Divemaster fitness requirements?

[RJP]

Don't get me wrong... I think a non-swimmer could get 3's across the board in the watermanship skills. But if someone selected that as the "standard" so be it.

I'm in the process of putting together a website for potential students... should I tout the fact that I got 5's on all my swim times? Will anyone looking for a scuba instructor care that I can do 2.4mi at a 1:28 pace?

 

[scubadada]

While I agree - they still call the guy graduating from the bottom of his class at Med School "doctor"

There has to be a minimal acceptable standard, that doesn't mean we should strive for that level nor accept it. I'm a physician and considerably more than a competent swimmer.

 

[pdhenry]

There has to be a minimal acceptable standard, that doesn't mean we should ...accept it.

Um...

 

[Frosty]

A minimum standard, such as they are, is just that, a minimum. Should not the goal be to exceed and excel well beyond a minimum?N

Im sorry I genuinely don't understand your point here.
I have asked what the "lines in the sand" are for each skill because I don't start my training till end of June and don't expect to get my crew pack till end of May.
How can you aim to achieve or exceed a standard if you haven't any idea what that standard is?
Which is the whole point of this thread.

---------- Post added April 28th, 2015 at 10:02 AM ----------

Minimum score is 15 points averaged over the 5 disciplines as follows (metric):
400m: under 6:30 = 5; 6:30 - 8:40 = 4; 8:40 - 11 = 3, 11-13 = 2, over 13 = 1
800m: under 14min = 5; 14 - 16:30 = 4, 16:30 - 18:30 = 3, 18:30 - 21 = 2, over 21 = 1
100m: under 2:10 = 5; 2:10 - 3:15 = 4, 5:15 - 4:20 = 3, 4:20 - 5:30 -2; over 5:30 = 1
15 min float: performed as per required = 5; hands not out for 2 compete minutes = 3; touched bottom or side = 1

For the equipment exchange it's basically a 5 if you do it with no dramas and it looks comfortable, 4 with a bit of fuss, 3 is you did it but faffed around a lot, 2 is it was complete mess but you managed to swap, 1 is incomplete. You must do it in whatever you normally dive in, must swap all scuba equipment except your weights and your suit. C.

Thanks Crowley--THOSE were the numbers I wanted.
With no crew pack yet I literally didn't have a clue what I was aiming for.

 

[Nemrod]

Actually, I think I am wrong in that I am the one who applied "minimum" to the standard. The standards look reasonable. I guess I do not like the concept of squeaking by which clearly was not your (the OP's) motive.

Good luck on your pursuit and all the best with your DM program.

N

 

[Frosty]

No worries-My kids are watching me pretty carefully.Reminding me constantly of the lectures I give them about aiming to be the very best.
If for no other reason (and ive got plenty of other reasons) I have to strive to be the very best I can be.
Nothing else is good enough.
Um mind you-13 minute 400m currently so ive got a lot of improvement to make

 

[RJP]

Hey Frosty check out Mr Smooth...

Swimming Technique: Animations & Articles From Experts Swim Smooth

[video=youtube;IyR7JYllk9U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyR7JYllk9U[/video]

Adopt his style and you'll get 5's across the board!

 

[Crowley]

Frosty - no worries mate, you're welcome - if you do the swims in yards then the times are all slight lower (6 minutes for a 5 in the 400 yard swim as opposed to 6:30), I just couldn't be bothered typing them all out!

RJP - that's outstanding but I'm not sure anybody would care! Seriously though - unless they were DM candidates nobody would understand why - and you may well find that potential DM candidates might feel somewhat intimidated because they're not so good in the water and therefore can't live up to expectations. Out of all the DMTs I worked with, I could count the number of 5s in the 400 metre swim on my fingers. I've always been of the opinion that we're divers, not swimmers and whilst a dive professional should be confident and comfortable swimming in the water, unless they were an olympic class lifeguard sort of person, I wouldn't expect them to try to - say - effect a rescue in anything less than mask, fins and snorkel (and swimsuit! hehe!) If a potential DM scored low in the swim but managed it comfortably I wouldn't be too bothered, but if they scored low in the 800m snorkel, I would have serious issues with that.

Cheers

C.

 

[TMHeimer]

Frosty - no worries mate, you're welcome - if you do the swims in yards then the times are all slight lower (6 minutes for a 5 in the 400 yard swim as opposed to 6:30), I just couldn't be bothered typing them all out!

RJP - that's outstanding but I'm not sure anybody would care! Seriously though - unless they were DM candidates nobody would understand why - and you may well find that potential DM candidates might feel somewhat intimidated because they're not so good in the water and therefore can't live up to expectations. Out of all the DMTs I worked with, I could count the number of 5s in the 400 metre swim on my fingers. I've always been of the opinion that we're divers, not swimmers and whilst a dive professional should be confident and comfortable swimming in the water, unless they were an olympic class lifeguard sort of person, I wouldn't expect them to try to - say - effect a rescue in anything less than mask, fins and snorkel (and swimsuit! hehe!) If a potential DM scored low in the swim but managed it comfortably I wouldn't be too bothered, but if they scored low in the 800m snorkel, I would have serious issues with that.


Cheers

C.

You helped me a great deal on the Going Pro forum years ago. And I couldn't agree more with what you say here.

 

[Crowley]

Glad to hear it TM - and you're very welcome; glad I could help!

I know a lot of dive pros don't agree with me re: the swimming test - I've always been an advocate of the 300m snorkel vs the 200m swim for the Open Water course, although there is a European standard which superceded that which meant I couldn't use it as an option in Egypt which is covered by the EU standards for diving. If a person is comfortable in the water then this is easily demonstrated by the 10 minute float and 300m of snorkelling - and the added bonus of the snorkel swim is that people who have maybe never worn fins before get used to them very quickly.

I don't want to see it removed from the DM program; I think it should remain there but I have felt for a long time that the 800m and 100m inert diver tow are more useful skills in which to excel; a lot of people on SB have said something along the lines of "you should be a strong swimmer in case the dive boat capsizes"; against which my argument is: "well, every ferry, cruise ship, rowboat or gondola passenger should also have to demonstrate being able to swim before getting on a boat" - and I imagine the waterways of Venice filled with honeymooners spluttering about in the canals before they can be romantically poled to their hotel.

Back to the OP - and for all people who might not be super-strong swimmers: get in the water and do as much as you can. Focus on the snorkelling - that will help immensely with leg power and aerobic development and a high score on the snorkel will negate a poor score on the swim. I am not a world class olympic swimmer myself (unless I have a scooter, then I'm like a rocket ship!) so I would practice with one length of a pool front crawl., then a sort of lazy floating-on-the-back paddle in return to rest, then a length breast-stroke, then a lazy floating on my back paddle in return, and so on. This helped me get through the distance whilst training.

Also I would like to point out that I don't say this in defense of super-unfit people somehow. I've seen a few DMTs struggle with the swim who were super-fit, super-muscly, super-powerful people - and very, very, negatively buoyant. They swam comfortably, but steadily, and slowly. One of them - a good friend - is a US Special Forces superman (although clearly not a Navy Seal!) and well - he didn't score a 5. But, put a pair of fins on the guy and he could go on, and on, and on, and on, and on.... and on.

Good luck with the swims and don't worry too much - Out of all the many DMs I've taught, a lot of people couldn't score the points on the first try (and we did them all in one session), but only one couldn't complete the swims in the time frame available prior to their Instructor Course. He only had one leg (serious) and it was mostly problems with the prosthetic that hampered him. He got a new one some months later, and was certified thereafter.

Cheers

C.