How to Swim With a Belt

One of the key pieces of gear for scuba or deep snorkeling is a weight belt. These belts use a set of small weights that fit into dedicated sleeves. Adjust the weight of the belt by adding or taking away the weights as needed. A weight belt counteracts the buoyancy from the neoprene wetsuit and the body's natural floatation. There is a slight learning curve when using the weight belts. Always swim with a buddy when diving or training.

Things You'll Need

  • Buoyancy chart
  • Scuba or snorkel gear
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Instructions

    • 1

      Consult a buoyancy chart or computer to determine your buoyancy and weight needs. Enter in your body weight, weight of your gear and depth to dive. Add or remove weight from the belt as determined by the chart.

    • 2

      Wrap the belt around the waist, over the neoprene suit and any other gear. Keep the latch on the weight belt readily accessible in case you need to "cut and run." In emergencies, pull the strap to release the belt.

    • 3

      Center the belt as high off the waist as possible. Before heading out to dive, go to shallow water or a pool with a buddy and practice swimming with the belt. Your swim stroke is the same as without the belt, but you need to calibrate for the excess weight in the midriff on the body. Arch the torso at the waist and use smooth kicks of the feet.

    • 4

      Add your buoyancy control vest when ready to dive and coordinate the buoyancy with the weights as you descend and ascend. This is a coordinated effort. As you begin to sink too fast, add buoyancy to the vest. As you begin to reach your depth, decrease buoyancy to achieve what is called "neutral buoyancy." This is when the amount of buoyancy in your vest is equal the weights, leaving you at a static level in the water.