DIR- GUE Fundies Rec vs Tec rating

[MichaelMc]

The rec pass seems preferable for a new diver as it doesn't come with a 6-month time limit to possibly upgrade to tech, like the provisional tech does. Plus you'll be more relaxed and learn more if you're not worried about tech, and more likely to do the class in the gear that you're comfortable with. Instead of jumping to doubles if you're not already in them and becoming stressed out and not learning much.

 

[AJ]

Are you suggesting to practice buoyancy and hovering before the course?

If yes, I kinda disagree. Buoyancy itself can be fine even with a bad trim; a decent trim can be achieved even with a slightly unbalanced rig; and so on.

Practising alone to achieve a decent level of abilities involves the risk to do all the skills with some minor details that are not ok. While at the beginning these minor things may not pose any issue, I guess they can in the long term.

Yes, doing it yourself is a risk to learning the wrong things, I admit that. If possible, practice with someone who knows what is required. Should have mentioned that.

The reason I mentioned this is that I struggled a lot to keep my position in the team. If you can keep your position and being horizontal, you're half way passing fundies.

 

[BlueTrin]

And even those kinds of "deficiencies" are not unexpected. When my Fundies instructor saw I was fumbling with clipping stuff off on my chest D-ring, he gave me a homework assignment to build muscle memory--something to practice that evening before the next day's class. He gave me a bolt snap with something attached to it and said to sit in front of the TV or whatever and just practice clipping it off and removing it, over and over. It worked.

Now I'm Cave 1 and similarly trying to build muscle memory and fluidity removing a pigtail from my pocket, attaching a marker to a line, and clipping the pigtail back off in my pocket, and that lesson from my original Fundies class has not been forgotten. We learn to practice even the seemingly simplest movements until they are effortless.

Totally agree, I think I should have clarified: you don’t need to be an expert before to come but make sure you have at least tried a bit. I.e maybe don’t come with new kit you have never touched. (To be honest, even then you’d learn to use it anyway)

Even something simple like reaching the dump valve with thick gloves: you could be taught during the class tricks like to just go for the dump rather than the rope or taught to rotate your finger around the dump valve itself until it catch the rope.

Like @Lorenzoid said, definitely don’t overthink it too much and don’t spend days preparing: the class is there to actually help you and there is no point preparing too much.

 

[The Cosmicist]

@JacobAdkins

I had less experience than you and got a Rec Pass my first try last September (the only one in the class). I also had very little time to practice and prepare. But I am naturally aligned with GUE's philosophy and techniques, so there weren't many surprises. Even so, it was tough and I got 5-6 hours of sleep through the whole course. Here's my advice about Rec vs Tec Pass as a new diver, and hopefully it will help.

Do not even bother with a Tec Pass right now. Forget it. The standards are more strict and since you're a new diver like me, the task loading you'll experience, having no doubles experience, will make your success (and enjoyment) unlikely. Plus, everything you do in Fundies is as a team. While you are evaluated as an individual, you are also evaluated on your ability to communicate, plan and dive within a team. If you drag the team down, or are always trying to do your own thing, everyone is affected. I think Fundies is really good for showing a diver the mirror, both literally and figuratively. Use it as a base line evaluation of yourself so you know how you can progress and forget about the status you receive at the end. Looking back on it, I am happy I had no chance to try for a Tec Pass because I was able to focus on building solid foundational skills. And I had a fantastic instructor.

If you have time, absolutely try to practice some things. Practice staying absolutely still in the water - no movement up or down, side to side, rotationally, or backwards/forwards. Find or make good markers to judge your movement and record yourself. If you don't have this down, you'll have front row seats on the struggle bus.

You can try the kick styles, but unless you have good proprioception or an experienced buddy, I'd focus on trim and buoyancy. You can also practice communication, even by yourself. Watch GUE videos and really study what they are doing, even down to which hand does what, when, and why. Be detail-oriented in the military sense.

Think about it this way... Do you even know how you breathe? Have you ever used a can light? Do you know when to remove it, how to stow the cable? Do you have experience with long hose configurations? Have you shared air while ascending at a strict 10ft per minute (yes, that's what we did - total control), holding stops every minute while communicating? Aside from the can light, those are the things you'll be expected to do with only a single tank.

