Why is becoming a DM considered not worth it?

[Minion Fish]

Hi, I am a DM for exactly the reasns that you stated. however, don't think that doing the DM course is like any other diving course where you pay the money and get good service back in exchange !!!! The DM course is brutal !! I paid a lot of money and thought that I would be taken care of well......no ! The DM course teaches you to cope with all likely situations that you would face underwater while leading a group of fun-divers, or students while assisting an instructor. I was 58 years old when I did it. It was a humbling experience after running my own business and having many employees. It did make me a better diver (loads of diving), loads of teaching and instruction, going to great dive sites day after day. Getting comfortable in all environments, with my equipment and with various sea conditions.

However, if you are not a good leader or teacher it can be stressful, belittling and torrid at times. Instructors (especially) tend to make sure that you get bullied about and experience the worst of human nature.

I am glad I did it, because like you say it makes you a better diver (and person ) but don't think that you will enjoy all aspects of it.

I started to do my IDC but thought better of it and stopped because I did not want to turn my passion into my work.

My advice: do it, but go in with your eyes open and expect the worse. Then when it's not so bad you won't be disappointed.

When you've done it, come to Thailand and I will take you to some fantastic dive sites in th Anderman.

Bobby

 

[Underwater Tourist]

However, I really don't understand when people say that the DM course won't make you a better diver.

The reason so many people said that DM course won't make you a better diver, is because given the overall instruction quality in recreational world, that is the most likely outcome. Is it a 100% certainty? Absolutely not. You can get lucky and find an excellent instructor. Is an excellent instructor the most likely outcome? Absolutely not again.

I spend first 5 years diving with one of the most garbage instructors, but then luckily I understood that, and had to spend 2 years unlearning all the **** habits.

At this point in your diving journey, any diving with new people / locations / dive shops / environments etc etc will make you a better diver. There are plenty of threads about "becoming a DM" on SB and I would highly recommend digging thru them (play around with the search function here, its pretty good).

You can do a DM / instructor or whatever you want really as long as you get more dives in different environments to gain experience. After 100+ dives or so once you are comfortable in the water, start googling around "technical diving" and see how those people look in the water, what techniques they use etc. You don't need to become one, but if you want to progress with your skills, you 100% (imo) will need to do an intro technical course led by a technical instructor who will square all your skills to a very very solid level (top 1% of recreational divers). That will also increase how much pleasure you get from diving as you will feel 100x more comfortable in the water

 

[NothingClever]

Wasn't my post clear enough about the reasons why I am considering the course?

I’ll ask my question a different way.

After discovering diving very recently, what moment triggered the idea that to become a better diver you need to become a DM? The moment could be defined as reading a course manual, watching a video, admiring an employee’s skills, listening to a dive brief, etc.

However, I really don't understand when people say that the DM course won't make you a better diver.

Many of us have tried to explain with a variety of perspectives. I suspect over time you’ll come to have a broader understanding.

 

[AeroSpartacus]

The DiveMasters with the bests kills that I’ve seen are technical divers. Their skills didn’t come from the DiveMaster syllabus.

I think I might've missed the kill drill when I took my cave and rebreather courses

 

[Minion Fish]

BTW I also started a tech course but just could not get on with the twinset. I am small bodied and they were so cumbersome and I couldn't get the right attitude in the water (legs kept floating up), and it really hurt my neck. I would breath in and ascend then breath out and sink ha ha. My instructor was really good but it was just "not for me". The single tank works well in most environments unless shipwrecks or caves, or very deep. The theory however was great and I still enjoy reading the manual and digesting the information. Mostof the interesting stuff that I have seen is between 15 to 20 meters where you can stay for an hour and see loads and have a great time. Why go to 40 meters where you can spend 3 minutes???

