Instructor evaluation.

[Cixelsyd]

I'm not really interested in what in instructor looks like or if the smoke or whatever. All I'm interested in is how good of a teacher they are. That's what I am paying them to do.

 

[scubajim 1]

I think fitness should be factored in to a certain extent. I work out and run/walk 6 days a week and also dive/teach 4-5 days a week. I don't smoke either (messes with the SAC).
But that is me; I want to be in the best shape possible to help my students "in the unlikely event..." and for my own enjoyment.
OTOH one of the best instructors I know could stand to loose 100 lbs, but in the water there are few better.
I think there is a bit of darwinian selection involved. Instructors with lots of students tend to be very active (above mentioned instructor excepted {a very active huge man}). Acting like a hod carrier with tanks and gear will build muscle and stamina and even with helpful divemasters we are lugging gear. Instructors with few students can get out of shape. If it gets too bad they will lose the enjoyment of diving and teaching and leave the profession.

 

[TSandM]

I do agree with you, but when you select an instructor you have to do it on face-value or hear-say. Did you feel 100% comfortable with him before you had any idea of skills and ability, especially in a tech environment??

Well, I didn't meet Bob in a tech environment . . . and yes, I felt 100% comfortable with him, because I had read lots of his posts on SCUBABOARD!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I have to chuckle whenever I read threads like this ... they come up regularly on ScubaBoard.

I'm one of those people who has struggled with weight control my whole life. But throughout my adult years I've maintained a very active lifestyle, which has included participation in a number of sports and high-stress activities ... most of which I've gotten pretty good at. Now ... as I'm nearing 60 ... I work out at the gym nearly every day to maintain a level of fitness that allows me to continue diving at the level I've chosen to pursue. My typical workout includes about 30 minutes of weightlifting, followed by 40 minutes of cardio.

So why am I fat? Well ... I like to eat ... and all that working out makes me hungry. But for those who would question my fitness level, I'd invite you to try keeping up with me.

I'm an independent instructor ... which means that my students seek me out for training. I interview my students prior to a commitment to class ... and for any class above OW I'll want to dive with them to evaluate where they're at before we begin training. So far none that I know of has been particularly concerned about the fact that their instructor is built like a harbor seal.

One of my favorite former students took an AOW class with her sister ... both of whom are roughly half my age. So when we were doing the "working" part of our gas measurements ... which consists of swimming as hard as possible continuously for five minutes ... I told them both to take it easy on the "old, fat dude" and not swim away from me. After the dive, the older sister dropped her gear, walked over and stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, and said "old, fat dude my ass ... you don't get to play that card again" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sinbad Scuba]

Many instructors, DMs and even Course Directors in Thailand smoke. That is a function of Thailand. As for fitness, we as instructors should do what we can to role model good fitness. I try and swim 1Km 3 times per week and ride a stationary bike 30 minutes 2 or 3 times per week. I may not be Mr. Atlas, but it does keep me comfortable in the water when I need to work hard with my students.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

The instructor should be a "mirror" image of what they preach/teach. If they teach fitness, buoyancy, propulsion techniques, skills, safety, deco, gas, dive planning strategy, attitude etc and don’t live by these, then I would not consider them.

So what is this supposed to mean if you are overweight or a smoker you shouldent preach/teach these things? What does overweight and/or smoking have to do with ANY of the things you mentioned other then "fitness". Even with fitness I know guys that smoke that can run miles and other big guys (like myself) that can move just as good and sometimes better then the so called "Fit" diver. The things you mentioned above have to do with diving skills and nothing to do with health. What I am saying is don't just put somebody off just cause they way they look. Looks can be deceiving.

I guess I would have to say it boils down to the education I am going to get not what the Instructor looks like. Yes it would be nice to have the perfect instructor but hey who is perfect (except for maybe Halemano)...

 

[Thalassamania]

I wouldn't have a smoker as an instructor, but I don't like being around smokers in general, in any setting.

I confess to having had some dubious thoughts about technical instructors who are significantly overweight -- it sort of implies a lack of taking things seriously to me, although I can't say that that attitude is really well grounded in data.

And fitness is a hard thing to define. The personal trainer I worked with a couple of years ago was absolutely blown away by how strong and fit I was for my age, but I still had trouble getting high marks on the DM swims -- I am NOT a fast swimmer, although I can swim for a long time at the speed that I swim.

And as I write this, I think about one of the most talented and well-regarded instructors I know, who battles with his weight. Anyone refusing to take one of his classes because he's heavy would be truly, truly misguided.

Lynne, I suspect that two sessions with a good swimming teacher would solve that problem. From what I've seen over the years swim tests can be solved two different ways that are almost independent of each other, skill or strength. I've seen poor swimmers who were in good shape "muscle" their way through and I've seen excellent swimmers who were in rather poor shape get through them on finesse (as opposed to fitness) in the water.

I have to chuckle whenever I read threads like this ... they come up regularly on ScubaBoard.

I'm one of those people who has struggled with weight control my whole life. But throughout my adult years I've maintained a very active lifestyle, which has included participation in a number of sports and high-stress activities ... most of which I've gotten pretty good at. Now ... as I'm nearing 60 ... I work out at the gym nearly every day to maintain a level of fitness that allows me to continue diving at the level I've chosen to pursue. My typical workout includes about 30 minutes of weightlifting, followed by 40 minutes of cardio.

So why am I fat? Well ... I like to eat ... and all that working out makes me hungry. But for those who would question my fitness level, I'd invite you to try keeping up with me.

I'm an independent instructor ... which means that my students seek me out for training. I interview my students prior to a commitment to class ... and for any class above OW I'll want to dive with them to evaluate where they're at before we begin training. So far none that I know of has been particularly concerned about the fact that their instructor is built like a harbor seal.

One of my favorite former students took an AOW class with her sister ... both of whom are roughly half my age. So when we were doing the "working" part of our gas measurements ... which consists of swimming as hard as possible continuously for five minutes ... I told them both to take it easy on the "old, fat dude" and not swim away from me. After the dive, the older sister dropped her gear, walked over and stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, and said "old, fat dude my ass ... you don't get to play that card again" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I agree with Bob, but there is also a lot of data coming out suggests that those extra pounds may well have as much to do with your genes, your early nutritional history and various environmental factors as it does with "over eating."

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide,I really never needed an instructor. For me; a professional appearance/attitude/confidence is a must a the dive industry. Smoking is/has always been a safety issue of mine since all my diving is out of boat. If you dive for a living physical exercise comes with the job,everyday,all day.

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[windapp]

My OW instructor smoked. I liked him so much, I took the AOW course with him the weekend after I finished my OW. I think that experience and attention to detail tell for a lot more with an instructor than just if the person is over-weight or smokes.

 

[diving21]

My instructor was very fit, so I felt that if he cared about his apperance he would also care about his students. I was right I had a great time and I learned alot from him.