Learning

{EAV:0a191976a23a9365}             Recently I have decided to switch from the SSI dive agency to the SDI agency. There are several different reasons for this change.  First and foremost, I believe that SDI has the best teaching practices of any Recreational Dive agency.  Founded by TDI, SDI is grounded in sound diving technique that is geared towards advanced divers.  Many of the techniques used in recreational diving taught by PADI, NAUI, SSI, and the other agency's are adequate, for normal recreational diving. However, take those skills into the realms of technical or cave diving and you just might not make it.  Of course no diver should ever attempt technical, decompression, or cave diving without the correct training. The point is, if you plan on progressing into these more advanced certifications it helps to already have a foundation.  With the other agency's you will have to relearn a lot of your already memorized techniques. With SDI you already have the correct techniques to advance into more advanced diving, and these techniques are much better for recreational diving in the first place.  Frog Kicking is just one example of the techniques that will greatly improve your diving experience.
          Frog Kicking is great because it used less energy, stirs up less silt or dirt, and keeps you stable.  When you flutter kick you are kicking strenuously with both feet using a lot of energy. With split fins you may be able to reduce some of the effort, but not as much as the frog kick.  The frog kick is an efficient and easy kick, the Flutter kicking stirs up silt, breaks corals, knocks the mask off of your dive buddy, gets you tangled, etc. Frog kicking keeps your feet above your body allowing better control. You don't stir up silt, the kicks are efficient and give you better variety of what you can do.  Frog kicking is most efficiently done with blades, most common are Turtles, OMS streamlines, or Jet Fins, I prefer Turtles.  Other blades work as well. Using the frog kick, you can do things you wouldn't be able to do using flutter kick or split fins.  Helicopter turn is one of the most useful, being able to turn around in a stationary spot instead of having to swim in a circle. Also backwards kick is possible, making it easy to back out of a corner, get a better position for a photo or video.  I have tried these kicks, and frog kick with split fins, it works, but is very slow and not as efficient as with blades. Frog kicking is just one example of the benefits of the more advanced training you get with SDI over some of the other agency's. We were teaching an open water class in the pool last wednesday,. Another instructor from another agency saw us and our students performing skills and practicing buoyancy. When we surfaced he asked if we were teaching a Technical or Cave diving class! That is a compliment to our students!
        SCUBA is all about learning and progressing. Since switching to SDI I continue to learn new things. Some agency's say it is foolish to teach more advanced techniques. I say that if it increases a new divers abilities, confidence, and safety, that is is wise.