 

[AeroSpartacus]

BTW I also started a tech course but just could not get on with the twinset. I am small bodied and they were so cumbersome and I couldn't get the right attitude in the water (legs kept floating up), and it really hurt my neck. I would breath in and ascend then breath out and sink ha ha. My instructor was really good but it was just "not for me". The single tank works well in most environments unless shipwrecks or caves, or very deep. The theory however was great and I still enjoy reading the manual and digesting the information. Mostof the interesting stuff that I have seen is between 15 to 20 meters where you can stay for an hour and see loads and have a great time. Why go to 40 meters where you can spend 3 minutes???

It might be worth trying sidemount if you're still interested in tech diving. I've done a few dives in doubles, and admittedly still need more practice, but it always felt a bit 'off' to me so far. But sidemount clicked for me from the first or second dive (at maybe ~100 or so sidemount dives now)

 

[inquis]

I think I might've missed the kill drill when I took my cave and rebreather courses

Need to up your game before hitting the UK wrecks. It seems they don't mess around...

 

[Minion Fish]

It might be worth trying sidemount if you're still interested in tech diving. I've done a few dives in doubles, and admittedly still need more practice, but it always felt a bit 'off' to me so far. But sidemount clicked for me from the first or second dive (at maybe ~100 or so sidemount dives now)

Hi Aero, thanks for the comments.
I must tell you about an experience I had. You will find it funny.
I loved courses. I have done loads. An excuse to go diving ha ha.
"Simemount, yep, time for a sidemount course" I thought. I was in Ao Nang Krabi and went to sign up.

In the pool first. A Russian instructor who was the shop owner.

He gave me a wing which JUUUUUST about had me floating with 2 tanks when it was fully inflated. blah blah blah instruction and off we go to Shark Point where a brutal current is running at the surface.

I jump in, attatch the first tank and he is shoving the next tank at me "F.U" I think until I have the first one attached properly and the BC full.

OK all set, but have been blow about 30 metres from the boat by now. Puffing and panting I manage to get back and down we go.

Totally ignored me. Buddied up with his Russian mate and let me tag along behind in the ripping current.

When it was time to surface he told me to raise my SMB, which was attached to a ring at the back. I struggled to get it while he watched impassively.

Eventually he signalled not to bother, but not before my SMB had been detatched, of which I was unaware. Returning to the boat I realised I had lost it.

To get in the water of his speedboat one had to clamber up over the side at the stern, most unsuitable entry I have ever seen. One of the other fundivers hit his head on the bottom of the boat while jumping in and was concussed, his day ruined.

INHO: a cowboy outfit. Next time I went to Ao Nang he was gone !! Good job too. I never went on the last day of the course, and every time someone mentions "sidemount" that scenario comes flooding back . Maybe it is time for me to expel the demons and go with a "proper" dive outfit, but I am quite happy with a single tank for sports diving. The only lure for tech diving for me would be wrecks.

Ohhhhhh those Russsians hahahahah

 

[Minion Fish]

I did my DM on Koh Toa at Crystal Dive Resort. A great company, if you don't mind about the thieving Myanmar labouring staff

 

[Still Kicking]

However, I really don't understand when people say that the DM course won't make you a better diver. Except for obviously getting to dive more, isn't your instructor helping you, other than just for DM related things?

I should have said this in my earlier post, but I guess I thought it was generally understood. Since it hasn't resonated yet I will say it now. DM is not about making you a better diver -- as a DM candidate, you are expected to already be a much better than average diver (or improve your diving skills on your own dime during the training. That involves lots of pool practice and diving on your own.) Instructors are teaching lower level students to dive -- most are busy and they generally don't have time to teach DM candidates to dive.

Every situation is different of course and you may be lucky and find a kind instructor who will devote extra time to help you improve your skills.

The DM course --"internship" if you are lucky -- is intended to make you a better supervisor of divers, a better assistant to an instructor, a better candidate for an IDC, possibly a better dive shop employee. All of these things will make you a more well rounded diver, as I said, but the diving skills are expected to already be there at the level of "demonstration quality" for an OW class.

If you want to focus on upping your own diving skills then take a tech class as others have said (which will be a heavy lift if the instructor is worth a damn and you are not already at DM candidate level) or just go dive a whole bunch on your own.

Sorry but there are few shortcuts in life or diving.