4 of the Most Common Mistakes Beginner Divers Make

practice scuba divingWhen you’re trying something new, especially a new outdoor recreational activity or sport, it can be easy to make mistakes. That being said, it’s important to know what these mistakes are so you know how to avoid them in the future.

Scuba diving is no exception to these mistakes, either. In fact, with 500,000 people becoming certified scuba divers every year in the U.S., it’s not a stretch to assume that a lot of people are still on their way to a full certification. So to avoid making some rookie mistakes, here are some of the common ones you need to know about.

Diving Outside Training Limits

Going to a new dive site can be exciting and fascinating, to say the least. It can be easy to want to explore so much more than what your training area allows, but you should under no circumstances let that happen. No matter how much you practice scuba diving on your own or how familiar you are with your scuba diving equipment, this is an extremely unsafe practice. Just because you have an experienced diver with you doesn’t mean going outside the training area is safe or smart.

Not Communicating

Communication during a dive is absolutely essential. If you lose track of your buddy, bad things can happen. After all, you may need to save their life during a dive, or they may need to save yours. Communication is key!

Being Unaware of Events Around You

If you take too much time to focus on adjusting your equipment or marvel at the marine life, you could easily lose track of the bigger picture. Where is your group? Are you being pushed away by a current? It’s incredibly important that you maintain situational awareness during your dives.

Ignoring Air Consumption

Air consumption should be at the top of your list of scuba training priorities. Whether you’re just aiming to practice scuba diving techniques or you’re preparing for beginner scuba diving classes, you should always be thinking about your air consumption and checking your oxygen levels.

These are just a few of many beginner mistakes that people make while learning to dive. Now that you know about some of them, they should be easier to avoid.

scuba diving lessons

Top 4 Tips for Scuba Diving Beginners

Scuba diving lessons are one of the most popular recreational activities in the world. In fact, 2015 alone saw about 3.27 million people participate in scuba diving as a recreational sport. But like all things, scuba diving takes some practice, and it can be a little bit challenging at first.

Whether you’ve already started taking scuba diving lessons or you’re planning on taking some in the future, here are the top four tips for scuba divers who are just starting out on their underwater adventures.

Safety First

Before you check into a diving school, make sure you’re doing your homework. Every school should have some form of online reviews, whether it’s from students or staff there. If you notice any trends of disorganization or skipped safety briefings, you should probably take your business elsewhere.

Practice Makes Perfect

Before you even think about scheduling your first dive, you need to make a point of practicing swimming and yoga. Swimming will help strengthen the core muscle groups you’ll need out in open water, which is important for maximum mobility. In contrast, yoga will help you control your breathing. This is essential to practice scuba diving, as breath control is imperative.

Ask Questions

If you’re unsure of how a piece of equipment works or you’re nervous about the dive, don’t ever hesitate to ask questions. It’s always better to be safe and informed, no matter how simple your question might be. Whenever you’re uncomfortable with something, you should ask a question about it to ease your worries.

Stay Healthy

Whatever you do, you should under absolutely no circumstances go diving if you have a sinus infection or a cold. The congestion and pressure in your nasal passages will make it extremely difficult, and perhaps even impossible to equalize.

Beginner scuba diving lessons are an amazing opportunity to learn a new skill and experience a new adventure. But above all else, you need to remember that preparation is key to your success here. Don’t forget to use these four helpful tips when preparing for your beginner scuba classes!