bucket list. However, we may be running out of chances to see these magnificent animals in their natural environment. Earlier this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) officially declared the whale shark endangered.

IUCN Red List Reclassifies Whale Sharks as Endangered

The IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. The IUCN Red List classifies species into categories ranging from Least Concern to Extinct. The whale shark was previously listed as Vulnerable, but the worrying results of a recent study prompted officials to upgrade the species’ rating to Endangered. Only two other categories (Critically Endangered and Extinct in the Wild) stand between the whale shark and extinction.

How did the whale shark become endangered?

In order to be classified as Endangered, a species must fulfill one of a number of criteria. The species must have suffered a population decline of 50 percent or more over the last three generations, the causes of which have not yet been addressed. This is true for the whale shark, with researchers estimating that their numbers have halved in the past 75 years. Director of IUCN’s global species program Jane Smart says of the whale shark’s status that “it is alarming to see such [an] emblematic species slide towards extinction.”

She goes on to say that the new assessments emphasize the need to protect whale sharks and other at-risk species. Conservation action in countries like India, the Philippines and Taiwan has helped to stem the species’ decline. But in other areas of the world, both small and large-scale fisheries take the sharks with impunity. In southern China, for example, fishermen routinely target whale sharks, hoping to cash in on the country’s lucrative shark-fin trade. Even in countries that protect whale sharks, illegal poachers often take them.

What next?

At the moment, CITES Appendix II lists whale sharks. This theoretically places strict limits on the international trade of threatened species. However, according to Red List assessor and whale shark expert Dr. Simon Pierce, “more needs to be done domestically to protect whale sharks at a national level.” Regional fishermen are not the species’ only problem. Trawlers and purse-seine fishermen frequently catch them accidentally. Global overfishing may affect their food sources, and ship strikes often injure or kill them.

The whale shark is not the only marine species whose conservation status has recently changed for the worse. Unregulated fishing has also caused the dramatic decline of the winghead shark, also known as the slender hammerhead. Fishermen target the shark heavily throughout its range. It is also particularly susceptible to entanglement thanks to its oddly shaped head. Although data is limited for the slender hammerhead, scientists estimate that populations have declined by more than 50 percent over the past three generations. As such, the IUCN has also upgraded its status to Endangered.

In September, Hawaii will host the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The congress meets once every four years; this year’s session will see a complete update of the IUCN Red List. The IUCN is likely to reassess other marine species as part of the update. Hopefully, unlike the whale shark and the slender hammerhead, some of those species will show signs of recovery.

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How to Improve Your Buoyancy Control

We all know those divers who seem to control their depth effortlessly. Do you, by contrast, feel as though you have only tenuous control of your position in the water and struggle to steady yourself? Many, if not most, divers have felt that way at some point. One of the best, and easiest ways to feel more comfortable with your buoyancy is to spend a few hours in the pool practicing the hover. You probably managed to hover a few times during your open-water course, but it’s unlikely that you mastered it. Read on for some tips on how to perform this skill perfectly every time.

Start from zero

Your open-water instructor surely emphasized this first step in their hover demonstration because it’s one you should not skip: Start by letting all the air out of your BCD. If you start from zero, then you’ll end up with a more accurate idea of how many bursts of air you need to add to make yourself neutrally buoyant. Of course this amount will change in the ocean as you go deeper and are under more pressure, but with that practice in the pool behind you, adding air to your BCD as you dive will become second nature.

Get some momentum — the right way

You started by being negatively buoyant, and then added a small burst of air into your BCD, but you’re still kneeling on pool floor. Now what? After each small burst you add to your BC, take one big inhale to get yourself off the ground. Still negative? Add one more small burst; take another big breath. The aim is to float weightlessly so you are neither touching the floor nor breaking the surface of the pool. If you can stay suspended in the middle of the water, not unlike a freeze-frame in a movie, then you have achieved neutral buoyancy.

Do not use your arms and legs to maintain this position in the water. Not only is this cheating, but it is also doing you a disservice. Sure, you might manage to be neutral for a moment, but will you be able to stay there? Also avoid holding down that inflator button. Use it sparingly; be patient; and wait a moment to see what happens after that big inhale. Otherwise you might go straight from negatively buoyant to the surface of the pool, with no hovering in between.

