Hey Nautilus & all,
I guess when are trying to get the whole world in the water, you try to keep it simple. I agree that my OW AND AOW training was a piece of cake. I liked that, 'cause it got me going in this sport. As I "slid" through the science and the physical aspects of my courses, I wanted more, I wanted to prove something. Both Rescue Diver and Dive Master were that for me. In the later two of us had to swap gear on hte bottom, with only one working reg between us. We started out training for this, by swimming down to our gear (@20 feet) and donning all of it. The "final", as my instructor called it, really made us work together and practice breathing technique. Remaining calm was the only option! I hope to do my IDC later this year, but I am not sure there will be much of a physical challenge to it.
My Dive Master instructor was always springing problems on us... sometimes task loading us to the point of being sadistic. I remember one time when I was controlling 4 diving bouys, his camera, my camera, his slates, 4 little marker bouys (for u/w navigation) two or three lights, a ten pound barbell for the students to find and retrieve... what a load!!! He sort of dumped it on me, turned around and went down. I thought for a second and just followed. The 4 lines to the surface were the worst part, they were always tangling. But, I don't task load so easily now. I learned to take my time and do things s-l-o-w-l-y. It was a good lesson.
Happy diving, enjoy your condfidence, but don't rely on it.
I guess when are trying to get the whole world in the water, you try to keep it simple. I agree that my OW AND AOW training was a piece of cake. I liked that, 'cause it got me going in this sport. As I "slid" through the science and the physical aspects of my courses, I wanted more, I wanted to prove something. Both Rescue Diver and Dive Master were that for me. In the later two of us had to swap gear on hte bottom, with only one working reg between us. We started out training for this, by swimming down to our gear (@20 feet) and donning all of it. The "final", as my instructor called it, really made us work together and practice breathing technique. Remaining calm was the only option! I hope to do my IDC later this year, but I am not sure there will be much of a physical challenge to it.
My Dive Master instructor was always springing problems on us... sometimes task loading us to the point of being sadistic. I remember one time when I was controlling 4 diving bouys, his camera, my camera, his slates, 4 little marker bouys (for u/w navigation) two or three lights, a ten pound barbell for the students to find and retrieve... what a load!!! He sort of dumped it on me, turned around and went down. I thought for a second and just followed. The 4 lines to the surface were the worst part, they were always tangling. But, I don't task load so easily now. I learned to take my time and do things s-l-o-w-l-y. It was a good lesson.
Happy diving, enjoy your condfidence, but don't rely on it.
Different strokes for different folks. In my opinion most people dont need that level of training, including myself. Greater preparing the diver for what exactly, just from panicking? Many other factors influence panicking and more effective training can be had to prevent panicking rather than "becoming intimate with your equipment". At the end of the day it depends on how much training people need at an individual level. Indeed many people may not be confident in the water even if you trained them every weekend for a year. But to suggest that one agency is superiour is silly. If training the unconfident diver then obviously these rigerous courses would be a good thing (depending on cost etc). 
