Divemaster fitness requirements?

[TMHeimer]

im sorry Ive discoved Im not the best at multitasking.
NOT danged breaststroke.Freestyle swimming.
Did just over a mile today mostly freestyle but a good 500yards of snorkling.
Crew packs here so lots and lots of reading

I may have asked before, but have you joined the Going Pro sub forum? I recall you need a reference as a DMC (I used the shop's owner). Tons of good stuff in there, though much of it is related to the materials from the "old" course before 2010.

 

[Frosty]

I may have asked before, but have you joined the Going Pro sub forum? I recall you need a reference as a DMC (I used the shop's owner). Tons of good stuff in there, though much of it is related to the materials from the "old" course before 2010.

Actually no I haven't. I must be blind I went looking for it.

 

[stevegd]

I obviously do not agree. A grade of D is passing some standard, a grade of A indicates a better grasp of the subject or in this case, exceeding that standard, whatever, it is is only a good thing to exceed a minimum standard unless squeaking by is the goal. I think my parents always expected an A. Too bad I did not always get them. If something is worth doing then it is worth do well. A minimum standard is a starting point of acceptance, not an end goal. Perhaps it is my fault and that I am adding the word minimum to a standard that seems fairly minimal. My mistake. Carry on as one sees fit.

And I thought in another thread it was decided by consensus that a gear swap was meaningless? I do not think I could fit into my wife's gear nor her into mine? If one is to have standards, perhaps they should be actually relevant. Meh.


N

The gear swap is done as a stresser. Just to get you into an uncomfortable situation and have you and your buddy work out of it.

 

[Frosty]

Anyone interested to know--a month before I head off Im doing 400 in 11minutes 35 seconds now.I think I'll find that time with having no turns to slow me down
Im doing the 800m in 16 minutes but that's not pushing myself at all so a minute per 400 or 15 seconds a 100 faster is what I need.
What I need now is a waterproof stopwatch.

 

[Frosty]

doing this as a reminder to me really -24 hours ago I did the 400 in 11.07. That's with 15 turns which I'm pretty poor at.

 

[nimoh]

Anyone interested to know--a month before I head off Im doing 400 in 11minutes 35 seconds now.I think I'll find that time with having no turns to slow me down
Im doing the 800m in 16 minutes but that's not pushing myself at all so a minute per 400 or 15 seconds a 100 faster is what I need.
What I need now is a waterproof stopwatch.

If you can do an 800 in 16 minutes and a 400 in 11 minutes, you should forget about the 400 and just swim half of an 800

 

[maniago]

I didn't read all the posts in this, so I'll just add my .02 and if its repetitive, I'll apologize in advance.

There's alot of fret about the swimming parts etc as requirements to pass, but IMHO if you were comfortable with everything that you had to do in rescue class - esp the physical stuff both in and out of the water, maintaining control of yourself, thinking and not just reacting, then big picture, DM is no harder either physically or mentally. The corollary however, is also true.

In the day to day efforts of DMs, I think humping tanks and gear is really the bread and butter of what's difficult. When I finally get to get in the water, its a whole lot less physically demanding. Remember, youre not gonna be without your fins, mask and snorkel as a DM in the water - that's your min survival gear for you and to help anyone else. So given that, I do the things in the gym or outside that keep those muscle groups fit - lift and something aerobic leg related.

 

[TMHeimer]

nimoh, I assume tongue in cheek about doing half the 800 in 8 minutes without fins.

maniago, there is no swimming any length to pass Rescue. So I would say the DM course is physically harder for someone who has to train (or re-train like me) their finless regular swimming muscles, not to mention fine-tuning their swimming technique and working on those muscles for speed by doing countless laps. Thus, some fret and gas/pool costs does occur.

 

[Frosty]

From my prospective -I can quite comfortably snorkel (freedive) all day.The 800m snorkel in 16 minutes was fairly easy/relaxed.
My problem is that swimming has become counter intuitive.
Arms sitting under the tank or folded has become the natural feeling scenario.
Then theres breathing. Again with a snorkel in the mouth and a mask on 400m/yards flys by in well under 11 minutes. but without it its just another level of difficulty.
To be honest its so far been a fair old grind and only in the last couple of weeks have I begun to actually enjoy the slower swimming part of the training. I genuinely didn't think it would be such a physical challenge.
Im the "other" side of 50 so its really cool to learn a new skill.
The upside too is the little bit of a pot belly I'd started to develop has gone.

---------- Post added June 10th, 2015 at 09:33 AM ----------

If you can do an 800 in 16 minutes and a 400 in 11 minutes, you should forget about the 400 and just swim half of an 800

If you aren't pulling my leg--its 400m swim and 800m fins/mask/snorkel.

 

[nimoh]

From my prospective -I can quite comfortably snorkel (freedive) all day.The 800m snorkel in 16 minutes was fairly easy/relaxed.
My problem is that swimming has become counter intuitive.
Arms sitting under the tank or folded has become the natural feeling scenario.
Then theres breathing. Again with a snorkel in the mouth and a mask on 400m/yards flys by in well under 11 minutes. but without it its just another level of difficulty.
To be honest its so far been a fair old grind and only in the last couple of weeks have I begun to actually enjoy the slower swimming part of the training. I genuinely didn't think it would be such a physical challenge.
Im the "other" side of 50 so its really cool to learn a new skill.
The upside too is the little bit of a pot belly I'd started to develop has gone.

---------- Post added June 10th, 2015 at 09:33 AM ----------


If you aren't pulling my leg--its 400m swim and 800m fins/mask/snorkel.

yes, I was pulling your leg. Perhaps you will be faster when I stop pulling