Get to know your breathing

Once you get neutral, the real work begins to keep yourself there. In order to do that, you must rely only on your breath. Take small breaths in, as if you are drinking from a very skinny straw. The less generous your breaths, the more steadily you will remain at the same depth. Pick a fixed point, like a pool tile, and work on your breathing until you come up with a pattern that keeps you still and staring at that same point. When I was struggling with this skill, I would take three short inhales in a row. That way, if after one or two of those inhales, I felt myself ascend too much already, I would exhale right away.

You can also ask someone experienced to hop in the pool and help coach you by signaling when to breathe in and when to breathe out. With practice, things will just click. You will start breathing this way on all of your dives without thinking about it.

Pick a position

Hover in a position comfortable enough to hold for a few minutes. Remember, just because your instructor demonstrated the hover cross-legged doesn’t mean that you’ve got to do it that way. If you are tempted to use your hands to steady yourself, wrap your arms around your knees instead. If you’re tall, make yourself as small as possible. That way, your changes in depth (if they do happen) do not feel so big. Once you find a position you like, do not move. Don’t let changes like a tilt in position distract you; just focus on remaining motionless at the same depth.

Weight yourself properly

You can avoid that distracting tilt we just talked about if you distribute your weights evenly for a nice trim. And while we’re on the subject of weights, you’ll be doing all that work perfecting your hover for nothing if you’re not wearing the correct amount. So take the time to perform a buoyancy check. After you’ve practiced your hover in a freshwater pool, and are ready to try it out in salt water, remember that you’ll need to do another buoyancy check.

After a bit of practice, and keeping these tips in mind, you’ll wonder why you ever found buoyancy control difficult in the first place. Soon you’ll be diving with those experienced divers you used to marvel at, also in complete control.

By guest author Lorena Espin

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Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ spectacular September sale.

I had a very interesting conversation with Alex Eblen of Leslie Hindman auctioneers recently about the auction house’s upcoming September jewelry sale.

My love for browsing jewelry auctions online predates Diamonds in the Library, but actually talking to  Leslie Hindman’s in-house jewelry specialist about the sale lent the event a whole new perspective. We immediately spent 15 full minutes rhapsodizing about the show’s cover piece, an aquamarine and diamond necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Alex went on to tell me about Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ philosophy, which helped explain the diversity of their sales: it’s their practice to try to accept as much of their sources’ estates as possible, rather than selecting just the top one or two pieces, like some auction houses would. This not only means that they have a loyal repeat customer base to source from to them  (because who wouldn’t choose the auction house who is more likely to accept everything?) but it also means that their sales have a wide variety of lot types and price points.

Our focus today is the upcoming September jewelry sale, which is split over two days, the 11th and the 12th. It boasts by a profusion of noteworthy pieces, especially concentrated in the Georgian to Art Deco eras and again in the funky 1960’s-1970’s.

If you’re in NYC, definitely go check out the auction preview, which is happening in the Big Apple next week, from August 22nd-24th.

Here are some of the lots that caught my eye:

Lot 89: An Important Platinum, Aquamarine and Diamond Necklace, Tiffany & Co., Circa 1915.

This is the Louis Comfort Tiffany aquamarine and diamond piece that Alex was telling me about over the phone – and it’s just as wonderful as I imagined it would be. This intricate platinum masterpiece dates to 1915 and incorporates 132.52 carats of aquamarines and 3.18 carats of diamonds.

Aquamarine is my birthstone and I do accept gifts.

Lot 40: A Carved Coral Flexible Bracelet, Circa Mid 19th Century.

Lot 210: A Platinum, Diamond and Emerald Ring.
Lot 235: A Yellow Gold, Diamond and Emerald Ring.
Lot 209: A Platinum, Emerald and Diamond Eternity Band.
Lot 110: An Art Deco Platinum, Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring, Tiffany & Co.
Lot 261: A Platinum, Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring
Lot 194: A Platinum, Diamond and Emerald Ring, Oscar Heyman Brothers.

These emerald and diamond rings are all pretty spectacular, but I think the Oscar Heyman swirl is my favorite. I love the precision of the way the gems are set.

