UTD Scuba Diving Podcast

Another of the Most Obscure Questions in Scuba Diving. This time we tried something a bit different. Ben came up with the questions and did not tell Jeff what they were going to be. Tune in for an honest discussion about pockets, valve drills, cameras, and more.Send us your obscure questions....contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Following someone else's dreams. This is something every scuba instructor has faced. A student brings a partner, who does not want to be there, into a class, usually Open Water. As instructors, we get to see this play out, sometimes in terror, sometimes in joy. What do you do when someone drags someone into your class? What is it like to successfully follow someone's dream? What is it like to not want any part of someone's dream. In this short podcast I tell a few stories, some about me...

How to get there. That's today's question. What is the path to becoming a UTD instructor or dive master. How does the program work? What are our expectations of you? What do we expect your expectations to be of us. In this episode Jeff and Jay look at the "path," the course work, and tell some stories from past IDC's.Interested in UTD Leadership? Click here: https://utdscubadiving.com/be-a-utd-instructor/

It's on! Cave Week 2024! This November join us in Florida for Cave Week. In this short podcast Jeff, Ben, and Jay discuss the logistics, the fun, and all the details about this amazing UTD community event.For more information and to register for Cave Week, click here: https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-cave-week/

Jon Edwardsen has been a UTD instructor almost since the beginning of UTD. He is my colleague, friend, and critic. The great thing about having Jon as an instructor trainer is his uncanny ability to cut through any and all BS and get to the heart of the matter. So when Jon did an IDC with a few of our coaching clients and said he was knocked over by the success of the coaching program, I knew we had to get this recorded. If you have any interest in Unified Team Diving as a system of diving or...

There is much to unpack around how we run out instructor development program, how we train our instructor trainers, and how all that benefits the Unified Team Diving students and coaching clients.Back in the car, Jeff takes a look at the mechanics of teaching teaching – education as a change in behavior, that change being worthless without retention, how we use levels of learning, and how we create common ground with our students. Grateful to Socrates for allowing us to take his principles an...

This episode is a cross between our wrap up of "Becoming a Thinking Diver" and "The Most Obscure Questions in Scuba Diving. Jeff and Ben cover:Redundant equipment.Knowing when to say when.Training for multiple failures buy planning for one.And a quick story about the bike.Check it out, if you have questions or comments contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/To subscribe to our mailing list, click here:https://utdscubadiving.com/subscribe/And for more info about the UTD Scuba Coach...

It's not the equipment, it's the choices you make. In his inaugural training corner episode, Ben takes a look at how you can make good, or bad, choices and how those choices can have dramatic ramifications. For more information on the Unified Team Diving training systems and the UTD Scuba Coaching Program, or to reach Ben or Jeff, click here.

One of the great things about me and Unified Team Diving is that I get to set the company culture around money, finances, student fees, all of it. I feel very strongly that financial transparency is critical to the health of any business. I also believe "free" does not serve anyone – us or you. Basically, I believe free has no value. In this short carcast I expand on my vision around UTD and money.Questions? Comments? Contact me here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/Jeff

In our last episode about the "Thinking Diver" we talked about creating your team, or village. In this episode Jeff and Ben start to look at the practical elements of being a thinking diver – gear, gas, team, and much more. Be a thinker. Listen in.If you have any questions or comments, please let us know by clicking here.To join our mailing list, click here.

A non-car carcast. This time I woke up ready to talk about why Unified Team Diving is so important to me but I did not have any place I needed to drive, so I recorded a non-car carcast. Why do we keep doing what we do? How do I grow as a coach and instructor as you grow as a diver or instructor? What makes me tick and, in turn, what makes UTD tick.Contact us here to ask me/us anything. https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Learning and advancing at anything does not need to be something you do alone. Really, it takes a village. You are at the center, then your instructor or coach, but then all the other people and organizations and facilities and friends and family that guide you to becoming the most successful diver-version of yourself.In this episode Jeff and Ben help you discover how to create your village.Questions? Comments? Contact us at https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

In any business one of the most important things is knowing who your clients are. And equally important is to know who your clients are not. In this carcast, I take an honest look at who we are for and who we are not for. It's a complex discussion about a very simple concept. Are we for you? Let us know:Click here to contact Jeff and Ben at Unified Team Diving

Is it success that's the most important thing in scuba diving? Or style? This is a discussion – actually a monologue I recorded in my car – on the issue of style vs. success or, in scuba diving, style vs. certification. Drawn from a phrase common in big wall rock climbing, style vs. success refers not to whether or not we reach our goal, but how we reach our goal.In this episode, after I apologize for the crappy audio quality, I look at style vs. success in our world of training the most styl...

