Help, need some training ideas..

Darin · Sep 15, 2005

Hi all,

Hey, I need some ideas. I want to do some more drills and/or skills. I do a lot of the basic skills I did in OW, AOW and Rescue. Just want something different. Maybe throw in curve balls every now and then.

I guess I'm looking for things I can do in the pool too. I don't need any crazy stuff just want to get experience in other sorts of things.

I don't dive tech or other things like that. Don't need the "long hose" drill or whatever, since I don't dive a long hose.

So lets hear it. Odd drills? Cool drills? Help me out!

Darin

Mr. Brown/Scuba · Sep 15, 2005

Try the NAUI snorkel ditch and dawn.....

Darin · Sep 15, 2005

Mr. Brown/Scuba:
Try the NAUI snorkel ditch and dawn.....

Might need to fill me in on that one....

Rick Inman · Sep 15, 2005

Here's a few...

Ditch & don (gear, not snorkel)

.

Swim around without mask on.

Shoot a bag.

Buddy breath.

Remain motionless.

Free ascent.

Different kick styles.

do it easy · Sep 15, 2005

Mr. Brown/Scuba:
Try the NAUI snorkel ditch and dawn.....

I think it's where you freedive to the bottom of the pool in mask, fins and snorkel. remove mask, fins, and snorkel and leave them at the bottom, then swim up. Take a few breathes at the surface (or not, if you're tough), and then swim down, replace all your gear and surface with a clear mask, clear snorkel, and your fins on the right feet (left fin on left foot, etc.).

I think that Rick mentioned the gear ditch and don- again- in the pool, and in full scuba, take off your rig underwater, swim away for 20, 30, 50 feet (or yards, if you're tough) and swim back, and replace your gear.

For the PADI DM class, there is a gear exchange which involves swimming in a pool with a buddy, and then exchanging fins, bc, and mask underwater- all while buddy breathing (one reg- not air sharing).

The whole pool idea is to ensure that you're in shallow enough waters in case you don't get it just right the first time. In other words, don't do these in open water.

Something we do at our holiday party is play underwater musical chairs- get a bunch of buddies and place one less scuba unit (tank and reg) in a circle in the pool. Everyone swims around underwater in a circle, taking breathes from the tanks as they pass them. A diver is out as soon as they stand up. They take a tank with them and the rest of the group continues until "there can be only one." It's not a skill per se, but it is a fun change of pace.

Another thing we do at the holiday party (yeah it's a rocking good time), is we have a race to see who can push a ping pong ball with a spoon the farthest/furthest/greatest distance. This is actually a good skill because it involves task loading (you have to concentrate on the ball), and finning technique (some are better than others). You can throw bouyancy skills in there if you have a deep and shallow end in the pool and have to maintain bouyancy while moving back and forth between them.

CameronMartz · Sep 15, 2005

I have a few ideas for you in an article titled "Pool Exercises for Developing Water Comfort" at http://www.divefitness.com/html/articles.html. These are exercises no longer found in traditional SCUBA training but remain in the military. Don't let that scare you, though- they're actually quite fun to try.

Cameron

GreenDiverDown · Sep 15, 2005

Hey Darin...

I've sorta been looking for a DM that can demonstrate basic skills without touching the bottom of the pool. Interested?

I say "sorta" 'cause its rare that I teach an OW class at the shop and though I occasionally do the open water portion of the class I don't do that very often either. (You can ask Frankie about this and I'm sure that he will fill you in.) Nevertheless, it would be nice to have someone that could assist me in this manner...or just be able to act as a 'better' example for our students and customers.

So...

...to answer your question... practice achieving demonstration quality skills while horizontal...no upright position...no kneeling...no touching the bottom of the pool...while maintaining perfect buoyancy control...knees bent...body flat.

In addition to this...practice a multitude of kicks...frog...modified frog...modified flutter, and back kick. Also, work on helicopter turns.

Hmm...can you reach your valve? Get your tank position adjusted just right, then hop in the pool and practice reaching back and turning the valve off and on.

Practice doing ascents and descents...slowly, while horizontal, using just your lungs. Can you drop to the bottom of the pool halting your descent just off the bottom? Can you inch...and I mean inch your ascent to the surface?

Those are a few ideas. Questions are rhetorical...no need to answer.

There are some things that you can do at the lake as well.

Practice navigating with a timer. Practice watching your gas supply at fixed intervals and then develop a feel for your gas consumption. Learn and then apply gas management skills such as rock bottom and the rules of halves and thirds. Practice planning and then executing your dive within these parameters. Learn and the practice how to shape the curve of your dive profile. Learn and practice how to dive all day without a computer or tables.

