I just completed my 10th dive. I plan on taking my advanced open water this February. I have several more diving scheduled before this. With AOW, you have 2 required dives and then can choose 3 specialty dives. A lot of dive shops push Peak Buoyancy but after watching James' comments on Divers Ready, I dismissed the idea of this as one of my 3. Basically, he says it just takes practice, which I'm sure is true. However, doing an honest self evaluation of my buoyancy, I probably do need help. Does anyone have experience with this particular specialty course? Did you get value from it? If I'm not going to get a lot of value from it, there are plenty more specialty courses I find far more interesting. However, if it truly dramatically improved my buoyancy, then it would be worth it. But, I fear James may be right and it really just comes down to practice and more diving. I am improving with each dive. Opinions?
Peak Buoyancy Specialty Course
- Thread starter OnTheMark
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The course teaches all of the factors that are key to buoyancy, such as weight, breathing, equipment configuration etc.
Once you learn this then it’s all about practice to dial all of the factors in.
Too often the course is taught to the book. Which means it's basic, general knowledge that you should have gotten in your open water class. Weights, some little bit about distribution, and breathing.
A true buoyancy and trim class will not need a book to go by. The way I teach buoyancy and trim is to tailor each workshop to the individual student. Their experience, training, gear, exposure protection, comfort level, etc.
It may take the basic 3 hours I set aside for the class or it may take double that.
Which is why I only teach it on a one to one ratio and it takes the time it takes.
I have had students show up with a 3 mil, 5 mil, and 7 mil and so we go through the process of weighting, distribution of weight, and trim with each suit.
I've taught the workshop to divers in single tanks, doubles, and sidemount in wetsuits and drysuits.
Have done pool only and pool plus OW dives. Up to the student and what they want to pay.
If it doesn't go through more than the basics and your buoyancy and trim are not much better by the end of the class, you didn't get what you paid for.
To the OP: While you may be improving each dive, what are you measuring that by? Having a set of eyes in the head of someone who knows what buoyancy and trim are (not all instructors do if they teach the course and then tell you, you'll get in another 25-50 dives. No it should be clear by the end of the class that you are much better) can be invaluable. You don't need a card either. Many independent instructors offer non-cert workshops that are better, have more content, and get better results.
By the end of my workshops I expect the diver to be able to do mask clear, reg r&r, weight remove and replace without changing depth by more than 2 feet. And remain in trim. The goal is 1ft ideally. What are the end goals of the class they push? Do they state a hard line? Or is it more like you now have more info, go practice? If the latter, that's not saying much.
A true buoyancy and trim class will not need a book to go by. The way I teach buoyancy and trim is to tailor each workshop to the individual student. Their experience, training, gear, exposure protection, comfort level, etc.
It may take the basic 3 hours I set aside for the class or it may take double that.
Which is why I only teach it on a one to one ratio and it takes the time it takes.
I have had students show up with a 3 mil, 5 mil, and 7 mil and so we go through the process of weighting, distribution of weight, and trim with each suit.
I've taught the workshop to divers in single tanks, doubles, and sidemount in wetsuits and drysuits.
Have done pool only and pool plus OW dives. Up to the student and what they want to pay.
If it doesn't go through more than the basics and your buoyancy and trim are not much better by the end of the class, you didn't get what you paid for.
To the OP: While you may be improving each dive, what are you measuring that by? Having a set of eyes in the head of someone who knows what buoyancy and trim are (not all instructors do if they teach the course and then tell you, you'll get in another 25-50 dives. No it should be clear by the end of the class that you are much better) can be invaluable. You don't need a card either. Many independent instructors offer non-cert workshops that are better, have more content, and get better results.
By the end of my workshops I expect the diver to be able to do mask clear, reg r&r, weight remove and replace without changing depth by more than 2 feet. And remain in trim. The goal is 1ft ideally. What are the end goals of the class they push? Do they state a hard line? Or is it more like you now have more info, go practice? If the latter, that's not saying much.
This guy is sooo full of manure, it is dangerous.
I'd go with what was said above. If the course goes above and beyond what PADI wrote as "minimum," go for it. If not, then find somebody else who teaches it above and beyond the minimum standards. It isn't a waste of time and it is far more efficient and less chance of learning and doing things wrong on your own. I have seen divers who have been diving forever yet their buoyancy and techniques are terrible. Working with a competent and experienced instructor is the best, safest and most efficient way of learning and mastering the art of good buoyancy control.
If @Jim Lapenta is close to your neighborhood, I'd sign up for the training with him for certain.
In no time at all, a good instructor working on your buoyancy will get you far, far past what you can do on your own over dozens of dives. In fact, if you had had a really good instructor for your OW certification, you would be there now.
if it was me i would skip the aow altogether and just take the specialties you are interested in.
Blackcrusader
Contributor
My advise is to take your advanced open water. Buoyancy is something you can practice yourself on your dives.
Go down to a certain depth and stop moving. If you start sinking then you need to put some air in your BCD.
Do that until you can maintain depth which now only changes as your breath out and back in.
Do this at various depths. The most important depth control is required for your safety stop.
Practice makes perfect. Your instructor should have already taught you this.
Go down to a certain depth and stop moving. If you start sinking then you need to put some air in your BCD.
Do that until you can maintain depth which now only changes as your breath out and back in.
Do this at various depths. The most important depth control is required for your safety stop.
Practice makes perfect. Your instructor should have already taught you this.
There are three ways of mastering buoyancy:
Practicing, practicing and practicing.
You may (and must) look at books and manuals, but the fact is that the more you dive the best you get.
I am not arguing that courses are not important, indeed they are, but buoyancy is a skill that gets real better with time
Practicing, practicing and practicing.
You may (and must) look at books and manuals, but the fact is that the more you dive the best you get.
I am not arguing that courses are not important, indeed they are, but buoyancy is a skill that gets real better with time
Practice what? If the diver hasn't had solid instructions and knowledge transfer from a competent instructor or a mentor, what is he going to practice without knowing what he should be and shouldn't be doing?
You really can't practice what you don't know or understand.
If it were that simple, everyone would be a star in buoyancy. It is much more complicated than this. It starts with proper weighting based on various factors (tank size/buoyancy, thermal protection properties, etc.) and goes to proper breathing patterns and on and on. They need a competent instructor/mentor at the beginning to impart to them the proper and safe techniques and knowledge transfer and then they practice. Again, you really can't practice what you don't know or understand.
Do NOT follow the advice in this post. It is completely missing the correct weighting and trim that are essential.
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