We are Unified TEAM Diving not, as we sometimes like to say, Unified 'Go-Run-Off-By-Yourself Diving.' But what about when you are instructing students? Are they part of your team? Can they help you? What are everyone's expectations when instructing?In this episode Jeff and Ben unpack this simple, yet not so simple question.Contact us any time at: https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Setback happen. This is true for everything we are learning, particularly when moving to a higher level in any field. In scuba training, in Unified Team Diving, we have a thing called the "ebay dive." This is when you come out of the water after such a frustrating dive that you want to put all your gear on ebay, sell it, and take up another sport.How we deal with the frustration of setbacks in scuba also informs how we deal with setbacks in life. In this short carcast, Jeff takes a look at th...

In the late 70's or early 80's I had an opportunity to take on something that looked really cool to me but my situation at the time blocked it. I've kept that dream alive until this past weekend when I fulfilled an unfulfilled dream. What are your unfulfilled dreams? What are you missed opportunities – in scuba or in life? Do you have the chance to close the loop now? In this short episode I look at how I completed something I started almost 50 years ago. No regrets, just fun. Contact here: h...

We are live at the DEMA show in New Orleans taking questions from the audience. Listen to Jeff and Ben answer all sorts of random questions and, finally, almost get completely stumped.Contact us with your obscure questions and plan on seeing us at DEMA 2024 in Las Vegas where we will do another live episode:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Welcome to Jay Gardner, UTD's new Director of Development! Jay joins Jeff and Ben as the third member of UTD's management team, bring a lifetime of experience with companies both large and small.Jay started his journey in UTD as a coaching client, then an instructor candidate, then an instructor. After a short stint in Austin, Texas, Jay and his family are back in San Diego. We're grateful to have Jay join us. This episode serves as his introduction to our global community of divers.Welcome, ...

This is a short addendum to my previous carcast on quitting. In this quick episode I add a little info, this time about when it's okay to quit. There is a time and place for everything and sometimes the best thing is to "know when to fold 'em."Thoughts and ideas? Contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

"Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run." Great words to live by. In this carcast, actually recorded as a "hikecast" during this year's solar eclipse, Jeff looks at some of the mental and physical elements of quitting – quitting a class, quitting a training path, quitting anything. But, more importantly, how to avoid some of the traps of quitting and what you can learn from teetering on the edge of "quit or succeed."Comments or thoughts on...

Let's breathe without bubbles. In this episode, the first or two or three, Jeff and Ben look at all things rebreathers. In this first part: the what, why, how and the joys of diving rebreathers. In future episodes we will look at the traps of diving rebreathers, the training progression, and answer your questions.If there is anything you'd like us to talk about, send a note and we'll add it in.Contact us here: https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

A live episode with slightly sketchy audio, although it was a technical marvel. Ben and three of his tech students in Norway, Jeff via cell phone from San Diego. In this episode we take live questions from the students who just completed their tech training. Ratio Deco adjustments, diving with non-UTD buddies after your class, and much more.https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Consistency and compliance. Or is it compliance and consistency? Either way, these are the two hallmarks of a great client relationship with their coach and coaching program.In this carcast, Jeff takes a look at how consistency and compliance inform the best possible training for scuba divers. If you are just chasing a certification card, the UTD Coaching Program may not be for you. But if your goals and desires are to become the best scuba diver you can possibly be, then have a listen and gi...

Following two weeks of UTD classes in San Diego, and a few minutes before Ben heads back to the airport to return to Denmark, we chat about how this series of classes went for both the instructors and the students.

In this episode Jeff sits with UTD Scuba Coaching client Lisa Huynh the day after she completed UTD Essentials of Rec. Lisa explores how she got her start with coaching, the benefits of integrating UTD's in-water training with the coaching program, her experiences with her prior training, and much more.For more info on UTD Scuba Coaching, click here: https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/

The rebreather. Is it a wildly complex thing that rivals something that could fly to the moon? Or is it simply a bag you breathe into that scrubs out the CO2 and allows for longer bottom times? Or something in the middle?In this episode Jeff and Ben look at the simple yet complex story of rebreather diving...how to get started, the benefits, the dangers, the challenges, and much more.For more info on rebreather diving, contact us here.

