How many pool dives before OW dives?
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Of course, there's a lot more to diving than push-ups, but you're getting way more class time (both wet and dry) than many. I had four CW dives (2-2.5 hrs each), home study with basic in-class review of knowledge review quizzes, and four cert dives in two days over a weekend (the cert dives were pretty cursory - demonstrate prescribed skills and done).
I came away having met the standards (and holding a card), but not much else.
Yours sounds like a good class - enjoy it. I'm jealous!
We only have to do pushups when we do something dumb/dangerous. I always for get to breath when performing tasks...or leave my tank standing upright when I am not around.
fisherdvm
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I looked at the schedule of the YMCA OW class, and they have 5 weeks, 2 days a week, which would equal 10 sessions. I am not sure if all are pool sessions.... But I think doing the sessions in little bits, one can gain more than pushing all 10 sessions into 2, or even 1 as some has mentioned.
Little breaks between sessions help one think and visualize techniques. Unfortunately, us resort divers like to do things in one or two sessions.
Little breaks between sessions help one think and visualize techniques. Unfortunately, us resort divers like to do things in one or two sessions.
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That sounds about the same as when I did mine during an undergrad summer session (a long time ago!). I am definitely glad I did it that way rather than in just a few pool sessions.
Cheers,
Lilla
Cheers,
Lilla
chipwd
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My OW classes were twice a week for theoretically 4 weeks. We did about 2 hrs of classroom then 2 - 2 1/2 hours of pool each session. It was not the best format, by the time you hit the water it was 9:00 - 9:30 PM and you were pretty tired after a long day of work and then several hours of classes. The class was set up for 4 weeks but we completed it in 3 weeks with one extra pool session.
The SI I am doing my DMC with now does things differently. We have a 3 hour class on Tuesday nights and then a 3- 4 hour pool session on Sunday mornings. This is done over 4 weeks. The students are fresher and seem to get more from the course than I did when I did it. If a student has problems that cannot be resolved in the normal times then the Instructor will work individually with that student at a different time.
The quality of the course can also be affected by the number of students. Again, my OW course had 10 students and only 1 instructor. Lots of down time when the Instrutor had to work one on one with a student having difficulty with a skill in the pool.
My DMC internship OW classes have a max of 10 students and always at least 1 but usually 2 DMs and now myself to assist in every pool session. A DM can work one on one with a student having difficulty while the rest of the class continues along. Much better flow.
The Instructor will have the students do skills like mask removal and clearing during every class or practice breathing free flowing regs and fin pivots many times. In my classes, we had to perform the skills once and that was pretty much it.
Even the water entries done are a different one every time the class enters the pool.
You can see the Instructor I am working with has put a lot of thought into his classes. While he has a class structure to follow, he will taylor each class to work with the students and make them proficient with the materials and skills.
The students I see coming out of these classes are far better with basic skills than I was at the end of my OW course. The moral of the story is your Instructor will make a big difference on the quality of the course!
The SI I am doing my DMC with now does things differently. We have a 3 hour class on Tuesday nights and then a 3- 4 hour pool session on Sunday mornings. This is done over 4 weeks. The students are fresher and seem to get more from the course than I did when I did it. If a student has problems that cannot be resolved in the normal times then the Instructor will work individually with that student at a different time.
The quality of the course can also be affected by the number of students. Again, my OW course had 10 students and only 1 instructor. Lots of down time when the Instrutor had to work one on one with a student having difficulty with a skill in the pool.
My DMC internship OW classes have a max of 10 students and always at least 1 but usually 2 DMs and now myself to assist in every pool session. A DM can work one on one with a student having difficulty while the rest of the class continues along. Much better flow.
The Instructor will have the students do skills like mask removal and clearing during every class or practice breathing free flowing regs and fin pivots many times. In my classes, we had to perform the skills once and that was pretty much it.
Even the water entries done are a different one every time the class enters the pool.
You can see the Instructor I am working with has put a lot of thought into his classes. While he has a class structure to follow, he will taylor each class to work with the students and make them proficient with the materials and skills.
The students I see coming out of these classes are far better with basic skills than I was at the end of my OW course. The moral of the story is your Instructor will make a big difference on the quality of the course!
