PADI Certification too quick?

[dweeb]

You didn't stir up the controversy

Nor did anyone say she did. I said she stumbled across one, one that was already in progress, surrounding Boogie's remarks. I said that she should investigate both sides of it rather than be alarmed.

Look ... I work with new divers daily.

Same here.

I'm going to advise you to not push yourself into any direction based on what you read on the Internet. Find an instructor you can work with

Gee, pretty much a paraphrase of what I said, except I said to look at both sides of the issues, something you seem not to want people to do.

and take your progression in a step-by-step fashion. Make changes when you understand why you are making them ... and in small increments.

Which is what I also said - investigate the issues before making decisions.

Don't just drop weight because somebody on the Internet told you to ... make sure you can drop it safely.

Bob, what are you besides "somebody on the internet" giving advice? No one said to just dump the weight belt. I said to find someone local who could guide her. It could be an instructor, or it could be someone with experience, knowledge, and patience, but if you want to insist on merit badges, that's OK.

You may eventually be able to lose the ankle weights and shed some pounds .... but without working with you, nobody can tell you for sure.

Other than changing 'may' to 'should,' I concur completely.
Scary, huh?

Some people's physiology just requires them to wear more than "normal".

New age ideology masquerading as science. Physiology makes people need more weight, makes kids misbehave, makes people commit crime, etc. What specific physiological trait would you be speaking of? There's only one that comes to mind - percentage of body fat, and that's a controllable aspect.

That's why it's important to work with a qualified instructor. The last thing you need is to drop lead and find yourself struggling or unable to stay down for your safety stop ... those last 15 feet are the most important.

Again, NO ONE SUGGESTED JUST PITCHING LEAD.

Split fins are not inherently bad ... they're just limiting.

Well put. An efficient fin will 'feel' more difficult to use to someone without well developed leg muscles. Split fins sacrifice efficiency to lower the effort required, but if you have strong legs, that loss of efficiency limits you.
When a fin feels like it takes less effort, that's because it's not producing as much thrust - energy out cannot exceed energy in. It's like dealing with a small engine by slipping the clutch. In the long run, if you dive a lot, a non-split, non perforated fin will become easier to use because it will give your legs a conditioning workout.

Make a commitment to learn. That means ask questions.

Absolutely.

Sure, some will come in here and spout off smart-*** remarks for their own gratification.

Or, they just might happen to have a different approach from you, Bob, one that has merits of its own.

And sometimes that might sting ... don't let it.

That's what I said, again.

Those people aren't worth listening to ...

There you go again, telling people to dismiss anyone who isn't just like Bob. Have you always been this intolerant of other views?

Everybody's got opinions on what works best.

Right, so ask them all why, and then compare reasons.

Don't base your opinions strictly on what some Internet expert says

That would include your advice as well, you know.

And find a good instructor or mentor who will dive with you and help you develop that information

My sentiments exactly, and pretty much exactly what I said.

Nobody on the Internet can do that.

Oh, the delicious irony. Here you are on the internet, telling people not to listen to people on the internet.

Actually, Bob makes a lot of sense, once you get past his desire to put down anyone who has a different opinion or approach from his.

 

[dweeb]

I was kind of wondering that myself. When I first started diving, I was in a farmer John suit, and had 41 pounds of lead on me, and I still couldnt stay down.

And now?

 

[dweeb]

The less weight you use generally the better, there is NO benefit from wearing more than you need and many disadvantages.

And just who are you to make this bold assertion?
Oops, sorry Bob, I didn't mean to steal your line.

 

[diverbob]

And now?

I dont wear a farmer john suit anymore, and that dramtically reduced the amount of lead I had on. I also went from an AL80 to a ST112 tank. That helped too.

 

[dweeb]

Wow! I'm sorry to have started such a controversy!

Relax, you didn't. I said you stumbled into one already in progress. While Boogie may have sounded harsh, he's interested in the same thing everyone else is - better divers.

I am usually not like that. I remember hearing something about how it is not good to wear ankleweights, but I will definitely research it now.

