New diver wanting tips for things to focus on improving over summer

[nickscott18]

Hi all
I'm still a very green diver (OW course + 2 extra dives so far), but looking at ways I can tidy up my diving a bit, particularly over the Christmas break (got two weeks when I will be diving quite a bit), and was wondering what I should be focusing on, apart from improving buoyancy control, and getting rid of dangly bits on my rig. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Nick

 

[~ dry]

Nick, Hello!

My mentor has me working on being able to stop moving altogether (hover). And finding my way back to the beach. And leading a dive briefing and the dive itself. He says that way the least experienced diver gets to try, get feedback, and improve much faster than just following the experienced divers.

It can be daunting but I'm loving it.

Dory

 

[fisheater]

Join a dive club and find some local dive mentors.

Your local conditions will dictate what precise skills / gear issues you need to get brushed up on first.

 

[Jax]

1. Buoyancy Control

2. Buoyancy Control

3. Buoyancy Control

get some rocks or weight (if the bottom is clear/sand) and practice picking them up and putting air in . . . then lay them down and drain Grair before you rise.

Fin-kicks - go on YouTube, and study them. Work on turns without using your hands.

If you are diving off a shore entry - pick up the weights, head down the slope, adding air so you don't drop. Carefully lay the weights in an area you can see (tie on a dive light?) Keep doing this one and a time, then reverse it and take the weights back up.

Practice rising 1 foot. That's all. 1 foot. hold for 30 seconds. rise one foot. Do this up and down a 10' foot "window". See if you can do some of it with breath control.

 

[nickscott18]

Thanks for the replies, its really useful.

Nick, Hello!

My mentor has me working on being able to stop moving altogether (hover). And finding my way back to the beach. And leading a dive briefing and the dive itself. He says that way the least experienced diver gets to try, get feedback, and improve much faster than just following the experienced divers.

It can be daunting but I'm loving it.

Dory

Ah sweet, thats a good idea re leading the dive and getting feedback, will definetly try and do that. I'll add hovering to things to work on with buoyancy control.

Re fisheater, involved with a local dive club already, but not going to be with them this time at all, as heading up to the inlaws, up the sounds, and will be diving with my brother in law. And ok, I'll keep an eye out on anything that bugs me, and work on it as it comes up.
Nick

 

[nickscott18]

1. Buoyancy Control

2. Buoyancy Control

3. Buoyancy Control

get some rocks or weight (if the bottom is clear/sand) and practice picking them up and putting air in . . . then lay them down and drain Grair before you rise.

Fin-kicks - go on YouTube, and study them. Work on turns without using your hands.

If you are diving off a shore entry - pick up the weights, head down the slope, adding air so you don't drop. Carefully lay the weights in an area you can see (tie on a dive light?) Keep doing this one and a time, then reverse it and take the weights back up.

Practice rising 1 foot. That's all. 1 foot. hold for 30 seconds. rise one foot. Do this up and down a 10' foot "window". See if you can do some of it with breath control.

Ah sweet, will also do that when possible, (there're a nice spot to do excercises like that, so that'll be useful, and I believe if I have a look round the shed I'll find what I need in the way of extra weights).
Nick

 

[TSandM]

The center of diving is being able to be still. If you can be still, you can stop and watch something. You can let your buddy catch up. You can hold a safety stop. Learning to be still is critical, and it isn't easy. There are lots of threads and links here about balancing equipment and learning body control for stillness, but it's an important thing to work toward and to practice.

The other thing I'd recommend is to practice your safety procedures. See if you can establish an air-share and do an ascent calmly, and with good control. Practice flooding and clearing your mask while you are swimming -- see if you can maintain your depth and position, and stay with your buddy while you do it. Learn to use all the dump valves on your BC -- where are they, and how do you open them?

 

[nickscott18]

The center of diving is being able to be still. If you can be still, you can stop and watch something. You can let your buddy catch up. You can hold a safety stop. Learning to be still is critical, and it isn't easy. There are lots of threads and links here about balancing equipment and learning body control for stillness, but it's an important thing to work toward and to practice.

The other thing I'd recommend is to practice your safety procedures. See if you can establish an air-share and do an ascent calmly, and with good control. Practice flooding and clearing your mask while you are swimming -- see if you can maintain your depth and position, and stay with your buddy while you do it. Learn to use all the dump valves on your BC -- where are they, and how do you open them?

Ah, that's a good point regarding the safety procedures, that will be on the list of things to do. And as for the buoyancy control, I've been reading a few threads on it today, and will keep reading, and there's been some good points raised in this thread about exercises that can be done as practice, that I will be doing to start to improve it. Will also get my dive buddy to keep an eye on it (ie, if he notices anything up that I need to work on, or tweak).

 

[RonFrank]

I would forget drills and just dive. You will end up doing everything that you need to practice which at your level is EVERYTHING!

So to review, plan you dive, equipment check, buddy check, entry, ok signal, down signal, descend under control and horz, stop at agreed depth, maintain buoyancy & trim, hover motionless, stay horizontal, keep arms still, kick to push forward, hover again and repeat kick/hover at will, always keep an eye on your buddy, follow the plan, after x minutes ascend at 30 feet per minute minimum, stop at 10-15 feet and do a safety stop for 3 minutes, maintain depth, after SS surface under control, do a high five! I don't expect all that will happen for a while, but it's something to shoot for. You can add more skills as you get better.

Above all else dive safe and Have fun! :cool2:

 

[paul madox]

I think you can get some tips off you tube on setting up you scuba gear ; bcd regs and so on plus under water hand signs different kicks and more
Think some that i watched was done by scubaboard so it should be on here