21 Apr How to mentally prepare for your PADI IDC in 5 simple steps

Do you have your PADI IDC coming up? Starting to panic? No need! I know how you feel, all Instructors I know, including myself, have gone through this stage and look back at their course wishing they had known why they didn’t need to be nervous at all. Great news; I’m going to do my best to explain the reasons why you can stop stressing in 5 simple steps, so you can look forward to your course and start in a positive way.

Step 1
Let me cover the most important reason first; the PADI Instructor Development Course is exactly that; a Development course. That means that during the course itself, you will be taught everything you need to know to be able to pass the exams. Now just let that sink in for a second… You are not expected to know everything at all, that’s why your PADI Course Director will be there to teach you! It’s a bit like your first driving lesson (advantage: you as a Divemaster already know how to scuba dive!). For your first driving lesson you were probably pretty nervous, excited too, but as it comes closer, the stress starts to creep in. You get in that car for the first time, your palms are sweating, the Instructor asks you to start the car – Succes!! Immediately after you probably stalled it but hey, that’s all part of the learning process! As the lessons progress, you keep getting better and better at driving, and if you make a mistake, the Instructor corrects it, he’s in control, and he’s there to guide and assist you.

Step 2
This might sounds strange, but I recommend that you make as many mistakes as possible in your IDC, and learn from all of them. Learn from other people’s mistakes too, and before you know it, you have learned more in 1 day than you ever have in a single day before! You and the other candidates will be given assignments, these are for practice to start with. You will be able to see many skills and presentations, and you will all learn from each others mistakes. That way, by the time you get to the examination, you will have seen most things the way they should or should not be done, and you can implement this.

Step 3
Now, has the thought about taking the exams been bugging you at all? You’re probably thinking, you’re talking about driving tests, but you have heard lots of people fail them. True, many people fail DRIVING tests, but in the PADI World it’s different, in a good way! PADI’s aim is to have everyone pass, not to go on a certain number people they need to pass or fail. So even if you think you will be the worst one of the the group (odds on you won’t be) you can still easily pass. It is in everyone’s benefit for you to pass.

Step 4
Preparation is key. Luckily there is a lot you can do to prepare. As a PADI Divemaster, you have gone through the diver levels of PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water, Emergency First Response, PADI Rescue and PADI Divemaster. First of all, make sure you re-familiarise yourself with the theory behind those courses. Every course builds on the last, so make sure your foundation is strong. With that, you’ve probably done half the work already! Diving experience-wise, you need 100 logged dives. Never stop logging your dives! The diving part is easy by now, 100 dives is a lot so you know how to dive by now! Then there is the diving skills part. You should definitely be very familiar with all the skills. The IDC will teach you more in depth knowledge about the skills, but the foundation should be there, and you should be comfortable with doing every skill. Once you’re confident about these few things, you’re ready to go!

Step 5
Have fun! You might think, fun? I’m going to be doing exams, presentations and all kinds of scary stuff. Well, don’t worry, the course has been put together to cater for everyone, and to make is as easy as possible to learn and understand the process. If you’re part of the 99,9% of the world that has a fear of public speaking, even that has been thought about. The PADI System provides you with a very clear and short sequence to follow. All you need to do is follow the list, say what is says on your paper and that’s it! It really has been made super-easy, to allow for anyone to be able to do it!

Now you should feel a little more relaxed about getting prepared for the IDC! If you have any questions, send us an email and don’t forget to read our other blogs!