Recency of training

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Training is always just an introduction to whatever you're final goal maybe. Proficency comes with performance and routine practice of what you where initially introduced to in training. Failure to routinely train will usually result in failure to perform when most needed no matter if the course was last month or last year. Serious cave divers train all the time so when that tank burst seal goes 1000 ft back in dealing with it is routine and everyone gets out safe. Taking a second full cave would depend on cost, usually it isn't cheap.

Which is why I cringe when I see cave divers who only come to the caves once a year or less grabbing stages and scooters and head to the backs of the caves to crawl in the small stuff off the beaten path.
 
The practice of skills can be broken down to both physical and mental execution. To remain proficient one should practice both. Just to visualize a set skills without the actually doing them is not a realism way to remain sharp. And vice versa, going through the motion without mental thought of the why, when, where, what or how is equally less than desired.

I applaud those who take refresher courses; especially those who have not dived for a while.
 
I get to practice skills all the time, as an instructor. That helps immensely. I also take every opportunity to assist on courses with peers/mentors - that helps immensely too.

I make sure to learn new things, new courses each year. I set myself goals. On the face of it, that can be bad - it can be card collecting - and I see 'card collecting' technical divers all too often (and the results are not pretty). That said, when I enroll on a course, I always go through a period of self-preparation. That's the good bit. I don't want to turn up at a course with my 'prerequisite skills' being shoddy... I am there to extend my training, not to do remedial work.

As an instructor, I counsel prospective students that the course 'prerequisites' are to define a solid, and existing, skill set. It is not about the card carried. They should honestly assess their skill-set in relation to the prerequisite qualification - and ensure that full skill-set is fully applicable before they turn up to do new stuff. Those that don't get the offer of remedial lessons, but don't get to progress until the expected pre-course competency is achieved.
 
When you practice skills, it should be appropriate to what you are diving. For people like most of the posters so far, you shouldn't just be practising say an S-drill, those should be almost second nature to you. It is an appropriate skill to work at during practice dives for me, getting it all right while level. But for the OP and most of the posters so far in this thread it should be kicked up a notch, no mask s-drill while entangled with a lost buddy to boot. As implied, if you aren't practising those skills at a similar level to what was expected in your course then you aren't really pushing yourself. Training should always be at an appropriate level otherwise you are doing yourself a disservice.
 
Which is why I cringe when I see cave divers who only come to the caves once a year or less grabbing stages and scooters and head to the backs of the caves to crawl in the small stuff off the beaten path.

Wasn't the mentor program, started by NSS-CDS (thanks James for the correction) I think, to help out in these situations? Not that some would take part in it anyway. See you next week at REACT if you are going to be there. Might get a dive in or two.
 
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Wasn't the mentor program, started by NACD I think, to help out in these situations? Not that some would take part in it anyway. See you next week at REACT if you are going to be there. Might get a dive in or two.

Yes, in part. The mentor program, actually an NSS-CDS endeavor, was created to allow those who want to work on skills or have trouble finding a buddy etc, an opportunity to dive with experienced individuals to further their diving. It is a great program IMO. I am still planning on becoming a mentor, but I have to finish DM first.

As for REACT, I will be there Friday night and possibly Saturday night. I am continuing my diving education this week, so I will probably not be able to dive. I also have to run up for mandatory fun time in Fort Stewart on Saturday. Yay.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
As an 'old dog learning new tricks' cave diver( a story in its self :})..I took advantage of the new CDS Mentor/Supervisor program. Bottom line..well worth the investment and time spent..

Clay AA3JY
Kimberton,Pa.

Adventure Rider
BMW R1200GS/A
 
As an 'old dog learning new tricks' cave diver( a story in its self :})..I took advantage of the new CDS Mentor/Supervisor program. Bottom line..well worth the investment and time spent..

Clay AA3JY
Kimberton,Pa.

Adventure Rider
BMW R1200GS/A


Who was your mentor?
 
As a firm believer that you will execute to the lowest level of proficiency when the manure hits the spinning thingy, I practice all the drills, and stack as much on myself as I can.

I disagree that the training must be recent, only that a proficient execution of the drill must be recent.
There's more to training than drills. Think unexpected failures that you didn't have time to mentally prepare for.
 
When I did my Cave 2 class, I learned something I would not have suspected. Waiting a year and a half, and accumulating a good many cave dives in the meantime, had actually worked AGAINST me. I had done plenty of S-drills and valve drills, but I had not done scenario work, and where our team screwed up repeatedly wasn't in the execution of a valve shutdown or the establishment of an air-share, but in team ordering and positioning, and prioritizing. I honestly don't know how you work on that kind of thing without an instigator and supervisor, because if you plan the scenario, it isn't spontaneous, and if no one is evaluating your performance, your errors will remain uncaught.
 

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