Diving? We are for yes! Entering a new, unfamiliar world is a lot of fun. To be in such a different environment from the one we know every day is to overcome one’s inner barriers and fears, but also to discover colors, shapes, forms of life invisible from the ground. However, many people question whether one needs to swim perfectly to dive, or whether a person who doesn’t swim at all can even dream of diving into a pool, sea or ocean. We will try to comprehensively answer these concerns.
First steps of a future diver
No one is allowed to just walk into the water and plunge to a significant depth. No sane person, moreover, will do so. On a vacation without a scuba diving instructor, we may be limited to swimming with mask and snorkel or diving 1-2 meters to observe fish or vegetation from above. However, those who actually want to possess the ability to go off the deep end must take a course under the guidance of an instructor. This can be done on the Deepspot deep diving conditions simulator, where the bottom reaches over 45 meters. However, each training course is conducted by a professional, preceded by theoretical classes and held in duo with an instructor who also goes underwater.
Who can try scuba diving?
A prospective diver must be at least 8 years old if diving with equipment, and 10 if taking freediving classes; the upper age limit is not specified. He doesn’t have to be an athlete, but basic fitness and good health are important here. Only serious ailments rule out diving, and these include mental illness, epilepsy or hypertension. It’s also worth remembering that any person practicing sports must get approval from his or her doctor. The same is true of diving.
Nor should a diver be afraid of the water. People who can’t bear to enter larger bodies of water, feel bad when water floods their face, panic in confined spaces, may not only feel uncomfortable, but may pose a danger to other diving participants if they start behaving irrationally. That’s why it’s fun for people who are at least comfortable in the water and have no problem getting into it. If swimming makes you feel calm, composed, and you’ve already swum in a pool or open water, scuba diving may appeal to you! During instructor-led classes, going underwater is done in stages. Therefore, in any situation, you can choose not to go deeper or end the fun.
Swimming skills while learning to dive
Swimming is a method of moving across the surface of water. To swim, we use the power of our own muscles. Diving is done below the surface of the water and uses appropriate equipment. The ability to swim comes in very handy during scuba diving classes. A person who is able to stay afloat and swim the length of the pool feels much more comfortable in the class, is more confident and does not need to focus on basic swimming activities. Therefore, if you can swim, all the better for you and your instructor. However, if you can’t swim, note that Deepspot offers various scuba diving courses.
Scuba diving
In the case of scuba diving, the diver is equipped with all the equipment: jacket, oxygen cylinder, mask, fins. All of this helps you go underwater and stay underwater longer. It makes it possible to safely plunge to a considerable depth, and also puts weight on the diver’s body, making it easier to enter the depths. However, if you want to take more courses in scuba diving with equipment, dive to greater and greater depths, you should also think about taking a swimming course and begin to expand your ability to move through the water in different styles and over considerable distances.
Freediving
Freediving, on the other hand, is diving without equipment. During the course, the diver has a mask, snorkel and fins. On the Level 1 course, he dives to depths of up to 20 meters, and on Level 2 up to 30 meters. Better swimming skills are required for this training. Of course, no one expects Olympic results from an instructor-led course, but it is worthwhile for a diver to be able to swim 200 meters freestyle in a traditional pool. A person who wants to become a diver must pass a swimming exam. It usually involves swimming 200m without fins or 300m in fins. It is worth remembering that diving requires discipline, attention and good physical condition. Before entering the water for the first time, it’s a good idea to objectively assess your abilities, and then the fun of training in the Deepspot pool will be guaranteed.
