Scuba diving may look like a sub-aqua walk in the park, but if you intend to fin like Jacques Cousteau you’ll need to develop flexibility, strength and endurance. “Improving your fitness will make diving safer and more fun,” says Carol Giles from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi).

Start by building stamina with 30 minutes of cardio exercise – running, rowing or swimming – four times a week. The fitter you are the slower the rate at which you use the air in your tank, meaning you can dive for longer. Aim to spend half of your cardio sessions in the pool.

Breathing exercises, performed daily, can also strengthen the lungs, which will help you get the most out of your air supply. One of the simplest requires you to raise your arms to shoulder height and pull them back as far as you can. Take four or five deep breaths while holding the position.

One of the most common problems affecting divers is calf-muscle cramps. These occur because fins keep the toes pointed for long periods, placing unfamiliar stress on the leg muscles. You can protect against them by doing seated calf raises every day. Sitting with your back against a wall as if on an imaginary chair, rise onto the balls of your feet, pause for a couple of seconds, then lower yourself until your heels are just touching the floor.

An hour-long dive can burn as much energy as a 12-mile bike ride. Ensure that you stock up on slow-release carbs such as brown rice or wholewheat pasta beforehand. Drink plenty of fluids on dive days, because dehydration increases your risk of decompression sickness, also known as the bends. This occurs when nitrogen bubbles form in the bloodstream after ascending too rapidly from deep water and in extreme cases can be fatal.

You can become qualified through the British Sub Aqua Club, the governing body and certification organisation for scuba diving in the UK (www.bsac.org). Padi (www.padi.com) is the largest worldwide organisation and also offers certification. An entry-level five-day course with either organisation will include theory sessions, pool dives and open-water dives. Then you’ll be free to dive anywhere in the world.

TAKING IT FURTHER

www.divemagazine.co.uk Dive Magazine’s website features gear reviews, tips and information on dive sites around the world

www.naui.com The National Association of Underwater Instructors is the oldest dive training body in the world

www.padi.com The Professional Association of Diving Instructors website includes practical advice on getting started

EXERCISES

1 Hip bridge on ball Strengthen your hips for more powerful swimming and finning. Lie on your back with your legs on a Swiss ball as shown. Lift your hips off the floor as high as you can, hold for a few seconds, then return. Repeat eight times

2 Toe grab These will make your calves stronger and more flexible, and help prevent them from cramping up on a dive. Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Pull your toes back toward you and hold for five seconds

3 The cat This yoga move will give you added flexibilty underwater. Kneel on all fours. Arch your back like a cat, simultaneously dropping your head and tipping your hips upward. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 3 times

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