Lot 15: An Egyptian Revival Gold, Silver, Turquoise and Polychrome Enamel Bangle Bracelet.

Leslie Hindman’s upcoming sale actually has quite a few fabulous Victorian cuffs, and this was one of my very favorites! How gorgeous is that white detailing alongside the deep blue enamel and vivid turquoise? I’d wear this any day.

Lot 193: A Platinum, Emerald and Diamond Pendant/Brooch, Tiffany & Co.
Lot 86: A Belle Epoque Platinum, Rose Gold, Opal, Diamond and Demantoid Garnet Necklace.

Two very different, equally extraordinary necklaces. The Tiffany piece isn’t dated, but it radiates an irresistible Art Deco-feel. The Edwardian opal and demantoid piece is just a glorious fairy princess of a thing. So delicate and ethereal.

Lot 403: A 2.58 Carat Oval Mixed Cut Fancy Orangy Pink Diamond.
Lot 367: A 37.00 Carat Oval Carved Reverse Intaglio Amethyst, Wallace Chan.
Lot 369: A Fine 4.01 Carat Cushion Cut Brazilian Paraiba Tourmaline.
Lot 371: A Fine 6.40 Carat Antique Cushion Cut Kashmir Sapphire.

These are a few of my favorite loose stones from the Leslie Hindman September sale. I’d love to see what could be made out of any one of them. And how cool is that carved Wallace Chan amethyst?

Lot 332: A Modernist 18 Karat Yellow Gold and Nephrite Jade Ring.
Lot 229: A High Karat Yellow Gold and Lapis Lazuli Ring.
Lot 337: A Yellow Gold and Polychrome Enamel Ring.

A funky trio, too cool not to spotlight. I’d love the chance to try these on!

Lot 136: A Fine Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Lorgnette, Charlton & Co.

Are you familiar with lorgnettes? They’re wonderful. With this pair, the glasses fold back into the beautiful diamond element, which can be worn as a pendant. Beautiful and useful.

Lot 4: A Pair of Victorian Gold, Silver, Coral and Diamond Serpent Motif Pendant Earrings.
Lot 66:  A Pair of Etruscan Revival Yellow Gold Pendant Earrings, French.

Oh, Victorian earrings. How I love you.

Lot 90: A Victorian Silver Topped Gold and Diamond Convertible Tiara/Necklace.

I never say no to a tiara that converts into a necklace.

Lot 14: A Pair of Silver, Gold, Diamond and Turquoise Ear Pendants.
Lot 179: A Pair of Retro Yellow Gold, Emerald and Diamond Earclips.
Lot 340: A Pair of 18 Karat Yellow Gold Tassel Earclips, Yuri Ichihashi.

Three extremely cool pairs of earrings from three different eras.

Lot 133: A Fine Platinum, Natural Pearl and Diamond Necklace, Circa 1920.

There’s that classic geometric Art Deco perfection – with a pearl drop of remarkable quality.  This necklace is a beauty, ready to be incorporated into any modern wardrobe.

Lot 1083: An 18 Karat Yellow Gold, Citrine and Plique-a-Jour Brooch.

Flamboyant and fabulous.

 

Lot 287:A Modernist Yellow Gold and Cultured Pearl Collar Necklace, Ed Wiener.
Lot 289: A Pair of Modernist Yellow Gold and Cultured Pearl Earclips, Ed Wiener.
Lot 288: A Modernist Yellow Gold and Cultured Pearl Brooch, Ed Wiener, circa 1957,

These three modernist yellow gold and cultured pearl pieces by Ed Weiner aren’t the kind of thing that I usually get me excited, but there’s something really appealing about them, isn’t there? I love the feeling of movement in their lines, and the way I think that the articulated joints of the necklace would lay on the wearer’s collarbone.

Lot 95: A Platinum, Diamond and Emerald Cameo Brooch.

Just gorgeous.

Lot 728: A Renaissance Revival Yellow Gold, Polychrome Swiss Enamel and Multigem Portrait Pendant/Brooch.

You know I’m a sucker for Renaissance revival enamel work, and hoooooooly moly this one is magnificent. Look at those colors! And she’s all “I hold my flowers like a demure maiden…is that a breeze? No, keep painting.”