AndyM
Registered
I think we had 5 or 6 pool dives
However, I was recently back in the pool with some friends I had convinced to take a Discover SCUBA. (Get the gear on in a pool, get some basic instruction, have fun for a half hour with an instructor present) I was actually very grateful to have some more pool time to practice some of my skills before the season started. One of my "friends" swam up to me, and pulled my mask off. It's funny how fast instinct takes over. My gut was to hold my breath, but after a split second I remembered my training, kept breathing, and got my mask back on and cleared. (It's really hard to call someone a jerk with a regulator in your mouth, but I did my best) The point is that I was actually kind of grateful that he did it afterwards, because it forced me to work on that skill in a controlled environment.
I think the more pool time the better. You will never be sorry that you are too prepared!
However, I was recently back in the pool with some friends I had convinced to take a Discover SCUBA. (Get the gear on in a pool, get some basic instruction, have fun for a half hour with an instructor present) I was actually very grateful to have some more pool time to practice some of my skills before the season started. One of my "friends" swam up to me, and pulled my mask off. It's funny how fast instinct takes over. My gut was to hold my breath, but after a split second I remembered my training, kept breathing, and got my mask back on and cleared. (It's really hard to call someone a jerk with a regulator in your mouth, but I did my best) The point is that I was actually kind of grateful that he did it afterwards, because it forced me to work on that skill in a controlled environment.
I think the more pool time the better. You will never be sorry that you are too prepared!
on_two_wheels
Contributor
I could say I got shafted. I did one day in class and one pool dive (which was a 6 hour day) before a beach dive. Then again, I'm doing private lessons so that speeds things up considerably. Not to mention, I haven't had to do much more than once to get it correctly. Just the CESA (pool) and mask clearing were giving me trouble. On the shore dive, both were much, much easier.
Just found this thread but it looks like the OP has the answers already
Our program is a 10 week quarter plus finals week as needed. The standard class is 10 weeks of 2 hours classroom, 2 hours pool. Large classes usually end up needing the 11th pool session during finals week just because it takes a little longer to get everyone through everything especially when we get to rescue of an unconscious diver underwater and bailouts.Students who spend any free time between skill evaluations working on buoyancy skills can really get ahead of the game.
Ber :lilbunny:
Club based here students typically get 15 or so weeks of pool (half of that lessons the other half practice). It means by the time they've bought a suit and ready for open water they're a lot more ready for it than the bare minimum 4-5 hours on compressed commercial courses.
I haven't seen anyone post it yet. (I did read through kind of quick).
PADI Standards is
5 Knowledge Developement Sections (usually done in the first half of two days).
5 Confined Water Dives (Usually the second half of those two days)
Then 4 Open Water Dives.
There are optional skills like Buddy Breathing and Skin Diving Dives.
This is supposed to be the minimum for PADI and is often the default.
It's not hard to go into more detail and many times Pool Dives 1,2, & 3 are very long.
Usually Pool (or Confined Water) Dives 1 and 2 are all I can cover in 4-5 hours. Sometimes I don't get all the way through 2. CW Dive 3 is also rather meaty but CW4&5 are not to bad at all.
I can see how you could make a week or two out of it and if you add fitness you could expand it to a couple of weeks. I suppose you could add more training like Buoyancy training (which is very important).
I don't know what other agency's have for their minimum requirements.
PADI Standards is
5 Knowledge Developement Sections (usually done in the first half of two days).
5 Confined Water Dives (Usually the second half of those two days)
Then 4 Open Water Dives.
There are optional skills like Buddy Breathing and Skin Diving Dives.
This is supposed to be the minimum for PADI and is often the default.
It's not hard to go into more detail and many times Pool Dives 1,2, & 3 are very long.
Usually Pool (or Confined Water) Dives 1 and 2 are all I can cover in 4-5 hours. Sometimes I don't get all the way through 2. CW Dive 3 is also rather meaty but CW4&5 are not to bad at all.
I can see how you could make a week or two out of it and if you add fitness you could expand it to a couple of weeks. I suppose you could add more training like Buoyancy training (which is very important).
I don't know what other agency's have for their minimum requirements.
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