PADI-SoCalDiver
Guest
- Messages
- 41
- Reaction score
- 0
Great Job WaterBaby,
I know What You Mean. About Taking A Little Longer I Had Trouble Clearing My Mask But I'm Better Now.
Lacking Confidence!!
- Thread starter WaterBaby
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Great Job WaterBaby,
I know What You Mean. About Taking A Little Longer I Had Trouble Clearing My Mask But I'm Better Now.
exoticorchid840
Guest
I'm learning Scuba also, and I'm the "slow one in the class". I've just mastered taking the regulator out of my mouth and putting it back in. I also schedule extrat time in the pool to practice. Next is the mask part. For some reason, I have to "psych" myself into doing things. If for some reason the class is going fast and they cover something I'm not ready for, I can't do it. Have to be prepared mentally to be able to work through it.
This is my 2nd attempt to learn to Scuba dive. My first attempt was almost 10 years ago and I remember having the same fears and anxieties. But you know what, I'm determined to overcome them. Think the pay off will be worth it.
Exoticorchid
This is my 2nd attempt to learn to Scuba dive. My first attempt was almost 10 years ago and I remember having the same fears and anxieties. But you know what, I'm determined to overcome them. Think the pay off will be worth it.
Exoticorchid
whitelief
Guest
When we did our "confined" water dives, we were in salt water in a boat launch area. The word was, "OK , fill your mask then blow out the air etc etc" I came up choking on a lungful (I'm sure it was less) of water, totally freaked out, but pressed on. By the end of that class, after a lot more panic work, I was down to 700 lbs on the tank, having started at 3100. The instructors were at 23-2400. Pretty funny.
Next time around, using only determination, I just got myself into a different frame of mind, and it was no problem from there forward. You will no doubt find the Zen groove for yourself, if it's something you really want to do.
I am a life-long awful swimmer, so panic in the water was my old style. Now I'm relaxed w/o air until I get it back, knowing I can cruise for the time it takes to find the regulator or get my buddy's attention for assistance. Ten independent dives later I'm loving it.
GOOD LUCK!
Next time around, using only determination, I just got myself into a different frame of mind, and it was no problem from there forward. You will no doubt find the Zen groove for yourself, if it's something you really want to do.
I am a life-long awful swimmer, so panic in the water was my old style. Now I'm relaxed w/o air until I get it back, knowing I can cruise for the time it takes to find the regulator or get my buddy's attention for assistance. Ten independent dives later I'm loving it.
GOOD LUCK!
FreeFloat
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,862
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
whitelief, I completely hear where you're coming from.
In the beginning of September I started my OW course. There were two pool sessions during which I couldn't actually make it to the bottom of the pool on account of a bad head cold. (Sinus squeeze sucks - never dive with a cold :sorry: )
Despite that, I might have been able to join the class for the Open Water Weekend if I hadn't blown the last pool session. Just knowing it was the last pool session, and was a review of all skills covered up to that point, I think my stress level was through the roof. I did worse than 'poorly'. When the instructor gently suggested I was "not ready" for Open Water yet, - he said my whole body language was saying 'Not Comfortable In The Water' - I was at first devastated :croctears: . But in thinking it over, by the next day I had decided I wasn't going to let it get me down.
I enlisted the help of a friend in improving my haphazard swimming skills (to improve my comfort level in the water overall) and started attending the pool sessions of the next OW class, at the instructor's invitattion.
It has been only 3 pool sessions since my missed OW checkout weekend and already the instructor is very impressed. He says he sees all the confidence and comfort in the water that he had hoped I'd start to exhibit!
I think for me, what did it was taking the pressure off - no more of that "oh boy, I'd better master this skill quickly, we're running out of class time and we have so much still to cover, I don't want to hold the class back" - and just the familiarity with the equipment that can only come with time using it. It's more a case of "I'm here because I want to be, and it's on my own terms".
FYI I've been snorkelling and freediving for a while, which masks my non-conventional swimming skills and the fact that I have slightly negative personal buoyancy when i'm not wearing fins, neoprene or some other buoyancy aid. The first night of OW class, we did a 'swim test' and I think my dismal results of that probably colored my confidence levels throughout the entire course. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!
In the beginning of September I started my OW course. There were two pool sessions during which I couldn't actually make it to the bottom of the pool on account of a bad head cold. (Sinus squeeze sucks - never dive with a cold :sorry: )
Despite that, I might have been able to join the class for the Open Water Weekend if I hadn't blown the last pool session. Just knowing it was the last pool session, and was a review of all skills covered up to that point, I think my stress level was through the roof. I did worse than 'poorly'. When the instructor gently suggested I was "not ready" for Open Water yet, - he said my whole body language was saying 'Not Comfortable In The Water' - I was at first devastated :croctears: . But in thinking it over, by the next day I had decided I wasn't going to let it get me down.
I enlisted the help of a friend in improving my haphazard swimming skills (to improve my comfort level in the water overall) and started attending the pool sessions of the next OW class, at the instructor's invitattion.
It has been only 3 pool sessions since my missed OW checkout weekend and already the instructor is very impressed. He says he sees all the confidence and comfort in the water that he had hoped I'd start to exhibit!
I think for me, what did it was taking the pressure off - no more of that "oh boy, I'd better master this skill quickly, we're running out of class time and we have so much still to cover, I don't want to hold the class back" - and just the familiarity with the equipment that can only come with time using it. It's more a case of "I'm here because I want to be, and it's on my own terms".
