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freediving course
- Thread startershrek
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Apparently they have rolled out in Australia already. Started by a guy called Mike Wells and they are rolling out loads of instructors.
Not sure if it's compatible with AIDA or not.
I've not heard of them, though I know of Mike.
NZ has courses from Oceanhunter, plus Dave Mullins & Kathryn McPhee both run their own courses. I'd look at those.
NZ has courses from Oceanhunter, plus Dave Mullins & Kathryn McPhee both run their own courses. I'd look at those.
I would be interested in hearing more about them. Apparently scuba instructors have been converted into freediving instructors quite quickly. I don't know what the performance requirements are but apparently they are doing quite well with it.
Once they roll out to the rest of the world AIDA will have some competition I guess.
Shrek;
I was reading through your first post... how did you come to hear about the courses, and how are they promoting them in NZ? I think its irrelevant if they are recognised by AIDA or not. As long as they are safe and informative and promote good freediving practices i don't think they need to be "AIDA compatible".
Competition is healthy
I was reading through your first post... how did you come to hear about the courses, and how are they promoting them in NZ? I think its irrelevant if they are recognised by AIDA or not. As long as they are safe and informative and promote good freediving practices i don't think they need to be "AIDA compatible".
Competition is healthy
the course was advertised in dive new zealand issue 117
as far as aida recogntion i was hoping any students with training certificates to a set level will be able to use them at aida run events as proof of prerequsits.
i don't know the answer to this and was the reason for asking in the first place
it will only be of importance to those wishing to enter aida run competitinons
as far as course content i can see it being a bit like the difference between padi and ssi but who knows ?
as far as aida recogntion i was hoping any students with training certificates to a set level will be able to use them at aida run events as proof of prerequsits.
i don't know the answer to this and was the reason for asking in the first place
it will only be of importance to those wishing to enter aida run competitinons
as far as course content i can see it being a bit like the difference between padi and ssi but who knows ?
Hi guys,
I followed the SSI Freediving certification path (levels 1, 2 and 3) and became instructor a couple of months back (I can teach levels 1 and 2). SSI level 1 teaches students to dive between 10 and 20m, level 2 is 20 to 30m, level 3 is 30 to 40m. All levels focus on technique, safety, equipment, etc.
The course content is very similar to AIDA, although there is no official bridge between the 2 organisations. I also did AIDA **, *** and *** but found SSI to be more organised (for example they have an online system where you can find student info if one wants to join a trip but forgot his certification card). One big advantage of the SSI program is that it is government approved and you can leverage the SSI dealer network, and teach through a SSI approved dive shop worldwide while being covered by their insurance.
You can become a freediving instructor by following the Freediving path like I did, or if you are already a SSI scuba diving instructor you can join a one week course to become a freediving instructor - the requirements you need to pass are not mean feat though!
When I did the level 1, I was starting from scratch. After my level 2 I went past 30m, and in my level 3 I learnt all techniques to dive past the lungs residual volume. I now dive past 70m depth and 200m dynamic in the pool.
Cheers,
Tanguy
I followed the SSI Freediving certification path (levels 1, 2 and 3) and became instructor a couple of months back (I can teach levels 1 and 2). SSI level 1 teaches students to dive between 10 and 20m, level 2 is 20 to 30m, level 3 is 30 to 40m. All levels focus on technique, safety, equipment, etc.
The course content is very similar to AIDA, although there is no official bridge between the 2 organisations. I also did AIDA **, *** and *** but found SSI to be more organised (for example they have an online system where you can find student info if one wants to join a trip but forgot his certification card). One big advantage of the SSI program is that it is government approved and you can leverage the SSI dealer network, and teach through a SSI approved dive shop worldwide while being covered by their insurance.
You can become a freediving instructor by following the Freediving path like I did, or if you are already a SSI scuba diving instructor you can join a one week course to become a freediving instructor - the requirements you need to pass are not mean feat though!
When I did the level 1, I was starting from scratch. After my level 2 I went past 30m, and in my level 3 I learnt all techniques to dive past the lungs residual volume. I now dive past 70m depth and 200m dynamic in the pool.
Cheers,
Tanguy
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It's worldwide. For example Nemo 33 (the tank in Brussels) is now an SSI dive centre. You should contact SSI directly to get the dates, but I know they're planning to run instructor courses in Europe in a few months.
I can't speak for Mike, but thought I'd comment on the safety aspects. In my opinion:
- Scuba instructors are... instructors. So basically they know how to lead a dive, teach academics, manage emergency plans. They've been out in the ocean hundreds of times with students.
- As they teach through a SSI facility every course, training and trip is covered by insurance.
