Greetings,
Last evening I had occasion to be in the pool to do some remedial work with a few of my current Divemaster students. We were sharing pool time with a former Divemaster student of mine - a gentleman who truly excels at skills demonstration. He was conducting a DSD session for 8 clients. At one point, I brought my charge over to observe this fellow demonstrate "Regulator Recovery," which he performed with his usual attention to form & detail, from the kneeling position.
Driving home, I pondered the way that skill is generally taught: Option #1 - on the knees, the exaggerated right-side tilt n' dip, straight right arm pulled straight back/tight to the body, touch the knee, touch the tank boot, then a sweep around etc.etc. Then the other popular option of the "reach back - find the hose - find the 2nd stage technique. What has been pointed out & discussed many times on this board is why we teach certain skills the way we do, and "just how much diving is done while perched on our knees anyway!!" However, I don't want this to be another discussion of the merits of "neutrally buoyant" skills training ( though I'm a huge advocate of the philosophy! ); rather, I'd like to make a point, then ask 3 questions.
The Point:
When I teach "Regulator Recovery," I first discuss/demo & do the standard methods. Then I ask this question: "So there you are, mid-water, merrily finning along, when some super-speedo-uber-doofus blazes by your face, kicks the regulator right out of your mouth, & half-dislodges / partially floods your mask. Now, what are you going to do?" As yet, no one has replied that they'd stop, sink to the bottom, alight to their knees and perform a sweep, though a few thought they'd simply tilt to the right & sweep while horizontal. When I asked them how they thought they'd react if the sweep arm came around "empty", they all agreed the feeling would be "much less than good." Others opined that they'd use the reach-back technique, though admitted they'd be nervous of "grabbing the wrong hose" at a time when their need for air was likely going to be intense. Still others thought they might look to their buddy for air. So then I ask them: "wouldn't it be great if you had a 2nd regulator, located in an easy-to-find / easy-to-access location, that you could utilize first, then locate your primary regulator in comfort & calm?"
Ah, to watch the lights come on!
"Yes, of course it would! We DO in fact have such a regulator in such a place!!"
I then suggest to them that an optimum location for that alternate second stage would be on a necklace, perched conveniently below their chin...just like mine is now!
Ahhhhhhh..........
The Questions:
How were you taught to: 1. 'Wear" your alternate 2nd stage 2. "Recover" your primary regulator, and 3. Is that the way you think you'd recover it, should you have occasion to "lose it."
Regards,
DSD
Last evening I had occasion to be in the pool to do some remedial work with a few of my current Divemaster students. We were sharing pool time with a former Divemaster student of mine - a gentleman who truly excels at skills demonstration. He was conducting a DSD session for 8 clients. At one point, I brought my charge over to observe this fellow demonstrate "Regulator Recovery," which he performed with his usual attention to form & detail, from the kneeling position.
Driving home, I pondered the way that skill is generally taught: Option #1 - on the knees, the exaggerated right-side tilt n' dip, straight right arm pulled straight back/tight to the body, touch the knee, touch the tank boot, then a sweep around etc.etc. Then the other popular option of the "reach back - find the hose - find the 2nd stage technique. What has been pointed out & discussed many times on this board is why we teach certain skills the way we do, and "just how much diving is done while perched on our knees anyway!!" However, I don't want this to be another discussion of the merits of "neutrally buoyant" skills training ( though I'm a huge advocate of the philosophy! ); rather, I'd like to make a point, then ask 3 questions.
The Point:
When I teach "Regulator Recovery," I first discuss/demo & do the standard methods. Then I ask this question: "So there you are, mid-water, merrily finning along, when some super-speedo-uber-doofus blazes by your face, kicks the regulator right out of your mouth, & half-dislodges / partially floods your mask. Now, what are you going to do?" As yet, no one has replied that they'd stop, sink to the bottom, alight to their knees and perform a sweep, though a few thought they'd simply tilt to the right & sweep while horizontal. When I asked them how they thought they'd react if the sweep arm came around "empty", they all agreed the feeling would be "much less than good." Others opined that they'd use the reach-back technique, though admitted they'd be nervous of "grabbing the wrong hose" at a time when their need for air was likely going to be intense. Still others thought they might look to their buddy for air. So then I ask them: "wouldn't it be great if you had a 2nd regulator, located in an easy-to-find / easy-to-access location, that you could utilize first, then locate your primary regulator in comfort & calm?"
Ah, to watch the lights come on!
"Yes, of course it would! We DO in fact have such a regulator in such a place!!"
I then suggest to them that an optimum location for that alternate second stage would be on a necklace, perched conveniently below their chin...just like mine is now!
Ahhhhhhh..........
The Questions:
How were you taught to: 1. 'Wear" your alternate 2nd stage 2. "Recover" your primary regulator, and 3. Is that the way you think you'd recover it, should you have occasion to "lose it."
Regards,
DSD