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138 Continuing Education for the Dive Pro

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we learn about the importance of continuing education for diving professionals.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

Have you heard the expression “if you want to learn something, teach it.” Well, it is true! We need to be lifelong learners of our craft. To do that means to be not only a teacher but a student as well.

We put a whole lot of emphasis on students taking continuing education. But we, as dive pro’s, really need to be taking continuing education classes ourselves, and sharing our knowledge in many ways.

Here is an excerpt from the PFI Instructor Agreement:

  • Make at least 30 scuba dives and complete at least one of the following:
  • Teach or participate in a SDI/TDI course, as an instructor, candidate, auditor, staff member or lecturer.
  • Teach or take a course in diving, lifesaving, swimming, first aid, boating, speaking, teaching or a science related to the aquatic environment
  • Be professionally employed in aquatics, diving, teaching or boating.
  • Complete a post-graduate thesis in a teaching or diving subject.
  • Author a formal paper related to diving which is published by SDI/TDI, an academic journal or national periodical

Items In This Episode

  • Taking con ed courses for pro’s
  • Taking online courses
  • Listen to Audiobooks
  • Listen to podcasts
  • Write articles

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

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123 Why Freediving Should Be A Part Of Every Dive Business With Ted Harty

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we learn why Freediving should be a part of every dive business with Ted Harty.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

We hear a lot about freediving these days right? Well, it’s because freediving continues to have tremendous growth in our industry. But should you get on the bandwagon. The answer is yes. And Ive invited my good friend and colleague Ted Harty with Immersion Freediving onto this episode where we break down the reasons why freediving in your dive center or for you to become a freediving instructor is actually doable. In fact, you will be surprised how freediving as part of your course offerings can dramatically improve your dive business – whether in a dive center or as an independent instructor.

A little bit about Ted. Ted began his professional underwater career as a Scuba Instructor for PADI,NAUI, and SSI in 2005. In 2008 he took his first freediving class with Performance Freediving International. After that course on his days off he didn’t want to go scuba diving he wanted to go freediving, and realized his passion was freediving. In 2009 Ted took PFI’s first official Instructor program, and immediately started working for PFI helping Kirk Krack and Mandy Rae-Kruckshank teach courses all across the USA.

Ted went to his first freediving competition in 2009 as an overweight out of shape scuba instructor and progressed from 80-90ft freediver to 177ft in 3 weeks. After the experience he wondered what he could do if he actually started training. Since that time he broke a USA Freediving record in 2011, won 3 freediving competitions, was selected to be the co-captain of the USA Freediving team in 2012, and his deepest dive is 279ft. So as you can he really knows his stuff and he’s one of the best freediving instructors in the world.

And also Ted is putting on the first ever Freediving Summit – and you’ll hear about that today too.

Items In This Episode

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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035 Becoming A Freediving Instructor Part 1 Training

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast you’ll hear from Kirk Krack about how to train to become a freediving instructor.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to the dive locker podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

Hey everyone, I hope you’re all handling these coronavirus restrictions well. I am. Sure there are plenty of negatives with this, but I am very intentional about finding the awesomeness of this time. I’ve had more time with my family, I’ve had less work stress and traffic related stress. My creativity is up and I’m developing myself physically and professionally. I’ve told you all about my fitness journey with the FitOn App and Primal Blueprint diet. They are going great by the way.

But also all the many webinars and podcasts that can develop us professionally that I talked about last week. There’s really good stuff out there. In fact, I was just on The Diver Medic’s webinar with Chantelle Newman. My topic was on Physical Stressors in Diving – the most overlooked issue in our industry. Go to The Diver Medic website to see the replay if you’d like.

But today I want to continue to take you on my announced journey to become a freediving instructor. As I mentioned in previous episodes I have always had a passion for freediving. But over the years I watched as others had gone through advanced training and became freediving instructors. Well I applauded them and championed them, but I did not do it myself. So now is the time that I’m going to prepare to become a freediving instructor.

My Instructor Trainer – Kirk Krack

So to do this I reached out to, in my opinion, the top freediving instructor trainer in the world Kirk Krack the founder of Performance Freediving International. He co-founded PFI in 2000 and has done all kinds of scientific study of hypoxic effects on the human body. Kirk has trained seven athletes to 23 world records and dozens more to hundreds of national records. Chief among these is Kirk’s wife, Mandy-Rae Krack. Kirk trained and coached Mandy-Rae to seven world records and 13 Canadian records. Through its over 100 highly trained and rigorously qualified and insured instructors, PFI has trained and certified over 10,000 freedivers.

