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I’ve been meaning for the longest time to carve out some time to provide some
helpful hints for students getting ready for a DIR-F class, consider this an ad
hoc Baker’s dozen. Winter is almost behind us and our summer schedule is filing
up and I’m noticing that since last summer, [i.e.; when we went to a formalized
pass/fail approach] I’m frequently getting asked the same questions. I therefore
thought it might be useful to offer some hints, tips and suggestions.
1) Do NOT spend a whole bunch of time stressing out, worrying and “practicing”
to pass this FUNDAMENTAL class. I’ve noticed over the years that many of our
students have developed, in one form or another, some bad habits. Our goal in
this class is to help you break the “bad habits” and build new and more
efficient diving protocols. By “practicing” for the DIR-F class the student more
clearly ingrains something they may later wish to change, hence the reason for
signing up for the class.
2) Come to class with an open mind, free of pre-conceived notions, and by all
means check your ego at the door. For better or worse the various scuba forums
have been a gateway to advancing the growth of DIR, however more often then not
the information posted to various scuba boards is ill-advised, inaccurate,
misleading or flat out wrong.
3) Come to class prepared. Read “Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better
Diving” by Jarrod Jablonski. Register on-line at www.gue.com before the
instructors arrive and print a copy of the completed registration form that will
need to be signed in the presence of the instructor. We are NOT allowed to let
anyone take this class that hasn’t completed this, and we can’t make any
exceptions. This is especially critical if your class is in a remote location
without Internet access, as you will not get a refund for the class.
4) In order to maximize your time with the instructors try to organize dive
locations that provide minimal drive time between classroom and dive site. Air
fill’s become a critical issue. The class provides for 2 dives on Saturday and 2
dives on Sunday, presuming a weekend format. If at all possible have 2 tanks
available and arrangements made for airfill's to be done overnight. We like to
begin early morning Sunday so take that into consideration.
5) Get in shape prior to class for the swim test. All students must complete a
300-yard swim, without resting, in less than 14 minutes along with a 50’ breath
hold swim.
6) Do NOT fixate on “passing” the class. I’ve noticed a disturbing trend since
last July when GUE moved from a workshop based format to a more formalized
structure. Students are now more worried about “passing” the class then they are
taking away as much information as possible from the content and value of the
class. Stay focused and remember what is important and why this class became so
popular in the first place, it wasn’t adding another c-card to your collection
it was the value of what is being taught.
7) Realize that the instructors invite questions and welcome students to compare
and contrast the DIR method to various other styles in diving. However, also
realize that the instructor isn’t there to fight with you. We respect everyone’s
right to dive in any fashion they see fit, but our feeling is that if you are in
the class that it’s self-evident that you’ve come to learn about the DIR
ideology. Accordingly, we presume that you are interested in what we have to
offer, not a debate about alternative styles of diving.
8) Bring ample supplies to take copious notes. Many of our former students have
eluded to the fact that there is so much information being provided in such a
short amount of time that it is difficult to absorb it all, so take plenty of
notes and recognize that you are free to contact your instructor post class to
follow up. In fact, I welcome it when my former students ask follow up
questions.
9) Saturday morning session, again presuming a weekend format, is by-in-large
centered around gear configuration and practicing various skills on the land.
This results in crawling around on the ground, being in and out of your thermal
protection for extended periods of time so depending upon the climate it’s
suggested to dress accordingly and bring some type of protective tarp. We also
suggest bringing ample hydration sources, snacks and lunch if possible. You want
to maximize the amount of time you have with the instructors and depending upon
the location you don’t want to waste precious time commuting for drinks, lunch
and/or air fills.
10) If you are purchasing gear prior to class please spend the time to discuss
your purchases with your instructor. There is no sense spending money on
ill-advised gear purchases, when in doubt drop your instructor an e-mail and
they’ll be happy to provide guidance.
11) Show up for class well rested, free of work or other outside pressures. The
class is a very intense 2 ½ days with plenty of long hours. We have found that
students that are well rested handle the longer hours better than those that
hope to play “catch-up” over the weekend. Generally speaking the class begins
Friday evening around 7:00pm and ends around 11:00pm. Saturday is usually 8:00am
until 11:00pm and Sunday is 8:00am until around 4:00pm. These times are
approximate, but nonetheless fairly representative of a weekend format.
12) If something isn’t clear to you ask. Nothing frustrates us more then a
student that pretends to understand something. We teach in a very Socratic style
and utilize the demonstrate-illustrate approach. The instructor will first
demonstrate it, and then allow the student to do it while we videotape the
skill. We later spend a lot of time rewinding, explaining and critiquing the
student. While at first many students are fearful or reluctant to see themselves
on camera. Ultimately, the feedback we receive from our students has
consistently indicated that this is one of the more valuable elements of the
class.
13) Lastly, remember diving is all about having FUN; this class is designed to
help our students maximize their fun quotient.
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