Have training standards "slipped"?

[bookboarder]

I'm still confused on the whole buddy-breathing to the surface thing. Is that not common practice? That was one of my least favorite exercises, but we did do it. That and the unconcious diver, but once I got the hang of the unconcious diver, I was OK with it. Never liked the buddy-breathing, though. Do most instructors not do this?

 

[DivingsInMyBlood]

I just think times have changed as the gear has improved with safety.

 

[markfm]

On the walk to school -- don't forget it was uphill both ways

 

[markfm]

Buddy breathing and unconscious diver? In a basic OW class? What org did you train with? (No, it's not the norm overall, today. Out of air drill, using your buddy's safe second is the norm, with buddy breathing [sharing a single regulator between two people] at most an "option", pretty rarely taught at the intro level; it's much simpler to stress not to dive with a buddy that doesn't have a working safe second, and that checking that is part of your surface prep. Surfacing an unconscious diver is a Rescue scenario.)

 

[MikeFerrara]

Dude, neutral bouyancy was not taught in the 70s. Do you really think the current emphasis by insctructors on this important skill has declined? It grows stronger every year. Doing pushups in full gear, trying to buddy breathe to the surface, jumping in to find and then don your gear are all testosterone laden skills that are NEVER needed by the average open water diver.

Unfortunately they haven't really replaced those skills with anything and the overall quality of buoyancy control training pretty much stinks...It's a mucked up mess out there. Of course there are instructors who may teach it well but some of the biggest agencies just don't require much of it. Dive training is still mostly kneeling. It's 70's vintage training only without any hard or uncomfortable stuff. The only thing that seems to have really progressed is the marketing.

 

[DivingsInMyBlood]

On the walk to school -- don't forget it was uphill both ways

Dont forget it was in the biggest blizzard in recorded history too.

 

[Doubles]

Buddy breathing and unconscious diver? In a basic OW class? What org did you train with? (No, it's not the norm overall, today. Out of air drill, using your buddy's safe second is the norm, with buddy breathing [sharing a single regulator between two people] at most an "option", pretty rarely taught at the intro level; it's much simpler to stress not to dive with a buddy that doesn't have a working safe second, and that checking that is part of your surface prep. Surfacing an unconscious diver is a Rescue scenario.)

You will get both of those skills in my OW class. Yes they are optional for the agency that issued my instructor card.

Buddy breathing is not the easiest skill when task loaded - like being OOA and having an equipment failure which might necessitate it.

Should the unlikely event occur where you needed to buddy breathe, it will certainly be easier if someone took the time to teach it to you.

Basic rescue skills should not require a rescue class.

Regardless of the amount of skills you were taught in any class. If you don't practice them once in a while, then you may well not remember them when the chips are down and the body reverts to the natural human response of "fight or flight".

Cheers

Steve

 

[Hemlon]

Dude, neutral bouyancy was not taught in the 70s. Do you really think the current emphasis by insctructors on this important skill has declined? It grows stronger every year. Doing pushups in full gear, trying to buddy breathe to the surface, jumping in to find and then don your gear are all testosterone laden skills that are NEVER needed by the average open water diver.

Bravo!!!

 

[bookboarder]

I did my training through NAUI. I didn't realize that these were anything other than the norm, as, obviously, this was my first certification. I guess that they are good skills to have.

My hubby and I plan to do Rescue or Advanced next, probably rescue, so hopefully, those skills will help us in our next courses!

Thanks everyone, I just kinda thought all the agencies did pretty much the same things. I'm glad to know these things, though, because they were drilled into us in both the pool and out in the ocean.

 

[bookboarder]

Funny thing too, I got paired with the BIGGEST diver I had ever seen when we were doing our Unconcous Diver drill in the ocean. I was a little intimidated at first, to say the least--- I was like, you want me to drag his butt out of the water?!?!