Overweight instructors

[offthewall1]

A few things, i need help with my fins in my new dry suit its not cause i am fat, its cause i cant reach that far and i have a load on my back...so help is nice. if godzilla was chasing me i am sure i COULD do it alone..but i dont think that is the problem. You are offended by her size. I can tell you that since i took up diving almost 1 1/2 years ago, i have never seen such overweight people. In my case mostly men. I am assuming this is because it is a comfortable exercise for obese people to do with the least effort. I have had three out of four of my instructor be extremely obese. It has not had the least effect on how they taught. some were good some sucked but not because of their weight.
I agree that if one is to go into Tech diving being slimmer as opposed to gross is necessary, but to be a good OW diver, i dont see that ones size is the issue
If you did not get taught well, move on. My OW teacher and Dry suit teacher was the pitts and he was tiny and mean....so thats my two cents.

There is no problem with large people diving. I believe that if a medical doctor gives them clearance, then they are fit to dive.

The problem here is a large Instructor. Instructors get paid to teach you diving. They should therefore be able to properly demonstrate every aspect of diving... including things as simple as putting on fins. I'd like to know what Instructor Trainer and Instructor Certifier issued credentials to someone who can't do something as simple as put on their own fins.

What is the Instructor suppose to do... ask the student to help them put their fins on? On some basic level it just bothers me.

It's one thing for a diver to need help with something - we help each other all the time with everything from zipping up wetsuits to donning gear... but basic skills should be something any Instructor can demonstrate without assistance. Again, just my opinion.

 

[Aardvark]

I have to ask... what does that medical cost and who is it paid to? Sounds like government intervention to me...

GBP135+VAT for initial examination, slightly cheaper for renewals and valid for one year. Pay the medical practitioner that examines you. No idea how much of that goes back to the government; perhaps to become an AMED you have to pay to do a course only available from HSE.

Yes, it's government regulation (or intervention if you prefer). The UK's HSE may do some things that appear batty at times but this one I agree with.



references:
Diving Diseases Research Centre (DDRC) - Diving Medicals
Diving health and safety in the workplace

 

[austriandiveress]

Great thread, one that touches a lot of us. I have to agree with Scubamountaingirl: I've seldom seen so many overweight people partying together as I have at some of our Austrian lakes between/after dives. And many of these guys are really top, top divers: thousands of dives under their belts in all conditions, Tech and Cave Divers: many are instructors as well. They arent the youngest, but are strong, responsible guys: I'd rely on them anytime for help.
I'm far from the slimmest myself, but if I felt that my weight made it difficult for me to dive safely and responsibly then I sure wouldnt do it, and certainly wouldnt teach. If in fact the instructor mentioned is unduly hindered by her weight, one has to wonder why she continues to teach, or more to the point, why she is allowed to teach...

 

[sabbath999]

One of the instructors I had in my training was extremely overweight... as in VERY overweight. However, he was also amazingly good at his SCUBA skills, had no difficulty donning or doffing anything and needed no help from anyone.

While I certainly would take pause about any instructor who couldn't put on fins because of weight.

I struggle with it several things, but my problem is bad knees with limited mobility, not weight... I have had multiple knee surgeries and and have a reduced range of motion. Additionally, I cannot kneel on my knees at all, which makes some things very difficult... I can do them by myself, but the techniques I have to use are not ones that would be appropriate for most people.

I am not an instructor, but I would hate to think that my physical limitations due to my knees would bar me from ever becoming one.

 

[Clammy]

Why shouldn't an instructor be barred from instructing if they have physical incapacities? Instructors are taking untrained guppies into an open water environment and in the event that a rescue might be needed, no one but the instructor is going to know what to do. If that rescue involves carrying someone out of the water, the instructor needs to be fit and able to do this. If they aren't capable, then they should probably be forced to bring along a DM or other instructor that is capable along.

 

[OldNSalty]

Why shouldn't an instructor be barred from instructing if they have physical incapacities? Instructors are taking untrained guppies into an open water environment and in the event that a rescue might be needed, no one but the instructor is going to know what to do. If that rescue involves carrying someone out of the water, the instructor needs to be fit and able to do this. If they aren't capable, then they should probably be forced to bring along a DM or other instructor that is capable along.

