[Article] FIT for Freediving

[ArticleBot]

Peripatetic Student, Safety Diver to the Champions and Deeper Blue contributor Todd Storey knows that education is a lifelong process.

This is an article discussion thread for discussing the following DeeperBlue.net Article item:

Click here for original DeeperBlue.net Article...

 

[maytag]

Nice one, Todd! Fun to read about Martin Stepanek's new venture. Did not know you were a safety for Mandy-Rae! How cool is that. Congratulations!

 

[jimqpublic]

Paul's suit had SO many repaired tears in it that it looked like Frankenwetsuit. Paul seems to have the remarkable ability to tear his wetsuit just by looking at it.

So funny. Last year at Catalina I saw Paul put an 8" tear in a (borrowed) suit.

 

[shoutatthesky]

Martin is really a CINDER BLOCK in a wetsuit: all muscle and dense bone, the man is HEAVY.

Paul doesn't look like much of a lightweight either! Mr. Staunch:t

Sounds like a fun group to work with. Good report Todd (and love the hair).

 

[Martin...]

Anyone else taken the class or knows Martin Stepanek's. I’m a local (Miami) and thinking of taking the class just wanted to know if he’s a cool person and get other opinions on the class.

Thanks.

 

[jimqpublic]

Martin is a very cool person. Paul is a laugh riot. I don't know if they keep office hours but you could probably set up an appointment to meet one or both.

 

[shoutatthesky]

Well I know Martin has been training with Niki Roderick from New Zealand so he must have some GOOD skills.

 

[Martin...]

Yeah for sure skills he has, and he was a teacher at performances freediving or something like that can’t remember the name now. In south Florida there’s a lot of place one could go to learn. But from all the love Martin’s getting on DB, I’m thinking that FIT would be my best bet. Also hearing from people that know them personally is always good.

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[DiverTodd]

Hi everyone, and thanks for your compliments on my article! I had a GREAT time during the course, it made me so happy to see Martin and Paul again. Martin is a fantastic teacher, AND a great guy to boot, and Paul is a comedic genius (and not such a bad teacher himself!). I just about fell off my chair when I read Jim's post about Paul putting an 8" tear in a BORROWED suit! He must be stopped!rofl Mandy's 88m world record dive was also quite a spectacle to bear witness to, especially in the priviledged front-row seat of a safety diver! I didn't get to join in the celebration after her surface protocol, though; as timer, my eyes were glued to the stopwatch, getting ready to make sure Carolina Schrappe was in position for HER dive...

Todd

 

[trux]

... my eyes were glued to the stopwatch, getting ready to make sure Carolina Schrappe was in position for HER dive...

You mean The Stopwatch you dropped deep in the abyss?
I really liked the part of the article coping with this issue and had to laugh out loudly. Now we know not only never to borrow wetsuits to Paul, but also never handing anything over to Todd (especially not watches, computers, cameras and other expensive equipment).

 

[DiverTodd]

Yes, luckily I didn't drop the stopwatch until AFTER all the dives were done! lol Hence, my nickname "Fumbles".

Todd

 

[shoutatthesky]

DiverTodd + stopwatch = duct tape

Paul + wetsuit = possibility of severe damage to wetsuit rofl rofl

 

[surfunc]

Anyone else taken the class or knows Martin Stepanek's. I’m a local (Miami) and thinking of taking the class just wanted to know if he’s a cool person and get other opinions on the class.

Thanks.

There's a great review on spearboard from two guys that just finished the class this past weekend:

[ame=http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?p=543335]Spearboard Spearfishing Community - DIVE FIT Level 2 review[/ame]

 

[Gambit7]

There's a great review on spearboard from two guys that just finished the class this past weekend:

Spearboard Spearfishing Community - DIVE FIT Level 2 review

Jeez! you guys are FAST! I just got done writing that review rofl

Anyways, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out this course is smart to take. All you really need to see is who teaches it. I know I've been more of a "lurker" on DB but being taught by the man behind all the wonderful articles I've read from here was a treat (i.e. Paul). And if you dont know who Martin Stepanek is, you should be shot... j/k Really, Martin is taking great strides in improving and expanding the "Freediving Lifestyle" for us all and FIT is a giant leap towards that. Besides that, his teaching style is top-notch... I could find no flaws.

Remember old threads like this?
http://forums.deeperblue.net/freedi...ues/48972-padi-type-freediving-education.html

And here's one from me a while back:
http://forums.deeperblue.net/freediving-training-techniques/66175-courses-sofla.html

I'm sure there's a million more from DB members voicing similar issues. Martin and Paul have the pulse of Freediving down pat and I'd be willing to bet they've been listening to the masses (it almost feels like they were reading my mind). I really didnt feel like I was just taking the class and then washing my hands of things, or just being chewed up and spit out... I was encouraged, welcomed, and really wanted to carry-on even afterwards (which I plan to do). It really felt like Martin just wanted to "spread the love" in the best way he knew how. And I think it works.

Eventually, through efforts like this... we'll realize the dream of many diveshops carrying Freediving courses such as this. If I recall, they're training a lot of the ProDive instructors in advanced freedive techniques (one was on our dives). So they can then carry more courses and so on. So there's nothing "stingy" about FIT at all - it's really designed to grow with you and help freediving grow in general.

For those that know ProDive in Lauderdale, they're probably the most well established dive school in Florida. Nowadays they basically train instructors only. Oddly enough, I got my rec. diving license from ProDive when I was 13. So I came full circle I guess.

Even more odd (I didnt remind Martin or Paul about this), I emailed Martin in May of '06 (he was in Egypt at the time) inquiring about courses and "whining" about how tough it was to find instruction. PFI was always full and courses were too few and far between, not to mention expensive. And here EXACTLY a year later from when I sent that email he forms his own company and solves my problem... so obviously I jumped all over it.

For now, I'm going to work more on my technique and when I'm ready move to Fit lvl III. By that time, I'm hoping we'll have enough people locally to do a course in SoFla... as of now there's only one in Kona I believe.

Safe diving!
Shawn :friday

 

[Martin...]

Yeah they seem very cool, I just wanted to see what others think. I have been e-mailing FIT for the past few weeks, and there responds are fast and complete. For a starting company to have so many pro’s and attentive people. Is great and lucky us that it’s in are backyard . .

 

[Gambit7]

Yeah they seem very cool, I just wanted to see what others think. I have been e-mailing FIT for the past few weeks, and there responds are fast and complete. For a starting company to have so many pro’s and attentive people. Is great and lucky us that it’s in are backyard . .

I had the same service.. it's not a fluke. And you can also easily reach them by phone. It's a very hospitable course.

 

[WBK]

I just finished FIT's L2 class, along with Gambit.

GREAT experience. Easily justifies the associated time and expense. Working on my breathing and diving techniques now to get ready for the L3 class in a few months.

Martin and Paul are both exceptional instructors. They are patient and thorough with every step of the class.

I couldn't recommend the class more strongly.

Just take it. You won't regret it.

 

[Parapsycho]

I hope FIT offers classes in California in the future.

In the mean time, would it be wise to take a PFI course, or wait and/or save up for the FIT courses?

 

[WBK]

I hope FIT offers classes in California in the future.

In the mean time, would it be wise to take a PFI course, or wait and/or save up for the FIT courses?

I believe their curriculum is similar, so either would be beneficial. Martin used to work at PFI, so I imagine there is a lot of parallelization.

However, never having taken a class at PFI I can only speculate.

The reason I took FIT's class was simply a matter of scheduling. The classes they offered fit my time schedule. Now that I took the class, I like the way they do things, so I'll be doing my next level class with FIT, as well.