Practice Makes the Diver: Why Skill Repetition Matters at Every Level
We’ve all heard the phrases:
- Practice makes perfect.
- Perfect practice makes perfect.
- Purposeful practice makes progress.
- Practice makes improvement.
Whichever version resonates with you, they all point to the same truth: improvement comes from intentional, repetitive practice. If you want to grow beyond your current level—whether in your career, fitness, finances or anything else—you have to commit to consistent refinement.
Sure, we’ve also heard: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.” But let’s challenge that for a moment. What if each repetition includes a small, intentional adjustment—a tweak learned from a coach, a lesson from a video, or your own trial and error? That’s not insanity. That’s mastery in the making. And since this is a dive safety blog, let’s dive into how this principle applies to becoming a better, safer, and more confident scuba diver.
From “Learner’s Permit” to Lifetime Learner
A freshly certified diver has been trained to dive safely with a buddy to a maximum depth of about 60 feet in open water. That doesn’t include cold water, night diving, altitude dives, wreck or cave penetration—just the basics. Think of your certification as a learner’s permit, not a license to stop learning.
And experienced divers—this part’s for you: you’re not off the hook. Just because you’ve logged hundreds of dives or racked up advanced certifications doesn’t mean you’ve mastered every situation. Diving well isn’t just about collecting experiences—it’s about continually refining your skills, just like a musician practices scales long after their first concert.
Lead by Example
When seasoned divers take time to practice foundational skills, it sends a powerful message. New divers notice! They look up to you. Practicing with a mindset of Kaizen—the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement—doesn’t just make you a better diver. It helps create a stronger, safer dive community.
Reading about dive theory or watching instructional videos is great—but nothing builds muscle memory like hands-on, in-water repetition, especially when stress levels are low. That’s what makes local quarries like Gilboa or Whitestar so valuable: they offer real-world conditions in a more controlled environment with the added convenience of being close to home.
Upcoming Practice Opportunity: Gilboa Quarry – May 17–18
Join the club at Gilboa Quarry for a chance to—insert your favorite idiom here—and sharpen your skills. If you can’t make it that weekend, don’t worry. Members dive there regularly, and someone’s always happy to buddy up and run drills.
What Should You Practice?
Here are just a few skills worth revisiting—whether you’ve got 5 dives or 500:
- Buoyancy: Start with a weight check at the surface. If you drop like a stone or can’t descend without effort, your weighting is off. At depth, notice the warning signs of a change in buoyancy —and practice correcting it before it becomes a problem. Can you stop in the water column and hover without changing depth?
- Trim: Are you horizontal in the water or swimming head-up, fins-down? Poor trim causes drag, increases gas consumption, and kicks up silt. Adjust your weight placement to find that sweet spot.
- Breathing Control: As you approach an obstacle, do you reach for your inflator, or can you subtly change depth with breath control? Practice using your lungs to fine-tune buoyancy. (And yes—it’s safe to briefly pause your breath at depth, but never while ascending to the surface.)
Other skills to practice regularly:
- Finning techniques (especially the back kick)
- Mask removal/clear and backup mask use
- Accessing all gear (pockets, clips, lights, wet notes, cutting tools)
- Valve drills (for doubles)
- Rebreather-specific drills and bailouts
- Alternate air source sharing and buddy breathing
- DSMB deployment
- Simulated out-of-air emergencies
- Hovering at various depths
- Controlled free ascents (without an up-line)
- Underwater navigation
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a solid place to start.
Final Thoughts
Don’t underestimate the power of diligent, intentional, and ongoing practice. Whether you’re in the pool, a quarry, or prepping for your next big Great Lakes dive, each repetition builds skill, confidence, and safety. Because ultimately, we don’t dive just to stay in practice—we practice so we can confidently and safely dive the world.
Use the comments box below to share the skills you plan to practice on your next dive.
Inspiration and motivation from Achim and ISE –
