Your first experience breathing underwater will be one of the most memorable moments of your life, and it only gets better from there. But before you take your first plunge into the water, you need to know a few safety precautions regarding breathing compressed air underwater.

First and most important, never hold your breath while breathing from scuba equipment. As you'll learn during the next two chapters, holding your breath underwater can result in serious injury or death.

Next, always exhale through the regulator before taking your first breath. This clears water and sand out of the 2nd stage so that you don't accidentally inhale it.

Finally, breathe slightly slower and deeper while on scuba. This conserves air, increases your breathing efficiency, and helps you relax.