Tech class and narcosis?

[DevonDiver]

The basis for success on technical diving training is not 'comfort going deep', but rather it is having the necessary baseline core competencies (fundamentals) necessary for tech training to BEGIN.

Any reputable tech instructor will expect you to have sufficient precision buoyancy, static stability, reliable trim and situational awareness to enable you hover statically in position when demonstrating and repeating skills. Without that, the training can't even begin...

There's zero on the Deep Diver syllabus to improve those core competencies to a tech-novice level (unless the instructor adds it).

 

[boulderjohn]

Any reputable tech instructor will expect you to have sufficient precision buoyancy, static stability, reliable trim and situational awareness to enable you hover statically in position when demonstrating and repeating skills. Without that, the training can't even begin...

Not being a reputable tech instructor, I have actually never had a student start tech at that level of skill. I would be very surprised if one did. I see it as my duty to teach that as the program progresses. If I see a student is really far off, I will usually start them in a separate pre-tech class and get them up to speed before they embark on the actual tech program. The tech program is expensive enough that I what to be sure they will be able to succeed before we start.

I had a student start a few years ago, and although he wasn't terrible, he had to typical somewhat shaky control of his buoyancy and trim I see in beginning student. It took a few years, but he got all the way through trimix, and when we were done, we chatted about how far he had come. In that conversation he surprised me by telling me that before our first class together, he had passed GUE Fundamentals.

 

[DevonDiver]

For me, it's about 50-50 (prepared vs. unprepared).

As with you, those that don't possess a capacity to develop new (tech) skills from a stable platform need remedial training first.

1-2 days is often all that's needed (maybe 6-8 hours of dedicated in-water practice), although the student will probably still be more task loaded on subsequent training (slowing things down).

I communicate a lot with my students in advance, and I'm quite clear about my starting expectations for tech training. That clarity, in itself, helps motivate students to prepare themselves in advance. Or we agree to a clinic or mentoring, as needed, in advance of the certification class starting.

For me, there's an element of timeliness needed with my courses. Not because I run to a strict schedule, but because students are often attending during their limited vacation time (and a long-haul flight also). That makes preparedness much more critical if they are to achieve their goals.

Of those who attend well prepared, the majority just educated themselves and practiced their basics diligently and/or were fortunate to have had a high-quality instructor along the way. Some have been GUE-F or UTD trained.

About 1/3 of my students (wreck, tech or sidemount) are dive pros at DM or instructor level. The ratio of preparedness is still about 50-50 for pros.

Divers who didn't practice their basics diligently, but have a log book full of galavanting on deep dives generally fall into the unprepared category.

 

[stuartv]

Any reputable tech instructor will expect you to have sufficient precision buoyancy, static stability, reliable trim and situational awareness to enable you hover statically in position when demonstrating and repeating skills.

I guess my tech instructor wasn't any more reputable than boulderjohn is. But, after 9 months of training with him one or weekends per month, I did finally get my AN/DP cert!

 

[DevonDiver]

At which point did your actual AN/DP training begin?

Day #1...and then muddle and struggle for months to succeed in the syllabus?

Or did it begin (and progress efficiently) once you had achieved a stable, consistent platform from which to efficiently learn actual technical diving skills?

Fundamental skills aren't tech skills. They are a precursor to tech skills.

Of course a tech instructor can provide remedial training to bring a student to an appropriate skill level. That's a given. But the actual tech training begins once that appropriate level is reached... whereby the student is learning tech skills in tech training... not fundamental skills in tech training.

 

[stuartv]

At which point did your actual AN/DP training begin?

No idea. We never had a moment where he said "okay, you're ready. We're starting AN/DP now." We started doing valve drills and other skills right from the beginning.

I think he was prepared to take me for checkout dives and certify me after only about 5 or 6 weekends. I think it was other students, everyone's schedules, and the onset of winter (end of diving season unless you want to really travel) that resulted in such a long period between starting and finishing. But, the real point was that some instructors are willing to take on students who might possibly be not up to the level you require at the start, spend as much time as it takes, and, as long as the students meet the right standards at the END, I think it's kind of insulting (to those instructors) to say that they are not reputable.

 

[DevonDiver]

I apologize if you perceive it as insulting, but you also say he was ready to certify you after 5 or 6 weekends... but actually, you took 9 months before you felt the confidence and competence to 'accept' certification?

Anyway, my point isn't to assess anyone.. as that can't be done online. The issue being that you benefit greatly from having a solid, stable platform BEFORE trying to add tech level skills.

It's an issue of sequencing training, rather than overloading students and creating an inefficient learning environment.

I'm not suggesting that a tech instructor would 'turn away' students... merely that it's more efficient (plus more satisfying and enjoyable) to form a solid foundation of fundamental skills before progressing onto learning complex tech skills.

Kinda the opposite of pandering to an instant-gratification culture. Patience, commitment, attention-to-detail and logical progression of demand... all good 'tech virtures'.

Fixing those fundamentals may only take 6-8 hours of intensive practice for a relatively experienced recreational diver; just 2 intensive days in-water, for someone willing to commit to hard work.

It's far more efficient to observe and learn, when your awareness isn't diminished by the task loading of having to keep that stable platform and maintain fundamental skills. Trying to adopt complex new skills whilst task overloaded with the fundamentals; and suffering the consequent tunnel vision, isn't a recipe for success.

I've had the benefit of teaching a vast array of students with a spectrum of starting point competencies.... and what I notice in every instance is that those with solid and stable baseline fundamentals have the capacity to learn tech skills quickly and easily.

If you ignore a critical competency deficit and attempt to charge forwards regardless, the student just won't have the capacity to focus, process and ingrain new skills efficiently.

It's quicker to resolve the fundamentals before progressing to learning critical tech skills. Focus on one learning aspect at a time, rather than attempt to resolve remedial fundies concurrently with ingraining reliable, precise tech skills.

Disreputable instructors circumvent this by teaching skills kneeling (yes, even in tech classes)... because kneeling allows learning focus without task loading from weak fundamentals. The problem is that this creates flawed tech divers... people who subsequently suffer overload and tunnel vision whenever they try to apply their skills whilst having to perform high-level fundamentals... i.e. tech divers who lose buoyancy control when doing gas switches on deco; or divers who lose all situational awareness when even a modest problem arises.