In 2016, Kirk was named the Diver’s Alert Network (DAN)/Rolex Diver of the Year. Krik also teaches freediving to Swift water rescue teams, Search and rescue teams, and Military special forces operators.

Kirk’s unique wealth of experience and talent for teaching have made his services highly sought after by those who want and need the absolute best. Among the individuals Kirk has trained are: Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson for their underwater roles in the blockbuster feature film Mission: Impossible–Rogue Nation. Margot Robbie and her stunt double for their underwater roles in Suicide Squad (in which Kirk also served as a credited on-screen stunt double for Batman). Endurance performer and illusionist David Blaine for his world record breath-hold attempts live on the Oprah Winfrey Show (he survived over 17 minutes on a single breath of oxygen-enriched air). Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn, and Woody Harrelson.

And Most recently, as you’ll hear, he’s worked with actors on the set of James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar 2,

Now he has his own freediving training company called the Performance Freediving Academy. So, you can see why he was my go to guy for becoming a freediving instructor.

Items In This Episode

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com and there you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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Why Dive Pro’s Should Take Freediving Courses

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast freediving expert Ted Harty discusses why taking a freediving course will benefit all diving professionals.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to the dive locker podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

Our lives have certainly changed. Truly, everything is different in our day to day happenings. In once sense it is unsettling and disruptive and on the other hand I’m connecting with my family more. One day I’m shaken by this virus and what it could do it i or a loved one or friend gets it, and the next day I’m like so what if I get it, Im not a high risk health individual. One day you hear wear masks and the next day you hear don’t wear masks. One day I think how are we going to get through this financially, and the next day I think about all the things I want to do when we are not homebound anymore and how I believe the economy will strongly bounce back. Are you feeling these same opposite feelings? It’s pretty crazy.

Resources to Get Through These Crazy Times

Well, let me point you to some resources that may help this time in our lives. First, our buddy Stephan Wheelan at DeeperBlue has created an entire coronavirus information area on deeperblue.com. It mostly relates to diving related coronavirus articles, but there are good general information pieces there as well. Well done Stephan. Also, DEMA is reporting on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act also known as the CARES act to offer assistance to US Small business. This is great news. And DEMA has circulated the Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act so that you can apply for these funds. This 11 page document covers so many different business needs, you really need to take a look at it. Check it out at DEMA.org .

Also, if you want some mental health tips to keep your sanity at this time, my wife Dr Heather Clark is a clinical psychologist and she has just come out with a YouTube video series called Coping with Coronavirus. Here she gives a two-three minute tip per video on how to cope with these challenging times.

And finally, speaking of YouTube is the number one trending video in the world right now. It is called Some Good News with John Krasinski – you may remember him from the hit show The Office, well he just released an organic home-grown YouTube channel dedicated to sharing only good stories seen on social media around the world. It is awesome. Yep, I had some tears going on, because of the great stuff he highlighted. Plus, the guy is hilarious too. So check out Some Good News with John Krasinski – you’ll love it, and you’re welcome.

Upcoming Episode on Fitness to Dive

So that’s it for coronavirus items. Actually one more thing, I’m actually previewing fitness and exercise apps to recommend to you for an upcoming episode. I don’t know about you, but I’m not doing such a great job keeping fit these days. My gym is closed, I can’t do my workouts in the park anymore. So everything has to be at home or in my neighborhood. And, not eating like i used to, and yeah, I might be doing more happy hours now that the commute from my home office to my home bar is ten steps away. No 40 minute commute home! So I’m going to share the programs and apps that I have been trying in an upcoming episode so that when its time to dive again, we can all be in shape.

Interview with Ted Harty

Today lets focus an area near and dear to my heart and that is freediving. But the specific thing we’re sharing with you is how freediving can make you a better dive professional. I have with me my friend and freediving expert Ted Harty with Immersion Freediving and we discuss all the ways that you taking a freediving class will help you be a better divemaster or instructor. Ted began his professional underwater career as a Scuba Instructor for PADI,NAUI, and SSI in 2005. In 2008 he took his first freediving class with Performance Freediving International. After that course on his days off he didn’t want to go scuba diving he wanted to go freediving, and realized his passion was freediving. In 2009 Ted took PFI’s first official Instructor program, and immediately started working for PFI helping Kirk Krack and Mandy Rae-Kruckshank teach courses all across the USA.

