Neutrally Buoyant vs Kneeling - What is Better whilst teaching Scuba Diving skills?

[ben8]

I just came across this video, which is coincidentally by OP and the reason I Googled being on the knees vs neutrally buoyant. Even if I could see the argument for teaching a completely new diver on their knees so they aren't task loaded with staying neutral while doing skills, I disagree. Moreover, I truly can't fathom why any instructor would teach or demonstrate skills on their knees or have any refresher and higher level course be done on their knees/vertically

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I just came across this video, which is coincidentally by OP and the reason I Googled being on the knees vs neutrally buoyant. Even if I could see the argument for teaching a completely new diver on their knees so they aren't task loaded with staying neutral while doing skills, I disagree. Moreover, I truly can't fathom why any instructor would teach or demonstrate skills on their knees or have any refresher and higher level course be done on their knees/vertically

So your giving an example video of a platinum pro course director that in my opinion has no business teaching instructors, much less teach open water students.

He has countless atrocious demonstration videos where he's neutrally buoyant but out of trim and finning constantly.

If you don't understand how to address the difference between center of mass and center of displacement, what in the hell are you doing teaching future instructors? It is the blind leading the blind.

This isn't rocket science. Just a few concepts for physics and that's it.

 

[34109411]

For some people this is a very hot topic Is it better to teach scuba diving skills on your knees on the bottom or when being neutrally buoyant on students first diving experience in confined water?

I would love to hear your opinions in the comments below


My opinion:

(I am talking about the first moment people experience being under water in like confined dive 1 or maybe 2...)

Some Scuba Divers and Professionals say that you have to teach new scuba divers from the start to be neutrally buoyant, others say the opposite and believe that new scuba divers should first feel relaxed practicing skills on their knees first before moving on to buoyancy skills, while others are anywhere in-between with their opinions about teaching skills kneeling or neutrally buoyant whilst scuba diving in confined water.

Personally, I am one of those dive instructors that is in between with my opinion of whether neutrally buoyant or kneeling is better in confined water. I read a lot of opinions from dive professionals leaning towards neutrally buoyant or just kneeling, but to be honest in my opinion a great dive instructor makes his/her choice depending on many different factors...

You can read those different factors in my full ARTICLE here:

Neutrally Buoyant VS Kneeling - What Is The Difference Teaching Scuba Diving Skills?

Is it better to teach scuba diving skills on your knees on the bottom or when being neutrally buoyant on students first diving experience in confined water? Please share in the comments below

Marcel van den Berg

D you dive knee down at the bottom ? This should answer the question.

 

[Sascha314]

He has countless atrocious demonstration videos where he's neutrally buoyant but out of trim and finning constantly.

Not to discuss the topic itself, but this quote is physically not quiet correct.
If you need to constantly kick up (down) you are not neutrally buyont. The trim or position has nothing to do with it in first place.
You can be either neutrally buyont completely horizontal or vertical or somewhere in between. You are neutral if you hold your depth without using some kind of trust force, i.e. kicking.

Now if you are not horizontal and kick your fins to get forward actually you are not totally neutral, because some of your kick trust goes upwards and hence if you stop kicking you will sink. But we are talking about a stationary situation. So trim and neutral buyoncy are decoupled.


Now to the topic. Have not read the comments. But I believe its important to teach how you can hold your position without kicking. Its important to show how to not touch the corals and the reef.
But its also quiet useful for a recreational diver to show how to balance in the fin tips.
So for me its ok to do the first 5min in shallow water to kneel, to get the first impression underwater. But then there should be some swimming and standing still to get comfortable. Practice the skills in good trim and neutrally buyont. If there are some difficulties I believe its ok for a first success to do it on the fin tips.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Not to discuss the topic itself, but this quote is physically not quiet correct.
If you need to constantly kick up (down) you are not neutrally buyont. The trim or position has nothing to do with it in first place.
You can be either neutrally buyont completely horizontal or vertical or somewhere in between. You are neutral if you hold your depth without using some kind of trust force, i.e. kicking.

Now if you are not horizontal and kick your fins to get forward actually you are not totally neutral, because some of your kick trust goes upwards and hence if you stop kicking you will sink. But we are talking about a stationary situation. So trim and neutral buyoncy are decoupled.

Scenario: diver is neutrally buoyant and foot heavy. So just breathing they are horizontal in the water column rising/falling slightly with their breath. They need to scull to get horizontal. I should have said sculling, not finning. I don't wish to be pedantic that he might be still be negative, but it is marginal. Get the weight distributed correctly and they'll dial into being motionless.