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Teaching Your Sweetie

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samdive

Mermaid, Musician and Marketer
Nov 12, 2002
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I just love Peter's article, having tried and failed miserably to teach a boyfriend to enjoy freediving.... despite my gentle advice (and yes I did give him Eric's how to equalise thing to read) he comes up every time eyes popping, nose bleeding, mask half full of water, looking terrified and disappointed with himself only to apologise to ME (?) for not making it past 5m.... I have given up..

Then I tried to teach him to be a good surface safety diver... this resulted first of all in him pulling me out of the water on statics far too early each time having had too bad eyesight to see my, admittedly subtle, hand signals. Then I gave up using him as surface cover on constant weight dives after I surfaced first into him, second under the boat and third into another girl (she had quite a pleasing figure and I think he was too busy looking at that to ask her to move for me)...

now I train with the Deepest Bear who was altogether easier to train..

anyone else got any "love and freediving really don't mix" stories..?

Sam x:duh :duh
 
After many years of teaching various different things (Scuba, IT, business, etc...) I have learnt one thing - don't under ANY circumstances teach who is either (a) related to you or (b) your love anything. It will only end in tears...weapons will be used against you.

Trust me - i've got scars to prove it :D
 
Yes... ouch ouch... and then it all falls apart.. I dive and keep my dear close to in my mind.. they won't complain..
I can imagine that it would be nice to dive with your girl/boyfriend... but life is too short to find both buddy and a lover I think.. (let me know if you find one though!! :))

Pekka
 
It must be humbling to have a girl friend trying to teach you a physical activity that she is much better at. From the little you said, I would guess that he hasn’t been in the water much. First good option would be to have him take a beginner freediver course. Second, scuba class if freediving course is not available. Then he can become your safety diver! But really, most good freedivers I know are also scuba certified. I believe it helps in becoming comfortable below surface. Even my 10-year old took scuba rangers when she was 8. Besides, in a scuba class of beginners, the little freediving skills he has already learned will put him toward the top of the class and help his confidence.

Sam, not that you are doing this, its just a point I wanted to make to others. I have a personal thing with people reading how to do ear equalization and then trying to do it in the water. You should master it on land first. Do it often and quickly. I have my family practice on car rides. And then some nights I have them hang their heads of the beds and try it upside down. If a person cannot do several ear equalizations, with their head hanging off a bed in the downward position, they are not going to be able to do it in the water. Why even have them try it in the water until they can demonstrate the ability on land.

Sam, your boyfriend is lucky to have you. I know there are a lot of guys who would want to trade places with him.
don
 
well Don.. I did think of all that and I taught him to scuba dive as well... did his PADI Open Water and AOW courses earlier this year...

without revealing too much.. that story was a little old anyway and I am currently contemplating trying to teach someone else to freedive...

I think the main problem with anyone getting taught by their "sweetie" is that fact that they are probably learning for all the wrong reasons in the first place... hell why do we have to have all the same interests as our partner... sometimes a little space to do what you love without the one you love is HEAVEN!! (maybe that's why my teaching was not good enough!)

incidentally I learnt most of what I know from someone I fancied the pants off (sorry thats a brit expression!). we were madly in love for about five minutes but that was long enough to pick up some very good freedive information.... he knows who he is and I am still grateful! so some people CAN learn from their lover...

Sam
 
hell why do we have to have all the same interests as our partner... sometimes a little space to do what you love without the one you love is HEAVEN!!

Sam,
Your absolutely right, except for me a day of hunting is about 14 hours long and since we both work, and have other responsibilities, that doesn’t leave much time for each other, if she doesn’t participate. Fortunately my wife is really cool and always wants to come, without too much complaining, if she isn’t working.

My dive partner is struggling right now with a spouse who doesn’t like freediving and doesn’t want him going. It’s a sad situation. There was supposed to be an understanding before they were married. Some people will agree to things when they are in love that they don’t have the self-confidence or maturity to handle.

I hope you’re new student works out well in freediving or what ever he likes to do.
don
 
Rule number one when teaching a scuba course is to sperate all of the couples so they don't kill each other. If you leave them together you often have one spouse overshadowing the other and they don't learn to do everything equally.

I have a taught a girlfriend, or two, to dive in the past. They think you can almost walk on water when they first meet you, but after they have dated you for a while they are sure that you can hardly tie you own shoes- I call this the Three Stooges Effect.

I have also turned them over to another instructor to do and advance class with so that they will listen.;)

I have tried to get my mother to dive over the last 20+ years, but she has a hard time taking any kind of direction from someone whose diapers she used to change.:D She might actually do well in the water, but was washed out of a scuba course in the 50's when "women didn't dive".:head Now she is scared to even go underwater.

Thankfully my wife was already certified when I met her. :cool:
It helps when your parent own a dive shop and can fit you into a class whenever you feel like it.

My main job right now is to try and indoctrinate, I mean teach, my daughter to freedive and not just scuba. Actually, she just woke up and it's off to the pool!:D :D

Jon
 
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I thought about calling this article "Seven Ways to Leave Your Lover: The Surefire Way."

In the end, I think Sam's right: if you find "true love" do you really want to risk it on a teaching him or her a sport that you'll probably enjoy most on your own with your hardcore diving buddies anyway?

Dive Safely, Love Freely
Love Safely, Dive Freely

A haiku for the occassion:

"Don't give up just yet.
Clear your ears for us ." She says,
"House, kids, car: all mine."


Pete
Vancouver, BC
 
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cute baby!

Jon,
I’m not one to get all goggle eyed over babies, but yours is the exception. That is one cute kid!
don
 
Thanks Don,:D

All I know is that she loves to go swimming with her dad- at least for now.:girlie

Do ya' think that's how Julie Riffe got her start?;)

Jon
 
kids threads

Jon and others, why don't we gather are children's photos and make a kids thread where we can post some funny photos, stories, and what makes them respond.

Iya, get some pictures of your 4-year old with your MT-0.
don
 
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