How to kick effectively?

[TMHeimer]

Knowing back kicking can't hurt of course, but other than photography and perhaps moving out of a confined space, I haven't heard of any other real need for it. I don't do either of those things.

 

[The Chairman]

I am surprised to see that you don't accept students in your AOW class if they have split fins.

I discourage splits in all my classess. I'll still teach them, but they'll learn more in paddle fins. In fact, I encourage my students to learn the frog kick unless they are in splits.

 

[dmaziuk]

Aiming for the shot as in spearfishing or photography ?

I shoot video and do all kinds of things with my fins to get my body and camera in the right position. Frog, back, ankle kick, etc..

Photography.

... bicycle kick, hand pull. Also dolphin kick.

 

[ronscuba]

I discourage splits in all my classess. I'll still teach them, but they'll learn more in paddle fins. In fact, I encourage my students to learn the frog kick unless they are in splits.

I totally respect your position. A frog kick is very useful to know and maybe if I kept my Jetfins, I would frog kick more. As far as splits, maybe use it as a challenge. Frog kick and back kick in splits. It can be done. At least with Apollo Fins.

 

[ronscuba]

Photography.

... bicycle kick, hand pull. Also dolphin kick.

Yep, whatever it takes to get the shot.

Including flutter kicking really fast to get to and keep up with animal life. Having the ability to frog kick, back kick and helicopter are nice skills to have. So is the ability to go really fast and sustain it. I got much of my best video footage this way.

 

[The Chairman]

Frog kick and back kick in splits. It can be done.

You can scull effectively in splits, but I have yet to see a bodacious frogkick in them. They just seem to collapse on the power stroke and get all higgledy piggledy when you try to cut the water with them on the return. Watching it makes me wince.

 

[ronscuba]

Ah, bodacious. My frogkick in splits falls a little shore of that. More like boda......

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

wetb4igetinthewate, I am surprised to see that you don't accept students in your AOW class if they have split fins. Makes sense for a TEC dive class where frog kick is part of the curriculum, but seems like a strong prerequisite for AOW class.

I'm not the right instructor for everyone. I'm just one guy and there are plenty of instructors out there. Why not choose someone else? I won't take it personally. Silt is a huge problem in my area, so I teach anti-silting techniques (we are also in dry suits year round). You can be 5 feet off the bottom, flutter kick with split fins, and you will destroy the viz. I guess if someone could master frog kicking with split fins, I'd be okay with it. But if they can't, I'd put them in one of my fins (I have many, including fins from Deep6, Hollis F1's, and SP Nova Seawing Gorillas) and see if that convinces them to rethink what fins they want to use.

My AOW stretches out way beyond 5 dives as start with PPB and I have a strict interpretation of what the performance requirements mean that I believe I can justify to PADI. And I tell prospective students this. Some go elsewhere, as they want a c-card after 5 dives, and I have no issue with that. Others want exactly what I offer, so there is a percentage of divers who like how I teach. But not everyone does. One of the things I'm doing is what nwgratefuldiver used to do. Create dive buddies through teaching. I want to ensure my students have good diving skills so that when I dive for fun with them afterwards, we just have a good time.

In my AOW, I build as much as possible on previous adventure dives. That is why I start with PPB. They have to master buoyancy, trim, and finning, or else when they get task loaded with navigation, it is a mess. Prior to setting up my program, I had an AOW student who was plowing the ground with bicycle kicks on the first dive (navigation). I had to stop the training and send him off to take a full PPB course. My guess is that he learned to dive on his knees. I don't blame him, how was he supposed to know better?

AOW certification isn't taken very seriously around here by the boat captains. I've made a personal promise to a number of them that if they get someone certified by me, they don't have to worry about them. I'm a low volume instructor as I just want to focus on quality. Also, I want to improve the quality of my instruction, hence my preference to focus a small number of students (usually separately).

Reasonable?

 

[ronscuba]

I commend you to taking things beyond the PADI requirements. Especially to cater to the requirements of diving in your area. Your students are getting more than their money's worth.

I also agree PADI AOW certification means very little in my experience. 30 seconds after completing my final OW dive, the instructor was pressuring students to take the AOW course. I politely declined and got some dives under my belt before doing AOW. The class was underwhelming and not worthwhile. At least with this particular instructor. It felt like redoing OW class.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

30 seconds after completing my final OW dive, the instructor was pressuring students to take the AOW course.

I refuse to take students straight out of OW unless they are rockstars. I'll PM you directly with a bit more explanation that goes OT.

Oh, and I don't go beyond PADI standards as that would be a standards violation. I do however have a strict interpretation of the standards which I feel is to the student's benefit.