Perhaps it would be helpful to think of different decompression strategies as falling on something like a fuzzy archery target. Somewhere in the middle is a perfect bullseye--the ideal decompression profile. It is not a pinpoint, because it will vary a bit for each individual and for each dive, but there is a fuzzy bullseye that is such a good profile that you are pretty much guaranteed to come out OK. As you move away from the bullseye, your profile will fall into one of the following rings, starting next to the bullseye and moving outward:
- Pretty darn good--divers using this profile should be fine almost every time.
- Not as good--there is a higher likelihood that a dive will end in DCS, but by far most divers will be fine.
- There is a pretty good likelihood that a diver will be bent.
- You're screwed.