Training Progression

[MacRS4]

Hi guys

I'm thinking to myself, and thought hell, I'll ask you guys. I'm relatively new here so play nice

I passed my (PADI) resuce diver course this weekend. In a lake. In London. In October. What the hell was I thinking? Should have done it in the red sea when I'm there again next month!! Anyway, I digress.

I consider myself pretty much to be a 'tourist' diver as in I like looking at fish/wrecks and stuff. I.e. I'm not really into diving for diving's sake if you follow. The main reason I did the rescue course is because I'm diving a lot now so I want to make sure I'd know what to do if something went wrong and that I could assist if needs be.

Anyways, I came out of the course with a feeling that I'm actually more interested now in 'diving' rather than the look see. From this I've started to wonder whether it would be worth progressing through the training by maybe doing the DM course? I'm not particularly interested in the 'hey look at me i'm a DM' thing (C'mon, you know the people I'm talking about....) more about trying to learn about the sport a bit more than maybe I have in the past.

So what do you think? Is the DM course a good engine to learn more technical detail on the sport even if you're not that intent on going into training?

I obviously have too much time on my hands, I'm just sitting here thinking.....about a fantastic trip I have planned 1 week in the red sea, back to the UK for a day(!) then off to Australia for 4 weeks. That's one hell of a lot of diving. I'm a lucky fella

 

[JimC]

Take a DIR-F or intro level technical diving course if you want to learn more about diveing, skill refinment, planing, team work and such.

Take a DM course if you want to learn how to demonstrate proper pool kneeling, sell gear, fill tanks and posibly lead other divers.

 

[Snowbear]

If you are becoming more interested in diving for diving's sake, improving your diving skills and efficiency, improving your buddy skills, gas management and just plain making diving more fun, a PADI DM class is definitely NOT the path to take. Especially if you are really not that interested in being a PADI Pro.

The technical details it sounds like you are seeking do not require a DM course to learn.

 

[RIOceanographer]

I passed my (PADI) resuce diver course this weekend. In a lake. In London. In October. What the hell was I thinking? Should have done it in the red sea when I'm there again next month!! Anyway, I digress.

If you go to the Red Sea I doubt you want to be burning your air taking a class when you could be exploring!

As for the Divemaster question, I agree with the above posters that it is not the way to go. If you don't plan to become a diving professional it really isn't worth your time and money. Sure, you will pick up some useful skills, but they are skills that could be had other ways without going through all of the other things you won't use.

If you want to do more training, your time would be better spent getting specialized training in specific areas that interest you. Training you will actually use.

 

[Mako Mark]

Hey, dont underestimate the DM course. There is a lot of stuff to learn and it will make you abetter diver, particularly if you are doing the type of course that involves lots of experience and an internship with an active resort or dive center. If I were you have a chat with some people when you get to Sinai, see what is involved.

You will also find that it is easy to get "volunteer Divemaster" status on a lot of the liveaboard diveboats on the GBR. (free diving if you wash dishes)

For dive theory, the technical diving courses offered throught agencies like TDI, IANTD and GUE focus much more on specific aspects of diving, gas and equipment management etc, if deeper or more technical diving interests you, go for it.

 

[scubadoguk]

Hey, dont underestimate the DM course. There is a lot of stuff to learn and it will make you abetter diver, particularly if you are doing the type of course that involves lots of experience and an internship with an active resort or dive center. If I were you have a chat with some people when you get to Sinai, see what is involved.

You will also find that it is easy to get "volunteer Divemaster" status on a lot of the liveaboard diveboats on the GBR. (free diving if you wash dishes)

For dive theory, the technical diving courses offered throught agencies like TDI, IANTD and GUE focus much more on specific aspects of diving, gas and equipment management etc, if deeper or more technical diving interests you, go for it.

and don't forget BSAC there courses are great and you have folks to DIVE with that is a good way to learn, going to Sharm ?
The Red Sea is some of the best diving going lucky sod
have fun

 

[OE2X]

If you want to teach go the DM route.

If you want to dive and refine your skills start with DIR-F. That will give you the basics to get into technical diving. More importantly it will give you diving skills that will make your experience safer and more pleasurable. Your next step after that would be rec triox, then tech 1.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

DIR-F is a legitimate option for working on fundamental skills ... but there are others to consider.

I cannot advise on the PADI DM course, but I will tell you that the NAUI DM course is more about leadership skills than diving skills. It's a great course if you want to work on becoming an instructor, helping out with classes, or simply learning how to lead dives.

If it's diving skills you're interested in, the NAUI Master Diver program is worth considering. It focuses on refining diving skills to the point where you can be comfortable diving in just about any condition.

PADI has a Master Diver program, but it's nothing like the one NAUI offers ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[diverbrian]

I went both paths, so I will share my experience and what I learned.

Divemaster/ DiveCon- I learned how to take skills to demonstration quality, which is to say that I slowed them down and took them to component parts so that students could see them. I became proficient at working with divers in group situations as opposed to one-on-one. In short, I learned the skills that I needed in a large group of new divers with mixed background. I learned how to help the divers that were new and how to stay out of the way of more experienced divers (and yet show them an enjoyable time if they were new to the site). You get the idea.

Entry level tech (in my case IANTD, but many other training agencies offer equivalent courses)- Far better gas planning and equipment configuration was taught along with less conservative deco theory than my DiveCon course. I learned about setting up a stage bottle and accelerating my deco with higher PO2 mixes. I could go on, but I learned a great deal about the more technical aspects of diving.

I have no regrets about either course and use the skills from both all of the time. The DiveCon gives the confidence to work with other divers in a group. The entry level tech gives me the confidence to extend my limits and better take care of myself and my buddy.

Personally, if I could only take one... I would do the entry level tech course and do the professional course later. But both courses have their useful traits.

 

[Tavi]

............If it's diving skills you're interested in, the NAUI Master Diver program is worth considering. It focuses on refining diving skills to the point where you can be comfortable diving in just about any condition.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

This is what I was going to suggest.