“Memoirs of an Insider”. An expose on the tricks of the
trade and little and not so little secrets in the free diving arena/spearfishing world.
Skeletons from “underwater closets” right up to the surface.
Stay tuned! ]]>
He was not allowed to use a sled or pull himself down on a rope, as in other freediving categories. Stepanek trains and teaches freediving with Pompano Beach-based South Florida Diving Headquarters.
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I also think some manufactures should come up with those cool looking self equalizing googles.
...and to think those ladies did this naked in that cold water!!!!
http://books.google.com/books?id=vE0rAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA61&dq=ama+divers#v=onepage&q=ama divers&f=false
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I’m amazed 
of how the process of teaching has been so economically and conveniently “split” into multiple “levels.”
Is like “pay-less’ and learn less or a “pay more to get it all deal” 
even though the main principles and basic concepts of the breathing techniques and physical skills must be completely taught in its entirety whether the student is willing or able to go to either 30 feet deep or his physical conditions and attributes will allow him to use the exact same techniques to dive to a 100 feet. 
I perfectly understand that there is an economical incentive 
($) to limit, minimize, scarcely distribute and dose up in ever “sound attracting” increments as a pay as you go fashion. Imagine if the driving schools would limit their teaching according to whether you choose to drive a small Chevy and the price and vital instructions will increment as you go (and pay) towards the Lexus! 
Don’t they all have to wrangle and get into the same heavy traffic, the very same exposure to incidents and accidents on the highway since the very first day that they hit the road?
My teaching philosophy’s is to teach from A to Z each and every topic completely and exhaustively, from the beginning. Then, each student will be able to reach his or her potential without any knowledge handicap, omitted information that might even prove dangerous in the process of the achievement of his or her diving goals. By the way, I do not classify achievements just by the depth reached, its a matter of style, self assurance, personal safety and most of all, their inner enjoyment and psychological pleasure.
I believe this should be the standard for everyone that’s wrongfully enticing and misleading his or her potential students into believing that by taking the “high diving flashy named levels” (read more expensive…) they will somehow be able to dive better or deeper. This reminds me of the P.A.D.I. mantra “Put Another Dollar In”... 
A professional Instructor should or ought to show first and foremost an ethical attitude and a wholesome character to be seriously taken as such. The inherent danger of “milking the students” can be of disastrous and fatal consequences…just for a few more bucks? 
And let’s not get into the “famous names stuff thing”. Do you really think that if you pay Dwayne Wade’s instructor’s fee you’re going to play like him? Improvement by osmosis? 
I guess if I only pay 200 bucks they might even explain to me what a snorkel is for…
__________________
Rick G. Hernandez
[I]“Today’s 60’s are yesterday’s 40’s…on steroids”
]]>Has anyone else experienced this? Ideas?
Also a buddy and I have been thinking about doing the FIT class, do they work on equalizing in that class?
]]>Dimitris taught Michael to be a selective hunter, one more concerned
about the quality of his catch than how much meat he can put on his
table. Here is Michael’s dedication message:
“The loss of Dimitris Vassilakis was a terrible tragedy on a personal
and many other levels. He was my best friend and helped me massively
improve with my free-diving and spear-fishing. He taught me many
other things too. Those who knew him know what an amazing person he
was. Through this donation I hope to help the sport any way I can and
commemorate Dimitris.”