Your "Path to Mastery" is a buzzword (or buzz-phrase) that's been around forever but, what does it really mean and how can you take your path to becoming great at one thing and apply it to becoming great at something else (like scuba)?In this carcast, recorded on an endless, rainy drive from San Diego to Las Vegas, I explore the path to becoming good at something, then how you can take the process of that path and apply it to something new.Need a new purpose? Need a new hobby? Need a new job?...

In April this year UTD went through an audit with EUF, the European Underwater Federation and received certification that the UTD training systems are in compliance with ISO standards. ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, creates standards for many industries, including scuba training. However ISO does not certify or confirm that a company is operating with the scope of those standards. That's where the EUF comes in. EUF is a certification agency that certifies that scuba ...

Estamos en el tercer día del curso de desarrollo de instructores de UTD. En este podcast cortito realizamos una pequeña entrevista a los candidatos a instructores para saber cuáles son sus percepciones del curso hasta el momento.Para saber cómo hacerse instructor UTD, pinchar aquí.

Just a few minutes after the UTD Instructor Development Course ended at the Rivemar Dive Center in La Azohia, Spain, Jeff and Ben sat down with the four English-speaking instructor candidates to get their take on the week...how it went, their expectations, and much more.For information on becoming a UTD Instructor, click here.

We did it again, another carcast. This one we recorded on our road trip from Madrid, where Alan and I just picked up Ben at the airport, on our way to the Rivemar Dive Center in La Azohia, our host for this instructor development course. In this episode we discuss the upcoming class, the journeys of some of the instructor candidates that brought them to the IDC, and our expectations for this upcoming week.For more information on becoming a UTD Instructor, click here.

This is The Random Episode – we've collected questions from the past few weeks and here a some of the obscure and random things we covered in this episode:Why are there various low pressure inflator connectors?Why is our compass NOT on a boot with the SPG?Can we do a "swimming" deco stop, or to we have to hold still and be serious?Does Ratio Deco scale to rebreathers and cave diving?Why don't we use ball valves on our scuba cylinders?Can you use a wet suit as a dry suit undergarment?And much,...

The Big Scuba Podcast, a show based in the UK and hosted by my new friends Ian and Gemma, explores all things scuba. They got interested in the UTD Scuba Coaching Program, so we started talking about that, but quickly moved to UTD's philosophy, teaching ethos, and history.For me, it was back to basics, forcing me to define, to people not familiar with UTD, why us – why choose us, what makes us different, where did coaching come from, and much, much more.Have a listen, and check out the rest o...

Recurrent training is a thing in many, many industries. Flying is where recurrent training is the most obvious – pilots are required to complete various scheduled trainings to keep their certificates current and diving should be no different.Since our inception, UTD has always had a structured recurrent training program called the Annual Dive Review. This is modeled after flying's Biannual Flight Review, something that has been in place for pilots for decades.In this episode Jeff and Ben expl...

Trying something new here...a "car-pod," or "pod-car," or "car podcast," or something. In any case, I was in traffic for about two hours and had some time to think about, then record, a short podcast on choosing a coach, staying with a coach, leaving a coach, and much more. But most importantly, how to apply what you learn in the UTD Scuba Coaching Program to not only diving, but to the rest of your life.UTD Scuba Coaching Program:https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/Contact us:https...

En enero de 2023 hemos completado el Castilla Cave Tour. En este viaje hemos visitado algunas de las cuevas más icónicas del centro de España. Empezamos en el Pozo Azul que es actualmente la cueva con mayor desarrollo explorado en Europa con +13km de longitud. Fuente Azul es una de las cuevas más profundas con una cota de -130m. Fuentenavinahttp://www.espeleogaem.org/fuentenavina/s_fuentenavina.htm es una cueva bastante cerrada con un desarrollo de unos 700m a través de unos tubos con muchos ...

In 2022 I was invited to speak at the Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society's scientific meeting. This was in the ORCA project: Operational Resilience and Cognitive Awareness, quite a mouthful, but basically it was a meeting about human factors in scuba diving.In UTD we have been teaching human factors in our training programs since day one, but there is a secret. Listen to this short talk to learn the secret to teaching human factors in scuba diving.JeffAs always, let us know if you have comme...

