<div class="bbWrapper">The following is from <a href="https://freedivingsafety.com/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">a freediving newsletter</a> but this is such powerful life advice (also applies to this forum):<br />
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As someone who has been a full-time instructor since 2005 and taught over 1,000 students, I think I'm qualified to give you some advice on<b> how to get the most out of your freediving class.<br />
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LISTEN!</b><br />
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It's a simple word, it's a simple action, but I'm shocked to see how much energy some students put into NOT LISTENING.<br />
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Constantly looking at their phone. Your "twitters" are not as important as the $1,000 you spent on the class.<br />
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Combative & argumentative attitude:<br />
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"That won't work for me."<br />
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"No one I know does that."<br />
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"That won't work for spearfishing."<br />
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"That has too many steps."<br />
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"Why can't I just do it my way?"<br />
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Some of my students are awesome, but I'm amazed at how much energy some students put into not learning.<br />
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<b>My advice is simple: listen.<br />
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Here are 4 great goals for your class:</b><br />
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#1<b> I want to absorb more information</b> from this instructor than anyone in the class.<br />
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#2<b> I want to implement the techniques </b>the instructor is teaching more than any other student in the class.<br />
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#3<b> I commit to raising my hand and asking a question</b> if I'm unsure of something during the classroom or pool session.<br />
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#4 <b>I commit to asking for more feedback</b> if I think I'm not executing a technique correctly.<br />
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That's how you get your money's worth from a class. Notice there is a competitive aspect to these goals. Absorb more than anyone, implement more than anyone.<br />
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Many freediving students are hyper-competitive, so now you have a worthy goal to compete for as opposed to diving deeper than everyone or holding your breath longer than everyone.<br />
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Most students goals are:<br />
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I want to <b>dive to the maximum depth</b> of the class.<br />
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I want to <b>hold my breath to the maximum</b> allowed in the class.<br />
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I want to prove to everyone in the class that <b>I know more than anyone.</b> - <i>these people are the worst </i><script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json">
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<b>Do you see how those goals have almost nothing to do with learning?</b><br />
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You can dive to the max of the class and hold your breath to the max of the class and still have the same bad technique you walked in the door with.<br />
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What the heck did you learn then? <br />
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Many students will think things like "that will never work for me," but if you don't actually implement and execute the technique, how would you know if it won't work for you?<br />
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<b>Focus on implementing all the techniques being taught.</b> Once you've perfected the technique, then and only then can you intelligently compare it to what you are currently doing.<br />
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My suggestion is to come into your freediving class with an open mind.<br />
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Think about <b>why else you would give the instructor your hard-earned money?</b>
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