Advantages of divemaster courses for diver development?

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ScubaSteve1962

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Location
Ellenwood, Georgia, United States
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What are the advantages of being a dive-master if you don't plan on having a career in diving? I have my PADI AOW, and Deep Cert, and plan on continuing to get other certs to be a better diver, but because of already having a somewhat stressful career that I love. I have no intentions of trying to teach anyone else to dive. If someone wants to learn I will encourage and point them in the right direction to get the proper training, but I don't have the patience to teach them? And please not another debate about which agency is better, but just the advantages of having the DM certification from any agency.
 
DM training with PADI is focussed on "leadership" and "supervision" - the training is geared towards that. If those are not your goals, then that should not be your ambition and the program is not for you.

Others will speak with regards to the training agencies they know about.

There are other ways to become a "better" diver than the pro route (leaving out any debates about whether going "pro" necessarily makes you a better diver). Diving with good mentors, diving in different and challenging conditions, classes with other agencies that stress different skills (GUE, UTD, for example). All fun and all will work!

Bill
 
I completely agree with Bill. Getting your DM has little to do with your skill as a diver, it's about working with other divers. If you want better skills, there are other courses that are better suited for that...the fairly large sum of money ($1k+) you will spend getting your DM would be much better spend on just diving.
 
What Hawkwood said. PADI DM training is designed to train you to lead dives, and to assist instructors. You do practice your basic skills, but depending on who does your DM class, you may practice them while solidly planted in the bottom of the pool, which not only doesn't help your diving, but may even impact it negatively.

The ONLY thing I think a DM class does is hone your situational awareness. Working with students means you have to learn to observe constantly, whether on land or in the water. But there are other classes that stress this that are aimed at diver skill refinement WHILE DIVING, which I think are more useful for those who don't want to teach, or work in the dive industry.
 
4th poster in a row to agree? Wow!

Yeah! Friendly too, and direct answers to the question even. Go figure.
 
Another agree. DM helps you two ways. You do have to polish your 20 or so dive skills (ie.:weight belt removal, etc.) to demonstration quality. Of course that can't hurt your own ability to do these things should you actually have to. Also, due to the practical aspects of the course, you will probably become a considerably better buddy. Is it worth all the time studying the considerable amount of academics (much of which is interesting stuff, but like a college degree, maybe 20% will ever actually be used other than for conversation)? IMO no. Is it worth the time AND course fee to do all the other required stuff like training for stamina tests, mapping, learning how and where to supervise students, paying extra for a charter you don't really need (other than doing a dive briefing)? IMO no, unless you want to get into assisting with classes and leading certified divers on dives. The alternatives mentioned above would be the way to go, plus you can always buy some of the DM materials (ie. Encyclopedia of Rec. Diving) to increase your academic knowledge. After reading that and being a former teacher I eventually got interested in DM.
 
Having done PADI DM recently I can tell you it.is NOT focused on improving your skills as a diver. It is about situational awareness as Lynne mentioned and mastering demonstration of OW skills, theory on buoyancy, dive physics, a touch of psychology such as how to identify nervous divers, review of dive gear and basic functions, and swimming ability.

Rescue class is a great class. I really enjoyed that one. You have to work as a team and it gives you confidence to be able know how to react in an emergency.

There are plenty of other courses to improve diving skills. Dare I say it? GUE Fundamentals. PADI has intro to tec which teaches similar skills.

The other method is dive often and with buddies who are willing to spend part of the dive practicing buoyancy, different kicks, navigation, and other skills. Have fun and dive often.
 
I agree with the others. If you don't want to go down the pro route, then save your money. Or you can spend it on an Intro to Tech or Fundies class that is targeted to making you a better diver.
 
Or you can spend it on an Intro to Tech or Fundies class that is targeted to making you a better diver.

I agree.

Unfortunately, many shops give he impression that there is a very limited set of choices for more advanced training, leaving people with the illusion that it is DM or nothing. Look around. You will find a lot of options if you really look. You can easily spend years taking a whole pile of courses that have nothing to do with being a dive professional.
 

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