What a disappointment

[limeyx]

Can anybody tell me what the real fitness requirements are for taking the DIR-Fun class? Someone said the requirement was to swim 300meters in 14 minutes; is this accurate? If it is, that comes out to 6 laps in the pool at a 2:20 pace per lap. This seems ridiculously slow. Even with a backstroke, I can average about a minute a lap.

GUE can do what they want in terms of requirements for their classes, and I like the fact that someone is making higher fitness requirements in their dive classes... But to rule out all smokers, and to accept someone who takes 14 minutes to swim 300 meters is pretty out of balance. To put things in perspective, the requirement when I took my lifeguard certification was to swim 200 meters in 3:30. I did it in around 3:17, but some guys were down in the 2:20 range.

Tom
BTW, this was the lifeguard cert for the City of Chicago, which had pretty high standards at the time.

The standards should be on gue.com (note however, they did update them recently and I think some parts of the site might have the old numbers)

for cave I, I think it was 400 meters in 14 mins, but out instructor told us to shoot for 12 or less. we did it right on 10 mins.

also a 50 foot breathold swim (which is much harder for me)

 

[PfcAJ]

The standards are the standards. Period.

Lets flip this around from "Why would GUE not allow me to take one of their classes because of a personal decision" to "Why would I make a personal decision that would prevent me from taking a GUE class?"

If 3-5 cigarettes isn't far from not smoking at all...why not just stop smoking? Seriously, is there some hidden benefit from smoking that I am unaware of? Please, fill me in.

And in defense of GUE's standards, besides the obvious negative health effects of smoking, I know quite a few people that get irritable if they can't have their dose of niccotine within a certain time period. I wouldn't want to be diving with an irritated, niccotine dependant diver. Sorry, but the standards are in place for a reason.

 

[mstevens]

I'm not GUE-trained. I admire much of what they do and aspire to, but "Doing it Wrong" is fine for me, at least for now. Having said that, I think it's clear even to an outsider like me that you misunderstand what GUE is about. TSandM notes that this isn't just training. It's a system. Whether you disagree vehemently or not, GUE is clearly a team approach and one aspect of their system is that they don't want team members that smoke. Period. Why would you want GUE training if nobody is going to want to dive with you? I don't understand the point of getting worked up about this.

Spend more time diving. That's more time you won't be able to smoke!

 

[amascuba]

Why are you disappointed? Are you disappointed that your potential GUE Instructor wouldn't break the standards for you or that you smoke? If you're disappointed that the Instructor wouldn't break the standards then you should really sit back and think about what that says about the instructor and GUE. I commend the instructor and GUE for not breaking the standards and it shows conviction in what they believe.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Seriously, is there some hidden benefit from smoking that I am unaware of?

Secondhand smoke smells great (keeps the aerosol freshener industry in business)
Makes your breath smell fantastic (keeps the breath-mint industry in business)
Wrinkles your skin (keeps the anti-wrinkle cream industry in business)
Gives you cancer (keeps surgeons in business)
Gives you heart attacks (keeps cardiologists in business)
Creates frivolous lawsuits (keeps lawyers happy)
Uses tobacco (keeps tobacco farmers happy)

 

[Adobo]

The standards are the standards. Period.

Lets flip this around from "Why would GUE not allow me to take one of their classes because of a personal decision" to "Why would I make a personal decision that would prevent me from taking a GUE class?"

If 3-5 cigarettes isn't far from not smoking at all...why not just stop smoking? Seriously, is there some hidden benefit from smoking that I am unaware of? Please, fill me in.

And in defense of GUE's standards, besides the obvious negative health effects of smoking, I know quite a few people that get irritable if they can't have their dose of niccotine within a certain time period. I wouldn't want to be diving with an irritated, niccotine dependant diver. Sorry, but the standards are in place for a reason.

I never knew a smoker who wouldn't quit if it was easy to do. If nothing else, smoking isn't cheap.

I kind look at it like this - folks who smoke and want to take fundies ought to be thanking GUE. Their giving you yet another incentive to quit.

 

[Rick Inman]

I used to smoke, and quitting was a real bear, but doable.

I'm glad I used to smoke and now don't. I keep telling my wife that, at the current cost of cigarettes (based on the 1.5 packs per day I used to smoke) smoking cost a lot more than the trimix fills I do now. Heck, for me, technical diving instead of smoking means we're practically making a profit. Plus, technical diving is less dangerous than smoking.

So, today's smoker pays, what, $150.00 per month? That's a couple of Industrial grade T bottles of HE.

But be warned. HE is much more addicting than cigarettes.

On second though, you're better off just smoking.

There, I just saved you $1000.00. Please send me half.

 

[b1gcountry]

but even today I have no hope of getting near 1min/100m.

I think we have a bit of a misunderstanding going here...I never get to swim in an Olympic pool, so for me 1 lap is 50yards. No, the requirement for doing 1min/100m would be totally out of the question for any SCUBA diving course. The women's 100m World just got broken, and it is just under 53sec for 100m. Check it out:
http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200704/s1888959.htm

I agree, swimming fast, and swimming well (as a Diver) are two different things, but boy, let me tell you, when I started swimming regularly for a triathlon I was training for (yeah, me too), my SAC went way down. I think swimming does help a lot with breath control, and it's just about the closest aerobic exercise to SCUBA diving. I do agree that requiring a diver to have great swimming form (and be fast) is a tough sell, but I do think it benefits you a lot.

...Hey, what was this thread about anyway, Smoking or something?
Tom

 

[rjack321]

mmmmm, second hand smoke. Share the all "benefits" of cigarettes with your buddies without them having to buy any.

Really, you've decided that cigarettes are more important than joining the GUE team. Its their perogative to choose who to admit, they don't want you if you smoke. Its not like they discriminate against former smokers.

 

[gitterdun]

Ok... question here... no hijack intended... Is there an effect on off-gassing with nicotine in your system?