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We do Training Differently

By training differently, we ensure your success. As a new diver, that’s what you’d expect — that every instructor and dive shop would be focused on making you the best diver possible. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Most dive training is designed to get you in and out the door as quickly as possible, while the shop (think: retailer) tries to sell you as much gear as they can.

The reason other shops do this is because they know it’s unlikely they’ll ever see you again after your initial course. Their classes are large — 10 to 14 students isn’t unusual — and they’re run as quickly as possible because you’re seen as a business resource. The goal is to extract the maximum value (your money) with the least investment (large classes and training that barely meets minimum standards).

How do we do training differently?

Our entry-level course is much more comprehensive than the average. It’s specifically designed to make you more comfortable, more capable, and more confident in the water. By the end of the course, you’ll have skills normally reserved for advanced students — and that means you’ll have a lot more fun while diving.

Our Open Water Scuba Diver class is longer and more rigorous than what you’ll experience elsewhere — and that’s intentional. We won’t let you walk away from our training uncomfortable or underprepared. In fact, if you don’t look and feel great in the pool, we won’t move forward. We’ll keep working with you until you’re relaxed, skilled, and ready.

When you enter open water, you’re going into an unfamiliar environment using life support equipment. You’re a mammal breathing underwater — so rigorous training isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Our extended course gives new divers the time they need to truly master their skills and become calm, confident, and in control — instead of rushed, stressed, or intimidated.

Because our classes are small — no more than three students to one instructor in the water — we have the time to give you personal attention and support at every step.

Why Small Classes Matter — A Real-World Example

Sure, you can pay less to take a scuba course with 10 to 14 students — but consider what that experience really looks like.

Let’s use a simple example: mask clearing. It’s the very first skill every new diver learns. In the video shown here, you’ll see a brief demonstration and one student performing the skill. Even with editing to save time, the video takes about 30 seconds.

In real life, it takes longer. Let’s say it takes the instructor one minute to get everyone’s attention and one minute per student to perform the skill. In a class of three, that’s about four minutes. In a class of 14, it’s over 15 minutes if everyone does it perfectly the first time — and for most of that time, you’re just sitting and waiting your turn.

Now imagine that every student needs extra help — maybe five minutes each to get it right. In our class of three, that’s just 16 minutes total. Totally manageable. But in a big class? There’s no time. I’ve taught those classes in the past. Best case, an assistant works with you while the instructor moves the rest of the group ahead. Worst case? You fall behind — and hope you catch up later.

And if you don’t need help? You might get one minute of practice… and spend the next 29 minutes sitting idle. That’s not optimal for anyone.

With 35 required skills in the Open Water curriculum, you can see how quickly time becomes a limiting factor. If the instructor has to teach 14 people 35 skills in a 4–6 hour window, he or she simply can’t give everyone the time they deserve. Some students will get left behind — not because the instructor doesn’t care, but because there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Now compare that to a class of two or three. Our instructors have the time and freedom to help each student master every skill — and we don’t move on until you’re truly ready.

There’s also a safety factor. In large classes, instructors need tight control over the group, which means students often kneel on the bottom of the pool and wait their turn. It’s not ideal — and it’s not how real divers dive.

In our small classes, we skip the kneeling and start teaching what most agencies call “advanced” skills (though we’d argue they’re just proper fundamentals) right from the beginning. That means:

• You’re learning in neutral buoyancy
• You’re moving in horizontal trim
• You’re diving with the techniques used by skilled, experienced divers

Not sure what those terms mean? Don’t worry — we’ll explain that next.

Training Differently – Neutral Buoyancy and Trim

When you think of scuba diving, what do you imagine? For most people, it’s swimming effortlessly alongside fish or sea turtles, exploring coral reefs, or gliding around the outside of a sunken ship.

That’s how experienced, well-trained divers move through the water — calm, controlled, and almost weightless. They hover without rising or sinking unless they choose to, and they swim in a horizontal position, just like the marine life around them.

Unfortunately, most new divers aren’t taught to dive this way in their entry level classes! Most divers learn to dive like the photo below.

In many entry-level courses, students are taught to kneel on the bottom of the pool to perform skills. That may be easier for the instructor, but it’s not how real diving works. And when you practice that way repeatedly, you build muscle memory — a concept known as the law of primacy. In other words, you dive the way you were first taught in the pool.

You don’t have to go far on online to find examples. Just look at the video of a diver clearing his mask while moving into a kneeling position. He’s doing exactly what he was trained to do… just in the wrong context.

That video is full of examples of what not to do, but it’s not the divers’ fault.

It’s a training problem.

Advanced divers don’t dive this way, so why should you? We train you to dive like an advanced diver from the first moment you enter the water. That way, you don’t have to unlearn bad habits, or develop new habits as you advance your skills. Instead of wasting time in advanced classes, you’ll have more time to add additional skills.

Now here’s a video of a couple of our students during their open water training:

It is pretty easy to see the difference.

The Viking Dives “Training Differently” Process

Our training process has four parts:

• eLearning (on the TDI/SDI platform)
• Classroom sessions
• Confined Water (Pool) skills training
• Open Water dives

eLearning

The eLearning process is simple, flexible, and effective. You’ll log in and start reviewing the course material at your own pace. Each module includes reading and video content (like the first video on this page) to keep things engaging.

At the end of each module, you’ll complete a short quiz to check your understanding. Once you’ve completed the course, you’ll take a comprehensive final exam.

Best of all? The materials are yours to keep — they never expire. That means you can revisit the content any time you want a refresher.

Classroom

Classroom sessions usually begin in the mornings of our “pool weekends.” Because you’ve already covered the basics in eLearning, our class time focuses on building deeper knowledge.

We go beyond the typical curriculum to include advanced topics like:

• Frog kicking and efficient propulsion
• Surface Consumption Rate (SCR) calculations
• Rock bottom gas planning

By the end of your classroom training, you’ll understand dive planning and gas management better than many certified divers — and even some instructors. That’s not an exaggeration.

Confined Water/Pool Time

Afternoons are spent in the pool, and yes — they’re full, active days. Each daily session typically includes about 4 hours of in-water time, and we usually schedule two sessions for new divers.

That’s usually more than enough to get you feeling confident, capable, and calm in the water — but if you need more time, you’ll get it. We won’t move forward until you’ve demonstrated true comfort and skill mastery.

You’ll learn to hover like a fish, control your position in the water, and practice many techniques that other programs skip due to time constraints or class size.

Open Water

We typically conduct our open water dives at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Like all courses, we review and evaluate the core skills you practiced in the pool — but we don’t stop there.

While most dive shops do the bare minimum of 4 training dives, Viking Dives includes 5 dives in our Open Water course.

That means:

• More time to build confidence
• More chances to apply what you’ve learned
• More diving just for the fun of it

We typically finish required skills by dive two or three, so your final dives are just that — diving. No pressure, no checklists. Just enjoyment and growth.

That’s what training differently really means.

Wrapping it up

When you take a class with Viking Dives, you get far more than a standard scuba course.

Yes, you’ll learn how to dive — but you’ll also gain skills that other shops only offer in specialty courses like Peak Performance Buoyancy or Rescue Diver. We build those techniques into your training from day one.

That doesn’t make the course harder — it just makes diving more fun!

We understand that heading underwater with life support equipment can feel a little intimidating at first. That’s why our entire approach is designed to increase your comfort, confidence, and control. The more at ease you feel, the more you’ll enjoy the experience — and the more excited you’ll be to keep diving.

Because in the end, that’s what it’s all about.