Time to try DIR fundamentals course?

[Ben_ca]

Time to try DIR fundamentals course?

You don't try Fundies.... Fundies tries you!

 

[H2Andy]

hehehe

ain't that the truth

 

[b1gcountry]

I doubt you will hold up anyone in the class. The whole thing is a bit of overload for everyone taking the class. Of the four students in my class, I was the only one that passed, and I was never bored or discouraged. It is set up in such a way that even the people who pass get challenged. They will be thankful that there are students in the class slowing things down so they can get more practice. Also, the class is set up in a team environment, so every time you do something 'wrong' it is a learning experience for the whole team. So having two unevenly matched team members is actually a good thing, IMO.

Tom

 

[liuk3]

I just took the GUE-F class a couple of weeks ago and had a great time in it learning a lot. The great thing is that you walk away with a pretty good sense of things that you can continue to work on to improve yourself. The quote about doing simple things precisely is pretty much what it is all about. It really is just a class teaching you very basic skills and concepts, but trying to perform them precisely can be very frustrating. LOL!

I would definitely not worry about holding anyone else up in the class. You will all be there to learn and function as a team. If a teammate gets frustrated at you or another classmate regarding holding things up, then they aren't exactly practicing the "team concept" which is one of the most basic tenets to the whole mindset of the system.

Also, as an fyi, I don't know anyone who has "failed" the class. If a failure is given, it means that you are likely a danger currently to yourself and others in diving. A "provisional" given just means you need to work on some things before you can officially "pass" the class. Even if you get the "pass", there will still be things that you can work on, which incidentally is likely to be the case for the rest of your diving career in always trying to improve. I don't think that it ever ends. Like I said before, I haven't heard of anyone who has failed the class. There is no doubt in my mind that you will get something substantial from the class. I know I did. Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions.

 

[ptyx]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

It was challenging, fun, and taught me a lot. Definitely the best dive training I ever had. Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

Now I need to start the assimilation process on my usual buddies

 

[mts0628]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

It was challenging, fun, and taught me a lot. Definitely the best dive training I ever had. Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

Now I need to start the assimilation process on my usual buddies

Hey ptyx:

Congratulations! I went to the class last month and seriously it was the best diving class I went to as well. The class was only a stepping stone; it is our responsibility to continue to perfect our skills if we didn't in class (or even if you did). I KNOW I didn't but in the end it's what we learn and what we do with it all after class that matters, not passing, failing, or achieving provisional.

I have gotten 8 dives since my return and I practice planning, procedures, fin kicks, and just having fun on every dive. We were supposed to be having fun in class but strangely I was too sore to be having fun. I think that's a theme of Fundamentals nevertheless I was thankful for the difficulty.

In the end though I met great representatives of GUE, some pretty nice divers, and I got to go back to Key Largo, so I couldn't have asked for anything more. Well, I wanted to learn a secret handshake but apparently those are reserved for the higher level classes.

Good luck with your diving future.

With kind regards,
Thomas

 

[Jasonmh]

Congrats to you both on taking the class. Do you mind sharing who your instructors were and your impression of them?

Thanks.

 

[Centexbear]

Congrats to you both on taking the class. Do you mind sharing who your instructors were and your impression of them?

Thanks.

Yes, congratulations to both of you! I'd also like to hear about your instructors as this is something I am strongly considering doing too.

thank you,

jeff

 

[ptyx]

PM sent.

 

[mts0628]

PM sent.

Were they that bad? J/K.

I had Mark Messersmith from Cave Country and an intern with the initials GS (initials only and home location withheld for privacy sake because he is/was an intern).

Mark was awesome. Tough as hell and no nonsense in class but very patient and thorough. He was also very down to Earth to talk to and would do all he could to ensure that you would have a chance to learn. If Caves interested me, I would travel to where ever he was to learn.

GS assisted in instruction and he was awesome too. He has not dove as long as Mark but his ducks were definitely in a row and I fully expect great things from him when he becomes an instructor. Super patient and I think more thorough because he was getting into GUE instructorship and thus ensuring that his methods will be solid once on his own. Plus, he had props; not like "Yo Props!" but physical teaching props to aide in the student's understanding. Good for people like me who are not very smart but who can lift heavy things.

Both were very interesting people to talk to and it was cool to have different views on things such as Cave versus Tech. And I don't know if this is customary, but both actually did the swim test with us students. I thought a lot of that but again I don't know if that was just the standard.

I hope this helps.

With kind regards,
Thomas