Physical fitness and Diving

[UpperCanDiver]

non biased question

I am impressed with the fitness requirements of DIR and other agencies and feel it is important.

Question - If fitness standards are required to attain student status, are there or should there be mandatory re-tests of fitness standards to contunue active diving status in these agencies?

If not, why bother demanding a fitness level if the diver can get certified..grow a 48 inch waist and still enjoy the status of being a certified "any agency" diver?

I know alot of it is the attitude to want to be fit to ensure safety and good health.

I am just wondering, because I do not know alot about other agencies and would like to know their ideas.

Thanks

 

[diverlady]

That question could be related to employment issues as well. For instance, police services don't require officers to maintain a certain level of fitness beyond their initial training, however, it is encouraged. While it is useful to be in shape to do the job, it is not the whole job. Other skills are required as well. So, should they be required to retest in fitness? Should they lose their jobs if they don't? Personally, I think not.
My opinion, and it's just that, mine only, is that once someone has certified in something and maintain their knowledge through using it or retraining, upgrading or continued education, then no, certification should not "expire" or be revoked due to one part slipping.

Diverlady

 

[GTADiver]

Upper Canada,
I am just going to expand the scope here a bit and see what happens for responses. ......... Are you suggesting that the physically disabled not be allowed to dive? There are organizations such as the HSA that exist with them as the clientel. Small children are diving with out having the strength to carry their gear on the surface.

I would like to suggest that any diver know their own limits and abilities and dive within them. The smiles on some disabled divers after completing enjoyable dives is priceless.

 

[diverlady]

Good point!!

Diverlady

 

[UpperCanDiver]

Yes An excellent point.

I would never suggest that GTA...I was asking because I am not the model of fitness any more and was curious about the enforcement of fitness standards.
Thanks

 

[Tom R]

GTADiver once bubbled...
Upper Canada,
Small children are diving with out having the strength to carry their gear on the surface.

Am I the only one that see a problem with this.

Tom R

 

[Butch103]

Tom R once bubbled...


Am I the only one that see a problem with this.

Tom R

I agree Tom that this is an issue with children. However the same idea shouldn't apply to adults, if they have disabilities.

As far as fitness goes...Are we now going to have "fat" police or are the "scuba Police" going to have "fat" specialties?......

Common sense prevails. If they aren't fit to dive they should know it. Also onthe PADI medical questionnaire I believe this is a question asked or eluded too. ( IF I am wrong please correct me).

Also beware I am weight challanged also .....or maybe just height challanged...... ut:

 

[cobaltbabe]

Some of us who have the appearance of being fit actually are not. I am not that big and look like I may work out but honestly I am not fit at all.

As far as the children I have to say that I am sure they are not going to great depths and it is very supervised. As a parent I would be worried if it wasn't. IMO that is.

 

[Dan MacKay]

Butch103 once bubbled...


I agree Tom that this is an issue with children. However the same idea shouldn't apply to adults, if they have disabilities.

Depending on what the disability is I would have to say that this may apply to adults with disabilities. If the diver is self reliant and can react appropriately in an emergency situation then fine. If the diver is doing a trust me dive and cannot react appropriately then what happens when the leader has an incident?

As far as fitness goes...Are we now going to have "fat" police or are the "scuba Police" going to have "fat" specialties?......

This issue has been kicked to death. For normal people it is not an issue. Even for overweight people who know their limitations. I have a few dives under my belt and I have seen grossly overweight people with a ton of ballast (anyone seen the Poseidon harness type weight belt for these folks) motor through an 80 in 10 minutes at 60 feet. Should they be in the water? Probably not. Could they help their buddy in an OOA? Probably not. You decide. When not taken to the extremes this is not an issue. If it is an issue then you shouldn't be diving and I certainly would not partner or be around such a person in the water.

Common sense prevails. If they aren't fit to dive they should know it. Also onthe PADI medical questionnaire I believe this is a question asked or eluded too. ( IF I am wrong please correct me).

Well said. It is unfortunate indeed that one is not required to show an visible vestige of common sense in order to go diving however.

 

[mglasspo]

Isn't that why they invented doubles? I must admit, I'm a bit overweight (not really bad, and I'm in decent shape -- I weight about 220 and I'm 6'1") and I suck air pretty quick, I get around 30 minutes out of an 80 at 70ft and on most trips I'm the person that calls air first. Does that mean I can't handle an OOA? Not at all, and I believe regardless of the weight of the person, they can handle OOA situations, as long as they are trained properly and practice. If the guy is trying to extend his dive time by surfacing with 200psi of air, then it becomes a problem, but if he's surfacing with ample reserve, no big deal. The only time I'd worry about an overweight diver is for fitness issues, and I believe there is an increased risk of DCS that goes along. If air consumption is a problem, there are a number of ways to mitigate it. Here are a few that I can think of:

1) Work up your fitness level.
2) Dive often.
3) Get bigger tanks
4) Improve buoyancy control and weighting
5) Improve finning techniques.

Anybody else have any?

Dan MacKay once bubbled...


Poseidon harness type weight belt for these folks) motor through an 80 in 10 minutes at 60 feet. Should they be in the water? Probably not. Could they help their buddy in an OOA? Probably not.