:=Does anyone know of any good articles on the Energy output of diving with different kit configureations? I have seen an article that states that diving with a wet suit as opposed to swimwear raises the internal temprature and anxiety levels in pool conditions.I am neither fat nor anxious,but interested! Any info would be great.
My instinct was that there wouldn't be any studies, as who (in terms of a research funding bodies) would fund them?
However, to my great surprise I found this, though I suspect it isn't exactly what you had in mind:
Energetics of underwater swimming with SCUBA.
Pendergast DR, Tedesco M, Nawrocki DM, Fisher NM
Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996 May 28:573-80
Now you just need to find someone who can access a University library which stocks this (presumably low impact-factor)periodical, or to obtain an interlibrary loan of it from the British library.
HTH
Here is the abstract of the article that Steve found:
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 May;28(5):573-80.
Energetics of underwater swimming with SCUBA.
Pendergast DR, Tedesco M, Nawrocki DM, Fisher NM.
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 14214, USA.
Underwater swimming has unique features of breathing apparatus (SCUBA), thermal protective gear, and fins. The energy cost of underwater swimming is determined by the drag while swimming and the net mechanical efficiency. These are influenced by the cross-sectional area of the diver and gear and the frequency of the leg kick. The speeds that divers can achieve are relatively low, thus the VO(2) increases linearly with values of VO(2)*d(-1) of 30-50 l*km(-1)for women and men, respectively. Diving experience had little effect on VO(2) for women; however, male divers with experience had lower VO(2) than beginners. The location and density of the gear can alter the diver's attitude in the water and increase the energy cost of swimming by 30 percent at slow speeds. The type of fin used has an effect on the depth and frequency of the kick, thus on drag and efficiency, with a range of VO(2) from 25 to 50 l*km(-1). A large flexible fin had the lowest energy cost and a large rigid fin the highest. Adding extra air tanks or a dry suit increased the cost of swimming by 25 percent. The energy cost of underwater swimming is influenced by gender, gear and its placement, fin type, and experience of the diver.
Related articles are listed at <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=9148086" >http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=9148086</a>