What Are the Physical Requirements for Scuba Diving?
Scuba diving is a fun, relaxing activity, but it’s important for divers to be healthy and fit.
Before getting in the water, students must complete a medical questionnaire — they’ll be asked to receive a doctor’s clearance if any potential medical issues exist. This way, they are safe to go full steam ahead with the dive course.
It’s also important to be comfortable and competent in the water. Many courses have built-in tests to make sure you can handle yourself underwater and stay safe. Here are some of the physical skills tested:
PADI
- 10 minute float/swim without swim aids
- 200 meter/yard continuous surface swim without aids or a 300 yard/meter swim with mask, snorkel and fins
What if I see a shark?
Congratulations! Sharks are amazing marine animals, and encounters with the graceful creatures are highly sought out by divers around the world. Despite what many people believe, sharks are not mindless killing machines, and attacks on divers are very rare. Mostly, sharks will swim quickly away underwater, but, if you’re lucky, you may get to see them in their natural habitats for an extended period of time.
How much do scuba diving lessons cost?
Earning a scuba diving certification can be much more affordable than most people think. The cost of learning to dive can vary greatly from shop to shop, depending on which course you choose and a variety of other factors. Before you sign up for the class, be sure to ask if the price includes:
- Gear rental
- Learning materials
- Use of tanks during course
- Boat fees
- Checkout dives
The final cost of obtaining your basic certification can range from about $300-$600 depending on where you decide to get certified, what is included in the class and more. If you choose to seek out private lessons, the pricing will change.
Are my kids too young? Am I too old?
Scuba diving is a nondiscriminatory activity. Anyone with the physical ability to handle the equipment and the emotional maturity to comprehend the rules and take responsibility for his or her safety and that of his dive buddy, can scuba dive safely and enjoyably.
There is no upper age limit on learning scuba. Prospective scuba students are asked to have a standard medical questionnaire completed by a doctor — preferably one knowledgeable in hyperbaric, i.e., pressure-related, medicine. Certain conditions may preclude those of any age from diving, temporarily or permanently, especially conditions associated with lung functions or anything that may impair your ability to perform effectively underwater. As long as you maintain relatively good physical and mental conditioning, it’s never too late to learn scuba. Many divers continue into their 70s and 80s.
Minimum age restrictions do apply, although these have recently been lowered by some scuba certification agencies with the development of noncertification programs for children as young as 8 years old. These programs allow enthusiastic kids to get a taste of scuba diving under strict supervision and depths not exceeding about 6 feet (2 m).
In general, children must be 10-12 years old, depending on the agency, to be certified as “Junior” divers, who may dive only under restricted conditions (i.e., limited depths and supervision by a scuba professional or certified adult diver). At 15 or 16 years old, students receive the same certification as adult divers. Of course, children mature at varying rates and only parents can decide whether their child is emotionally and physically ready to shoulder the responsibility inherent in scuba diving.
Handicapped individuals can also participate in diving activities with the help of specially trained buddies.
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