DIRF, A Sobering Experience

[wb416]

Detroit GUE Fundies class

Mike... Mike... Mike... Don't be so rough on yourself... you were asked to assimilate an incredible amount of information this weekend that you hadn't had an opportunity to work on before. What was your last dive of the weekend like compared with your first dive? Chew on what you've learned and internalize it. Don't despair...

I don't agree with your original assessment that everyone did so poorly... granted, after Saturday night there was some intense self-evaluation going on, but by Sunday afternoon there were some real turn arounds occuring... You got beat hard with a big stick, but I know that your bruising will heal... in this particular case "What doesn't kill you will indeed make you a better diver!!"...

All in all, there were some that were encouraged toward Tech 1 after they get some polishing time in the water...

Do I think I could enter a Tech 1 yet in July with a reasonable degree of success... hmm... I'd hate to take the chance and take a severe beating... would my odds improve in a couple of months... you betcha... and what if I wait until Spring... I mean, what's the rush anyway... those deep wrecks aren't going anywhere!

For those interested in reading my report, forgive me, but I posted it on Diverlink yesterday...

Bill makes some excellent points about the teaching style used.... excellent stuff! Every teachable opportunity was used as an object lesson, both for positive and negative. I made some comments in my report referencing Bill, but I can see from his post here that he took an incredible amount of information home with him despite the brevity of his dive career. Way to hang in there Bill!! I had my doubts 'cause you were at an extreme disadvantage with little experience, but you didn't have to unlearn bad habits and you have a good baseline to build on!

cwb (Bob)

 

[Lost Yooper]

You may be right, Bob. I hold myself to pretty high standards as it is, so it doesn't take much for me to notice. I know I wasn't taking it as bad as some others there. I still had a great time.

I talked with Mike Kane a lot about Tech 1. He told me that there's roughly a 50% failure rate among students who took DIRF first. He said those who didn't take DIRF were almost gaurenteed to fail. Even 50% of DIRF students is stunning to me.

Mike

 

[CincyDiver]

Originally posted by roakey

Specific question to CincyDiver: Can you execute a demonstration-quality fin pivot?

For what it's worth, yes I can. I just had my skills evaluation for Divemaster this past weekend.

I liken the C-card you get from PADI to a driver's license. You learn some basic driving skills and out on the road you go. Does that make you qualified to drive NASCAR? No way. But you have to start someplace. At least people are getting in the water and enjoying it. Most people just want to go diving once or twice a year on their vacations and that's it. I just want to help them be able to do that.

As for me, I want to become a better diver so I am going to take DIRF sometime in the near future. I have my fundamentals book and I agree with the philosophy. But I don't believe that level is for everyone.

 

[roakey]

The question was: Can you execute a demonstration-quality fin pivot?

Originally posted by CincyDiver
For what it's worth, yes I can. I just had my skills evaluation for Divemaster this past weekend.

Sorry CincyDiver, that was a trap.

Then even as a Divemaster your trim is all wrong. You've been taught wrong. The instructor that taught you has been taught all wrong and is passing this onto their students. You're going to teach others this way. You're officially part of the problem now.

If you can do a fin pivot your legs are heavy. You will be unable to hover motionless above a reef enjoying it without either finning (and therefore moving about) to keep your fins up or letting your feet fall down on the reef.

Perfect, horizontal trim IS a skill for everyone. By rarely do you find the mainstream instructors teaching it. Or their Divemaster’s either. This is mostly because it's nearly impossible to get correct, horizontal trim with mainstream equipment. If horizontal trim were taught, no one would buy the pretty, poorly-functioning BCs that festoon the walls of most shops.

Take the DIRF course. Find out just how badly you've been taught. You'll be amazed.

Roak

 

[tombiowami]

Maybe this is good...
Maybe this is bad...

But, what is a fin pivot?

Tommy

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by tombiowami
But, what is a fin pivot?

It's where you lay face down on the bottom of the pool and through breathing cause your upper body to raise and lower, pivoting on the tips of your fins.

I can do the same thing if I throw on a couple ankle weights (another really bad invention by the mainstream industry). Because in order to perform it I need something to hold my feet down. Otherwise my entire body comes off the bottom as a unit in a horizontal orientation.

Roak

 

[tombiowami]

Thanks, I feel more included now. This was not taught in Naui OW. When would this skill ever be useful?

Tommy

 

[MikeFerrara]

If you are trimmed correctly you will be able to maintain any position desired. A fin pivot is more dificult for some when trimmed correctly but it can be done. I won't argue that it is the best methode but the purpose of the fin pivot is to get someone neutral for the first time in a controled manner. Contact with the bottom provides a reference (a measure of control). Yes, if not presented properly it can teach a diver to go through life foot heavy. However the fin pivot is not the end of buoyancy control training it is only step one. In a PADI course the fin pivot is followed by neutral buoyant swimming, neutral buoyant air sharing and hovering. Those skills when combine, if administered concienciously, will (can) result in a properly trimmed diver who effortlessly hovers in the horizantal position.

Roakey, To prove it to yourself pretend you are ascending up out of Olsen Sink. If you can't maintain any position other than horizantal you won't fit. The main benefit of proper trim is the ability to maintain any position desired with minimal effort. How do you teach buoyancy control?

 

[O-ring]

When would this skill ever be useful?

...just used to show how you can control buoyancy through breathing. I think Naui or maybe SSI teaches a horizontal hover instead...much better idea...

 

[CincyDiver]

Originally posted by roakey
Then even as a Divemaster your trim is all wrong.

This skill has nothing to do with trim. This falls under establishing neutral bouyancy. This information is straight from the PADI instructor manual. The next step after establishing neutral bouyancy is the neutral buoyancy swim. And I quote, "Emphasize that they're simulating swimming over a reef and that they must avoid contact with the bottom or sides." I won't disagree that there are bad instructors out there who don't point this out to their students. You have to start someplace and this is their first baby step of controlling buoyancy with their lungs.

Originally posted by roakey
If you can do a fin pivot your legs are heavy.

I'm sorry but this makes no sense. I keep a horizontal attitude in the water, yet I can do a fin pivot. These are two separate things. See MikeFerrara's posts above.

I totally agree that horizontal trim is a skill for everyone. If your instructor does not teach this, find a new instructor.