PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy "Required Skills"?

[pir8]

What exactly is the hovering drill they cover?

When I run a Buoyancy class, or any other specialty class for that matter, it is tailored to the class. So exactly what drill is covered isn't a fair question. It usually is one to several different ones depending on how may students there are and their proficency level. It could be going thru the obsticle course, balancing on a finger, pass the weight, how close to the bottom, etc... It depends on the discretion of the instructor and the students involved.

 

[countryboy]

First, another question to you. What do you EXPECT from a peak performance buoyancy course?

Like many have said previously... It's not the class (agency) but the instructor.

Ask the instructor what will be covered. Call different shops / instructors and see what they offer.

I took a buoyancy course from an instructor that was way more than what I have witnessed in the basic PPB course. The cost was similar, the amount of time / knowledge was worlds apart..

Shop around, ask questions, get recommendations.

The better your training, the better your skills / dives will be.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

1. Peak Performance Buoyancy fundamentals:
• Buoyancy check.
• Fine-tuning buoyancy underwater.
• Weight position and distribution.
• Streamlining.
• Visualization.
2. Use of PADI’s "Basic Weighting Guidelines."
3. An opportunity to polish buoyancy control beyond the Open Water Diver
level:
• Positioning and distributing weight for comfort and desired body
position (trim in the water).
• Visualization techniques prior to dives.
• Buoyancy checks.
• Establishing neutral buoyancy during all segments of a dive.
• Fine-tuning neutral buoyancy underwater.
• Hovering.​

This reminds me of a class I took once...., oh yeah BOW with an instructor mandated focus on attaining neutral buoyancy.

I'm sure the PPB course can be useful to someone struggling with proper weighting and buoyancy, I decry the instructors who loose OW divers struggling with proper weighting and buoyancy into the underwater world.

 

[pir8]

Don't forget "you learn to dive by diving". I don't care what class you take it is not going to make you an expert immediately. You have to go out and use what you learned in the class. It's a shame you can't spend more time holding everyones hand but reality has to set in. Classes are good to give people a reason to advance but they should go out with buddies met during these classes also. even if its to familiar places just to practice. I know thats what I did, andd still do. If you don't get out there and use what you learn then you are doomed to never get proficient.