Preparing For PADI DM Training; 2 Questions

[bejeweled]

I will be beginning my PADI Divemaster internship soon (on Utila!), and I have a couple of silly questions that I thought you fabulous people could help me out with! Please forgive my ignorance.

*Edit: figured this question out already*1. I was told that you need to pass a physical before beginning DM training. I would prefer to go to my family doctor rather than a doctor in Honduras, but I don't have a form or anything to give my doc. Would she likely have a generic form that would work, or is there a specific physical form that I need to have signed?

2. I've been going to the pool to prep for the stamina tests. I'm wondering if you get to rest inbetween the different swims and tows and whatnot, or if you have to do it all at once with no real breaks inbetween the activities? If you are allowed to rest inbetween avtivities, how long of a break do you get inbetween each one?This information would help me prepare.

I'm stoked!

 

[driftwood]

You should be able to go to either Padi or your local LDS and get the form. Same form used for your OWC. Relax you will be fine.

 

[bejeweled]

You should be able to go to either Padi or your local LDS and get the form. Same form used for your OWC. Relax you will be fine.

Oh, ok, thanks! I found the OWC medical form on the PADI website so I'll go ahead and print that.

 

[v4vikster]

Hey!

I did my dm training not so long ago, and with regards to the stamina tests, as far as i am aware, you do not have to do them all at once! Im not sure i would have managed them one after the other!! I did my 800m snorkle but didn't to the 400m swim until a week later. So dont stress too much! Not sure what the set up is where you are, but i don't think there is any padi standard which says you have to do them all on the same day, one after the other.
Good luck for the course, its hard work but a lot of fun, im sure you'll do great!

 

[fisherdvm]

You can have rest between your tests. Or you can chose to do it all at once. For the best score, you'll find it is better to wait a day between the tests. I've read that some instructors make you do it all at once. Fortunately, the ones around here don't. If you don't pass a test, you will have as many try as you like to pass that specific task till you complete.

You should practice the tired diver tow, until you find the style that matches you the best. The turns eats alot of time, so you should learn how to make the turns, especially if you are using a 20 m pool instead of a 50 m.

The fin swim is just with your legs and finning. They don't let you use your arms.

The swim, at least how I was tested, do allow a push turn. I've read some instructors don't allow a push turn, but they are likely the same one who want you to do all 4 test all at once.

 

[tstormdiver]

2. I've been going to the pool to prep for the stamina tests. I'm wondering if you get to rest inbetween the different swims and tows and whatnot, or if you have to do it all at once with no real breaks inbetween the activities? If you are allowed to rest inbetween avtivities, how long of a break do you get inbetween each one?This information would help me prepare.

I'm stoked!

Best of luck to you. I did not do PADI's Dive Master Training, but did SSI's Dive Con training instead. The stamina tests we had were very similar, if not the same (timed 400yd swim, timed 800yd with mask, fins & snorkel, timed 100yd tired diver tow & a 20 min. tread/ survival float with the last 2 min. hands out of the water). We did all this in 1 very long day. First we did the tread/ survival float, then we did the 400yd swim, then the tread/ survival float. After that we did a confined water presentation & then did the tired diver tow on our way back to shore. We then did an open water presentation & then our 800 yd snorkel test, followed by our classroom presentations. The thing that helped us with the swims, is we did these in the water at the quarry, using a 100yd rope to follow, so we didn't have to keep turning around as you would have to do in a pool. I'm sure that helped with our times tremendously. I did not do the greatest, but not the worst either & I passed the tests. We did this in a 16hr day at the regional quarry (about an hour away). That was the longest, most tiring day of my life, but afterwards I felt like I had actually accomplished something good:blinking: . It was over & I didn't have to worry about it any more. To the best of my knowledge though, when the stamina tests are conducted is left up to the instructor. You may want to contact them & see what they expect or can be arranged to work for you.

 

[mrlipis]

I am a DMC and just completed my 400 yd yesterday... I know, because I am feeling it today. I did the 800 a few weeks ago and still have the diver tow to complete. I doubt that an instructor would make you do it all in one day if you didn't want to.

I don't think you necessarily have to get a physical but your doc does need to sign off on your health. Fortunately for me I had just had a physical in March and my Doc had no problem signing the necessary paperwork. I am completing my internship this weekend and hopefully will have completed all necessary requirements.

This has been a tough course and will be a rewarding accomplishment. If I were you, I would focus on the bookwork as there is a lot to learn. It was the physics and physiology of the DM program that was most appealing to me. I was more interested in learning that stuff than anything else. Good Luck to you. What a great place to do your program. May whale sharks be plentiful.

Bruce

 

[bejeweled]

Thank you everyone for your responses! I am SO glad to hear that you usually don't have to do the stamina tests all at once! I should do fine on them, but I'm exhausted after the 400, so I wouldn't want to do the other tests right afterwards.

Looks like both of my questions were answered.

 

[mkutyna]

Find out from your instructor. When I did my DM class, I had to do all of the swimming skills with no more than 5 minutes of rest time between each swim.

 

[RJP]

Find out from your instructor. When I did my DM class, I had to do all of the swimming skills with no more than 5 minutes of rest time between each swim.

Now that's just an instructor being a b@ll-buster.