- The instructor course covers theory and drilling for SWB and LMC, and all other major safety concerns specific to freediving
- Scuba divers becoming freediving instructors can only teach level 1 at first (similar to AIDA**, 10-20m depth), and need to do an update to teach level 2 (similar to AIDA***, 20-30), and another one for level 3 (similar to AIDA ****, 30-40)
So I really don't think safety would ever be compromised. You may have a question regarding performance though, as they are scuba instructors. That's what I thought at first, but then:
- You get the scuba instructors who are also keen spearsfishermen. Until now there was almost no way of making a decent living teaching freediving/spearfishing courses, so they're teaching scuba to live of their passion (being in the ocean), and this course gives the opportunity to teach freediving as well.
- The requirements they need to pass to have the certification are really not easy, and they get seriously tested as they need to be able to teach proper technique and skills. The ones who don't pass simply don't get the instructor certification.
- Most instructors who passed the course are now training weekly in the pool and the ocean (we all receive updates on everyone's new PBs). Give it another year, and you'll see the level of freediving rising overall and including more people.
Of course you get paid to teach a course! That's also the exciting part about this program: this gives the opportunity to those passionate about freediving to make a living out of it. I don't see why this would be a bad thing.
Overall, I think if we have many competent instructors in the country, more students can receive proper training and learn proper skills to dive safely with their buddies - so for example SWB, LMC and the dangers of hyperventilation are not obscure science to anyone anymore. And students can come through level 1, 2 and 3, do their instructor course, and travel the world while making a living with freediving!
Cheers,
Tanguy
it's good to see this is obviously a world wide thing and i agree that it will raise the level of free diving as a whole
iv'e recived info on the testing required and it looks very good, to pass you will have to definatly be a free diver and as pointed out many divers also free dive
so i'm looking foward to the course
i wonder how long before padi cotton on and offer a course too?
iv'e recived info on the testing required and it looks very good, to pass you will have to definatly be a free diver and as pointed out many divers also free dive
so i'm looking foward to the course
i wonder how long before padi cotton on and offer a course too?
agreed! time will tell.
competant instructors is the key and its not something that can be learned in a 1 week course. there is far more to freediving than just going through the steps with a student. nothing like scuba at all. freediving is a much more individual thing to teach.
having large quantities of instructors with minimal training is not the key, it was just a case of this agency not being willing to take the correct path and teach people from stage 1 right the way through (TC your an acception).
its the same as having a freediving instructor do their Openwater scuba course and then be able to teach openwater students! which would never be accepted by any agency world wide.... thankfully.
whats the easiest way to grow a training agency, not the right way because that takes years before you can have just a couple of effective instructors its much easier to find a group of scuba divers and swing them through a 1week course and turn them into freediving instructors, all of a sudden you have "instructors" everywhere promoting your brand. its great marketing and brand awareness but as to whether its a quality product thats another thing all together.
just my 2c
DD
competant instructors is the key and its not something that can be learned in a 1 week course. there is far more to freediving than just going through the steps with a student. nothing like scuba at all. freediving is a much more individual thing to teach.
having large quantities of instructors with minimal training is not the key, it was just a case of this agency not being willing to take the correct path and teach people from stage 1 right the way through (TC your an acception).
its the same as having a freediving instructor do their Openwater scuba course and then be able to teach openwater students! which would never be accepted by any agency world wide.... thankfully.
whats the easiest way to grow a training agency, not the right way because that takes years before you can have just a couple of effective instructors its much easier to find a group of scuba divers and swing them through a 1week course and turn them into freediving instructors, all of a sudden you have "instructors" everywhere promoting your brand. its great marketing and brand awareness but as to whether its a quality product thats another thing all together.
just my 2c
DD
hi,
i have been assisting during one of these 5 days courses, and out of 3 SSI scuba instructors, nobody passed the IC.
which means that the system work.
the other 3 guys who were participating in the course were not scuba instructors, and they were participating to an instructor development course, during which they slowly progress during the 3 levels before becoming insturctors.
i've been AIDA instructor trainer for few years now, and i've certified quite a number of aida instructors. i also failed quite a lot of them.
even though the prerequisites in terms of depth to become an instructor are higher in aida (40 m), all the other standards applied by SSI are not any lower than the ones we use in AIDA. on top of that you have to consider than majority of the SSI instructors are only qualified to teach the first level, which has a depth requirement of 10m and a maximim depth limit of 20m.
i am now SSI instructor trainer too, so soon courses will be available also in egypt and europe.
cheers,
linda
i have been assisting during one of these 5 days courses, and out of 3 SSI scuba instructors, nobody passed the IC.
which means that the system work.
the other 3 guys who were participating in the course were not scuba instructors, and they were participating to an instructor development course, during which they slowly progress during the 3 levels before becoming insturctors.
i've been AIDA instructor trainer for few years now, and i've certified quite a number of aida instructors. i also failed quite a lot of them.
even though the prerequisites in terms of depth to become an instructor are higher in aida (40 m), all the other standards applied by SSI are not any lower than the ones we use in AIDA. on top of that you have to consider than majority of the SSI instructors are only qualified to teach the first level, which has a depth requirement of 10m and a maximim depth limit of 20m.
i am now SSI instructor trainer too, so soon courses will be available also in egypt and europe.
cheers,
linda