Best 10 tips on How to prepare for your PADI IDC
Be Match FIT!
Be ready for your PADI Instructor Development Course
You will learn how to inspire people, give them confidence and encourage them to enjoy the wonderful life that divers are fortunate to experience.
However, to take these concepts on board, you need to be prepared.
10 tips on How to prepare for your PADI IDC
- Revise PADI Dive Theory
- Brush up PADI Standards
- Be right up to date – 2024
- Be familiar with 24 skill circuit
- Go over Rescue Skills
- Practice Briefings and Debriefings
- Get comfortable with teaching in the classroom
- Improve buoyancy
- Work on trim
- Practice using SMBs and lifting bags
1. PADI Dive Theory
Of course you need to revisit the Dive Theory section of your PADI Divemaster Course.
Go over the basics, and revisit the formulas and explanations in the relevant sections.
PADI Instructor level theory
But, PADI Instrctor level Dive Theory is a little higher than Divemaster level, so there is more to learn.
You’ll need to fill that gap between Divemaster and Instructor theory.
2. PADI Standards and Procedures
During your Divemaster course, you needed to be familiar with sections in your PADI Instructor Manual that dealt with Divemaster conducted programs.
Now you need to expand that knowledge. You need to be very familiar with the layout of the PADI Instructor Manual so that you can find answers to questions relating to all courses as well as in the General Standards sections.
3. Be current - Be right up to date
OK. This is a big one! When you prepare for your PADI IDC, you need to be right up to date.
Both Dive Theory and PADI Standards, change regularly.
PADI are constantly changing Standards, so it’s very important that you use the very latest version of the PADI Instructor Manual.
Also keep handy recent updates from the Training Bulletins.
Be right up to date with dive theory
PADI change Theory questions too.
I don’t mean just the wording, although they do frequently alter the wording of questions, but that’s not what I mean.
I mean the syllabus. Some types of questions disappear altogether, while the emphasis on others alters.
New types of questions appear that sometimes cause confusion.
So, please try to be as current as possible.
4. Confined Water Skills
24 PADI Skills to demonstate
During your Divemaster course, you had to demonstrate 24 skills in confined water.
During your PADI Instructor Development Course, you’ll need to be very familiar with all of those skills, and be able to demonstrate them clearly and with ease.
Then you’ll learn how to develop them into full lessons.
The more practice that you can get the better.
My advice is to practice the skills themselves, as a diver would perform them.
Practice them a lot before you attempt to demonstrate as an Instructor.
5. Rescue Diver Skills
In addition to the 24 skills that you worked with on your PADI Divemaster course, it’s a good idea for you to brush up your Rescue Diver Skills as well.
During your IDC you’ll have to:
Demonstrate the organization, sequence and conduct of Rescue Diver course:
- Exercise 2 – Panicked Diver
- Exercise 6 – Surfacing the Unresponsive Diver
- Exercise 7 – Unresponsive Diver at the Surface
You’ll have to perform Rescue Exercise Skill No. 7 – Unconscious Diver at the Surface at your PADI Instructor Exam.
6. Briefings and debriefings
During your Divemaster course, you had to give some Briefing and Debriefings.
However the criteria used to create effective Briefings and Debriefings on a PADI IDC is a little different from what you are used to.
There is a lot of advice on briefings and debriefings, plus a whole lot more! on my
FULL IDC Preparation Course.
7. Get comfortable with teaching in the classroom
Certainly this is an area that can cause anxiety.
However, it’s only the same as chatting to someone about diving!
After a little practice, it becomes normal.
There is help and advice in my online course. You can sign up here: FULL IDC Preparation Course
8,9 & 10. Buoyancy, Trim and Lift bags
On a PADI Instructor Development Course, you’ll be ascending, descending and hovering in confined and open water.
You’ll be much more comfortable if you can easily control your buoyancy and trim while wearing different equipment and performing skills using SMBs or Lift bags.
This all comes under the subject of important diving skills that all divers should master.
Be prepared to become a PADI Instructor
The PADI Instructor Development Course is probably the MOST important diving course that you’ll ever take.
It’s the course that will change your life.
You’ll learn so many new things about teaching, learning and people in general.
Inspire others
You will learn how to inspire people, to give them confidence and to encourage them to enjoy the wonderful life that divers are fortunate to experience.
You need to be prepared both mentally and physically in order to get the very best out of the program.
Change People's lives
On your PADI IDC, you’ll learn how to change people’s lives for the better.
To help each individual person to follow their dreams, whoever they are, and whatever their diving goals are.
Old life - New life
But! Your life will change too!
You’ll meet new people with the same passions as you, and you’ll find new ideas and methods to explore.
In order to take full advantage of the program, you need to be fully prepared and ready for the new challenge.
You will certainly be a new person!
An exciting new life will be ahead of you.
New dreams, travels and thrills.
How can you prepare for your PADI IDC?
Mentally, you need to be ready.
You need to have the confidence and belief that you’re ready to learn new things with the firm knowledge that you’re up to speed with all of the necessary Prior Knowledge.
The more practice that you can get the better.
My advice is to practice the skills themselves, as a diver would perform them.
Practice them a lot before you attempt to demonstrate as an Instructor.
Can I help you to prepare for your PADI IDC?
- FREE Dive Theory help with videos and test questions.
- Buy realistic 2024 style PADI Mock Exams. 5 FULL sets for $54
Very similar to the exams that you’ll find on your PADI Instructor Exam.
- Online courses that teach all theory from scratch, includes lots of practice questions and mock exams.
Change People's lives
On your PADI IDC, you’ll learn how to change people’s lives for the better.
To help each individual person to follow their dreams, whoever they are, and whatever their diving goals are.
Old life - New life
But! Your life will change too!
You’ll meet new people with the same passions as you, and you’ll find new ideas and methods to explore.
In order to take full advantage of the program, you need to be fully prepared and ready for the new challenge.
You will certainly be a new person!
An exciting new life will be ahead of you.
New dreams, travels and thrills.
How can you prepare for your PADI IDC?
I hope that this has helped. 10 tips on how to prepare.
Mentally, you need to be ready.
You need to have the confidence and belief that you’re ready to learn new things with the firm knowledge that you’re up to speed with all of the necessary Prior Knowledge.
That's it for now!
Thanks for reading!
I wish you all the best. I know that you have a wonderful and exciting life ahead of you.
You’ll be giving so much pleasure to your future students.
But in the same way that your future students will get more from you if they’re fully prepared, you’ll get much more out of your PADI IDC if you’ve put in some study work beforehand.