With little air,...?

Question

Okay, let's say ur about 10 ft. below the water surface

You really need air and ur about 2 give up

Is it better to...

-A. hold on to ur air and just wait until you float to the surface?

or

-B. use all ur strength 2 push down with ur hands(even though ur aware it'll take more of ur breath) and float 2 the surface faster

or

-C. This is not an option.

btw, i'm pretty sure there will be answer variations on whether this is at the ocean or the pool.

I would have to say this will all be set at the pool.

Answer 1

You go up using whatever you need to do to accomplish that.

The energy you use in pushing against the bottom of a pool with your arms is nothing in comparison to what your legs use. Your legs are bigger muscles and use the largest amount of 02 dissolved in your bloodstream than any other muscle group. Divers hate to use their legs unless they have to, for this very reason. Given the choice of swimming along the bottom or using my arms grabbing rocks, I'll use those rocks any day. Uses less air.

In this case, you are using air from the surface stored in your lungs and bloodstream. It's not lack of oxygen that's making you want to go up to have a breath, it's an abundance of carbon dioxide that triggers the need to breathe. You are a closed container. You have in you what you got at the surface for keeping fine. You're making poisons though and they build up ( CO2). Do whatever you have to, using whatever you need to get up for a breath.

At a depth of only 10 feet, you really don't have to worry about exhaling slowly as has been posted earlier. That's a method that divers use to help prevent a lung over expansion injury and at 10 feet, you haven't even broken through another atmosphere in pressure. Different story if this scenario was deeper, but it's not.

Answer 2

most of the uncomfortable pressure you are feeling is the carbon dioxide building up in your lungs. your body naturally wants to expel it. however this same burning gas is making you more buoyant. blowing it out will relieve the pressure and discomfort, but your ascension will slow.

on the other hand, you have more than enough oxygen stored in your bloodstream to swim that additional 10ft. use your arms, swim. get some fresh air.

Answer 3

I would push off and slowly release my air. It helps with the burning and pressure on your lungs making it so you can hold your breath a little longer.