Scuba Diving Courses: The Diver Progression Explained

The best piece of marketing for a Scuba Training agency is their course progression chart. Like an addictive video game, they want you to know which level you're on, and get you to level up.

We are breaking down each level of the scuba diving course progression, giving you an overview of what you should expect to learn at each stage of your diver training and when you should think about moving to the next level.

Open Water to Advanced Open Water to Rescue Diver to Master Scuba Diver, it doesn't matter which recreational scuba training agency you choose, all of the ladders (with the exception of CMAS) are pretty much the same.

Don't rush your scuba diving training! Enjoy the ride!

As always team, thanks for watching! This channel is nothing without ya!

Dive safe,

James

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***Disclaimer: Divers Ready! firmly believes you can not teach someone to dive through the internet. We strongly urge people to ensure they receive dive instruction through an internationally recognized training agency and to dive safely and within the limits of their certification level at all times. Our channel is aimed at already-certified divers looking to further their skills.***

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Dive Safe. Dive Often.

#scubadiving #diversready #improveinspireexplore

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Scuba Diving Courses: The Diver Progression Explained

Though we are based in Florida, Hawaii, California, and Michigan have 100 ft and 300 ft ocean and lake underwater coral reef, shipwreck, cave diving, freediving, scuba diving, and closed circuit rebreather trips. To learn full face mask, beginner scuba diver, advanced scuba diver, tech scuba diver, cave diver you can reach out to a professional scuba diver. Everyone should get scuba diving insurance with Divers Alert Network.

We support all types of diving that can be found at PADI, DALLMYD, Dive Talk where they talk about cave divers react, Waterline Academy and BlueWorld TV.

[SerenityJohnson]

What is your recommendation for a complete newbie that just finished the open water course with a reputable dive company... But strongly feels she was rushed through the course and basically given the certification because she paid for it and not necessarily earned it or passed required skills due to the lack of being taught said skills? When this concern was brought to the instructors attention he simply said, if you need more time to work on some of these skills then sign up for the boyuncy control class. I don't think it's right to have to pay additional money for skills that are required to learn and required to be able to execute to be certified. Especially considering this was not a group setting. It was private lessons. What is your thoughts and suggestions.
I appreciate all your videos!!! Keep em coming!!!
#askdiversready

[ABCDiver]

I like the way Edd Sorenson puts it (although he said it in the context of cave training): when you get your certification, that is your learner's permit, that is a license for you to start learning to dive properly.

[pabloaviles]

"The actual pyramid scheme starts when you become a dive master " - absolutely truthful

[billsunderwateradventures]

A lot of good observations here 🙂 I had probably 50 dives by the time I got my AOW and close to 200 when I did Rescue during a dive trip in 2007. That and 3 specialties I thought were plenty. After I came back from my trip a member of our dive club who was an IDC Staff Instructor started talking to me about Divemaster. I always said I wasn't interested and just wanted to dive... a year and a half later I finally agreed to do the course. I ended up doing Divemaster about 2 years after Rescue. I was probably close to 400 dives by then (it's been a while 😄)I enjoyed the course but it would be 8 years before I did anything with it. I just wanted to dive after all 🙂. Only much later did I discover that he needed to train a certain number of Divemasters in order for him to move up 😉

I finally became an instructor a couple years ago. It was interesting to me that I had more than double the number of dives of the other 3 candidates put together! I do enjoy teaching but I think I enjoy it mainly because I don't need the money. It was more to give me something to do and supplement my retirement income. I can take my time, keep my classes small, and focus on turning out good divers🙂

[luvread]

I took my rescue class at 60 or 70ish dives and rescue was a game changer for me. I have an awesome set of dive instructors and they really helped me see common issues with divers. I know the training worked this weekend when I was diving in a tourist location and was able to help 3 newer divers correct mistakes before or during dives. I always thought the diver progression was a bit insane because most classes dont require any number of logged dives before advancing. I am glad to see I am not the only one who thinks this way!

[ThreeOneThird]

My instructor once said: "There are plenty skiers with over 20 years of skiing experience who think they rock the mountains..but guess how many sucked the last 20 years at doing it and still do. You dont have to boast with skill when youre good at smth, try to help others get better and never fall to the conception you mastered anything...the next obstacle is just around the corner! Never judge the skill level on how many cards or logged dives somebody collected or fall in blind cofidence over something like that." -that stuck with me ever since

[SkyeElizabethArtist]

Thank you James! I completed my OWC a month ago.... and I was almost sold on the push to do my Advanced the week after... one of my co-OWC-learners jumped straight to it.... I was a little sad that I didn’t have the money to jump straight there, but I came home and spoke to some friends:...
I wanted to race out and do advanced and race out and buy an underwater camera.... but one of my friends mother, a dive instructor said to me.... “don’t go and buy anything yet.... just go and dive, work on your buoyancy and just enjoy diving... don’t get pushed to moving forward yet.”
It honestly changed my mindset. I have ordered my own gear now after we have hired gear and gone out a few times on our own boat. I’m loving just the getting out there to dive scenario around the moment. I’m only up to 9 dives... but I’m having a ball...