Good for you. In general, if you have a problem, adding another piece of equipment (like ankle weights) is *almost*
always the sub-optimal solution. Such approaches should always be considered temporary until you get learn to solve it by how you dive.
(By the way, Bob, since you're fixated on credentials, that's something I learned in the past two years, and it's pretty much verbatim from someone who is not only instructor up through trimix with multiple agencies, but is also a board certified teacher with a doctorate in education.)

So, I will do the search on why some people don't like the split fins and the ankleweights.

Great. There are a lot of impassioned opinions. Try to look past the style and passion and find the reasoning behind it on both sides. Also realize that just because someone is full of self-esteem building sweetness, doesn't mean they are right, and just because someone is harsh, doesn't mean they are wrong. Use your intellect, not your feelings, and you'll be OK.

As for wearing 30 pounds of lead, I realize that its a lot but I just couldn't get down. I believe I was so anxious in the cold water and that was a large part of the reason. I do know that with more dives I will be able to leave some of it behind because that has happened with my warm water dives.

You've correctly identified a big part of it. Stress makes people more buoyant. As you relax, you'll need less weight.
That will come with time. You can also get some of the lead off your waist by choosing a steel tank instead of aluminum, and then you don't have the issue tank bouyancy changing so drastically during the dive.

There's another aspect that tends to be a sensitive subject for most people, and I have NO IDEA if it applies to you, so I'll frame it in terms of my own experience - a large part of my ability to get rid of my weight belt came as a result of a decision I made a few years ago. When my father's doctor put him on Lipitor, and said he'd be on this expensive, potentially liver destroying drug for the rest of his life, I decided to stop being a couch potato. I lost 44 lb. and started running and swimming laps. It's one of the best decisions I ever made. **IF** you are overweight, then this is another reason to do something about it. **IF** you could stand to improve your aerobic capacity, doing so will lower also help you become less buoyant, because you'll need a lower average lung volume to get the same amount of oxygen to your tissues. Again, I have **no idea** if this applies to you at all, but since it applies to 80% of the divers I've seen out there, it bears mentioning.

Anyway, I'm curious about the splitfins issue but I will look it up myself so that I don't start any controversy here.

Don't worry about causing controversy. Just boldly forge forward in your quest for information, and concentrate on the message, not the tone, and you'll be fine.

So, no hard feelings.

Absolutely! I'd much rather discuss such things with someone like you who can handle people being direct than with people who get their back up over it.

 

[dweeb]

I dont wear a farmer john suit anymore, and that dramtically reduced the amount of lead I had on. I also went from an AL80 to a ST112 tank. That helped too.

So, it CAN be improved - see?

I'd also bet you could probably dig out the AL80 and farmer john, and find you need less weight with them now than you once did.

 

[diverbob]

actually, because of equipment modifications. I could have still been cold, and had to add a 3mil under it, and I would have needed more weight. That proves my point, that not knowing what shape the person is, how much neopreme they are wearing, its unreasonable to make a statement like the one you made.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Actually, Bob makes a lot of sense, once you get past his desire to put down anyone who has a different opinion or approach from his.

I have no issue with your opinion ... your delivery leaves much to be desired. And much of what you say is simply unsupportable.

I have no interest in trading barbs with you. But you, of all people, should not be bringing up the topic of put-down ... that seems to be about all you add to this board.

Go get your kicks with someone else.

You are, and will remain, a complete waste of my time.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dweeb]

actually, because of equipment modifications. I could have still been cold, and had to add a 3mil under it, and I would have needed more weight. That proves my point, that not knowing what shape the person is, how much neopreme they are wearing, its unreasonable to make a statement like the one you made.

Yes, I'm sure you can contrive scenario where you'd need more. The point is you found a way to improve it.

 

[bwerb]

You are, and will remain, a complete waste of my time.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I think you need to check-out my poll...well...it wasn't a poll when I started...but it is still a complete waste of time...and might give you a smile or two...

Hehehe