ANDP drills to practice in sidemount

[VikingDives]

I agree with @kensuf, but the one thing I see that people initially struggle with is buoyancy/hovering with a third tank. Get another al80, or something a bit heavier and spend the day trying to hover. Odds are it will not be a fun day, but the next day is usually not so bad. Something about a day of practice followed by a nights sleep seems to do the trick.

This assumes you can already hover in trim, back kick etc. If those aren't dialed in do that stuff first.

 

[grantmac]

Worth practicing the no reg swimming to get your glide phase sorted out. Mask switch while task loaded and buddy breathing.
These were things I just hadn't exposed myself to ahead of time and although I managed they had some stress.

 

[DirtFish]

As mentioned above the most important thing to do is to have someone video you while you are practicing skills. I had my wife video me 3 times a week for 6 months when I was practicing skills. There is no better way to learn than seeing what mistakes you are making and what you are doing correctly. Watching the videos is humbling but helps you visualize what you need to do, so you can go over it in your head, (self visualization).
My instructor had me start by maintaining buoyancy (+- 2ft.) just above the bottom and removing first my decompression tank and place in on the bottom, then the left tank and placing it on the bottom, then my right tank and extending the long hose and placing that tank on the bottom, while maintaining buoyancy (+- 2 ft.) without any tanks breathing off of the long hose, and then putting everything back on in reverse order all while remaining within the (+- 2 ft.).
I found that by practicing maintaining buoyancy +-2ft. without fins really helped build those "neurogenic pathways" that make balance and buoyancy automatic.
In my class we used a lift bag and a reel, shot at 80 feet, not a DSMB. Definitely takes some practice to get it right and requires a one handed gas switch for deco.

Good luck and practice practice practice!

 

[happy-diver]

yeah you need to practice those upside down tricks - youll use them all the time

No you don't need to practice them you just need to know how to do them
the more you know and the better you are when you get out of the training
bathtub, and you are confident about all those things you can do really well

the less likely you are to get in the ****

 

[Tigerpaw]

Thanks for the replies, i want to add that I just completed GUE Fundies and that I dive every week and even after passing I still practice the basic skills. I should have mentioned that in my original post.

I seen some great answers like diving with 3 or 4 tanks and practice dropping and picking up tanks. With single backmount I can maintain the 3ft variance of bouyancy, ocean included. For ANDP is the same 3ft varance acceptable or is it tighter.

 

[Tigerpaw]

As mentioned above the most important thing to do is to have someone video you while you are practicing skills. I had my wife video me 3 times a week for 6 months when I was practicing skills. There is no better way to learn than seeing what mistakes you are making and what you are doing correctly. Watching the videos is humbling but helps you visualize what you need to do, so you can go over it in your head, (self visualization).
My instructor had me start by maintaining buoyancy (+- 2ft.) just above the bottom and removing first my decompression tank and place in on the bottom, then the left tank and placing it on the bottom, then my right tank and extending the long hose and placing that tank on the bottom, while maintaining buoyancy (+- 2 ft.) without any tanks breathing off of the long hose, and then putting everything back on in reverse order all while remaining within the (+- 2 ft.).
I found that by practicing maintaining buoyancy +-2ft. without fins really helped build those "neurogenic pathways" that make balance and buoyancy automatic.
In my class we used a lift bag and a reel, shot at 80 feet, not a DSMB. Definitely takes some practice to get it right and requires a one handed gas switch for deco.

Good luck and practice practice practice!

Wow, so you pretty much removed all tanks, hovered and reattached with a 2ft variance. OK, great challange and I'll practice this for sure. I'm a firm believer in practice and being prepared. So is the 2ft variance the standard?

 

[Tigerpaw]

I agree with @kensuf, but the one thing I see that people initially struggle with is buoyancy/hovering with a third tank. Get another al80, or something a bit heavier and spend the day trying to hover. Odds are it will not be a fun day, but the next day is usually not so bad. Something about a day of practice followed by a nights sleep seems to do the trick.

This assumes you can already hover in trim, back kick etc. If those aren't dialed in do that stuff first.

Right now I'm planning on practicing with my two SM tanks which are AL80's and two AL40's. SO maintaining buoyancy with those tanks should be a good start?

 

[Wibble]

Here is the only skill you need, for diving that is!



A skill I would love to have is to play that music

So bloody easy in warm water...

 

[kensuf]

I do not recommend working on picking up and dropping off deco cylinders. That is part of the class, let the instructor teach you the way he/she wants it done.

 

[Tracy]

yeah you need to practice those upside down tricks - youll use them all the time

I use them all the time inside of shipwrecks and mexican caves. You miss half the view if you always look down and in front.
Barrel rolls and upside down swimming are pretty common for me.