Hone Your Skills - SSI Extended Range Foundations

November 3, 2020 The SSI Extended Range Foundations program offers divers a unique opportunity to hone their dive skills during focussed confined water sessions and dip their fins into the world of tec diving. Read on to find out more about this invaluable SSI program.

SSI Extended Range Foundations program.

The Extended Range Foundations program is designed to provide divers with a confined water workshop environment to improve their skills to a high level using any total diving system that they are certified to dive with. The program focuses on the true mastery of buoyancy, trim, finning techniques, stability, and communication - which make up the foundations of becoming an accomplished Extended Range diver. The ultimate aim is to create true personal perfection and in-water control. An ambition that all Extended Range (XR) divers have!

Who can join the SSI Extended Range Foundations program?

Anyone with an open water diver certification and 24 logged dives can register for the SSI Extended Range Foundations program.

Why join this program?

The SSI Extended Range Foundations program has such a wide variety of applications that it will attract a large range of students.

• Some divers will join this training to perfect their buoyancy control, trim and dive skills so they can achieve the ultimate in dive mastery!

• Others will learn how to dive in a twinset in order to increase their gas volumes while making recreational dives.

• Some divers will join this program as an "intro to tec" to see if they actually like Extended Range diving, and may go on to register for the Extended Range program.

Whatever your reasons are for enrolling, the SSI Extended Range Foundations program provides a very concentrated time focusing on the finer details of diving, which cannot always be covered with such intensity during other training programs. As it is a confined water program, you can focus 100% on your skills rather than having to also manage open water environmental elements. The end result is that skill development and progression is very efficient and effective.  GO BEYOND – BECOME AN EXTENDED RANGE DIVER TODAY.

Why is this training so beneficial for divers?

If a pool is being used for training, your in-water time can be extended substantially as water temperatures and gas consumptions are no longer limitations. It is the best way to work on and hone your dive skills. You may train in a pool that has large mirrors within it, so you can see your body position and gain an immediate visual source of feedback. If a mirrored pool is not available, your instructor may choose to use a video camera which again provides valuable feedback.

Benefits for SSI Professionals.

Buoyancy, trim, and finning problems are common challenges that SSI Instructors must help their students overcome. By teaching the SSI Extended Range Foundations program, you will develop your ability to identify and correct problems that your students encounter. You will be able to use this training to provide high-level XR training in all of your teaching efforts. ENHANCE YOUR SSI PROFESSIONAL CAREER. BECOME AN EXTENDED RANGE INSTRUCTOR.

Frequently Asked Questions.

1. Can I teach the SSI Extended Range Foundations program to a diver wearing a CCR?

Yes, as long as the diver is a certified CCR diver and you are a CCR instructor. Rationale: Buoyancy control when diving on a CCR is completely different from diving open-circuit (OC). An OC instructor simply does not have the knowledge base to be able to provide critical information on how to improve buoyancy techniques in a configuration that they have no training for themselves.

2. I am an SSI instructor on the JJ CCR, can I teach the SSI Extended Range Foundations program to a diver wearing an SF2 CCR?

Yes, as long as the student is a certified SF2 diver. Rationale: Even though you may not be an instructor on the specific unit your student would like to use during the program, the SSI Extended Range Foundations program is not teaching any new unit-specific skills. The program is teaching general skills that can be applied to all CCR units. Buoyancy control and breathing loop management are the same technique for all CCR units. READ MORE: EXPLORE MORE – 9 REMOTE DIVE SPOTS.

3. Can I teach the SSI Extended Range Foundations program to a student who wants to dive with a sidemount configuration?

Yes, as long as the student is a certified sidemount diver (recreational or XR) and you are a sidemount instructor (recreational or XR). Rationale: The big misconception about sidemount diving is that cylinders are simply strapped to the side of the body and off you go. This is simply untrue. To have true mastery over the control and trim of sidemount cylinders requires very precise and critical information about cylinder balancing, configuration, rigging, and adjustment. All of this knowledge is learned as a sidemount instructor. An instructor with no sidemount qualifications cannot provide the necessary information to enable the student to gain mastery over their in-water control.

4. Can a student make the SSI Extended Range Foundations program in different equipment configurations?

Absolutely yes. Rationale: Just because the diver has been certified in the Extended Range Foundations program in a twinset (for example) this does not mean that they cannot repeat the program at a later date in perhaps a CCR or with a sidemount configuration. The student does not need to be registered again for the program but can be issued an "equipment upgrade". All program required paperwork will need to be printed and completed, all performance requirements will need to be met, as outlined in the program standards, and then the new configuration certification can be issued. READ MORE: 10 DIVE TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FOR XR DIVERS.