What the Heck is DIR?

[Freedive WI]

I see that they water polo thread was moved and I don't think that it should have been. A big part of DIR, that everyone glosses over because they are too hung up on Halcyon gear, is keeping properly fit.

DIR divers do not smoke and work out on a regular basis. THis sets them apart form sdome of the other fat slobs I see on the dive boats who call themselves dive instructors. When the crap hits the fan the blimps can't even swim back to the boat themselves, let alone rescue someone else.

As a deck hand who has had to swim for way more than my fair share of divers I can tell you that playing a little water polo will make you a better buddy in one of those situations.

One topics that gets covered all the time on the Quest list is proper workouts for diving. There are lots of threads on biking, swimming, running, weight lifiting, diet, heart rate monitors, ect. It almost reminds me of many of the freediving threads I read in other forums.

One DIR specific club that I belonged to, DEEP midwest, had fiteness guidelines for all of it's members. You couldn't smoke, had to work out a few dyas a week, and had to enter at least one fitenss event, like a fun run or bike ride, per year to stay current. this was besides all of the gear, gas, and buddy requirements. As a result I felt very comfortable doing any kind of dive with any of the members.

Now, I know that there are others divers who may stay in shape, but DIR is the only system that builds a good part of it's foundation upon it. When it somes to other divers i have always found it to be pretty hit or miss.

We can get into other discussioons about DIR in another thread, like why I think a tec instructor should actually be able to dress themselves for a tec dive if they are going to charge somebody to take a class from them, but fitness and DIR is a good place to start for now.

Jon