Peak Performance Bouyancy training....is one day enough?

Robertcrockett · Jul 3, 2009

When im in Utila i plan on obtaining my AOW and a couple of specialty certs most notably peak performance bouyancy. My question is simply... is a one day class really going to allow me to dramatically alter my bouyancy control and trim? or should i research out some other training option...is there another training option even?.
To be honest i could care less about the cert, what i want is the knowledge and skill. I believe that control is imperative to both safety and not rolling about ruining vis and wrecking generations old ecosystems etc...To me this is more important than any other skill set right now especially since my trim at times seems horrible. My fins get below me more often than not which gets me swimming higher than i want which usually gets me dumping air out of my BC, if i cant get down with a good exhale. What takes place next is that usually now find myself headed to the bottom and since i refuse to silt up the place or potentially touch down on something that can be harmed or even violate my own plan...i give it a second to try to breath correct and if im not rising or at least neutral, a tap or two on the inflator. My poor trim then has me going up when i fin.. blah, blah ...rinse... repeat. At times i feel more like a scuba elevator than a diver. This takes away some enjoyment because im very concious of trying to protect whats below me so i tend to keep my self well away from anything that could be damaged so i maintain a huge field of correction to work with. As of right now I plan on training with Crosscreek. I plan on taking the course because i believe it certainly couldnt hurt but are there other options i should look into as well.
Thanks

Jeff Toorish · Jul 3, 2009

It depends on the instructor. Frankly, one day with a truly gifted instructor can show you things, improve your skills, dramatically. By the same token, a day with a not-so-great instructor probably won't be worth it.

An analogy: when I was taking flight training, I worked with one great instructor. I also traveled a lot, and I decided I would take my flight gear with me on trips and take single courses with different instructors, just to see what I might learn. I was in Florida, and I arranged a flight with the chief instructor at a flight school there. I won't say I learned more in that day that I had during all my previous training; but I will say the things that instructor taught me were absolutely stunning.

Buoyancy is not a product, it is a process. But one day with a great instructor can certainly teach you the process.

Jeff

Diver0001 · Jul 3, 2009

Robertcrockett:
When im in Utila i plan on obtaining my AOW and a couple of specialty certs most notably peak performance bouyancy. My question is simply... is a one day class really going to allow me to dramatically alter my bouyancy control and trim? or should i research out some other training option...is there another training option even?.
To be honest i could care less about the cert, what i want is the knowledge and skill.
<etc.>

One day is more than enough for the knowledge transfer (what you need to know that you probably don't) and some practice.

Is it enough to perfect your buoyancy? No.

Ideally you would have two sessions with a period of time in between. In the first session the instructor would do the theory and the dives with you and give you advice. Then you would have some time to apply what you learned and hone your skills. The second session (10 dives later) would re-evalute and fine tune that advice.

An approach like this will work best. In most cases, only the first session is offered, partly because many students don't want things to take that long and partly because they don't want to pay for two sessions. There are exceptions but 98% of the market works like that.

R..

Garrobo · Jul 3, 2009

The "other training option" is to get more dives, thus more experience.

Crowley · Jul 3, 2009

I agree with Diver0001 - it's more than enough to pass on the knowledge - and you can get through a lot of it in only one dive as per the AOW class.

Will it perfect your buoyancy? No - the only thing that will do that is lots and lots of regular diving. But it will give you a starting point.

Cheers

C.

spectrum · Jul 3, 2009

Jeff Toorish made some good points.

I will also point out that you live in WV but plan to tale the class in Utila. Your ability to manage the behavior of your exposure protection is not a trivial part of buoyancy control. It is entirely possible to dive like a superstar in warm water and be in much less control in cooler water.

A good warm water class will still give you the foundation but you will be on your own in realizing your ultimate goal. Be sure it includes good instruction on evaluating your weight amount and placement. Don't go overboard on the neoprene but if you can wear a little more than the local custom you may get more from the class.

The difficulty you describe is not unlike many new divers that did not have outstanding OW instructors. The biggest thing you have going for you is the awareness of your current state. It is said that the first step in being neutrally buoyant is to "think neutral". many new divers are content to survive the dive. If you strive to dive with grace and control then you are farther along than you realize even of it's not showing in your diving. Diving with a spirit of continuous improvement can go a long ways.

Pete

BarryNL · Jul 3, 2009

Robertcrockett:
My question is simply... is a one day class really going to allow me to dramatically alter my bouyancy control and trim? or should i research out some other training option...is there another training option even?.

Well, a couple of dives on one day is certainly not going to be enough to get you to a high level of bouyancy competence if you are not almost there to start with. It may well be enough, if you have a good instructor, for you to learn what you need to go away and practice afterwards in order to get there.

