Are You Improving?

[Uncle Pug]

1. Is this even an issue to you?

2. In what areas have you improved your skill level in the last month (if that is too short a time frame make it year) ?

3. What training have you taken recently?

4. Do the certification cards you possess document skills attained or classes taken?

5. What basic diving skill areas would you like to see improvement in?

6. What new skills or diving levels would you like to learn in the future?

7. Do you feel that you have stagnated in your approach to diving?

That's enough for now....
Remember, Uncle Pug loves you....

 

[scuba-sass]

Well, since it's too cold in CT to dive, and I'm not yet Dry Suited - I joined the Y and am swimming 20 laps nearly every morning!

I've been talking with the LDS about additional classes - Equipment Maintenance, UW Photography, Nitrox, Navigation, Deep Diving.... the list goes on. We will probably start something in a few weeks.

In March - Lydia and I go to Tahiti for our 20th Anniversary. We've talked about the need to practice some of our basic skills while we're diving there.

Anything I'm missing?

Happy Diving!
Scuba-sass

 

[MnLakeDiver]

1) Newbie-so improvment is a very big issue

2) Compleated OW in Sept.

3) Lots of reading

4) I believe I have attained the skills to be OW certified. I believe my instructor was very carful

5) Air Consumption / buoyancy control

6) AOW 1 yr /Rescue diver 2yr

7) every thing I do in Diving now is a learning exp. I am either learning to do it right (not connected with DIR) or learning what happens when I do it wrong.

 

[martinjc]

1. Is this even an issue to you?
Absolutely - shouldn't we always try to improve in everything we do - in some small way - all the time?

2. In what areas have you improved your skill level in the last month (if that is too short a time frame make it year)?
Equip Configuration, bouyancy, air consumption, less 'sculling' under water (I have this bad habit of gliding along with my arms in front of me - Superman style <S>.

3. What training have you taken recently? Currently taking a PADI Medic First Aid course (first class last night, second tomorrow), this winter I also plan to take Equipment specialist. In the spring (when the water gets a little warmer in Ohio) I will be taking Advance OW.

4. Do the certification cards you possess document skills attained or classes taken? Yes - just an OW C Card so far

5. What basic diving skill areas would you like to see improvement in? Bouyancy control, Air consumption

6. What new skills or diving levels would you like to learn in the future? I plan to take Rescue Diver & Dive Master - and eventually trainer. I love teaching - always take those projects at work if possible - and as I love diving - seems like a good match. I have to get a LOT more dives in - and grow in diving experience and wisdome before I would consider myself ready to teach anyone else.

7. Do you feel that you have stagnated in your approach to diving? Nope - hope I never do!

 

[The Chairman]

to do my Instructor certification this February, I have been amazed at how much I need to improve. How I hold my hands, the way I fin, my endurance (or lack thereof) etc, etc are all areas of concern.

It is amazing to me the difference between the endurance needed to be a pro with PADI and to be a pro with NAUI. PADI divemaster was a cinch compared to what I am going through now. Maybe it's the two years since I had to do the timed portions for my DM, but it SURE is a lot harder on my body now. Of course, I did request that all of the Instructor trainers do a "Demonstration Quality" example of these skills so we can learn from them :tease:...

 

[Rick Murchison]

1. Is this even an issue to you?
The day it isn't is the day I know I'm dangerous and it's time to quit.

2. In what areas have you improved your skill level in the last month (if that is too short a time frame make it year) ? Equipment rigging, instructional technique, anti-silting technique, and of course, the unending refinements of buoyancy control. (Another 30 years and I'll have it!)

3. What training have you taken recently?
Annual updates on First Aid/CPR, standards.

4. Do the certification cards you possess document skills attained or classes taken? Pretty much.

5. What basic diving skill areas would you like to see improvement in? Can't think of anything that's perfect.

6. What new skills or diving levels would you like to learn in the future? Further, longer, deeper, more places, see more species, identify them all - capture and classify "da t'ing"

7. Do you feel that you have stagnated in your approach to diving? I hope not.

Rick

 

[Ontario Diver]

1. Is this even an issue to you?

You better believe it. The more I learn the safer diving becomes for me and my buddy. When I know everything about diving, it is time to stop....because I have become very dangerous.

2. In what areas have you improved your skill level in the last month (if that is too short a time frame make it year) ?

I'm another newbie, so I've gone from zero to 60 in the last year. Having said that, there are two areas that have really improved (but don't let better get in the way of better yet!). Those are Boyancy control and Gear management. As I get more experienced, I am finding more and more that my awareness of the environment , myself and my buddy keeps getting better

3. What training have you taken recently?

PADI Nitrox and PADI Wreck (in November 01)

4. Do the certification cards you possess document skills attained or classes taken?

Sometimes. I was pround of my OW because I had good instructors. AOW was too easy. My specs are Deep, Wreck, Nitrox, and Equipment. Some instructors went beyond the course to add more information. Some were just marking time.

5. What basic diving skill areas would you like to see improvement in?

Boyancy Control, then ummmm, boyancy control. After that, I'm going to work on boyancy control.

6. What new skills or diving levels would you like to learn in the future?

Rescue in the Spring, then IANTD Deep and Overhead Environment inthe summer

7. Do you feel that you have stagnated in your approach to diving?

Not yet, still way too much to learn.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug
1. Is this even an issue to you?

2. In what areas have you improved your skill level in the last month (if that is too short a time frame make it year) ?

3. What training have you taken recently?

4. Do the certification cards you possess document skills attained or classes taken?

5. What basic diving skill areas would you like to see improvement in?

6. What new skills or diving levels would you like to learn in the future?

7. Do you feel that you have stagnated in your approach to diving?

That's enough for now....
Remember, Uncle Pug loves you....

OK.

1. Yup.
2. I've made a special effort to learn more about the specifics of diving physiology these past few years. Does that count?
3. PADI Dive Master. Master of what, I don't know.
4. Nope. Mostly a bunch of bad habits that I've had to break.
5. Not sure.
6. Cave training to be applied to my own wreck skills. I really, really want the GUE Cave 1 class someday.
7. No way.

Never stop learning, but make sure you learn correctly or else you're not doing yourself a darn bit of good.



Mike

 

[socaldiver]

I too have to agree with the above posts.

Item 1 - Most definitely an issue
Item 2 - Not much improvement in the past month due to lack of diving
Item 3 - AOW finally finished a couple months ago
Item 4 - I believe so
Item 5 - Every aspect of my diving is always in need of improvement
Item 6 - Nitrox, rescue/first aid, cave and anything else that catches my fancy
Item 7 - Absolutely not. I approach diving today the same way I did going through training. To do otherwise would be to sign my own death wish

 

[Weezle]

1. It hasn't become an issue yet, as I still feel every dive is new and fresh (only about 100 dives down)
2. Haven't dove in the past month; boyancy, air comsumption, comfort.
3. Naui Nitrox, doing drysuit now.
4. Skillz, ma man, skillz
5. Not quite basic, but deep diving
6. After spending some time around high springs, I too would like to take gue cave 1, but I am not there yet. I'm not an explorer, I really enjoyed the beauty.
7. Newp!

Joe