cross training?????

[windtech]

I am new to diving ‘logged less than 50 dives” and I were wondering if cross training is something good or bad? i have been told this is a no no. Like OW from naui and AOW from padi and so on and so forth. My overall goal is to be an instructor. Is it worth the hassle or just stick with one and be done.

Looking forward to your views

 

[gsk3]

Cross-training is a great idea for diving; I like swimming, but others may prefer running, weight lifting, etc. :-D

As far as actually answering your question, I don't know that it matters much. I have cards from a few different agencies, and it hasn't affected things one way or the other. Of course, I have no desire to become an instructor.

 

[whodunit68]

since you want to be an instructor, it will depend a lot on which agency and the requirements of that agency. I've done most of my open water stuff with Padi but sometimes look back and wish I chose another for the depth of their programs and their overall approach.

In tec it matters even more as the materials vary greatly (as they do for OW). You can't learn to dive from a book but you sure can learn about the fundamentals, theory, and concepts from a book.

The greatest challenge I imagine you might have is that requirements don't match up completely as you go further up the chain. If you're goal is to fast-path to instructor, that's all that will matter (which I hope it isn't).
If you're in for the long haul, if you plan it out properly, it really won't matter in the end - the training will matter and that's agency-independent (depends on the instructor).

 

[parzdiver]

I think cross training is a great idea. However, as you can read all over the boards, "It's not the agency, it's the instructor." While all my recreational certs are PADI, my OW, AOW, and Rescue were done with different instructors, shops and parts of the world. I did start a NAUI AOW class, but a sinus infection sidelined me and I never finished with NAUI. While it wasn't exactly intentional, getting different perspectives on diving was beneficial. If you find a good instructor and they happen to be from a different agency, go for it. There really shouldn't be any hassle as long as you have your cards.

Once you start going pro, you would pick and stick with an agency, but I know PADI doesn't require you have any PADI recreational certs, you can use a "qualifying certification from another training organization" as your prerequisite certs.

 

[tbone1004]

The agency vs instructor is only somewhat true.

PADI has a very strict set of rules regarding what can and can't happen in their classes. As such, you can have a phenomenal instructor that is extremely restricted in what he can and can't teach. Advantage is, no matter how ****ty your instructor is, you're bound to do the same stuff that a student with the awesome instructor did.

NAUI has 0 rules regarding how the classes are taught. They have a set of stuff you have to do, what order you do them in, and how you get there is up to the instructor. One is demonstrate neutral buoyancy. While in PADI that may be just inflate your bc till you hover for a bit, we make them approach a weight belt, hover over it, ascent 10 feet, hover, come back down, don the weight belt without touching the bottom, ascent 10 feet, come back down, get rid of the weight belt, and turn and come back.
We have good instructors. A crappy NAUI instructor obviously may not do that, but the option is there to teach however you want.
Personally, if you want to be an instructor, I think AOW and Master Diver are a waste of time, but that's just me. We do OW then Rescue then leadership stuff. Our Rescue class encompasses a deep dive and a night dive, so you get the experience, and then we just encourage you to dive more. Sure a charter might want to see those cards, but if you show up with Rescue Diver that's usually sufficient. Getting to Dive Master after that is pretty simple as well.

key points
Crossover is good, at least for different instructors-gets rid of the "Scuba-God" mentality about your OW instructor
Different organizations doesn't matter. There's crossovers for instructor level too, so it really doesn't mean a whole lot if you bounce back and forth between a bunch of different organizations in the beginning anyway

 

[smellzlikefish]

The best instructors I've learned from were cross-trained in most of the major agencies. Most of these instructors' primary jobs, however, were safety officers for organizations (Universities, NOAA) and never trained primarily for becoming an instructor. Basically, they got really good in the water first through tec/scientific diving and managed to pick up instructor status along the way. By keeping your eyes on the instructor prize and bolting straight for it, you miss out on a lot of important life lessons. Become a minor deity underwater first, THEN teach people to do the same.

 

[windtech]

thanks guys i know there is a lot of different views on this. and no I'm not fast tracking its just where i see my self for my retirement. i think teaching and doing what i love to do is a nice way to allow me to do what i love to do.

yea yea i know I'm a little sappy but what the hell.
thanks