Fundies is a great course and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can't wait to do it again to try for a Tec Pass. Don't underestimate the seemingly small stuff. If you can't stay still and calm in a single tank -removing all other tasks above- I would let the idea of a Tec Pass go. If you can't stay still while removing your mask/finding a replacement/stowing the old mask, sharing air, or deploying an DSMB, then let the Tec Pass go.

GUE is also better organized than most dive organizations. All of their standards are readily available online, as already mentioned. I would study those and see how you fit within them. Moving 5ft vertically may seem like a lot, but it's really easy to surpass that if you're not careful or haven't practiced your buoyancy and breathing.

Hope that helps! Enjoy it and soak it in!!

 

[The Cosmicist]

Yes and no. Be comfortable with your gear is the main thing that will help ensure your success. And sure, if you can already hover (that is, maintain position and depth without flailing around) that's good. But relax--the whole purpose of the course is to teach you. You're not expected to have any prior knowledge of the specific skills taught by GUE. There is such a thing as over-preparing; don't do that.

I recall a great article on how to prepare (and not prepare) for Fundies by--I think it was--John Kendall, a GUE instructor, but I can't find it. Anyway, some good advice from another GUE instructor here:

Prepare for Your Fundies Class in 5 Easy Steps | Wet Rocks Diving

Prepare for Your Fundies Class in 5 Easy Steps by Meredith Tanguay and the Wet Rocks Diving Team There's a lot to think about when you're preparing to take your GUE Fundamentals class; a common mistake is to over-think it. There is also a lot of outdated and incorrect information online (mixed...

www.wetrocksdiving.com

Maybe also have a look at this:

Anatomy of a Fundamentals Class

GUE Instructor Examiner Guy Shockey explains the thought and details that goes into GUE’s most popular course, Fundamentals, aka “Fundies,” which has been taken by numerous industry luminaries. Why all the fanfare? Shockey characterizes the magic as “simple things done precisely!”

gue.com

Oh my God, @Lorenzoid hit the bullseye. "But relax--the whole purpose of the course is to teach you." I'm very type A and a planner, and Fundies forces you to strip everything you think you know and/or think you're good at. I think it was an advantage that I am a new diver and only had 4 days to prepare before Day 1. Go as a blank slate and you'll get the most out of it. I didn't practice any skills at all. I just studied.

Boy, does this remind me of my class review. So many of us tightly-wound scuba divers – and so many poor instructors – focus on evaluation, not instruction.

@Lorenzoid, in my opinion, hits this issue pretty squarely on the head: why would you try to practice a skill to get better at it on your own and then take the class, when that is the exact reason you are taking the class? In many cases, it might be because you need some magic piece of plastic to be able to do something. Which means you’re not really taking a “class“, you’re actually just taking an exam.

Fundies is not like that. For many reasons really, but the biggest one being: unless you are ready to take a cave or trimix level diving class tomorrow, there’s no need for you to walk away with a little piece of plastic that allows you to do something. So don’t worry about striving for that tiny piece of plastic.

And remember: this is a “fundamentals“ class. It’s designed to show you the most basic skills, and help you to become proficient in them. Unless you already have those skills, it is likely to change the way you dive in some, well, fundamental way; given that, any practicing that you do without those fundamentals in place – including the understanding of the why of them, not just the mechanics – means that you are practicing the wrong things for the wrong reasons. Because you simply will not know what the right reasons are, even if you are able to mimic the best YouTube videos.

In short: don’t practice before the class. That’s how you end up putting the class off for 10 years like someone I know well.

I retract my first post... I agree that not practicing, in the grand scheme of your diving, is the best thing. That's what I did, and I "succeeded". In quotes, because I passed, but really because I learned how to be a much better diver. That's succeeding in Fundies.

 

[JacobAdkins]

Yes and no. Be comfortable with your gear is the main thing that will help ensure your success. And sure, if you can already hover (that is, maintain position and depth without flailing around) that's good. But relax--the whole purpose of the course is to teach you. You're not expected to have any prior knowledge of the specific skills taught by GUE. There is such a thing as over-preparing; don't do that.

