Recency of training

[TSandM]

True; but the point of the thread was not to talk about whether initial training ought to be conducted in this manner (I think a lot of technical training is, anyway) but rather to ask what strategies people are using to keep those quick reaction and quick thinking skills current. Even GUE, which requires certs to be renewed, does not have a recurrent training requirement for doing so.

 

[DCBC]

True; but the point of the thread was not to talk about whether initial training ought to be conducted in this manner (I think a lot of technical training is, anyway) but rather to ask what strategies people are using to keep those quick reaction and quick thinking skills current. Even GUE, which requires certs to be renewed, does not have a recurrent training requirement for doing so.

"...unless you have trained for issues and that training was recent, then you are probably not prepared to deal with them."

Yes, two issues training and currency; as opposed to currency through retraining, which is not necessarily required to be prepared to "deal with a problem." As I'm aware that problems can occur in many diving scenarios (not just technical diving), it begs the question why all divers are not better trained/prepared to address them. Moreover, the skills that use to be included in every diver training program have largely been removed from the training program; so as to shorten them and allow a quicker turnover of students. The result is that diver's today are less prepared (through training) to address situations where confidence can make a difference between an unfortunate scenario and an emergency.

As a technical instructor, it's not uncommon to introduce students to tasking skills. I cannot help but be baffled that their training hasn't already addressed this. I suppose I just believe that a student shouldn't have to be at the technical stage before they're initially subjected to it.

 

[rjack321]

True; but the point of the thread was not to talk about whether initial training ought to be conducted in this manner (I think a lot of technical training is, anyway) but rather to ask what strategies people are using to keep those quick reaction and quick thinking skills current. Even GUE, which requires certs to be renewed, does not have a recurrent training requirement for doing so.

Unless you are more like me and think: 1) as a general rule quick thinking is not required in diving (technical or otherwise). People are not dying because their valve drill was too slow - it just isn't happening so retraining these things isn't that big a deal. 2) People are dying because they are doing stupid complacent things. The complacent people dying already know it all [errr think they do] and sure as hell aren't the same types to be redoing any training. I'd postulate most of them took the class for the card in the first place.

 

[KeithG]

I believe this is a good question for the basic scuba forum. Responses will be very interesting (frightening?) there

 

[mathauck0814]

As one (of the more junior members on this thread) who holds 100m cards from more than one instructor, I'd say that the mark of a real diver is one who is constantly training and seeking the opinion and approval of divers who are more experienced and accomplished. Recency is simply the measure of ones dedication and seriousness to the activity.

I'll caveat that it doesn't need to be more, deeper, longer.

Any diver should seek to renew rescue skills, keep up on understanding of gas selection, decompression theory, practicing methods, equipment maintenance or any number of topics to the limit of their interest.

Not sure what the cadence is... a class every 200-300 dives (in our circles, 1-2x/year?) seems right