Incident and accident reporting. Is it good for scuba or terrifying for scuba? In this episode Jeff and Ben are joined by Diver Alert Network's Cat Harris. Cat manages DAN's incident reporting system.Should scuba take a page from general aviation, an industry that has consistently published accident data and analysis? Or should scuba continue to hide behind the idea that telling anyone there could be some danger associated with scuba is just bad for business.Also joining us is Andrej Gaspar, ...

Why no bungees? Why no double bladders? Do you need an STA? Why are they all black?In this episode Jeff and Ben tackle these questions and many more as they dig into the ins and outs, and ups and downs of BCDs, wings, dumps, and bladders.Questions? Comments? You can reach us by clicking here.

Immediately following the DEMA show in Orlando, Ben taught a Tech 1 course in the Florida keys. He was joined by three students and UTD Instructor James Mott, who flew down to co-teach with Ben. The team decided to record a podcast in three parts, one at the beginning, right after the first day, one in the middle, and one after the final dive. In this episode you will hear thoughts and insights from both instructors and all three students as they progress through their Tech 1 class.For more i...

During the 2022 DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida, Ben presented in the Technical Resource Area on how ascent strategies can and should change and how Ratio Deco has changed over the decades to become Ratio Deco 3.0. Plus a little history on decompression strategies and algorithms, along with a dose of how are bodies deal with inert gas at higher pressures. The audio is a bit rough as this was recorded on the trade show floor.Purchase the Ratio Deco 3.0 Online Course Materials, click here.Contact...

We are back at the DEMA Show, this year in Orlando, Jeff did a short presentation in the Technical Resource center about the UTD Scuba Coaching Program. This talk is a synopsis of scuba coaching – what it is, how it works, and, most importantly, the benefits for the students/clients.https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/

This episode is extracted from the UTD Instructor Meeting in Madrid October 21, 2022. Jeff in English, interpreted into Spanish by UTD instructor Alan Weinberg talks about new UTD courses – Advanced Diver vs. Rec 2, the new Oxygen Cleanup Course, the UTD Scuba Coaching Program, and the new UTD Skills Camps.Then training director Ben Bos, also interpreted into Spanish by Alan, looks at the recent changes that were made to Ratio Deco 3.0.Huge thanks to Alan for coordinating the instructor...

Curiosity Projects – for us these are fascinating diving projects that involve science, research, or some other socially conscious reason for being.In this episode, recorded during the 2022 UTD EU Instructor and Community Meeting in Madrid, Spain, we are joined by UTD instructors Alan Weinberg and Andrej Gaspar along with Martin Strmiska to discuss current and future curiosity projects.https://curiosity-projects.org/Contact UTD

This episode started as a deep dive (are we tired of that pun yet) into gas management, but quickly changed into an Obscure Question episode on managing your cylinders. Jeff and Ben look at diving steel tanks in side mount, diving double steel tanks in a wetsuit, why we do a valve drill, why not breathe from a tank that is slowly leaking, and much more.And, as a bonus, there is a riddle at the end of the episode...answer correctly and win cool prizes!Contact us anytime (and submit your answer...

Well, here we are. It's the 50th podcast, and it's kind of a milestone for us. It's been tons of fun producing these and we have every intention of continuing.For this episode we thought we'd give you a little insight into the more personal side of Jeff and Ben so, we came up with a list of questions for each other. Here are a few of the things we cover:What was your greatest failure as an instructor?If you were the president/CEO of PADI, what is the first change you would implement?What was ...

In this episode Jeff and Ben go after a random collection of questions that have come in recently:If I live in the U.S. should I learn the metric system for diving?Should you exercise before or after diving?How to shore dive side mount?Integrated boots or rock boots on a dry suit?What is the best scuba diving car?My traveling gear bag weights 55lbs/27kg...what to do?How to deal with different protocols when diving with divers from other organizations? Have a questions? Email them to us a...

Quitting. It happens in every endeavor, but in diving it happens much more than it should. Why do people get certified and quit, or don't get certified and quit, or dive for 20 years and quit? In this episode Jeff and Ben explore quitting from a glass half empty and a glass half full perspective...which means why don't people quit diving?https://utdscubadiving.com/

Some of the most stressful dives – as related to nitrogen loading – are dives that are right up to the limits of no-decompression limits, like 100ft/30m for 20 minutes on air or 30 minutes on nitrox 32. So now we have created a solution for that – the UTD Oxygen Clean Up Course. Any diver who has complete the UTD Recreational 2 or 3 course can now add an oxygen bottle for one 10-minute O2 cycle at 20ft/6m at the end of a regular recreational ascent. There are countless benefits for this.In th...