I recall a great article on how to prepare (and not prepare) for Fundies by--I think it was--John Kendall, a GUE instructor, but I can't find it. Anyway, some good advice from another GUE instructor here:

Prepare for Your Fundies Class in 5 Easy Steps | Wet Rocks Diving

Prepare for Your Fundies Class in 5 Easy Steps by Meredith Tanguay and the Wet Rocks Diving Team There's a lot to think about when you're preparing to take your GUE Fundamentals class; a common mistake is to over-think it. There is also a lot of outdated and incorrect information online (mixed...

www.wetrocksdiving.com

Maybe also have a look at this:

Anatomy of a Fundamentals Class

GUE Instructor Examiner Guy Shockey explains the thought and details that goes into GUE’s most popular course, Fundamentals, aka “Fundies,” which has been taken by numerous industry luminaries. Why all the fanfare? Shockey characterizes the magic as “simple things done precisely!”

gue.com

Thank you sir.

 

[JacobAdkins]

@JacobAdkins

I had less experience than you and got a Rec Pass my first try last September (the only one in the class). I also had very little time to practice and prepare. But I am naturally aligned with GUE's philosophy and techniques, so there weren't many surprises. Even so, it was tough and I got 5-6 hours of sleep through the whole course. Here's my advice about Rec vs Tec Pass as a new diver, and hopefully it will help.

Do not even bother with a Tec Pass right now. Forget it. The standards are more strict and since you're a new diver like me, the task loading you'll experience, having no doubles experience, will make your success (and enjoyment) unlikely. Plus, everything you do in Fundies is as a team. While you are evaluated as an individual, you are also evaluated on your ability to communicate, plan and dive within a team. If you drag the team down, or are always trying to do your own thing, everyone is affected. I think Fundies is really good for showing a diver the mirror, both literally and figuratively. Use it as a base line evaluation of yourself so you know how you can progress and forget about the status you receive at the end. Looking back on it, I am happy I had no chance to try for a Tec Pass because I was able to focus on building solid foundational skills. And I had a fantastic instructor.

If you have time, absolutely try to practice some things. Practice staying absolutely still in the water - no movement up or down, side to side, rotationally, or backwards/forwards. Find or make good markers to judge your movement and record yourself. If you don't have this down, you'll have front row seats on the struggle bus.

You can try the kick styles, but unless you have good proprioception or an experienced buddy, I'd focus on trim and buoyancy. You can also practice communication, even by yourself. Watch GUE videos and really study what they are doing, even down to which hand does what, when, and why. Be detail-oriented in the military sense.

Think about it this way... Do you even know how you breathe? Have you ever used a can light? Do you know when to remove it, how to stow the cable? Do you have experience with long hose configurations? Have you shared air while ascending at a strict 10ft per minute (yes, that's what we did - total control), holding stops every minute while communicating? Aside from the can light, those are the things you'll be expected to do with only a single tank.

Fundies is a great course and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can't wait to do it again to try for a Tec Pass. Don't underestimate the seemingly small stuff. If you can't stay still and calm in a single tank -removing all other tasks above- I would let the idea of a Tec Pass go. If you can't stay still while removing your mask/finding a replacement/stowing the old mask, sharing air, or deploying an DSMB, then let the Tec Pass go.

GUE is also better organized than most dive organizations. All of their standards are readily available online, as already mentioned. I would study those and see how you fit within them. Moving 5ft vertically may seem like a lot, but it's really easy to surpass that if you're not careful or haven't practiced your buoyancy and breathing.

Hope that helps! Enjoy it and soak it in!!

It helped a lot thank you !

 

[JacobAdkins]

Thanks for all the help everyone! It’s definitely helped me understand more about GUE and fundamentals. I plan on taking it this summer in High springs.

 

[JacobAdkins]

Also how quick do they fill up ? Should I go ahead and sign up now ?

 

[ginti]

Also how quick do they fill up ? Should I go ahead and sign up now ?

You should send an email to the instructor you identified, and have a chat with him/her via phone/skype to be sure that you like each other, and you should do it as soon as you can