PADI responded to their OW swim requirement...

[SparticleBrane]

Good post on teaching theory, Thal.

 

[friscuba]

I'm not sure that the 1200-yard circuit swim that I described should be considered "extreme". It's a 400 swim, 400 kick (with mask/fins/snorkel), and 400 kick on scuba.

If it's timed, and the limits aren't easy, probably a third to half the instructors and DMs I know would need to train for a while, I certainly would. I've started excercising again because I've come to the realization that diving isn't excercise, it's controlled floating.

Later,

 

[Thalassamania]

If it's timed, and the limits aren't easy, probably a third to half the instructors and DMs I know would need to train for a while, I certainly would. I've started excercising again because I've come to the realization that diving isn't excercise, it's controlled floating.

Later,

There's truth to that, especially when it slow and relaxed, with good technique.

 

[SparticleBrane]

One of my favorite sayings!
It's up there with "If you're going to drown, drown gracefully." and "As long as you've got air, everything's gravy."

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

I find that so funny. Yes I often teach egg-heads and nerds to dive. I don’t teach Dirk Pitt or any of his cronies. They’re often lab bound students, faculty and staff who find that they have a need to go underwater. Do you really think that these folks are “professional divers?” Hardly.

Oh. Sorry 'bout that. I got this thread confused with a previous one where you were using the task loading that your scientists might experience to justify your training standards. I guess that was my bad. I define 'professional' divers as those that use diving to accomplish a task, where recreational divers are those that use diving as an end in itself. And, of course, by definition, if they are paid to go underwater, they're professional divers.

Please do not be insulted, I do not know you and I’m just going by my impressions from your posts. You seem to lack some self confidence

And you seem to be an arrogant *****, which I'm sure you're not in person, so I guess we should both know better than to judge solely on informal written communication.

The only way that I can prove you wrong is to work with you or put you in touch with

No, actually, you could answer my earlier questions as to what purpose a long surface swim test accomplishes. Your answer seems to be just that of a confidence builder, and I’m of the opinion that there are other methods to build confidence that are more suitable for diving.

If a high level of physical stamina is required for the kind of diving a diver wishes to undertake, then they should certainly meet that need. However, that should be considered advanced diving, and is not necessary for OW classes.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I'd say that what Thal teaches qualifies for much more than basic OW...

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

I'd say that what Thal teaches qualifies for much more than basic OW...

Absolutely.

And there’s certainly a place for it.

Just like there's a place for your 400 yard freestyle, which happens to be in the Phys Ed department.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Well, we're all welcome to our own opinions.

 

[friscuba]

I'd say that what Thal teaches qualifies for much more than basic OW...

So back in the third grade, what if along with the multiplication tables and basic spelling, the teacher decided to throw in a little algebra or geometry and research paper writing and make it required to move on to the fourth grade?

The swimming skills listed earlier were quite similar to the DM requirements of several agencies. OW certification as little more than grades one through three or four in terms of a typical education.

 

[drbill]

No, actually, you could answer my earlier questions as to what purpose a long surface swim test accomplishes. Your answer seems to be just that of a confidence builder, and I’m of the opinion that there are other methods to build confidence that are more suitable for diving.

If a high level of physical stamina is required for the kind of diving a diver wishes to undertake, then they should certainly meet that need. However, that should be considered advanced diving, and is not necessary for OW classes.

I'll answer it from my perspective.

One of the problems I see all too frequently is the situation where a diver diving off a boat uses poor (or no) navigational skills, or common sense when diving, especially in a current. They surface far away from the boat and down current, then can't make it back because they can't swim against what is a fairly mild current, or have enough air to resubmerge and swim below the surface... or swim along the reef or kelp forest itself to break up the current.

Now for most of the divers we see out on the boat, this is not a serious issue. However, we occasionally get a few that can barely make forward progress under reasonably easy conditions. And in rare occasions we've had whole groups that didn't listen to the dive briefing and ended up getting into trouble because of it.

Another example is at our dive park. It has to be one of the easiest shore dives in California... we even have a set of stairs leading down into the water. However, I have had to make rescues of divers (whose buddies were either nowhere to be seen, or didn't acknowledge their buddy relationship until I had towed the buddy nearly to the stairs, then "I'll take over from here!").

Yes, there are days when the current IS ripping and even experienced divers have problems. Such incidents on those days are understandable.

A related but different issue are the divers who get totally winded just climbing up the relatively few stairs from the water. I mean we're talking about a stairway that is less than that to get from one floor of a house to another, and not even as steep. Here physical conditioning is a problem. My goodness, if people can not negotiate the stairs because they are so out of shape (not considering real physical "challenges" of course), they shouldn't be diving IMHO.

And that is my two cents (sense?) worth. Love it or leave it.