May 14-15 Primer Class @ Dutch

[tddfleming]

Is this class Primer or Fundies?

This is my primer class.

 

[tddfleming]

The best preparation you can do mostly involves the logistics for the class. Bob is very open and willing to give his students his all. I would suggest you spend as much time as you can squeezing useful diving information out of him. Do everything you can to make sure you're well rested, well fed and are ready to focus on the class. Running to the snack shop, getting tanks filled and discovering that you need to replace o-rings in poorly maintained gear all takes time away from your class so do all of that stuff before class starts.

I would also suggest you let him know from the start what you're hoping to get out of the class. He's a pretty adaptive teacher and would likely tailor the content to your needs if it is feasible to do so.

Make sure to take some time to make friends with your classmates or other local GUE divers that might be around. If you do decide you like what Bob teaches you'll want to start finding friends that think the same way and they're a lot harder to come by than ordering a long hose for your regulator.

Seems more so on the east coast than the other coast. Few and far between here.

 

[tddfleming]

While I'm not a fan of learning everything before the class(due to the risk of learning things wrong, even with a good mentor) I'd be willing to meet up at Rawlings if you want a dive buddy for a fun dive/ to flesh out gear issues/etc. I have a shakeout dive next weekend at Dutch and after that I should be good to go.

Peace,
Greg

Greg:

Yes, let me know when you want to meet at Rawlings, as you have a much bigger drive than myself. I do not have a bp/w. I spoke to Bob and he can loan/rent me one for class. As I do not know what I am looking for yet and do not want to buy the wrong things. I have the 7' hose, which I have taken to the pool to practice, and I pretty much suck at deploying that. Do I need to shorter hose for my octo or should I just leave the old one on?? But, yes, just let me know and I will meet you down there. Water is cold, but from another post, you will be dry, dude.

 

[tddfleming]

The biggest skill for fundies is just to be able to sit in one spot and hover and watch an instructor.

You might want to read this which I sort of wrote to address this:

Basic Trim and Buoyancy Control | Spherical Chicken

On re-reading that, I think I really should have busted that up into three parts, one entry on buoyancy control, one entry on trim and one entry on additional finesse. You should probably just focus on the stillness and buoyancy control to begin with, and then start trying to add trim, but keep in mind everything I mention there is almost targeting the end result of fundies.

Although if you're shooting for a Tech pass in doubles, you might want to obsess over all of that... That's kind of why I suggest not necessarily shooting for a Tech pass unless you're getting lots of feedback from mentors on where you are....

Thanks Lamont, I just read it and this helps a lot. Stillness will be my hardest skill to learn. I have issues with just sitting still on land. My husband filmed us last weekend for our AOW and upon watching that I was able to see I move more than I thought. That video was an eye opener. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

Thanks again

 

[TSandM]

tddfleming, the biggest thing is not to get your brain wound in a knot about the class. It's a CLASS. Bob is there and you are paying him to teach you, with the goal to come out of the experience with some improved skills and some ideas on how to make further progress. You won't wow Bob no matter what you do (I'm not sure it's possible) so just relax and go into the class with an open mind and a great deal of curiosity.

If you want to practice anything in the meantime, practice trying to hover.

The standard length regulator hose is 24", which will work fine for your bungied backup to begin with. Study the Dress for Success book for 7' hose routing, and let Bob show you how to deploy and restow it.

The biggest goal for this one, as it ought to be for ALL recreational diving classes, is to have FUN. Don't lose sight of that.

 

[tddfleming]

tddfleming, the biggest thing is not to get your brain wound in a knot about the class. It's a CLASS. Bob is there and you are paying him to teach you, with the goal to come out of the experience with some improved skills and some ideas on how to make further progress. You won't wow Bob no matter what you do (I'm not sure it's possible) so just relax and go into the class with an open mind and a great deal of curiosity.

If you want to practice anything in the meantime, practice trying to hover.

The standard length regulator hose is 24", which will work fine for your bungied backup to begin with. Study the Dress for Success book for 7' hose routing, and let Bob show you how to deploy and restow it.

The biggest goal for this one, as it ought to be for ALL recreational diving classes, is to have FUN. Don't lose sight of that.

Thanks Lynne,

I just want to make sure I get the most from this. Little worried because I need to travel. Will not be able to fix something on the fly as easy. I had no plans to try and WOW Bob, that was not even in my mind. If any thing, it would be the opposite

 

[TSandM]

tddfleming, it would be my guess you can't wow him in the opposite direction, either -- I think Fundies instructors have seen just about everything

 

[lamont]

really if you want to wow him, work mostly on improvement during the course. listen to what he's trying to tell you and try to implement it.

 

[DiverLaura]

This goes for ALL GUE classes i think. If you show an improving trend, your instructor will be happy

A class or workshop is just that, a class or workshop. you are taking it because you want to learn. let the goal of learning be your end, not the completion of the class. the class is merely a means to an end... Everything, not matter how small, in the GUE curriculum is designed to be building blocks, each tiny motion, each step, has a purpose. If you blast through the first steps just trying to find "trim" you miss several pieces of the puzzle. If you didn't grok something the first time, ask for a repeat. there is no part of this, even at the most rudimentary level that you should just think "ya, i can figure that out later".

You have an incredible, amazing instructor at your beck and call for a few days, USE him to the fullest... ASK the questions, he will have the answers... Whether you are floundering like a sand-dab, on an improving trend or WOW'ing his socks off, i promise you that he will go above and beyond to help you if you have an open mind and are desiring to learn.

Speaking from experience Bob is a top shelf, supportive instructor with a depth of knowledge that is quite mind boggling. He can take a look at you in your gear before you even get in the water and have a good idea of what he's gonna need to do. He'll know for sure in the first 3 min underwater He will then tailor the experience to your needs (even if there are others in the class, it will feel like each of you are having individual needs met) I took fundies from him a couple years ago and it is hands down in the the top three classes i've ever taken (including college classes, etc..) i learned a HUGE amount, not just about GUE, but about myself as a diver and how to be better. He went above and beyond to make sure i had every opportunity to succeed, he even took the time to do an extra dive with me on the day after class 'finished' so that i had opportunity to show him i had learned and could demonstrate the necessary skills (I finished with a Rec pass in doubles)

Think of each exposure to a GUE instructor as a 'piece of the puzzle' and each piece will build on the last. remember the goal is for you to learn and become a more comfortable, efficient, happier diver, not the c-card.

But most of all, go into it with a positive attitude... This is recreation! this is FUN! A few of us just finished Tech 1 with Richard Lundgren, and 2 out of 3 were bob-lette's by education and one was a bob-lette by proxy, and i will say that bob's instruction is a large part of what made the class so enjoyable. we went into class with the proper tools (we did ride the short bus to class at least one day) to make the class an awesome experience as opposed to overwhelming.

happy diving!

really if you want to wow him, work mostly on improvement during the course. listen to what he's trying to tell you and try to implement it.

 

[lamont]

If you want to practice anything in the meantime, practice trying to hover.

+1

primer should purely be a show-up-and-learn course, don't try to practice too much, other than just get out and dive.

when you are diving the only thing to practice is just floating motionless with good buoyancy. stop the fins, stop the arms, and just sit there and breathe.