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Thanks everyone.TsandM-I guess kneeling isn't a requirement but being negatively buoyant so that you are either kneeling or standing on the bottom is. The first step in almost every skill is to become negatively buoyant. My understanding of this is to simplify the skill by removing any other difficulties, such as bouyancy control, while working on each of the 20 required skills. I imagine it's partially to prevent new students from making an uncontrolled ascent while doing their skills the first fee times.This is terribly depressing to read. Why on earth do you need to kneel to do demonstration skills?
Later on, after OW class, of course divers would be encouraged to practice these skills while neutrally buoyant. But, the first time they learn to remove and replace a Mask or BC underwater, I'm not sure I would want them floating horizontally and neutrally in the middle of the water column. Seems like this would add high degree of difficulty to the skill.
Since, as a DMC, I'm practicing "demonstration quality skills" as I would need to show students in an OW class, I'm expected to show them step by step per the PADI instructor manual. Step one is usually to deflate your BC and become negatively bouyancy. ( except for on the hover skill, of course)
Being able to do these skills at a GUE Fundies level neutral in the water column, in the prone position is my goal, but that won't work for what I'm doing right now.
Luckily, I have my own pool and plenty of hours to work on this right now.