When to start DIR training?

[BB1]

Hi Folks!

Thanks for all the positive replies. Busy as hell right now but will post a full reply with thoughts and further questions later.

I checked out Liam, looks good but either a flight or 11 hour drive away from me. I did get lucky though, as long as the GUE instructor list is up to date then it looks like there is an instructor in my town - Pieter - will call/email him as well to see if I can meet up and talk about my options and where I want to go with training.

 

[stargost]

What is my best course of action from here?? More dives first or find a GUE Primer or Rec Level ?? course?
I am still trying to work out where we would "fit" into the GUE Recreational traning track. I have looked at the GUE site but it isn't very clear.
Any advice appreciatted!

I had the same pb with the GUE rec, and eventually decided to go with fundies directly.
Course of actions is/was:
- find the instructor and agree on a timing (was not that easy)
- subscribe online, get the material to understand a bit more on what to expect
- browse SB and check the reports of all the people who took fundies - most divers who took fundies were experimented, and it scared us at first, but all said/confirmed the nower the better statement
- find some DIR divers and check what to expect on the real requirements ...

This last bit was the fun one. Indeed, what was stated above about the requirements (which I'm sure are true for the class) is a little optimistic as the somehow surprising -but positive- portion were:

- Let's go 30ft. ..... 30ft damit, not 31.125 nor 29.75 ! - how the heck these guys maintain such good buoyancy !?
- Let's stay close ....... CLOSE, meaning really close so we can touch with straight hands
- No strange finning ..... "But, but, I was doing modified flutter" (excuse didnt work )
- No hands ...... Shame on me, I still use hands for the helicopter turn (it is a special helicopter model which requires hands control)

so between then and fundies, I figured out that the time allows for a little practice which is going to be useful.

But conclusion: go for it asap !

 

[aquaregia]

Is Yesterday Nower than now?

Nope, tomorrow tomorrow will be as now as now now is.

 

[divad]

Is Yesterday Nower than now?

Insert thanks button......................Now is Now, Stanley.

 

[Jasonmh]

... I did get lucky though, as long as the GUE instructor list is up to date then it looks like there is an instructor in my town - Pieter - will call/email him as well to see if I can meet up and talk about my options and where I want to go with training.

Well there you go, doesn't get much better than that

 

[DiverLaura]

you can start DIR training with a mentor from day one. Training doesn't start with Primer or Fundamentals, it starts when you seek out information such as you did on this board.

Many of the concepts of "diving DIR" are graspable before you ever get in the water. they will actually help you reach that 'can hold still in water' faster. in my boyfriends case (he is not yet certified) he's been learning about DIR before even setting foot in the water, and thinks it's a great concept, and when he does take the plunge so to speak, it will be steeped in DIR from day one.

So waiting to take Primer until you can hold still in the water selling yourself short in my opinion, and just gives you more opportunity to foster habits that are harder to break. The concept of primer is to take you right out of openwater, primer will help you get your buoyancy, trim and propulsion sorted out, and help you build the foundation so that you can then take Fundies and get whatever type of 'pass' you want, and not have to learn everything new on day one. Then you can focus on the 'rest' of the stuff as opposed to being fixated on getting your back kick down

right now you don't know what you don't know, but you (and i mean this in the broader 'you', not necessarily the original poster per se, but everyone facing similar quandry) know you want to learn You are open to learning, and that is the ideal mindset for students from an instructors standpoint... find a mentor, look at your instructor options, find someone with a video camera, get video feedback, see where you are, and then build a plan to get where you want to go

 

[BB1]

Thanks for all the great posts especially scootergirl!

I made contact with my local GUE instructor tonight and had a great chat on the phone about what, why, where etc I want to go and my best options from here.

He suggested Fundamentals straight away rather than doing primer.

Also suggested doing it with single tank for a rec pass (hopefully) and doing a tech upgrade in doubles later rather than task load to many new things all at once. What do you all think?

I am encouraged and the chat went really well which hopefully bodes well for a good instructor/student fit. Going to have a little think on it all and have a talk with the wife about what she wants to do and then move forward from there.

Will keep you posted as my journey progresses.............

 

[TSandM]

Congratulations! I'm glad you liked your instructor. I'll be looking forward to the report of your class.

 

[DiverLaura]

I think he's right on the money with the single tank thing...

you can "learn" more if you are diving in gear you are already familiar with. The idea of this class is to learn, not to get the all coveted tech pass. I've watched too many people go into it with a handful of doubles dives trying to get to tech pass, and in the process they loose sight of the forest for the trees. They miss the subtle things that the instructor is desperately trying to impart because a huge slice of their attention pizza is tied up with the doubles on their back. To get the most out of ANY education, you need as much attention pizza available as possible so you can process the high rate of 'incoming data'. (yes, part of this is stolen from my MSF beginners class)

so the gist of it is... you want as much of your diving self (you AND your wrap around underwater vehicle) as second nature as possible. If you have a leaky mask, or fins that don't fit, or you only have 5 dives on doubles and still feel like an underwater aircraft carrier in them, it will only detract from your learning experience...

Don't let that stop you from contacting your local instructor/mentor though, because more often than not, he or she can help you get those things sorted out as well

do it in a single, nail it, learn it upside down and backwards, and then after you get your pass, maybe your instructor will go out with you in your dubs and help you trim them out, and run you through a valve drill or two, setting you up "right" to go practice for your tech pass....

Thanks for all the great posts especially scootergirl!

I made contact with my local GUE instructor tonight and had a great chat on the phone about what, why, where etc I want to go and my best options from here.

He suggested Fundamentals straight away rather than doing primer.

Also suggested doing it with single tank for a rec pass (hopefully) and doing a tech upgrade in doubles later rather than task load to many new things all at once. What do you all think?

I am encouraged and the chat went really well which hopefully bodes well for a good instructor/student fit. Going to have a little think on it all and have a talk with the wife about what she wants to do and then move forward from there.

Will keep you posted as my journey progresses.............

 

[gsk3]

I second taking it in singles. More broadly, you want to be taking it in equipment you're reasonably comfortable with.

I took Fundies in a single tank, and the first practice dive I did post-Fundies was in doubles with friend/mentors. If you picked up the skills during Fundies to balance a single tank, and you listen to the minor configuration details that your classmates will get coached on during the class, and you have a mentor to show you the minor details when you decide to go with doubles, you'll be fine. If you lose some Fundies class time not learning because you're struggling with doubles, that would be a shame.

As an aside, I think doubles are easier in some respects (more mass so you move up/down slower, more stable laterally, easier to reach valves), so it's not like you're copping out and taking the easy route.