Is there another option? Well, I'm sure I won't be the only one to recommend the GUE Fundamentals course. There is no better option in the industry if you really want to get your bouyancy and trim to the highest skill levels. Just dive sometime with someone who has achieved a tech level pass for this course and you will see what I mean.

Jim Lapenta · Jul 3, 2009

I agree that fundies is probably the best training you can get to help develop the skills you want. But it will not give them to you overnight. If will give you a starting point like any other good course really and the rest is up to you. If however you would like a less expensive alternative and get buoyancy training in addition to an AOW cert I can help you out there. I have an AOW class that incorporates buoyancy training in addition to other skills such as smb deployment, pony bottle deployment, UW Navigation, Search and Recovery, Deep, and Night/Low Vis. I teach this class at Mt Storm and in my home for the classroom session(s). We work on buoyancy, trim, and proper weighting on all of the 5 dives. Since if you are not in control of your buoyancy, trim, and not weighted properly you will effectively be unable to perform the skills required in the other dives. Don't know when you are leaving for Honduras but I have a class July31, and Aug 1&2. Classroom is friday from 9-4 and dives sat and sun in Mt Storm. Right now there are 2 openings. Since this is a special 3 day class a deposit is required. If you are interested go to my website for more contact info at Welcome to UDM Aquatic Services

I don't know where Eleanor WVa is, but the others I have taking the class are coming from North Carolina. So you can't be much farther. I can also offer this class as a two evening classroom and weekend dive set up for just yourself and a buddy if you like. Either way I don't charge extra for private advanced and specialty class lessons unless you want to do the dives in a place that requires a plane ride or more than 4 hours driving one way.
For an outline go to this thread

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...des-upsides-ow-qual-quarry-3.html#post4530213

Nemrod · Jul 3, 2009

Robertcrockett:
When im in Utila i plan on obtaining my AOW and a couple of specialty certs most notably peak performance bouyancy. My question is simply... is a one day class really going to allow me to dramatically alter my bouyancy control and trim? or should i research out some other training option...is there another training option even?.
To be honest i could care less about the cert, what i want is the knowledge and skill. I believe that control is imperative to both safety and not rolling about ruining vis and wrecking generations old ecosystems etc...To me this is more important than any other skill set right now especially since my trim at times seems horrible. My fins get below me more often than not which gets me swimming higher than i want which usually gets me dumping air out of my BC, if i cant get down with a good exhale. What takes place next is that usually now find myself headed to the bottom and since i refuse to silt up the place or potentially touch down on something that can be harmed or even violate my own plan...i give it a second to try to breath correct and if im not rising or at least neutral, a tap or two on the inflator. My poor trim then has me going up when i fin.. blah, blah ...rinse... repeat. At times i feel more like a scuba elevator than a diver. This takes away some enjoyment because im very concious of trying to protect whats below me so i tend to keep my self well away from anything that could be damaged so i maintain a huge field of correction to work with. As of right now I plan on training with Crosscreek. I plan on taking the course because i believe it certainly couldnt hurt but are there other options i should look into as well.
Thanks

Actually I am going to be a rebel and say no. First, the instructor would have to actually understand the concept and the very name of the course is an indication that the premise is false.

In addition to gear adjustments and possibly some bad equipment choices the rest can be learned by yourself in a swimming pool. That you realize you have a problem is the biggest step to solving it. Most don't even recognize the problem and PadI instructors are rarely knowledgeable in it, after all they have everybody kneeling on the reef constantly, hard to learn "peak" buoyancy kneeling on the reef.

If your feet drop bend the legs up at the knees and switch to a frog or modified scissor. Or, extend your arms or retract them as needed. Your arms are not for swimming, only your legs and fins should do that work, your hands and arms are for cameras or gauges or manipulation, not propulsion. I have seen this over and over, people do not realize they are arm swimming and hand paddling--are you sure??? you are not?

Not PC I realize, but some BCs will fight your development of a horizontal attitude. Some are just poorly designed and in fact are designed more in the concept of a life jacket and therefore have a definite tendency to roll head up and feet down, especially those BCs that are cut short in the torso. Look for a BC that concentrates the bulk of the lift to the back and lower back, lower torso. Those that have a lot of bulk up around the shoulders and chest are going to fight you. A warm water BC should have no more than about 30 to 35 pounds of lift, if your BC is one of those with 50 plus pounds of lift, get another, it will be easier to work with.

N

ScubaSarus · Jul 3, 2009

I believe trim and weight placement helped me a lot with my buoyancy; and it took quite a few dives and logging to come up with an ideal weight configuration and tank placement in the BC to get a good trim. Trim may also effEct the position of air in the BC and its shifting around in the BC. As your gear configuration changes, so will your buoyancy; so logging the gear configurations over time is important.

Peak Performance Bouyancy training....is one day enough?

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