Yah, yah...lots of crazy stuff. But if you are looking for something a little more challenging than what you are presently doing, these things will definitely do the trick.

Of course, I would also suggest that you might want to reconsider your equipment configuration. Here are some thoughts...the long hose isn't necessarily just a 'tech' solution... BP/wings make killer recreational rigs... donating the primary while having a quality bungeed backup reg is a super solution to OOG situations...

BTW, I'd be glad to jump in the pool with you and show you a few of these things...or do the lake thing. I've taught most of these things to some of my more motivated AOW students and I think that it has had a huge impact on their skills as a diver.

See ya...

dmmike · Sep 15, 2005

Stephen is on the right track. you should try to practice all your skills while keeping the same postion in the water column. I've been trying to remove/replace/ and clear my mask with my eyes closed without changing my depth. I can tell you this.... it aint that easy.
So if somebody has some good advice I'll listen....
I'm doing these type of drills because in most cases the bottom is a long way off and if you dive New England the vis is .........

Darin · Sep 16, 2005

Stephen Ash:
Hey Darin...

I've sorta been looking for a DM that can demonstrate basic skills without touching the bottom of the pool. Interested?

I say "sorta" 'cause its rare that I teach an OW class at the shop and though I occasionally do the open water portion of the class I don't do that very often either. (You can ask Frankie about this and I'm sure that he will fill you in.) Nevertheless, it would be nice to have someone that could assist me in this manner...or just be able to act as a 'better' example for our students and customers.

So...

...to answer your question... practice achieving demonstration quality skills while horizontal...no upright position...no kneeling...no touching the bottom of the pool...while maintaining perfect buoyancy control...knees bent...body flat.

In addition to this...practice a multitude of kicks...frog...modified frog...modified flutter, and back kick. Also, work on helicopter turns.

Hmm...can you reach your valve? Get your tank position adjusted just right, then hop in the pool and practice reaching back and turning the valve off and on.

Practice doing ascents and descents...slowly, while horizontal, using just your lungs. Can you drop to the bottom of the pool halting your descent just off the bottom? Can you inch...and I mean inch your ascent to the surface?

Those are a few ideas. Questions are rhetorical...no need to answer.

There are some things that you can do at the lake as well.

Practice navigating with a timer. Practice watching your gas supply at fixed intervals and then develop a feel for your gas consumption. Learn and then apply gas management skills such as rock bottom and the rules of halves and thirds. Practice planning and then executing your dive within these parameters. Learn and the practice how to shape the curve of your dive profile. Learn and practice how to dive all day without a computer or tables.

Yah, yah...lots of crazy stuff. But if you are looking for something a little more challenging than what you are presently doing, these things will definitely do the trick.

Of course, I would also suggest that you might want to reconsider your equipment configuration. Here are some thoughts...the long hose isn't necessarily just a 'tech' solution... BP/wings make killer recreational rigs... donating the primary while having a quality bungeed backup reg is a super solution to OOG situations...

BTW, I'd be glad to jump in the pool with you and show you a few of these things...or do the lake thing. I've taught most of these things to some of my more motivated AOW students and I think that it has had a huge impact on their skills as a diver.

See ya...

Wow, thanks for the tips, I'll give them a try.

I don't dive a long hose...yet. Haven't decided on a 5' or 7'. Maybe I'll grab one from Fankie or Steven and play around with it.

Not real concerned with my buoyancy, I still need some refinement but I have no real issues with it. The PPV in AOW was great and I learned a lot. BUT, now that I'm diving dry, my buoyancy has gone to hell. Just a new learning curve. Actually, the dives my wife and I did tonight were great, had a blast and, the drysuit diving is much better than the first time.

I'm diving the Zeagle Ranger LTD (which I think is a fantastic BCD) and with that set up and wing, it makes diving easy. Even If I do decide to dive doubles, I can put the backplate in it.

I'm doing the OW class with Robert this weekend so maybe I can try some of the things you suggested in the pool, either before or after the class, won't have much time during...

BTW, if you noticed my countdown timer, I'm heading north in a few weeks. But maybe we can get together before I take off. I'm going to be at the lake a lot the next few weeks. In fact, Flanders and I will be out there after work Monday the 19 and Tuesday the 20th. Come on out if you want.

Thanks again for the tips.

See ya around the shop...

Darin

GreenDiverDown · Sep 16, 2005

Darin:
BTW, if you noticed my countdown timer, I'm heading north in a few weeks. But maybe we can get together before I take off. I'm going to be at the lake a lot the next few weeks. In fact, Flanders and I will be out there after work Monday the 19 and Tuesday the 20th. Come on out if you want.

Darin

Oh, man...

I didn't know that you were leaving. Sorry to see ya go.

I feel like such a bonehead!

Help, need some training ideas..

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