Targeted Skills Between Certs

[LowFin]

I am looking for a summary or lists of skills previously covered during certificatons along with new skills that could be developed and practice during “normal dives” to prepare a certified diver for the next level? I don’t believe that just logging dives is the answer. I would prefer a more targeted independent study and practice in between certification courses. I searched for a book or a post on the subject and did not come up with one. If one exists perhaps someone can point me in the right direction. If not maybe it could be created as a series of posts and then compiled.

Here is an example that may be clearer:

A diver is currently Advanced Open Water certified and is planning on going on (some amount) of dives before starting Intro to Cavern classes. These dives would be recreational but many of the dives should also include one or two targeted specific practice of important skills previously covered in certification classes and/or new skills for the next certification. What skills should he work on during these non-certification dives?

Items to Practice between AOW and Intro to Cavern:
(Please note that the list below is not correct or anywhere near complete just using it as an example):

Learn, Practice and Master:

• Pre-dive check of Regulator, Octopus and Buddy’s Regs
• Pre-dive BCD check and Buddy’s BCD
• Finding dropped regulator in various conditions, 0 vis., current, etc.
• Work in 0 visibility, in shallow water
• Breathing from a free-flowing regulator, in shallow water
• Frog kick
• Back kick
• Buoyancy Control Exercises
• Holding proper depth during decompression stops, even if not needed
• Divinb with Doubles
• Diving without primary computer, using backup gauges
• Line skills in open water

 

[halocline]

That's a great post and a great attitude towards learning. I think doing normal tasks while hovering in shallow water is excellent practice for technical/advanced training. It's relatively quick and easy to learn new ideas or new techniques, but refining buoyancy control and trim is an ongoing project, at least for me. You can always get better at hovering. I especially find this to be the case with doubles.

 

[spectrum]

LowFin

Diving with a spirit of continuous improvement is a great way to grow as a diver.

Seamlessly switching form your primary to alternate second stage, while swimming is a good task loading exercise including stowing the alternate.

On a related note, doing an regulator recovery from an empty lung situation is a lot different than drill in on a nice full breath

Adding on the fly to many of your goals will take you up a notch.

Have you started to reach for your cylinder valve(s)?

Navigation

Have fun,
Pete

 

[Blackwood]

Keep the basics honed: mask clearing, air sharing, buoyancy, etc..

If you handle diving effortlessly, you'll be in a better position to learn new stuff correctly and with good situational awareness.

As you move "up" and are taught new things (line handling, for example) keep them fresh as well.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have one caution if learning skills in preparation for the next level of certification. If you are practicing something that you have not yet been taught, you might be ingraining incorrect habits. You need to be sure what you are practicing is what you will actually be taught.

It is often better to get really, really good at what you have already been taught and then let the next instructor take care of the next level skills.

In your example, I would work very very hard at buoyancy control. I would make sure I would do routine tasks easily and fluidly while holding my position in the water. This will be especially helpful if you are using the same equipment you will be using for the later certifications. You will build a muscle memory that will serve you well. When you take your cavern course and start laying line, you will be able to focus on the line laying methods taught by your instructor without having to worry about buoyancy at the same time.

 

[HenrikBP]

When practicing reg recovery and/or valves and other lack-of-air type skills, make sure your buddy is aware of what you're doing, is paying attention during the drill and is right there in a position to offer assistance (hand you a working reg essentially).

Henrik

 

[TSandM]

I think you can boil diver progress down into a few basic concepts. Buoyancy and trim are central. Maintaining those, as well as position and awareness, under increasing task loading, is the development of an advanced diver. Task loading includes the execution of emergency procedures, as well as things like bag shooting and running line.

I agree with boulderjohn that the original learning of skills is most often best left to formal teaching, or careful mentoring by people who already have the skills. If I had learned the frog kick, for example, by myself, I would have continued to do it backwards until somebody corrected me, and by that time I'd have had a bad habit to try to break. Learning SMB deployment by yourself can be risky, if you don't know enough to watch for the hazards that are involved in doing that.

But practicing the skills you already have, and setting reasonable goals for buoyancy, trim and position while doing them, is an excellent way to progress as a diver. At the beginning, for example, you may be satisfied with doing a mask clear without hitting the top or bottom of the pool (or shallow water). As you progress, you can try to stay within five feet of target depth, then three, then one; then move the skill into midwater and practice doing it without visual reference.

As you are taught new skills, you can incorporate them into your practice, recognizing that each new skill will degrade your coping until it has been performed enough times to require less conscious processing.

 

[LowFin]

Thanks for all of the responses. There seems to be a list evolving and I have tried to consolidate the ideas so far in this post.

The consensus at this point appears to be practice what you have learned to the point that it becomes second nature. If new skills are desired, take the next class and/or learn from a very competent instructor during the non-certification dives.

So again assuming we have an AOW diver that wants to progress to technical/more advanced training.
The most important tasks to practice are (not necessarily in any order):

Buoyancy and Trim Control:

Possible Drills:​

Do routine tasks easily and fluidly while holding position in the water. This will be especially helpful if you are using the same equipment you will be using for the later certifications.​

Maintaining Buoyancy and Trim, as well as position and awareness, under increasing task loading. Task loading includes the execution of emergency procedures, as well things like bag shooting and running line.​

Recovery of regulator in various conditions and circumstances and other lack-of-air type skills:

Possible Drills:​

Seamlessly switching from your primary to alternate second stage, while swimming is a good task loading exercise including stowing the alternate. Make sure your buddy is aware of what you're doing, is paying attention during the drill and is right there in a position to offer assistance (hand you a working reg essentially).​

Learn to reach for cylinder valves:

Mask clearing:

Possible Drills:​

without hitting the top or bottom of the pool (or shallow water).​

try to stay within five feet of target depth, then three, then one; then move the skill into midwater and practice doing it without visual reference.​

Air Sharing:

Pre Dive Checks with Buddy:

Plan​

Equipment: Air Supply, Regulator, Gauges, Computer,BCD​

Environment​

Decompression​

Navigation


Any additional suggestions on drills and topics would be great. This is a very good way to learn and have simple goals for improving skills during non-cert dives in addition to the recreation.

Thanks again for your responses.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

For navigation the key is to start small and short and build on those. Better to swim a 50 foot length, turn and hit the start point consistently within a yard or so than to try and do a 100 yd straight line course and get frustrated. You need to learn to trust the compass, develop observational skills, and at what pace can you effectively perform the tasks. I don't care if you can outswim flipper. If you can't find your target it's a worthless attribute. Diving is not a race and the sooner that is accepted the faster skills will be learned and improved on. It really pisses me off to see instructors rush students thru classes and skills in order to save time and get more people through. Then turn around and say how relaxing this is when they just had them on overdrive.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Just don't become a skills NAZI remember, go out and dive for enjoyment.