| If you plan on getting the most out of strapping on | | | | Do prepare yourself for smooth and trouble free |
| your air tank, mask, and fins to go diving, the only | | | | scuba diving classes by getting into a reasonable |
| practical way to do it is to complete the proper | | | | degree of fitness and practicing your swimming. |
| scuba diving classes first. This is one of the | | | | Although it only takes a moderate level of health and |
| necessities when you seriously get into the sport, | | | | fitness to scuba dive, being a reasonably good |
| and rules and standards like it were put in place to | | | | swimmer will increase your comfort level in the |
| make sure that divers do not put themselves or | | | | water, arm you for more challenging dives, and |
| others in harm's way, and that everyone can | | | | generally increase your enjoyment. |
| continue to enjoy the activity. This article discusses | | | | Do your research and pick the right school. In the |
| some of the basic scuba diving do's and don'ts that | | | | United States, there are many certification standards |
| you should think about even before taking your first | | | | (the most widely known are established by PADI and |
| open water certification class. | | | | NAUI), but they all have to pass the minimum |
| First, don't just ask somebody who has been diving a | | | | requirements of the World Recreational Scuba |
| long time to teach you to dive. You may have | | | | Training Council, so make sure that whatever class |
| learned to drive a car from your dad or an uncle who | | | | you take adheres to these standards. Consider the |
| is a professional driver, after which you passed your | | | | size of the class, the location, the facilities and state |
| driving exams and earned a driver's license, but | | | | of the equipment you will use in your training, and the |
| learning to scuba dive is not as simple. Knowing how | | | | reputation of the school. There are plenty of diving |
| to dive is very different from knowing how to teach | | | | schools almost everywhere in the world, and the |
| diving. Certified instructors follow a standard | | | | most expensive tuition does not always mean the |
| curriculum in conducting their classes, and this makes | | | | best instruction. |
| sure that all necessary skills are passed on to the | | | | Do your homework, prepare yourself with a bit of |
| student, including equipment knowledge, and proper | | | | healthy exercise, and take the plunge by enrolling in |
| procedures in case of emergencies that can happen | | | | good scuba diving classes. It will open up a new world |
| while you are underwater. Don't take the risk of | | | | full of excitement and enjoyment for you, if you |
| getting an incomplete education - it can get you and | | | | know your do's and don'ts. |
| others into serious, life-threatening trouble. | | | | |