How to help a new diver improve...

I recently was on a dive trip with my LDS and we had several new divers with us. I enjoy diving with this group because those with lots of experience have helped me to improve my diving skills. We ususally are divided into two groups with those making their very first ocean dives or first dives since certification with the instructor and his assistant instructor, and the advanced divers or experienced divers with those that have had experience diving boats and ocean dives. Occassionally, we get some in the group that have misrepresented themselves and their experience level turns out to be much the same as someone that has never been in the ocean. Typically, our dives are not difficult ones or deep on the first tank. But, when you are diving drift dives and the currents are sometimes not predictable they can be challenging, especially if the seas are running 4-6ft swells and the wind is up.

Now that I have set up this scene is what followed: One of the divers from the instructors group could not get down with the group. We do our giant stride off the boat and are negative drop down immediately and meet at the bottom to follow the DM with the float ball. She could not get down, so she did signal the boat the Big OK and then held up her clenched fist for pick me up. ( over and over like morse code I might add) The Capt. manuevered the boat and we helped her on, added more weight to her and she then joined our group. When we dropped down she was side by side with my buddy and I , when Wham! I get slapped by her hands, I look over at her and she is doing the breaststroke with her hands and arms, and kicking along. I tapped her shoulder, signaled look at me, and re-clasped my hands underme showing her no hands and arms. Then, I just was cruising with the current no hands, arms or finning. I was about every fourth breath doing a very slow frog kick just in a very slow relaxed method. She looked at me, shrugged her shoulders and then took off looking like a guppy swimming around.

My question is how do you help a new diver understand that the hand sculling or finning and kicking in a drift is not necessary! Actually that using hands to swim whenever is not necessary while diving. Most of the new divers use up their air faster on these dives and from what I have observed they are usually overweighted, flailing through the water to try and keep themselves from sinking, thus using more air.

It became clear to me over the weekend that she and her husband were very confident that they know alot about diving, and are self sufficient. They plan to do trips together to the Keys, etc. Which I think is great, but there did not seem to be any interest in learning how to improve skills from those with more experience.

What are your thoughts and suggestions?

It's an attitude thing. You can't teach or talk to someone unwilling to learn or listen.

Some people have such egos that it impossible to get through. Maybe she didn't understand the underwater communication. Maybe she just doesn't care..

To bad for her..

I wouldn't take it as a bad attitude thing at all. It's more likely she doesn't know any better.

She's also probably a "weekend diver" who also isn't interested in perfecting any skill, but more just getting in the water to have fun.........and not much thinking beyond that goes into it.

Trying to get her to "skill up" might not work, as she might take it the wrong way.....who knows who's receptive to instruction until they are shown.

I'd leave her alone or "slide the skill" in on the boat during a briefing.............a non confrontational way of telling everybody, while in reality you're pointing it to one person.

It may be wrong, but I leave people be when we're diving, unless they ask for "help"........but then again too, they're never my buddy either.

seaangel once bubbled...
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My question is how do you help a new diver understand that the hand sculling or finning and kicking in a drift is not necessary! Actually that using hands to swim whenever is not necessary while diving. Most of the new divers use up their air faster on these dives and from what I have observed they are usually overweighted, flailing through the water to try and keep themselves from sinking, thus using more air.

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Just go diving with them and set a good example. De-brief the dives and give "tips" for improving.

Don't start off by saying "you sucked, you did X wrong you did Y wrong and Z wrong". Most people won't be open to hearing feedback given like that.

Instead start with an open question and then "steer" from there.

For example:

"So. how was that?" (open question, can go anywhere from there)
"good. bit of a current though"
"Yeah, I noticed you were using your arms a bit to swim, was that because of the current?" (yes or no question, excellent for steering)
"yeah, I was having trouble keeping up"
"I see. If you want I can give you some tips for how I deal with the current in these waters and we can try it out on the next dive".
"sure, why not"

(and then try to focus on what to do right, not what she did wrong)

obviously it won't always go like that. Some people won't be open to any suggestino of feedback. Then it's on you to let it go. Ultimately it's not your problem and all you can do is offer.

R..

I agree that is probably isn't an attitude thing, but also would not agree necessarily that this person is a weekend diver with no desire to perfect her skills.

In that situation, I might have either engaged her in casual conversation, talking about the hands moving, or just left the issue alone.

... all it took was one person telling me that every time I used my hands it took 1 minute off my dive. They have been tucked away ever since.

Obviously, I gave a quizzical look and the person explained the uselessness of waving hands underwater. From that point forward I made a concerted effort to keep my hands quiet and now I don't have to think about them, they're tucked away all the time.

The comment was kind of off-hand and joking, I didn't take offense to it but I'm also always looking to improve. If a subtle approach or a quick comment like I got doesn't work, leave it alone and remember to duck!

Rachel

It's a shame that a lot of new divers can't see a video of themselves underwater. I saw one of myself a few dives after I did my OW, and it was an incredible eye-opener. Although conscious of things like the need to watch my buoyancy, trim, and not fin or flap my hands around trying to compensate for deficencies in either, I didn't realise how much I was flailing around until I saw myself on tape. The differences between my 'style' and that of more accomplished divers became very readily apparent without anyone needing to point it out.

I'm sure if these divers could see themselves on tape, it might penetrate through the self-deceptive image we have of what our skills are. I reckon that use of video is a great instructive tool!

Hehe.

One of the reasons I got a video camera and am now looking for a good housing for it...

Review time: "OK, now. See how your non-DIR gear is causing you all these problems?" "And here is when your console was dragging in the mud..."

Wheeeeeee!!!!

did you discuss it on the surface afterwards?

it may have been a lack of desire to learn or just a lack of understanding. there's only so much you can communicate underwater.

i think a debrief is incredibly useful after every dive - either as a group or one to one. but if after that there's no acceptance of advice there's not much you can do.

personally i think you develop skills through your own experience AND that of others. you don't have to take advice but you should always listen to it.

Some very good suggestions. I actually, did some of the suggested methods. Or, I should say some were available. Since, she was not in my group of divers, once on the boat she returned to her group seating. I did not get to talk to her immediately. I did however mention to the instructor that I tried to show her how to dive without using her hands. Later that evening at dinner we did discuss diving skills and skill levels in a casual way.
The videographer was the DM in her group and their group was the trip video. I saw some of it and guess what, when she was videoed there she was swimming along using her hands. Hopefully, she will give this some thought and learn from it. When later talking to the instructor he told me that she had a problem with each entry too, she always went in face first on her giant stride. I know he teaches all of these skills the proper way, because he was my instructor. But, we have to practice them and make them a part of our own diving skills and comfort level.