Why not Fundies?

[TSandM]

Why not Essentials? There is one instructor who is teaching this class. There are three in the "shop" that designed it.

There are 21 GUE instructors in the US, and 45 worldwide. It's a little easier to get access to Fundies.

I've taken Fundies and audited Essentials. The material is the same, although Essentials does not try to cover as much. The quality of instruction is comparable and excellent. Essentials does not require a BP/W, which is an advantage for those who cannot or do not want to change their gear (you do have to have a long hose). Essentials doesn't have a swim requirement, and doesn't have a pass/fail bar at the end. Essentials (as taught in Seattle) was a little cheaper. I don't know how it would pencil out if you had to bring the Breakthru instructor to a local area far from San Francisco.

They are both really good classes. You can't go wrong with either. (Warning: If you take Essentials from Joe Talavera, do the lecture and video review sessions in a carpeted room, because you may fall off your chair laughing.)

 

[bradshsi]

They have such a class ... it's called "Essentials" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Thanks for the suggestion Bob. I wasn't aware that the a course existed, but it sounds more like what I am looking for. I will take a serious look at it.

 

[riguerin]

Hey, I'm not kidding myself. I have no desire to dive in caves. My trim is fine in my Ranger. I don't depend on my computer but like security of knowing that if things don't go as planned there's one less thing that I have to think about. I'm not ditching my console on dives where I'm shoving my computer into a lobster hole. Bottom line, I've been diving for a while. I'm comfortable with the way I dive and my gear. I feel no compelling reason to spend a bunch of money on new gear. My stuff works just fine. But there's always new things to learn.

Now that I dive started diving in a dry suit, I can finally appreciate the benefit of some of these more obscure kicks. I recently just started incorporating helicopter kick in my repertoire ... it allows you to turnand face yor buddy while mainting trim and keeping that bubble under control. I'm still not convinced that a long hose is necessary for non-overhead environments, but after a recent OOA practice drill with one, I'll agree that it sure makes things nice should the scenario occur ... epically if you need to swim for any distance before surfacing.

I would consider an Essential class if it were offered in my area. Why ? Because even an old dog can learn new tricks. The skills that are taught would certainly make me a better diver ... agreed.

OK I'm lying ... swimming backward is cool. I wanna look cool

 

[jonnythan]

When did you learn to swim? I remember you bragging you couldn't swim and telling everyone there's no reason to know how to swim to dive.

You remember incorrectly. I've been able to swim since I was 8 years old.

Walter, I'm seeing a fairly large amount of misinformation from you. Perhaps you should rely on your memory a little bit less and actually verify your information before you speak it?

 

[scubaaaronh]

TSandM i hope i answered your question the way you wanted.

Thanks to those that answered my question.

I am not going to follow this thread anymore as it is not going in proper direction and TSand M even mentioned it in one of her posts.

 

[Rick Murchison]

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

I was doing "helicopter turns" long before "DIR" was coined by JJ & George. Most decent photographers do "helicopter turns" without even thinking about it. There's nothing uniquely "DIR" about "helicopter turns" except, perhaps, the name. "DIR" is the first place I ever heard the name "helicopter" applied to an in-place turn.
By the way, if you'd like to make the most efficient reversal try going vertical, head down, and rotating to your new desired heading before returning to horizontal. Quick, easy, nowhere near the water column disturbance of the horizontal in-place turn, and even a little bit of fun But decidedly not "DIR."
Rick

 

[Walter]

You remember incorrectly. I've been able to swim since I was 8 years old.

Walter, I'm seeing a fairly large amount of misinformation from you. Perhaps you should rely on your memory a little bit less and actually verify your information before you speak it?

My mistake, you said you can't swim well, that swimming 200+ yards was an unnecessary requirement for divers. Jonnythan on swimming.

 

[plankspanker]

When did you learn to swim? I remember you bragging you couldn't swim and telling everyone there's no reason to know how to swim to dive.

wow, real class act there Walter.

 

[Rick Murchison]

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.

You can take this circular argument around the world. Formal instruction is a great way to gain knowledge. But practice is the way to mastery. It's a chicken and egg thing... that's why there is an experience component to SSI's Diver Diamond.
My point is simply that the best use of my time and money - the most value for me - is to spend most of my time diving and learning on my own. When I want to buy some instruction in a particular facet of the sport, I do that. The original question had to do with why folks seemed to pass up the DIR-F course. My answer is that the skills that matter can be learned in other courses that are more useful and cheaper.
Rick

 

[FFMDiver]

I'm not a great diver, but I think the course is about breaking down experienced divers and not so much about molding newbies. While they were very nice, a few seemed to use somewhat military-style or skinner-style tactics with wrist slapping etc. They also seem to accentuate some of the more negative aspects of divers during the equipment judgement and video viewing which may be a another attempt to break those with large egos down. As a newbie at the time, I didnt find it to be a training session per-se, rather a series of small tests. Would experienced comfortable divers be interested in being challenged in this way? Perhaps if moving into cave or wreck. I'll probably sign up again just for the challenge (without my FFM of course).