Ted went to his first freediving competition in 2009 as an overweight out of shape scuba instructor and progressed from 80-90ft freediver to 177ft in 3 weeks. After the experience he wondered what he could do if he actually started training. Since that time he broke a USA Freediving record in 2011, won 3 freediving competitions, was selected to be the co-captain of the USA Freediving team in 2012, and his deepest dive is 279ft. Isn’t that awesome. And Ted also has a series of online courses – perfect for this time of us staying at home. Ted has also given a special promotion to The Dive Locker nation. You’re gonna like this, and in case you’re wondering we recorded this a few weeks ago prior to stay at home orders. So here we go pro’s time to change it up and hold your breath.

Online Freediving Courses Offer

Very cool stuff, thanks Ted for a great interview and thanks for your offer. Folks go to Ted’s Immersion Freediving Online Courses that Ted talked about and you’ll get 10% off any online course as a listener to this podcast. Simply enter tecclark (all one word) in the coupon code on your checkout screen to get 10% off. That’s really great, thanks again Ted.

Immersion Freediving's Online Equalization Course
Immersion Freediving's Online 28 Day Freediving Transformation Course

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com and there you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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LXD 021 : Mandy-Rae Krack – World Record Freediver & Speaker

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Mandy-Rae Krack

Mandy-Rae Krack – World Record Freediver, Stunt Woman and Speaker

Mandy-Rae Krack was born in 1974, and took to the water right away.  At the age of 9 she was a competitive synchronized swimmer. At the age of 15, she became a certified Scuba diver. After high school she became a PADI Instructor and then ultimately a PADI Course Director.  In 2000 she was introduced to the sport of freediving and that same year competed and her women’s team placed 3rd in the world at an international competition.  The funny thing is she did all this growing up in Canada.

Mandy-Rae Krack has gone on to capture twelve National records and seven World records. She’s a six time member of Team Canada who has taken two first place finishes and three third place finishes in AIDA International competitions. In 2006 she and her husband and trainer, Kirk Krack, worked with Magician David Blaine on his ABC special Drowned Alive and then trained and assisted him with a World Record Oxygen Breath-hold live on the Oprah show.  

Mandy-Rae was also part of the Black Ops team that helped uncover the slaughter of dolphins in Japan for the 2010 Academy Award winning documentary The Cove.  Just wait till you hear her stories of records, competitions and adventures – you’ll see why she is such a legend and why she is so inspirational.

Mandy-Rae Krack

Items In This Podcast

  • Certified at age 15 in Alberta, Canada
  • Becoming a PADI Instructor helped her with public speaking
  • Managed dive center in Vancouver
  • Became one of first technical diving instructors in Canada
  • Tried freediving and became addicted to the sport
  • Co-founded Performance Freediving International
  • Part of Canadian National Women’s Freediving Team, their first year the team took 3rd place
  • Mandy’s Static Apnea World Record a 6:16 breath-hold!
  • Freediving with Humpback whales
  • Harrowing 90 meter record attempt
  • Promoting coral safe sunscreens
  • The perils of filming The Cove Academy Award-Winning Documentary
  • Favorite diving destinations: Vancouver Island
  • River Snorkeling with Salmon
  • Respect for Umberto Pelizari
  • Professional speaking with WWE, ComicCon, Canadian Oceans2020
  • Ambassador for Fast and Female

Resources

Mandy-Rae’s Website

Performance Freediving International

Fast and Female

Stream 2 Sea Coral Safe Sunscreen

The Cove

Sponsor

Special thanks to our episode sponsor Aggressor Adventures

Aggressor Adventures

Thanks For Listening!

Thank you for joining me again. Do you want to give a shout out to our guest on this podcast? Leave a note in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The League of Extraordinary Divers podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! And, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

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Welcome Dive Professionals

Welcome to ScubaGuru.com!  The ScubaGuru brand is dedicated to giving dive professionals tools and techniques to be GREAT LEADERS – leaders in the classroom, leaders underwater, and leaders in their diving businesses.  With unique leadership skill-sets, the dive professional can create:

  • Better divers
  • Loyal customers
  • A thriving dive center
  • A flourishing dive industry

See what we mean by Go Beyond the Standard and enjoy the rewards of being truly great at what you do!

Sincerely,

Tec Clark

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