ScubaFeenD
Contributor
After commenting, leaving, and then returning to see this thread talking about something a bit different than what it is supposed to be about, I would like to offer my opinion.
I can vouch for Trace, that he is not all about machismo. I am friends with many of his students (i am a proud student of his) and he doesn't just select buff men with spearguns (i am not buff, nor a speargunner). His teaching style demands performance, but it varies a lot with the student he is teaching, but he doesnt coddle any of his students (at least not from what I can tell; I just maybe a particularly poor performer though). He expects awesomeness from every student and works tirelessly to see that happen. His students are probably the best divers (based on skill and control) at our local quarry on any given day.
What I DO know and can tell from the responses in this thread, is that everyone learns differently. Some people thrive in an environment where they have a harsher critic in their instructor. I know I do. I dont want to be babied and often times (often to my own detriment) I need to have expectations set extremely high--then I seem to rise up to meet those expectations. It was like that when I was a new firefighter and EMT, is like that now in Med School/Grad School, and I expect it to be like that later on in life too. Sometimes you need to have the impossible expected before performance can seep out.
THAT SAID, I think people can validly learn other ways too. Some people just respond much better to a quiet discussion, and that is fine too, as long as the standards are still high. Neither are wrong, because peoples learning styles are not wrong, they are just different. Perhaps Trace's style isnt for you. It is for me and I am glad that he has had the experiences he has had and teaches that way--I have been able to learn a lot that way.
Whether this means you need to be an athletic swimmer is questionable. Clearly, from the responses here, most people feel comfortable in the water at some basal level. Triatholon level of swimming needed? Probably not. However, I will say that after I started runnning six miles a day, I didnt feel I was a BETTER DIVER, but i did notice my RMV/SAC went from .75-->.5 (that is working SAC), which allowed me to be far more comfortable in the water.
I still think that some experience in the water and comfort (either gained early on in life or at some basal level) will allow you to be more comfortable dealing with a myriad of emergencies that can take place, but I dont think some high level of swimming skill is always necessary. I would never give up my level of comfort in the water though, because it has made such a huge difference in how I respond underwater as compared to how I have seen others respond underwater.
I can vouch for Trace, that he is not all about machismo. I am friends with many of his students (i am a proud student of his) and he doesn't just select buff men with spearguns (i am not buff, nor a speargunner). His teaching style demands performance, but it varies a lot with the student he is teaching, but he doesnt coddle any of his students (at least not from what I can tell; I just maybe a particularly poor performer though). He expects awesomeness from every student and works tirelessly to see that happen. His students are probably the best divers (based on skill and control) at our local quarry on any given day.
What I DO know and can tell from the responses in this thread, is that everyone learns differently. Some people thrive in an environment where they have a harsher critic in their instructor. I know I do. I dont want to be babied and often times (often to my own detriment) I need to have expectations set extremely high--then I seem to rise up to meet those expectations. It was like that when I was a new firefighter and EMT, is like that now in Med School/Grad School, and I expect it to be like that later on in life too. Sometimes you need to have the impossible expected before performance can seep out.
THAT SAID, I think people can validly learn other ways too. Some people just respond much better to a quiet discussion, and that is fine too, as long as the standards are still high. Neither are wrong, because peoples learning styles are not wrong, they are just different. Perhaps Trace's style isnt for you. It is for me and I am glad that he has had the experiences he has had and teaches that way--I have been able to learn a lot that way.
Whether this means you need to be an athletic swimmer is questionable. Clearly, from the responses here, most people feel comfortable in the water at some basal level. Triatholon level of swimming needed? Probably not. However, I will say that after I started runnning six miles a day, I didnt feel I was a BETTER DIVER, but i did notice my RMV/SAC went from .75-->.5 (that is working SAC), which allowed me to be far more comfortable in the water.
I still think that some experience in the water and comfort (either gained early on in life or at some basal level) will allow you to be more comfortable dealing with a myriad of emergencies that can take place, but I dont think some high level of swimming skill is always necessary. I would never give up my level of comfort in the water though, because it has made such a huge difference in how I respond underwater as compared to how I have seen others respond underwater.