Lot 67: An Important Platinum and Diamond Graduated Line Necklace (20.77 TCW).

A classic, stunning bezel-set rivere necklace. This beauty clocks in at just under 21 carats.

Lot 1024: A Edwardian Platinum Topped Gold, Pearl and Diamond Crown Pendant/Brooch, Kirkpatrick & Co.
Lot 579: An Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Monogram Brooch.
Lot 201: A Retro Platinum, Yellow Gold and Diamond Ribbon Motif Dress Clip, Udall and Ballou.
Lot 587: An Art Deco Platinum, Diamond and Onyx Bar Brooch.

This batch of brooches has plenty to love, from the regal Edwardian crown to the extremely cool Art Deco monogram to the dynamic gold retro swoosh.

Lot 8: An Egyptian Revival Rose Gold and Scarab Micromosaic Bangle.

How gorgeous is this scarab micromosaic? I love its vibrant color, and the contrast of the delicate bangle frame with the more substantial central element.

Lot 578: An Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Pendant Watch Necklace, French.

If watches were still this pretty, I would wear one. Possibly as a necklace.

Lot 183: A Pair of Retro Rose Gold and Multigem Dress Clips.

This is one of my very favorites from the whole Leslie Hindman September auction because it is just so colorful! Like many dress clips, this piece can be worn as two separate pieces or one larger one. They are set in rose gold and include amethyst, citrine, blue zircon, garnet, peridot, and pink tourmaline.

Lot 10: A Victorian Yellow Gold and Lava Cameo Necklace, Circa 1860.

It’s made of lava. Are you impressed yet? MADE OF LAVA.

Lot 52: A Victorian Silver, Gold, Emerald and Diamond Double Heart Ring, Circa 1880.
Lot 88: An Edwardian Platinum Topped Gold, Natural Pearl and Diamond Ring, Tiffany & Co.
Lot 85: An Art Nouveau Yellow Gold, Opal and Diamond Ring.

As a reminder, this is Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ September 11-12th jewelry sale, which has its NYC preview next week, from August 22nd-24th. Definitely go check it out if you have the chance! I wish I could.

If you can’t make the September sale, don’t worry – I’ve been assured that Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ December jewelry sale is going to be just as spectacular, in its very own individual way.

This post is brought to you by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

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Top Five Reasons to Love the SeaLife Micro 2.0

We’ve all been on a dive boat with someone who has a giant camera setup. And while they may get some great shots, they’re also hauling around that big rig. Underwater photography can be simple and affordable, however — that’s why we love using the SeaLife Micro 2.0 underwater camera. It fits in the palm of your hand, but it’s nonetheless packed with great features. Here, in no particular order, are our top five reasons to love your SeaLife Micro 2.0.

It’s permanently sealed and flood-proof.

You’ve got enough to think about on a dive without worrying about flooding a big camera rig. The SeaLife Micro 2.0 is permanently sealed, which means you won’t have to maintain O-rings or doors and you can focus on the shot. If you’re out on the boat all day, you needn’t worry about the battery either — the Micro 2.0 has a powerful rechargeable battery that’ll last more than three hours, and 32GB or 64GB of internal memory.

 

You’ll capture stunning photos.

With a 16MP SONY CMOS Image Sensor, the Micro 2.0 captures each and every detail of your photo and video subjects. The adjustable, built-in, 130-degree fisheye lens means photographers can fit everything into one shot. Pair it with a Sea Dragon photo/video/dive light to bring out even more vibrant colors.

 

You’ll shoot sharp, crisp videos.

The SeaLife Micro 2.0 will leave you lacking nothing when it comes to video quality. Combined with its large image sensor, you can shoot high-definition videos at a resolution of 1080p @ 60fps or 1296p @ 30fps.

 

The SeaLife Micro 2.0 is Wi-Fi compatible.

We all know it didn’t happen unless it’s on Facebook or Instagram. With the Micro 2.0, you can share your underwater encounters instantly with your friends and family using the free Micro Cam app, available for Apple and Android devices.

 

It’s packed with great features.

Although it’s only four inches wide, this small camera packs a big punch. The intuitive, easy set-up menu makes selecting your topside or underwater settings hassle-free, so you can spend more time diving and less time looking at the screen. Choose your own settings: ISO, exposure, continuous shooting, upside-down shooting and more.

