Day 1 - Sidemount Essentials | Teaching Guide - 31 min

Sidemounting.com guide you step by step through day 1 of our Sidemount Essentials course. Each day we cover what skills you need to do and the order they should be done in. Plus provide you with all our tips and tricks to make sure you can deliver a course as close to ours as you possibly can.
00:00 Secrets Behind This Program - Uncovered!
01:16 Starts With Dive Site Selection
02:58 Online Study Done - Instructors Role
03:57 Land Workshop - Body Position And Fin Techniques
05:58 Donning Cylinders Instructors Role
07:00 Conduct Skill - LPI and BCD Use On Surface
07:54 Conduct Skill - Surface Weight Check
09:40 What You Should Be Focusing On For Day 1
10:29 Descent And 360 Underwater Equipment Review
11:25 Why You Should Carry Additional Set Of Fins
12:37 Conduct Skill - Trim Check
15:27 Conduct Skill - BCD Use Underwater
16:33 Example Of Near Perfect 360 Review
17:20 Conduct Swim Tests - Around Control Line
19:48 Conduct Skill - Helicopter Turn
20:40 Conduct Skill - Pressure Gauge Check (SPG)
22:26 What The Control Line Helps Us To Learn
22:48 Conduct Skill - Regulator Switching
25:09 Conduct Skill - Cylinder Trimming
25:55 Conduct Skill - Single Cylinder Awareness
27:08 Conduct Skill - End Of Dive Weight Check
29:01 Why Instructor Removes Students Equipment
See more of our training materials by signing up at www.sidemounting.com/the-courses

[@britwint9r]

Great video. As a student I really enjoyed the way you presented the information, expectations, and possible shortcomings I may have.

[@zarlorz]

Wow. I'd been watching your videos in general, and enjoying them, which had me on the fence about deciding if I should purchase your online courses, especially since I'm barely a novice diver (I still have 1 more dive to do to even get my Open Water certification, I just happen to be something of a ravenous learner for something I'm interested in and diving definitely has me interested!) After watching this video, however, I'm sold. It gave me insights into not just what you are presenting, but so very much of the how and why behind it and was certainly a motivating factor in why I signed up for the Free courses and then went on to purchase the Backmount course package. All of which I think have been well worth it even for the many things I already had learned about from other sources just to get a different perspective and angle from which to see them. I'd add that while everyone talks about the primacy of buoyancy in diving absolutely nothing I've come across covers it like you do. It reinforces concepts I had been thinking about and playing with in the water on my own (or in a Perfect Buoyancy class) but nobody seems to explain it beyond "Breath normally" or "Your breath is your primary buoyancy device" (sure, but HOW to really use it!) or "Take slow, deep breaths", where there is obviously so much more to it than that, and of course the usual "Just dive! You'll get the hang of it." It's not overly difficult to understand when presented properly, but just getting that initial understanding is massive to then being able to take that into the water to truly practice. Thank you for actually providing that understanding!

[@jvr2219]

Great video and valuable insights, thank you!
I'm really looking forward to the course with you in September... Greetings from the Baltic Sea Coast, Jan

[@realvisiondrone]

Very helpful I just switched to sidemount and doing everything by myself to the lack of quality training in my area
I'd love to do the course with you
Are you by chance coming to the Costa Brava to teach this year? I would join your course for sure

[@roneydeoliveirayoneda8933]

Thank you 🙏 for the video. I live in Japan and have to learn from internet.

[@matalens48]

🥰🥰🥰👌👌👌🙏🙏🙏

[@chrischristofis8501]

I am being cheeky taking your time, i really appreciate your advice, last question, i have a Hollis SMS 100 sidemount/hybrid rig. I note the new sidemount rigs differ in style, the smaller bladder seems good for getting through tight places. What is your view is the Hollis rig usable or do i need to modernise? I would prefer to use it if I can

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi Chris, the only sidemount rig that is okay for use by Hollis is their latest Katana 2, the SMS 100 is at the top of the list I would not advise to use. If you are going dive sidemount then I would do it properly with the right equipment otherwise you will probably find that you prefer to dive backmount. Cheers, Steve

[@chrischristofis8501]

Would it be better to call this day 2, day 1 being kit configuration. Just a thought

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi Chris, any course that has day 1 with no time spent in the water is not a course I would be teaching :) Regards, Steve

[@chrischristofis8501]

I have a question please, Shearwater or OSTC what is your opinion? I fancy the OSTC but there are so many Shearwater fans I'm worried 😟

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi Chris, both Vas and myself are now supported by Shearwater and help them with feedback and testing for there products. Vas has owned x2 models of OSTC computers and he likes them, however he now me is very happy with the Shearwater units we have, especially as we dive with transmitters on all our dives. There is a good reason why there are so many Shearwater fans and if there ever is an unlikely issues with the unit the company will keep looking after you, makes it an easy choice for me. Regards, Steve

[@chrischristofis8501]

@@sidemountscubadiving Thank you Steve, Shearwater it is then, I don’t plan to do much deep diving, just the occasional wreck, but i guess it is worth having the best gear one can.