Aging up. It's inevitable. But that does not have to stop us from diving. If you are working your way up to what we're calling Gen O/W, or Generation Older/Wiser, or you're diving with parents or grandparents or friends who have joined Gen O/W, then this episode is for you. Jeff (who is now officially Gen O/W) and Ben (who is getting closer) look at some of the options and ideas that will keep you diving well into your older years.Have questions about diving as you age up? Send us a note...we...

How much risk are you willing to take on a dive? In this episode Jeff and Ben explore risk from all angles, particularly as it relates to your level of diving, your training, and your experience. Join us for this exploration of what you can do to make your diving, and your team's diving, safer and more fun.https://utdscubadiving.com/

Primer UTD Scuba Diving Podcast en Español en el que los instructores Sergi Pérez y Alan Weinberg conversan sobre el curso UTD Cave 3 y cómo se llega a este nivel. Entran en detalle de los diferentes cursos que hay desde los inicios con el Overhead Protocols pasando por el Cave 1 y Cave 2 y cómo se comparan. Comparten impresiones sobre el último curso de Cave 3 realizado en Francia en Abril del 2022 y las salidas que ofrece este curso de cara a su aplicación en proyectos.Contact Alan or Sergi...

Do you have goals? In scuba diving? Sports? Work? In this episode Jeff takes a look at goals and goal setting and the process of training to reach those goals. If the point of the goal is just to get there, you run the risk of missing the most amazing parts of life. Listen to the episode, set some goals, and have some fun.If you'd like to talk to us about your goals, contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

The Spring 2022 UTD Scuba Skills Camp in San Diego, California, was a huge success. Three days of personal skills training, video reviews, happy hours, and tons of social time – unlimited learning and unlimited fun. In this episode Jeff is joined by UTD instructor James Mott and two of the camp participants, Dr. Dick Sadler and PADI instructor Steve Samoranski, as they take a look at the inside of a training event totally focused on skills, not on certification.Interested in participating in ...

Our first in a series of UTD Scuba Diving Podcasts in Italian with UTD Instructors Martina Carelli and Mattia Popesso.Ma la decompressione è davvero solo questione di tempo e profondità? Quali sono gli altri fattori che possiamo controllare e che influenzano l'efficacia decompressiva? Dovremmo davvero iniziare a parlare un po' di più di sforzo respiratorio e di densità dei gas? Iniziamo da qui, raccontandovi l'intervista fatta a Simon Mitchell e grazie all'aiuto del Dott. Stefano B...

Why are we doing yet another podcast about side mount? Good question. We now have the new system completed dialed in, new content online in the UTD Side Mount Mini and Essentials of Side Mount online courses, and we have lots of people diving the new system. So in this episode Ben and I go back over the journey to get to this new, amazing side mount system – some of the history, where we are today, how to set it up, where to source the parts, the pros and cons of side mount, and much more.Enj...

The UTD Scuba Coaching program has been running successfully for almost two years now so, it's time to meet some of the clients. In this episode Jeff sits down with Team Austin: Jay, Chris, and Xiangfei. Listen as they take an in depth look at their experiences in the coaching program, their recommendations for anyone considering coaching, and a look forward to see how coaching is helping each of them meet their personal scuba diving goals.For more information on the UTD Scuba Coaching progra...

How many obscure, or not so obscure, questions can Jeff and Ben address in one episode? Tune in to find out as we tackle questions on weighting, SMBs, toxing diver recovery, rebreathers, gradient factors, rock bottom, emergency gas planning, and much more. This is our first "rapid fire" episode. Let us know if you'd like more!https://utdscubadiving.com/Contact us – click here.

We always get questions about Ratio Deco, and particularly about changes to Ratio Deco 3.0. In this Obscure Questions episode Jeff and Ben are joined by UTD instructor (and technical diver) Martina Carelli. Martina went through the complete Ratio Deco online course and created a list of real-world questions. We answered these, plus a few that came in from other students and podcast listeners.Check out the episode for answers to questions about surface intervals, oxygen windows, gas density, a...