Thank you for this great video that made me feel like I’m on the right track... I’m just getting experience

[peakecentral]

Another great video, James. I've always been amazed that people do on to do 'advanced' straight after their open water, but it is just shaking that cash tree one more time. I joined BSAC after 50 dives, and was amazed at how they train truly independent divers; they also incorporate some elements of rescue right from the start of their lowest level Ocean Diver qualification. One year with BSAC and I'm twice the diver I was before. Result.

[markgiltner]

I could not agree more, I have always recommended to beginner divers to at the very least train through rescue diver, it give novices a big insight into what Murphy's law can do, opened my eyes. And then I became a DM shortly there after. Good video

[kotro]

One thing I like about SSI is they won't recognize or give you AOW status until you have at least 24 dives AND 4 specialities. They also don't "sell" you an AOW certification so much as you earn it and then they acknowledge your rating. I know the speciality requirement rubs some the wrong way and it is a version of selling you a certification in a roundabout way. But if you take quality courses such as Nitrox, Deep, Dry Suit, Stress/Rescue, etc you should on your way pretty well.

[Mimi_metalcat]

10, 000 dives, now that really makes sense to me, and I agree entirely with you.

[alanheinrich]

I love that you tell it like it is...always. Thank you for that!!!

[davidfaulks]

walked in after my AOW and the shop owner said I was on my way to being and instructor
fast forward to finishing my DM course with a total of less than 100 dives they wanted me to start my IDC and I pushed back and said I would not consider this until I had at least 200 logged dives.
no I am not an instructor as I went on a completely different path of underwater photography and Citizen scientist with a local organisation.
So since completing my DM I have solo dived as a photographer at home (Australia) and overseas.
I regularly help out with my dive instructor as a training aid for IDC to ensure skill retention across my dive qualifications.
BTW now over 300 dives in ten years and having fun blowing bubbles.

[TheRedbaron]

I do support the idea that people should do some diving between OW and AOW. I had 2. So when my instructor strongly insisted that I needed the peak performance buoyancy, I didn't have the confidence to tell them that I didn't need it even though my OW instructor told me that I was very natural with my buoyancy and trim. I thought it would be better to be conservative than cocky and went along with it. After the course, my aow instructor said the same thing as my aow instructor. So I missed seeing a wreck in the process. Given the same circumstances my decision was correct I think, but if I had more dives I would have known what I can or cannot do.

Also, as far as I know, ssi master diver card is free. Once the requirements of the specialities and dives are met of course.

Great video as always. Really useful for newbs like me

[jbbattle]

James, Awesome video and spot on!
I recently certified advanced open water which was awesome and exposed us to the deep water experience. We trained with a diver pursuing their Master SCUBA.
We all grouped together to help their certification and "Situational Awareness (SA)" was killing our dive sessions. You can't purchase SA....and 100 logged dives with one friend doesn't count as "experienced" dives.

[matteoposi]

I really like SSI approach, you can either get advanced, or do the 5 speciality and get certified automatically

[plumberjoe]

Can’t wait to get my feet wet. I am currently studying for my open water certification. After open water it will be getting my enriched air certification and dive dive dive!

[soundmind]

Best point of the entire video: Don't do OW and AOW back-to-back. I just passed my AOW, about 1.5 years and 13 dives inbetween (not counting the 5 required AOW dives for PADI). A guy at my dive shop pushed me to go for the next level right away. But a couple of instructors hammered home in my head the need to first get a handle on buoyancy control. I'm glad I waited. In AOW, my dive buddy kept floating to the surface from 20' as he was navigating with his compass (I was fine). On the deep dive, you need to hover at 15' for 3 minutes (no problem). Employing the DSMB requires buoyancy control, so you don't shoot up to the surface with your tube.

[Chogogo]

The wife and I are getting open water certified this month. I fully agree rescue should be next. When I’ve taken surf and SUP lessons that’s one of the first things they teach, and it so valuable. I agree with you completely on needing a many dives between each certification level. Great video. Thanks.

[budingantuk]

Which is better :
Open water -> poor buoyancy and trim, etc -> 25 log dive (only 18 m depth, no wreck, no night, no wreck dive) -> better buoyancy and trim -> take advance course (25 log max 18m only without any specialty)

or

Open water -> poor buoyancy and trim -> take advance course -> 25 log dive (deep dive, night dive, wreck dive) -> better buoyancy and trim, also specialty experience (in those 25 dives)