Am I missing out on something...?

[Littleboot]

I have never ever kneeled down to extract a find. I don't use a pin-pointer either so that is probably part of it. I don't squat down I simply use my spade and waft my detector as required and when the find is out I bend down and sift handfuls. So I bend quite a lot. Use it or lose it I say. I don't think bending is a problem if you are not lifting heavy weights.
It reminds me of being on a big club dig a decade or so ago. A chap was detecting parallel to me and stopped to observe as I dug a signal.
He sucked in his cheeks and shook his head solemnly and opined that I'd have a bad back bending like that. I responded that I didn't have a bad back and had never had a bad back. Further, I asked him if he did. 'Oh yes, had one for years on and off' he replied. I said 'Well, maybe you have got it all wrong then?'
63 now and still never had a bad back. I have always bent it and do a lot of garden work which involves more of the same. Plus I was a dancer in my youth and still can do all the stretching and bending exercises. Can still do the splits no problem. Bodies are meant to move. it is staying still and getting stiff which is the problem.
I never worry about these aspects of technique. Other than the fact I am nowt for kneeling unnecessarily in the mud and getting my knees wet and dirty. I simply get the stuff out of the ground the way I feel is the quickest and least fuss. Much more important to put effort into the business end of knowing my machine and my permissions. And the OP certainly has nothing to worry about on that score so........

[figgis]

Another in the kneeling camp here, and if the ground's wet I kneel on me spade handle.

[Dave The Slave]

Another in the kneeling camp here, and if the ground's wet I kneel on me spade handle.

Also kneel on the spade handle.

[figgis]

Bit uncomfortable for a moment, eh Dave? But wet knees are not to be recommended and it saves the faff of toting a kneeling pad about

[Ladybird66]

I wonder if it’s a ‘lady’ thing ? I hardly ever kneel. But, that could have something to do with the fact that if I get down I can’t get up

Add: I remember when I was in my 20’s (yes I can remember that far back) I was weeding the border in the front garden on my knees, an elderly neighbour going past stopped to pass the time of day. ‘You shouldn’t be kneeling like that, you’ll regret it when you get older. You’ll have Rheumatics you will’
Now I’m about her age I can confirm, she was right !
All you kneelers. Take Note

[tone]

my preferred method dig till it's out pinpoint with the machine when out then a crouch with probe to collect. can never understand why some folk seem to mess about retrieving a find and then playing about with spray bottles and tooth brush's . try to spend more time detecting than retrieving oh and use a decent spade make's me chuckle when i see someone with a £1000+ machine using a small £5 spade or something they've found in there shed.

[figgis]

can never understand why some folk seem to mess about retrieving a find and then playing about with spray bottles and tooth brush's . try to spend more time detecting than retrieving

Think I'm one of them. Rather than trying to hoover up as much as possible I like to take a little time and savour anything special or unusual that turns up and live in the moment. Not for a long time - just enough to appreciate what I've got

[Littleboot]

Think I'm one of them. Rather than trying to hoover up as much as possible I like to take a little time and savour anything special or unusual that turns up and live in the moment. Not for a long time - just enough to appreciate what I've got

I agree with tone. I have limited time in the field.....and I have a lot of land to cover. The window of time when a field is accessible each year is narrow enough as it is. I generally know more or less as soon as I dig it if a find is of real interest and/or value. i then put it in my pouch and carry on. I donlt fiddle around looking at finds much when in a field .....I wince when i see some people rubbing coins, using toothbrushes, whatever. I also see finds getting dropped and all the rest of it. Kind of pointless. Last really top find I had was a gold hammered and i kind of said 'Oh' and even though the side where it was curled over a bit was full of dirt i didn't attempt to remove it. So I had no idea exactly what coin it was until I got home and rinsed it off. Hubby got to share the moment.

[Oxgirl]

I used to examine my finds in the field but now I move on quite quickly and enjoy the fun of unpacking the bag when I get home. It’s like unwrapping a present twice.

Why do you kneel so much gents when the ground is often so wet? Maybe it’s a height thing? Us ladies are generally less tall so maybe it’s easier for us? But kneeling on a spade? They are cold, hard and can be just as muddy. Don’t get that at all

[Easylife]

I normally just dig it, a quick look and chuck it in the finds pouch for later assessment. But if something quite special then completly savour the moment. I guess those who use the mini diggers just get used to kneeling?

[figgis]

It's great how we all have different approaches Curcumstance can play a part, and I can afford to take my time as my fields are available to me until the crop gets too high. After that there's plenty of meadow to go at.

Besides, I'm in no rush to cover it all, so you will often see me kneeling on a spade or servant by the side of a hole, examining a trinket

[HolzHammer]

Thank you all for all your comments - I’ve been a bit hectic the last couple of days - well this time I am firmly in the girls camp and you blokes can keep your soggy space dented knees!

[HolzHammer]

It's great how we all have different approaches Curcumstance can play a part, and I can afford to take my time as my fields are available to me until the crop gets too high. After that there's plenty of meadow to go at.

Besides, I'm in no rush to cover it all, so you will often see me kneeling on a spade or servant by the side of a hole, examining a trinket

Thanks for your comment on my silver cleaning video btw John - I accidentally deleted it but it was very encouraging! Ta!