to get ready

[horsemen]

I will be starting class in a month or so and i was woundering if thier was any books or stuff i should get or be doing to help me in the call and in the pool. like how far do we need to beable to swim top/under water do i need to be able to hold my breath for a certain amount of time ect..... books like is thier any thing to get and study to help on the tests i just would like to get a jump on it i never been one to learn in class very well i more of a self teaching person. so i like to get a jump on the class wear i not trying to take so much book work in at once

 

[jiveturkey]

If you could get the manual for your course it would help. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's not rocket science. There are some rules to follow that you'll learn in class but once you learn a bit about the physics and physiology, it's a lot of common sense. It takes some reading and the best place to start is your Open Water manual.

 

[spectrum]

I will be starting class in a month or so and i was woundering if thier was any books or stuff i should get or be doing to help me in the call and in the pool. like how far do we need to beable to swim top/under water do i need to be able to hold my breath for a certain amount of time ect..... books like is thier any thing to get and study to help on the tests i just would like to get a jump on it i never been one to learn in class very well i more of a self teaching person. so i like to get a jump on the class wear i not trying to take so much book work in at once

Getting the book in advance is sure a good idea and if available I'd do so. As mentioned it's not all that intense but having seen the material before class is always helpful to me.

Devour SCUBA board particularly this topic and the GEAR forums to help you weed through an BS that may be thrown at you.

If you have snorkel gear and can get out on the water getting your legs in shape may help avoid a cramp or 2 but the pool time is more drills than hard on swimmiing.

If having your face exposed in the water (no mask) makes you uncomfortable trying that someplace comfortable, like your tub or a private pool might be good. That seems to be the biggest psyche thing that comes up. If it's an issue it only takes a little patience to get past it. You can find threads and success stories on this in this forum

Mostly relax and have fun!

Pete

 

[divenut2001]

Getting the manual and studying it before your class starts is a good idea. Answer all the review questions and the questions at the end of each chapter to make sure you understand it.

By the time your class starts it will be more like a review of what you already know so you can relax and focus on the parts that you may not be quite sure of. The hardest thing for "some" new students is learning the tables, but they're really quite easy.

The only other thing you can do is go to a pool and swim laps to get ready for the swim test. Have fun and good luck...

 

[kidspot]

you might also pick up a copy of Table Tutor from ScubaToys - it will help you learn your dive tables, which I found helpful to know before class. http://www.scubatoys.com/store/Education_Materials.asp If you let them know you are a Scubaboard member they will also give you the unlock code free! Very nice of them

Aloha, Tim

 

[WellBelowH2O]

The hardest thing for "some" new students is learning the tables, but they're really quite easy.

I'd actually recommend against doing anything with tables before the class. Once you have someone run through how to use them, they're very easy, logical, and straight-forward. What makes them difficult for some is trying to learn them on their own and coming into class with pre-conceived notions on how to use them that are wrong. This happened to a number of students in my OW class. The instructor then had to put more effort into correcting them.. they had to un-learn the wrong way to re-learn the right way of using them.

Of course, I haven't seen the Table Tutor kidspot mentions below so that may be an easy way to learn. But if you're just looking at the tables to try to figure them out or relying solely on the book, I'd just spend more time reading up on other skills. Just my 2 cents.

 

[horsemen]

how do i let them know i am a Scubaboard member i was useing the free ver of that and it seem pretty eazy but i would like to do more then 20 question thanks

you might also pick up a copy of Table Tutor from ScubaToys - it will help you learn your dive tables, which I found helpful to know before class. http://www.scubatoys.com/store/Education_Materials.asp If you let them know you are a Scubaboard member they will also give you the unlock code free! Very nice of them

Aloha, Tim
__________________

 

[scubatoys]

how do i let them know i am a Scubaboard member i was useing the free ver of that and it seem pretty eazy but i would like to do more then 20 question thanks

Uh... you tell me... Something like "Hey, I'm a ScubaBoard Member..."

 

[JMcD]

Uh... you tell me... Something like "Hey, I'm a ScubaBoard Member..."

LOL

Larry, We've never met or traded posts, but it appears to me that you consistently offer good advice, value customer service, and often make me laugh!


horsemen, I just finished my class work and had the opportunity to read my manual well before the class started. Made the actual class learning easy and let me concentrate on the skills in the pool.

I was also one who needed to learn to swim so I could pass the swimming requirement. (I couldn't do 1 pool length in December) I believe it depends on the certifying organization, but I had to tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 yards with no equipment.

Best of luck with it!

 

[Kriterian]

i should get or be doing to help me in the call and in the pool. like how far do we need to beable to swim top/under water do i need to be able to hold my breath for a certain amount of time ect.....

We need to know the name of your certifying agency to give you more details. PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc. Most of them require a swim test to gauge your comfortability in the water, which will include some or all of the following:

Unaided, untimed swim: This is usually anywhere from 200 - 500 yards/meters, or about 8-12 pool lengths. You can't use any aids such as snorkle, fins, or wetsuit but sometimes they allow goggles or a mask. It's untimed and you can use any stroke or combination usually.

Tread water: This is usually 10-20 minutes of just staying afloat. Some places require you to keep your hands out of the water, so you're basically just using your feet.

Underwater swim: This seems to be fairly rare, and you more than likely won't have to use it. It's usually a fairly short distance like 50 - 75 feet.

In the mean time, go ahead and purchase your books/video/materials (or receive with course payment) and start reading.

PS: There aren't any "hold your breath" skills. Holding your breath is the one thing you NEVER do while scuba diving, and you'll learn why later. Good luck.