I agree but only to a point-where would you draw the line? In my youth I was extremely fit but only 150-160lbs. I could see where there could be a case of someone being so LARGE that I could not have provided adequate help to. What would an instructor do? "Hey lardo, your too big for me to help but my buddy over at the other shop is a foot taller and 80lbs heavier- He could save your big butt if he had to so go there instead."

I don't think that's the answer...

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think the point here is that as long as a person CAN perform ALL skills AND keep the diver/students safe (incluing rescue), then there should be no question about them instructing. Once they are no longer able to perform all required skills AND keep the divers/students safe, then they should no longer be able to instruct. When someone goes blind, do we let them continue to certify vehiclular drivers? Well, it would seem that answer is yes on the highways I drive every day but the answer is no. If someone in incapable of performing ALL aspects on their own (within reason - and I think it is reasonable to say that a student could help carry a person to shore IMHO) then they should not be working with students.

 

[Clammy]

I agree but only to a point-where would you draw the line? In my youth I was extremely fit but only 150-160lbs. I could see where there could be a case of someone being so LARGE that I could not have provided adequate help to. What would an instructor do? "Hey lardo, your too big for me to help but my buddy over at the other shop is a foot taller and 80lbs heavier- He could save your big butt if he had to so go there instead."

I don't think that's the answer...

Well, we do it just like every other way we draw the line. There has to be MINIMUM but REASONABLE physical standards. My gripe is this whole PC idea that everyone SHOULD be allowed to do anything. Everyone CAN accomplish anything and everyone should be allowed to do everything are two different things. If someone has a hurt back and is unable to say, lift their own tank, should we allow them to be put in a position where they may have to lift a student?

People need to know their limitations and figure out how to work to overcome them, not expect everyone else to say it's okay, do it anyways.

 

[exsubmar]

I know this scene. I get airfills out of that shop sometimes but I don't buy much in there and have taken a couple classes in there. I've been a diver long enough to know how to dive well and to spot others who can't. I know this instructor, actually all of them inthe shop. The one discussed isn't just overweight, but in my un-professional opinion not ready to teach classes (the others, mostly guys i nthe shop are fine). But she really does lack in the skills area, swims like riding a bike as in overweight and overweighted, kicks up clouds o' sediment, bounces off the bottom lots, bounces off other divers, and I've seen her get others to put her fins on for her in the OW. I also know that you can't talk to or reason with the shop owner about much of anything, why I just get air there on occasion. Yes, I know there are lots of big people out there who are in great shape and are great divers, this isn't one of them. Sometimes calling a spade a spade insn't being insensitive to others so drop the PC jazz. Also, the whole mask comment. I heard that on a recent night dive she actually lost her mask for good because of wearing it on her head as mentioned in the first or second post and asked one of the DMs to go get it for her, which he didn't so now she's out the bucks for the mask and probably still won't learn from the whole losing the mask several times thing. Just my three cents worth on the whole discussion.

 

[SCScubieNewbie]

Touche. I would probably take the most fit/unskilled diver as a BUDDY and just call it a solo dive! ha ha! There's always trade offs. The better looking you are, the more forgiving people tend to be to other faults. Same goes with intelligence, skill, etc. The better you are at one thing, the more that other things tend to be overlooked a little within that realm. Oh well, as such is life.

Anyways, my rant wasn't for just diving. I mean everything in general. It's just better to be healthier and fit and it doesn't take much. I never ever want to go back to being an overweight guy who couldn't run a half mile without collapsing.

I would always take the older, more skilled diver. Some people are so prejudice against overweight people that they fail to look at a person's qualifications. I think this was the original writer and Clammy's problem. I would really like to live to see them in 30 or 40 yrs. I am a recently certified, 57 yr. old, "fat" lady! I am grateful to say that I had an overweight, older instructor who was lots of fun and a great guy. There were a number of young, healthy males in our class. They were all very nice to me and him. We have since dived with several others from the class and had a great time. They never seemed to notice and certainly never complained about my age, size or sex. They were mature and respectful. With the exception of two of the nine, they were blue collar guys. I could have taken diving when I was young, thin and fit but instead I was busy with education, marriage, work and raising my children to respect people for what is on the inside rather than the outside.

I would never go back to being young and skinny. I prefer being old, overweight and having the experience and good manners not to judge people. BTW, I can crack a chest and save a life, can you, Clammy? Don't judge a book by it's cover if you haven't read it. You may someday depend on the person who has to save YOUR life.