StraitsdiverGeo:
Please do deal with this. This is a fun and safe sport but let's not kid ourselves, we can get into a world of grief in a heartbeat down there. Do it for both of you.
Pete
Diving skills need help??
- Thread starter StraitsdiverGeo
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Please do deal with this. This is a fun and safe sport but let's not kid ourselves, we can get into a world of grief in a heartbeat down there. Do it for both of you.
Pete
The Horn
Contributor
My Buddy and I always discuss problems on a dive or concerns before a dive and debrief after the dive. We also go and "play" as often as we can practicing different UW skills, finning technique etc. My kids wonder why Dad is swiming backwards across the pool..............
Have you ever tried to book a dive with the problem guy by starting it with something like: "Hey fred, I've been having trouble with MY bouyancy and want to go down to the shallow end to figure out my weights. Do you want to come along, I've been reading up on some cool information on proper weighting and perhaps we can help each other get our bouyacy in check."
If he declines to go or gives you some buisness about being all set and the dive sounds lame etc.........then go for the point blank......dude, your diving skills are getting worse and frankly you scare me underwater. Since it is MY life you come skills diving or see you later.....
Have you ever tried to book a dive with the problem guy by starting it with something like: "Hey fred, I've been having trouble with MY bouyancy and want to go down to the shallow end to figure out my weights. Do you want to come along, I've been reading up on some cool information on proper weighting and perhaps we can help each other get our bouyacy in check."
If he declines to go or gives you some buisness about being all set and the dive sounds lame etc.........then go for the point blank......dude, your diving skills are getting worse and frankly you scare me underwater. Since it is MY life you come skills diving or see you later.....
What's not clear to me from the original post is whether this person thinks he's fine.
The fact that he's taken lots of instruction may imply that he doesn't.
The fact that he's taken lots of instruction doesn't necessarily mean that he's had any teaching from somebody who could actually help, either.
I could easily envision myself just like the person you're describing. I kept taking classes, trying to fix what I KNEW was wrong, and none of them did, and I didn't know how to fix the problems by myself, but I kept diving in hopes that practice would do what nothing else seemed to be doing. And it didn't. Luckily, I encountered NWGratefulDiver, who is a TEACHER, and promptly set about fixing my many issues.
On the other hand, I have a friend who thinks the way he dives is fine, and although we've exposed him to proper balance and trim, diving neutral, etc., he waves it away because he's happy with how he does it now. You can't fix somebody who doesn't think they need fixing -- All you can do at that point is decide whether you want to continue diving with this person or not.
Sometimes, what works is to find out what motivates the person. I have one friend whose biggest concern is his gas usage, and you can persuade him if you can relate things to reducing his SAC rate.
But I, personally, would not continue to dive with someone whose diving behavior made me crazy, unless that person was unhappy with what he was doing and was trying to change it. Somebody who is trying gets a ton of help and time from me.
The fact that he's taken lots of instruction may imply that he doesn't.
The fact that he's taken lots of instruction doesn't necessarily mean that he's had any teaching from somebody who could actually help, either.
I could easily envision myself just like the person you're describing. I kept taking classes, trying to fix what I KNEW was wrong, and none of them did, and I didn't know how to fix the problems by myself, but I kept diving in hopes that practice would do what nothing else seemed to be doing. And it didn't. Luckily, I encountered NWGratefulDiver, who is a TEACHER, and promptly set about fixing my many issues.
On the other hand, I have a friend who thinks the way he dives is fine, and although we've exposed him to proper balance and trim, diving neutral, etc., he waves it away because he's happy with how he does it now. You can't fix somebody who doesn't think they need fixing -- All you can do at that point is decide whether you want to continue diving with this person or not.
Sometimes, what works is to find out what motivates the person. I have one friend whose biggest concern is his gas usage, and you can persuade him if you can relate things to reducing his SAC rate.
But I, personally, would not continue to dive with someone whose diving behavior made me crazy, unless that person was unhappy with what he was doing and was trying to change it. Somebody who is trying gets a ton of help and time from me.
Ben_ca
Contributor
As many DIR guys have found out in Fundies.... Video doesn't lie 
dsteding
Contributor
TSandM:
Ain't that the truth
If you feel condifident enough in your abilities, then I would suggest following Spectrum's thoughts on Mentoring.StraitsdiverGeo:Over weighted, poor buoyancy control,air hog, prone to panic attacks,etc.
Well I guess, I hoping for the magic answer to fall out of the sky and make all well in the world once again. I've only been diving for couple seasons myself and I'm unsure on how to proceed from here.
Take your friend and tell him what you've seen in the water with them and that you want to help. Work on one skill and only one skill at a time until they've got it knocked. Personally, I'd start with the weighting issue. Getting them properly weighted will help with the buoyancy and air issues. It's a simple fact, the more weight you haul around, the more air you use.
Just take it slow and make sure both you and your friend are comfortable. Remember, if you can do skill between 0ft and 30ft comfortably, they are even easier at depth because the buoyancy is easier to control.
Good luck and let us know how things work out.
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