FYI I've been snorkelling and freediving for a while, which masks my non-conventional swimming skills and the fact that I have slightly negative personal buoyancy when i'm not wearing fins, neoprene or some other buoyancy aid. The first night of OW class, we did a 'swim test' and I think my dismal results of that probably colored my confidence levels throughout the entire course. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Karl_in_Calif
Banned
Practice more in the pool, and then you should be just fine.
Everyone learns at a different pace.
My fiancee had trouble just trusting the equipment. But she finally got used to it, and love it all now.
Everyone learns at a different pace.
My fiancee had trouble just trusting the equipment. But she finally got used to it, and love it all now.
PADI-SoCalDiver
Guest
- Messages
- 41
- Reaction score
- 0
I Know What You Mean. I Still Have To Finsh My OW. All I Have To Do Is The Mask Clearing Part. But We'll Get IT
.
bebo
Contributor
- Messages
- 213
- Reaction score
- 0
Everyone has a different learning curve.....and that does not matter at all!!!!. The important thing is to make sure you practice all the moves and techniques you are taught until they become second nature. No buts and/or ifs. You have to make sure you know top to bottom, inside out EVERYTHING. Don't measure yourself against anybody. Practice, practice, practice. Practice in your head, at the pool, at the beach, everytime you can.
About feeling confident: it has taken people from 1 to 35-50 dives. Who knows if not more. Again, that's not relevant. The only important matters are to know your limitations, to practice every time you can and to follw the safety guidelines and common sense.
Don't doubt yourself, YOU WILL DO IT. But in order to achieve this faster and safer there's only one way: yeap, PRACTICE.
About feeling confident: it has taken people from 1 to 35-50 dives. Who knows if not more. Again, that's not relevant. The only important matters are to know your limitations, to practice every time you can and to follw the safety guidelines and common sense.
Don't doubt yourself, YOU WILL DO IT. But in order to achieve this faster and safer there's only one way: yeap, PRACTICE.
PADI-SoCalDiver
Guest
- Messages
- 41
- Reaction score
- 0
bebo once bubbled...
Everyone has a different learning curve.....and that does not matter at all!!!!. The important thing is to make sure you practice all the moves and techniques you are taught until they become second nature. No buts and/or ifs. You have to make sure you know top to bottom, inside out EVERYTHING. Don't measure yourself against anybody. Practice, practice, practice. Practice in your head, at the pool, at the beach, everytime you can.
About feeling confident: it has taken people from 1 to 35-50 dives. Who knows if not more. Again, that's not relevant. The only important matters are to know your limitations, to practice every time you can and to follw the safety guidelines and common sense.
Don't doubt yourself, YOU WILL DO IT. But in order to achieve this faster and safer there's only one way: yeap, PRACTICE.
Hey BeBo That's Great Advice I'm Going To Do Great At My Next Class Thanx Alot BeBo.
Do not ever worry about being "The slow one" in the class, scuba diving is not a race, it's not competitive, and people take different lengths of time to get comfortable.
I had such a horrible time in my open water dives that I wanted to move to the sahara so as to not ever see water again. But I am convinced if you stay with it you will love it, for a while you will be totally uncomfortable down there, lugging 50 lbs of crud, nearly drowning, and looking over at your natural diver buddy who has already mastered all the skills and is floating around like a sea otter and wanting to strangle him, but then, on some dive all of a sudden your gear will all fit right and work perfectly, you won't feel rushed, and you will go down there and it will be the most wonderful experience of your life, you will be totally at home in the water. Took me about 25 dives (and for reference, I live on a boat and had been diving before the course), it was the night dive of my open water course and now they will have to pry my wetsuit from my cold dead corpse. Hang in and don't let anyone rush you.
I had such a horrible time in my open water dives that I wanted to move to the sahara so as to not ever see water again. But I am convinced if you stay with it you will love it, for a while you will be totally uncomfortable down there, lugging 50 lbs of crud, nearly drowning, and looking over at your natural diver buddy who has already mastered all the skills and is floating around like a sea otter and wanting to strangle him, but then, on some dive all of a sudden your gear will all fit right and work perfectly, you won't feel rushed, and you will go down there and it will be the most wonderful experience of your life, you will be totally at home in the water. Took me about 25 dives (and for reference, I live on a boat and had been diving before the course), it was the night dive of my open water course and now they will have to pry my wetsuit from my cold dead corpse. Hang in and don't let anyone rush you.
inter_alia
Guest
I guess mask clearing is one of the hardest things for all OW students to do. When I had to do this in the pool the first few sessions, it really got on my nerves and I wasn't good at it, nearly to panic-stage. I could sit there for a long time without a reg in my mouth and be fine, though.
So I found a solution: instead of that "fill your mask halfway, then clear" or "fill your mask all the way, then clear," I found it easier to just remove the mask completely. My instructors allowed me to do this, apparently it's more "difficult" but I found it easier than purposefully, clumsily putting a little water in my mask...
I don't know if this has any bearing on the pool anxiety which started this thread, but it just helped me a great deal.
Otherwise, just like everyone else has said: stick with it, it all gets calmer and more manageable.
So I found a solution: instead of that "fill your mask halfway, then clear" or "fill your mask all the way, then clear," I found it easier to just remove the mask completely. My instructors allowed me to do this, apparently it's more "difficult" but I found it easier than purposefully, clumsily putting a little water in my mask...
I don't know if this has any bearing on the pool anxiety which started this thread, but it just helped me a great deal.
Otherwise, just like everyone else has said: stick with it, it all gets calmer and more manageable.
Similar threads