The UTD Skills Camps are three to five day camps where you will hone your personal and dive skills while working with a team of UTD instructors.The next camp is March 31 – April 4, 2022 in San Diego, California. Your instructor are Jeff Seckendorf, James Mott, Tom Carr, and Kim Cardenas. In this episode Jeff, James, and Tom give you their take on the what, the why, and the how of UTD Skills Camps.These camps are for every level diver – from the newest open water certified diver to the old sal...

ESM, or Extreme Scuba Makeover, the UTD Scuba Diving buoyancy and proper weighting course, has been game changing for so many divers. People come into ESM at every level but with the same goals...increase buoyancy skills and dial in their weights. From new divers with five dives to tech divers and instructors, everyone benefits. In this episode Jeff and Ben delve into ESM – its history, evolution, how it works, and how you can benefit, plus some exercises you can do in the pool or open water....

We are back home and recovering from a long week at the DEMA scuba trade show in Las Vegas and, we think, it was a very successful show. Jeff and Ben sit down for a short podcast where we lay out our thoughts about the show, the future, and answer the one remaining question from the live "Obscure Questions" episode we recorded at the show.For those of you who missed the DEMA show this year, consider coming to see us in Orlando in November 2022. We will absolutely be there!

Recorded live at the DEMA show in Las Vegas, Jeff and Ben answer your questions with a standing room only live audience:Does the color of an SMB matter?Can you use an uncompensated regulator on your argon bottle?Why is the long hose on the right post?When should you ditch your weights?This, and much more, live from Las Vegas!

Ben Bos, UTD Training Director, on the current state of side mount in recreational diving, presented in the Technical Diving Resource Center at the DEMA show in Las Vegas, November 16, 2021:Side mount has taken the scuba industry by storm over the past few years. At UTD we saw the potential of including this cave-born way of diving into our open water recreational and technical curriculum.However traditional side mount using independent cylinders is very difficult to integrate in a consistent...

Jeff Seckendorf's presentation on Scuba Coaching in the Technical Diving Resource Center at the DEMA show in Las Vegas, November 16, 2021:Great scuba training does not have to be focused on the outcome. It can be about the process. If we take a page from coaching in almost every other discipline, coaches make athletes better. It is not just about making a runner or cyclist faster; it’s about making them better. Beyond just a training schedule, great coaching programs include all the things th...

Because what happens in Vegas, shows up on Facebook. For the first time since Covid became our new normal, we're going back to the DEMA show. DEMA, or the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association, is an annual trade show for all things scuba. It alternates between Las Vegas and Orlando, so this year it's in Las Vegas.We will be talking about coaching and our new version of side mount, we'll be doing talks in the technical section of the show, we'll be drinking massive amounts of espresso, pla...

In our last episode – "The Most Obscure Questions in Scuba Diving, The Tech Episode," we specifically left out the questions about diving doubles. So now Jeff and Ben devote the whole episode to doubles...the good, the less good, and the really good. Lots of facts, and lots of opinions. If you dive doubles, or are considering it, this is your episode

Jeff and Ben take on four obscure questions in technical scuba diving:Why nitrox 50 from 160ft/48m but oxygen from 130ft/39m?Why are all the deco and stage cylinders on the left?Why do we only carry one bottom timer?Why do we use SPG's, not electronic transmitters?This, plus dozens of tangents and shiny objects. Although the topics are founded in technical diving, they are appropriate to diving at every level, so regardless of your training or experience, there should be something for everyon...

Well, maybe this isn't the most obscure question in scuba diving; actually, it might be one of the most common, and misconceptions run rampant. But we continue to hear about skip breathing so, here it is: Jeff and Ben on countless reasons why skip breathing is both a bad idea and a physiological non-starter. Plus, a look at why we train for multiple failures but only plan for one, a look back at Scubatics, and much more.If you have obscure questions about scuba diving (or not obscure question...

Okay...the one we've all been waiting for. A deep discussion about deep stops with one of the world's foremost authorities, Dr. Simon Mitchell. In this episode, part two of our talk with Simon, we look at the objective, subjective, historical, and random concepts of deep stops during decompression.

In this episode Jeff and Ben do a deep, deep deep deep dive into all things decompression with renowned technical diver Dr. Simon Mitchell. Breathing, gas density, CO2 issues, body temperature, and tons more in this first half of our talk with Dr. Mitchell. Stay tuned for the next episode where we take an equally in-depth look at deep stops.Watch the podcast on YouTube:PART 1, CLICK HEREPART 2, CLICK HEREPart 3, "Deep Stops," coming soon.