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How Marine Protected Areas Work

Marine protected areas are known by many different names., from marine sanctuaries to marine reserves, no-take zones, or locally managed marine areas. These areas strive to create a more natural balance and minimize direct human impacts through regulations. Protected areas refer to the area of seabed and water column directly beneath physical points on the ocean’s surface. 

How do marine protected areas work?

Protected areas work by closely regulating human activity in an area of the ocean usually exposed to environmentally degrading activities. These include bottom-trawl fishing, jet skiing, recreational diving or snorkeling, and fish feeding. These areas may also protect the habitat of a particular species. They may simply be areas where no one is allowed to go, such as military training zones or beneath oil rigs. These areas, which have no legal protection, are called de facto protected areas. 

Why do we need them?

Humanity needs these areas because as we push the planet past its ability to resist climate change and population growth, the oceans are feeling the strain. Higher populations and increasing coastal population density mean that more people than ever are relying on fish protein as their main food source. Years of over-exploitation and problem denial have made the need for ocean protection more crucial than ever. Oceanic-protected areas are much harder to enforce than their land-based equivalents and only within the last 30 years have they been getting more attention from conservation managers and the general public.

In a changing climate and an era of intense industrial pollution, the oceans must work hard to absorb the additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This works only as long as the oceans are under-saturated with carbon, in the same way that only so much sugar dissolves in a glass of water. No one knows the exact point at which the ocean will become fully saturated with carbon dioxide and therefore we must investigate ways that we can help the ocean with this absorption process. The ocean contains around 40,000 gigatons (one gigaton equals one billion tons) of carbon. This figure is roughly 16 times larger than the amount of carbon in every land-based ecosystem, and around 60 times greater than the atmospheric content of carbon before 1750, when the industrial revolution began to push carbon content out of balance.

In “Why Mangroves are Essential to Your Next Great Dive,” the author mentions blue carbon, which is stored in marine environments. By protecting blue-carbon resources such as mangroves, sea grasses, salt marshes and coral reefs, humanity can ensure that the ocean maintains its ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

Aside from their environmental value, marine-protected areas can also help us preserve social heritage and local culture. Local populations are far more likely to accept management intervention if an MPA considers their interests. 

Why should divers support MPAs?

For divers, MPAs can mean beautiful reefs, lots of fish, and crystal-clear waters. If they’re receiving the proper protection, reefs can be almost free from direct diver damage and fishing. This natural state also helps the reef cope with threats such as storms, land-based run off and oceanic trash. Protected areas can also include areas of the seabed that unsustainable fishing practices, storms or poor diving practices have damaged. By protecting these degraded areas and removing some pressure, the reef is better able to recover and restore some balance.

What about local populations?

Local populations should welcome MPAs because these areas help increase fish stocks overall. Populations won’t recover overnight. But, given time, scientists have proven that fish in and around an MPA grow larger and become more fertile. They also produce more offspring with higher survival rates. This exponentially increases the fish population and, therefore, the fishing yields. Madagascar octopus fisheries have most successfully documented this phenomenon. Rotational closures here have dramatically increased the catch success of the fishermen. Non-destructive fishing practices that do not modify habitat can exist in harmony with conservation objectives. In this way, we can balance the local population’s needs with conservation.

Protected areas can also be an economic draw for tourism. When managed correctly, through such programs as Green Fins, increases in tourism can add revenue to the local economy. Money derived from healthy ecosystems and a well-managed tourism industry can make a local shark population — worth a few dollars per pound at the local market — jump to tens of thousands of dollars per year in tourism income.

What can I do?

Governments and local communities have begun to recognize the importance of MPAs. Consequently, they are using these areas more and more successfully as tools for conservation. Visit the protected areas near you, whether they are dive-able sites or wetlands that house rare marine bird populations. 

By guest author Alan Kavanagh, project coordinator, The Reef-World Foundation

More Information

For more information, check out the Green Fins website to explore how you can make your next dive sustainable. Stay up-to-date on MPAs around the world at MPAtlas, and subscribe here for protected-area news delivered to your inbox.

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