Why not Fundies?

[Rick Murchison]

How does the average diver learn to master the kicks and diving position without instruction?

Go diving?
Seriously, you know you want to get from point A to point B, under control without silting things up; you know you want to be able to perform basic skills like mask clearing and regulator retrieval and air sharing while keeping control of your buoyancy and without mucking it up - this stuff isn't exactly Rocket Science. By diving, and by trying out different things on your own, you can go a long way towards figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. When you see someone whose technique is particularly good, emulate that; ask for pointers. Most nice folks want to help and will give you more than "take the course" for this basic stuff. Then when you do take a course (like cavern, for example) you'll fnd yourself mostly honing skills rather than having to learn completely new ones.
Go diving; have fun...
Rick

 

[H2Andy]

children learn by watching and emulating

watch what the good divers do. copy them.

 

[HowardE]

Go diving?
Seriously, you know you want to get from point A to point B, under control without silting things up; you know you want to be able to perform basic skills like mask clearing and regulator retrieval and air sharing while keeping control of your buoyancy and without mucking it up - this stuff isn't exactly Rocket Science. By diving, and by trying out different things on your own, you can go a long way towards figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. When you see someone whose technique is particularly good, emulate that; ask for pointers. Most nice folks want to help and will give you more than "take the course" for this basic stuff. Then when you do take a course (like cavern, for example) you'll fnd yourself honing skills rather than having to learn completely new ones.
Go diving; have fun...
Rick

So do you think that people WANT to excel faster than they should be on their own "natrual learning curve" ??

I would have to agree that diving more is the best way to hone your skills... With or without "training".

 

[TheRedHead]

No. But it is certainly one of the styles that works. And if it's the style that appeals to you then by all means, go for it.
Rick

My last instructor (IANTD) insisted upon it. Although I had not taken DIR-F and considered myself a very skilled diver having taken Advanced Nitrox and Deco procedures, I learned a lot about balancing my body in the water column and team awareness. It was confoundingly difficult to keep your team together in the ripping currents of Cozumel wearing multiple stage bottles.

You are right about the vertical currents you encounter and you do have to watch the depth gauge to counter them.

 

[TheRedHead]

Go diving?

How many people do you encounter doing helicopter turns while causally diving? The DIR style is very different from ordinary diving and I think you would need some instruction to master it. I think you can be an outstanding diver without using the DIR style.

 

[jonnythan]

Maybe my opinion isn't shared by everyone, but I feel it's generally a better idea to have a qualified professional instructor teach you how to do something than it is to just watch others and try to figure it out on your own as you go, hoping you get it right.

 

[TSandM]

Diving regularly and paying attention to what you are doing is absolutely necessary to improve, no matter what classes you take!

But there's an old saying, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." Getting instruction at the beginning so that your practice is actually ingraining correct technique seems worthwhile to me -- especially if you're like me, and this stuff doesn't come naturally.

The argument that you can learn by watching and doing, without instruction, could be used to dismiss ANY dive training.

 

[cerich]

How many people do you encounter doing helicopter turns while causally diving? The DIR style is very different from ordinary diving and I think you would need some instruction to master it. I think you can be an outstanding diver without using the DIR style.

most carib divemaster do it every day, watching the flock...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

How many people do you encounter doing helicopter turns while causally diving?

Around here, quite a few. Many in this thread have mentioned mentoring ... I learned a lot that way, and I pass along a lot that way.

When diving with newer divers, it is often the case that they'll see me do something, and by the end of the dive I will see them attempting to emulate it. After that, it's simply a matter of logging some bottom time and practicing the skill.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[H2Andy]

no one learns by just watching ... perhaps i should have been more specific

you go out, you dive... you see what good divers do, you talk to them, you try to get a mentor, you ask what classes they took

in other words, you imitate good divers in a variety of manners, not just go diving, watch them under water, and try to do what they do

if you like what you see, talk to them, listen to what they do, listen to what they suggest, listen to what classes they reccommend, etc.