A few months ago we did a podcast called Marginal Gains in Scuba Diving (episode 18). In that podcast we looked at the little, small things you can do that, when taken together, add up to bigger gains. For us, as scuba divers, the gains we are looking for include, reduced gas consumption, longer bottom times on the same amount of gas, etc.But we quickly discovered, after that podcast, that the marginal gains did not add up to much. So we pivoted, and now Ben and I take a look at "major gains....

For decades the second step in most people's scuba training is the advanced class. But is that the best training path? In this episode Jeff and Ben look at the reasons the advanced class exists, both from a marketing and a diving standpoint. We talk about a course progression that includes the advanced class, but also some other options.Primarily, we look at the benefits of slowing down training so you not only get the most out of it, but also retain the most information and new skills. This ...

Did we mention fun? In this episode Jeff and Ben are joined by UTD instructor Kim Cardenas as we take a deep dive into everything scooters – some of the history with UTD including Scubatics (underwater acrobatic competition) and Monkey Bash (one of the craziest games you can play underwater), along with the pros, the cons, the costs, and more.Here are links to some of the resources we mention during the podcast:SCUBATICS Promo Video (1:20)Sample Diagrams from Scubatics Handbook (turns)Jeff an...

Jeff and Ben are joined by UTD instructor James Mott. James was one of the original 10 UTD instructors and has The Great Dive Podcast, one of the greatest dive podcasts out there. In this episode we explore the process of training, the idea of mastery in scuba diving and mastery in life, and take a close look at how we learn. Please join us for this exploration and let us know your thoughts. Contact us by clicking here.You can also check out our YouTube channel by clicking here.

Sometimes it's the simplest things that can be the most interesting. As we head toward winter and water temperatures decrease, the thickness of dry suit undergarments tends to increase. In this episode Jeff and Ben look at all aspects of why dry suits keep you warm, how to choose proper undergarments, and how these suites actually work to insulate you from the cold water.Also, click here to check out our YouTube channel where Ben just released a video on how to choose proper undergarmen...

We talk failures, computers, checklists, and much more. This time we have a special guest, Gareth Lock from the www.thehumandiver.com about human factors in diving and what we can do to make our dives better and safer.

It is the little things that matter. Ask any performance athlete or engineer. Whether you are trying to squeeze the most speed out of your bicycle or motorcycle, or the best aerodynamics out of your Formula 1 car, the small things add up. The "marginal gains" movement has taken hold in performance sports over the past decade like never before, and now Jeff and Ben bring these concepts to scuba diving.What are the performance gains in diving? Less air consumption which leads to more time in th...

Imagine yourself 100 meters underground, tucked into a little trolly, racing down rail tracks in an abandoned mine – bullets flying, snakes biting, the heroine captured, and time running out. That's mine diving. Except for the bullets, snakes, and heroine. But the rest of it is still there, sitting as it sat when the mine was closed and flooded years, sometime decades, ago.In this episode Jeff and Ben talk with UTD Instructor Casper Dreiøe and Marcin Wojturski, the head of the Tuna Hästberg m...

The other day Ben and I were talking about upcoming podcasts, particularly the Obscure Questions episodes, then five minutes later we were talking about a student's question regarding flow checks – the process of confirming, both before and during the dive, that all your scuba tank valves are in the proper position – open or closed – as appropriate. That led to the idea that we could probably do a complete podcast episode on flow checks. So here you go. Everything you ever wanted to know...

What's it like to coach scuba divers to meet their goals and aspirations? In this episode Jeff and Ben talk with UTD instructor and scuba coach Mike Brennan. Mike was one of the first UTD instructors to start coaching divers and has a unique and fascinating perspective on using coaching to train divers as opposed to a traditional short-term class.Unified Team Diving continues to break new ground as we develop new and better ways to train divers at every level – from the first open water cours...

As we approach six months into the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, Jeff and Ben take a look at how UTD has modified in-water training to accommodate good public health practices while maintaining the core principles of Unified Team Diving's training.

Are you ready? When is the right time to take a UTD scuba diving class? From Extreme Scuba Makeover to Essentials to Tech and Cave, Jeff and Ben look at the question of, "When should I take my next class?" If you get to the end of this podcast and you are still not sure, contact us and we'll help.Contact us by clicking here.

