Training First.
Certification Second.
Our training philosophy has always been that you pay for training but you earn certification.
In scuba diving, certification comes with a few privileges:
You need certification to get your tanks filled. Scuba shops will not fill tanks for non-certified divers.
You need certification to dive some venues, like on dive boats, in restricted dive parks, in caves, etc.
In most scuba diving classes, certification is the holy grail – the reason for being there. In UTD, we are the opposite. We are training first. When you complete the training for a particular course, and you meet the standards for that course, your instructor issues scuba certification. Your focus will be on the process of training to meet those standards. Certification is the outcome.
This is a concept that has been used in athletic training for decades – do the training and you’ll get your outcome. Train consistently, get on the podium. If a podium finish in a race is your expected outcome or result, the only way to get there is training. That’s where we come in.
We know how to train you to be a great scuba diver, at any level. Your job is to show up prepared, ready to learn, but not concerned with the outcome. Focus on the training and the outcome (scuba certification) will follow. If you skimp on training, well, that outcome is also inevitable.
Here is why we are different:
The Way We Dive
The ocean is fragile, and it’s filled with living organisms that we can’t see. Every part of this ecosystem is vital. Big fish eat smaller fish, small fish eat tiny fish, tiny fish eat the microscopic stuff, and so on. Traditional scuba training has always advocated kneeling on the bottom. This kills the food at the bottom of the food chain. Lack of awareness of your buoyancy – how you are floating in the water – leads to the death and destruction of tons of plant and animal life. It also churns up tons of dirt and dust, making it harder for everyone to see.
With UTD you will learn to dive in an “Ocean Friendly,” team diving system. We can’t emphasize enough how important this is. From the moment you first meet us, you will be trained to be in control of your buoyancy – neutrally buoyant and nicely horizontal in the water, like you are laying on a cushion, perfectly suspended in mid-water, relying on your breathing patterns to control your depth.
It’s magical, having that kind of control, not just for the sake of the ocean, but for your own safety. The better your buoyancy control, the safer and more confident diver you will be; always comfortable in the water so your awareness can go to your team and your environment.
So what makes you stand out as a UTD Scuba Diver? You will be a confident, highly skilled badass diver. You and the ocean will be happy forever.
Choose Your Scuba Training Category or Choose Scuba Coaching
There are two ways to train at UTD Scuba Diving – a traditional scuba class, or scuba coaching. In both cases you will have access to every online course we offer in your category. This means, as a Foundational subscriber or a Foundational Coaching client you will have the content for every foundational course – Open Water, Nitrox, Rescue, Dry Suit, and dozens more. You can take an individual class with your instructor, or you can be in the monthly coaching program and receive a weekly schedule of scuba (and scuba-related training) from your coach. UTD coaching clients who complete the requirements for a particular class can be certified in that class by their coach.
The Foundational Courses
This is the place to start. Here you will find all the foundational and recreational course we offer at UTD Scuba Diving. If this is your first time in the water or you are looking for an advanced diving class, read on. These classes cover scuba diving to depths of 100ft/30m breathing compressed air and nitrox.
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The Technical and Rebreather Courses
Ready for deeper and more challenging scuba diving? Step up to UTD’s technical and rebreather courses. Starting at depths of 130ft/39m and going to 250’/75m, you’ll be trained on decompression techniques, deco bottle handling, team awareness, and emergency procedures. Technical and rebreather diving opens scuba diving to a whole new level.
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The Cave and Wreck Penetration Courses
Cave diving and wreck penetration diving gives you an opportunity to reach the height of scuba exploration. Whether deep in a karst cave system in Mexico or Florida, or in the engine room of a WWII wreck in the Red Sea, these overhead courses will challenge you like never before.
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The UTD Scuba Coaching Program
Dive Training Does Not Have to Be About Certification. Here’s how it works: Students are clients; UTD instructors are coaches; the goal of coaching is the process, not the outcome. In other words, great scuba training does not have to be tied to certification.
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UTD Instructor Training
Be a UTD Instructor and UTD Scuba Coach. Guide your students to the highest level of teaching possible while challenging yourself as you experience the process of UTD Scuba Diving’s instructor development program. Whether you are currently a scuba instructor you ready for your initial training, contact us to set up a meeting to discuss your path to UTD instructor.
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Start Now. Be an Amazing Diver.
Choose a traditional UTD Scuba Diving class, or choose the ongoing UTD Scuba Coaching Program. Either way, you will become the best, badass team diver in the ocean.
