A bit discouraged

[boulderjohn]

Ya know, there is no rule stating that you must kick from the hips. It is just considered the most efficcient. If your body and previous martial arts training has you kicking from the knees so be it. Use what works for you.

Without seeing the person swim, you cannot make any judgments.

Any ealier poster suggested that the OP was using an advanced finning technique that the instructor was too inexperienced to recognize. And the evidence for tht is.....

In the swimming portion of the class, the people with problems invariably are using bicycle kicks, in which the feet move back and forth in the water column, pushing the fins like knives through the water. If the person is doing this a little bit, it is ineffcient. If the person is doing it a lot, is quite ineffective. If the person is doing it to an extreme, it is so ineffective that the person will essentially go nowhere. In that last case, the person will not be a successful diver without correction in technique, and the very best advice she could receive is to get some help with that first so that she can then go ahead and learn to dive.


I don't know which of the above situations is true in this case--I have never seen the OP swim. I find it remarkable that so many people in this forum can tell exactly how well the OP could swim without ever seeing her.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

I'm glad someone said that boulder, the truth is that there are alot of correct ways to swim, they include most swimming techniques that work for the person using htem without overtiring them or putting that at some kind of risk ie silt out in the lake, or over exerting themselves dangerously. While we would like for our students to use the most effective stroke for the situation, that isnt always the case that they can.

 

[SandyBramm]

There are alot of instructors in this country, and some of them are great, most are good, but there are unfortunately some that just can't teach. I not only teach but run a dive charter business in Florida, and I see sometimes a instructor just give up on a student instead of a little extra effort. Most of the time the student has already paid their money, so the instructor isn't as concerned with the students success. Take a deep breath and remember to just kick with a stiff leg, more hip less knee and you'll be just fine. Body position will help also, remember to relax and lay flat, I tell my students "swim like a hammer head shark" use your shoulders as your guide, shoulders positioned even with your hips" If you continue to have trouble there, come to Florida and I'll give you a complimentary class on me... good luck Sandy
www.oceanquestscuba.com

 

[Crazy Fingers]

That's pretty bad sounding.

Perhaps its one of those bad, old school LDSs that wants to set up one of those abuse type relationships. They abuse you as a customer, but as a new diver you want to be accepted and fit in, you so take it. Then since you've always been going there and they trained you, you feel obligated to continue it. Like a battered wife or a beaten dog. Seriously, it sounds horrible but I have seen it. And I haven't even been diving that long.....

You know what I say to do? Call up your credit card company and do a C-H-A-R-G-E-B-A-C-K. That's because you paid for services that you did not receive -- the boat. Do not let them get away with screwing you out the boat you paid for. And let them know... you want to screw me out of money I paid, then I will screw you out of every dime. I bet you they will start singing a different tune real fast.

And by the way, many certifying agencies allow you to do the swim time without the snorkeling equipment. Although most people find it easier to do with the snorkeling equipment on, if you have experience swimming without it, you may want to go that route. And I have always heard of there being a minimum distance you have to swim -- what stroke or form it takes doesn't matter. Inefficient or not, if you can do it you should pass.

Then there's the whole argument of divers not needing to be good swimmers anyways..... but I won't call that demon to this thread.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea man, I have seen shops that do foster that sort of relationship that Crazy Fingers is talking about, but never seen them do it with OW students, its normally their IDC or DM candidates.

 

[boulderjohn]

That's pretty bad sounding.

Perhaps its one of those bad, old school LDSs that wants to set up one of those abuse type relationships. They abuse you as a customer, but as a new diver you want to be accepted and fit in, you so take it. Then since you've always been going there and they trained you, you feel obligated to continue it. Like a battered wife or a beaten dog. Seriously, it sounds horrible but I have seen it. And I haven't even been diving that long.....

You know what I say to do? Call up your credit card company and do a C-H-A-R-G-E-B-A-C-K. That's because you paid for services that you did not receive -- the boat. Do not let them get away with screwing you out the boat you paid for. And let them know... you want to screw me out of money I paid, then I will screw you out of every dime. I bet you they will start singing a different tune real fast.

You may have missed this post (#55):

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I spoke with the shop during the day and was able to re-schedule all the classes and the boat dive. They were really nice about re-scheduling and I'm glad that what was mentioned to me when I signed up, about losing the boat money, wasn't the case, they are just making like I never showed up on Sat. I was told to get an hour in a pool to practice with the fins, mask and snorkel. The shop didn't offer to help, though I suppose I could buy some individual help through them, but I asked a friend who'd been snorkelling for years to spend time with me and teach me how to use the equipment. He seemed to think it wouldn't be hard to learn, once I got it down. I did ask the shop whether it was a mistake to take a fast track course, never having experience with the equipment, but the instructor I spoke with seemed to think once I mastered the fins, I'd be ok. I guess that remains to be seen. Thank you again everyone who gave me advice, encouragement and offered to help. Having completely been down on myself after failing so spectacularly on Saturday, I feel better knowing it's not an insurmountable problem.

 

[travelmadness]

Don't give up!

 

[spectrum]

I wonder how our heroine is doing?

 

[CompuDude]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I spoke with the shop during the day and was able to re-schedule all the classes and the boat dive. They were really nice about re-scheduling and I'm glad that what was mentioned to me when I signed up, about losing the boat money, wasn't the case, they are just making like I never showed up on Sat. I was told to get an hour in a pool to practice with the fins, mask and snorkel. The shop didn't offer to help, though I suppose I could buy some individual help through them, but I asked a friend who'd been snorkelling for years to spend time with me and teach me how to use the equipment. He seemed to think it wouldn't be hard to learn, once I got it down. I did ask the shop whether it was a mistake to take a fast track course, never having experience with the equipment, but the instructor I spoke with seemed to think once I mastered the fins, I'd be ok. I guess that remains to be seen. Thank you again everyone who gave me advice, encouragement and offered to help. Having completely been down on myself after failing so spectacularly on Saturday, I feel better knowing it's not an insurmountable problem.

JD's Mom: I've heard good things and bad things about Eco Dive Center, but it sounds like they are taking care of you, so that's a good thing.

If you need some pool time, I recommend rescheduling your class for a weekend a month or so from now, and finding a pool where you can practice a bit, preferably with your friend.

You'll get it. As soon as your brain makes the switch, swimming with fins will be completely natural to you. Until you are comfortable, however, the shop was right to hold you back. I'm glad to hear they are working with you to reschedule, and, as many of us suspected, were not going to charge you for a boat trip you didn't take.

So stick with it. In this situation, instructors are more important than anything else, and Eco has some good instructors (according to people who's opinions I trust). Hope to see you out there someday! Once you get over this little stumbling block you're going to have a great time diving around here! The fast paced certification track is fairly common, and while I won't say it's ideal, many divers do just fine with it, and chances are you will, too.

Note: I did say, and I'll say again, that Eco has some good instructors, and I am glad they are taking care of you in this case, but be wary with your dealings with the shop. Read this thread for more info: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=152176&highlight=eco+dive+center

I'm NOT advising you to avoid them or change anything, but it's best to go into any situation fully informed about what you may need to deal with and act accordingly.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea, just don't let it stop you, youve had alot of support here.