What's it like being a UTD instructor candidate? After a week-long IDC, UTD CEO (and instructor trainer) Jeff Seckendorf sat down with the team to find out what if feels like on the other side. Six UTD instructors, instructor candidates, and students offer their honest expectations and experiences on the process, the prep, the diving, and the UTD culture. A rare opportunity to hear it from the inside.Learn more about the UTD instructor development program here:https://utdscubadiving.com/be-a-...

It's 2017 and a local dive shop owner has this crazy idea to build an eco park and scuba center at a quarry on a property that is an active mine. Join Jeff as UTD instructors Matt Skogobo and Zach Kennedy unfold the story of how the Juturna Springs Quarry is about to start hosting divers and dive classes from up and down the east coast of the U.S. And there's a C-130. And it's 220ft/67m deep.Check out Unified Team Diving at www.utdscubadiving.com.And Aquanautics at www.aqunauticsllc.com.And J...

Weighting. And weight. Why we need weight, where to put it, when to ditch it, why not ankle weights, and lots more about this seemingly simple yet sometimes polarizing topic. Jeff and Ben answer your questions and find endless tangents about the how's and why's of weighting in scuba diving. Check out great training and scuba coaching at UTD Scuba Diving, www.utdscubadiving.com.

In this episode Jeff, Ben, and Seattle Aquarium Dive Safety Officer Jeff Christiansen talk about the role divers play in educating aquarium visitors. Plus stories of diving and training in the exhibits as both kids and parents watch through the giant glass walls.To subscribe to the UTD online content that includes the Unified Team Diving Scientific Diving course, click here.

When UTD Scuba Diving reorganized in January 2020, we opted to move our online course content into a monthly subscription model. This gives every student access to every course we offer in their category. The benefits are huge, for both the student and the instructor. In this short, bonus podcast, we look at the model, the benefits, and more.Subscribe at www.utdscubadiving.com.

We continue our discussion of scuba diving coaching with Jeff, Ben, and Alan. How does the Unified Team Diving coaching program work? How do you start? Why do we call you a scuba athlete? What are our expectations of you as a scuba coaching athlete? All this and a ton more.For more info on the UTD Scuba Diving program, click here.To contact us, click here.

A collection of random questions and more random answers:Why is nitrox a ridiculous gas?Why don't we use "team bailout" gas...why does each diver carry their own rock bottom?Why does Ben have a dry suit dump valve on his hood?And much more.Have an obscure question? Send it to us.www.utdscubadiving.cominfo@utdscubadiving.com

UTD CEO Jeff Seckendorf, Training Director Ben Bos, and head of the UTD Scuba Coaching Program Alan Weinberg talk about goals and training measurements. Is your goal a certification card? Or is it great training that can eventually lead to certification? And how do we measure your skill level? Most sports have some measurement – power, speed, efficiency – but our metrics in scuba diving are tricky. But, we have the answer!Check out Unified Team Diving's latest podcast in the scuba coaching se...

As we expand our dive coaching program at UTD Scuba Diving, we talk with former pro cyclist and owner of CINCH Cycling, Tom Danielson. Tom coaches world class athletes in cycling and other sports and gives us his take on integrating an athletic coaching model into Unified Team Diving's scuba training model.Find us at utdscubadiving.comFind Tom at cinchcycling.cc

Is public safety diving compatible with the scuba diving techniques we teach at UTD – team and situational awareness, proper trim and buoyancy, and non-silting propulsion techniques? Our guest is Shannon Buhl, UTD instructor and director of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. For close to 20 years Shannon has run a dive team that covers 9000 square miles in the middle of the United States. UTD CEO Jeff Seckendorf and UTD Training Director Ben Bos talk with Shannon about how he integrated the...

What's it take to cut huge ghost fishing nets off a reef or wreck? Or raise abandoned fishing traps lost on the ocean floor? Join UTD CEO Jeff Seckendorf, UTD Training Director Ben Bos, and UTD Instructor and long-time ghost net diver Kim Cardenas for a look at the training and skills needed to help rid the ocean of all this dangerous lost fishing gear.Check out UTD (and contact us) at utdscubadiving.comCheck out Ocean Defenders at oceandefendersalliance.org

There is side mount diving, and there is side mount diving. In this episode UTD CEO Jeff Seckendorf and UTD's training director Ben Bos talk with special guest Sherrie Gould about her experiences as a recreational side mount diver. It's no longer just a 'cave thing.'