The lack of fitness weeds the divers out - I do not
need to do it. Of our fatalities, one was a cave in,
one was out of shape and using drugs and alcohol, and
violating my current rules for stage bottles, one was
diving deep air and was left by his "buddy".  That was
before I ran the project.

Being in shape is more of a being able to put it all
together and do the big stuff easily thing - it will
not keep you alive if you are screwing up otherwise.

A great comparison is to look at the rejects Stone
used in his project - always sick, bent, tired, cold
miserable and taking days and days to recover from
bullshit dives in a chamber, vs my cave stallions who
can do two dives in one day bigger than anything done
in the Stone project and be at dinner that night
feeling perfect, and then dive the next day.

 On the last record dive JJ and I did, two weeks ago,
we went 19,000 feet each way at 300, and I was out of
the water in time to have dinner with my son up at
Florida State University. All conditioning there.



>George,
>
>Thanks for the response. I know you have bounced
people from dive sites for
>having stroke gear etc... but I wondered what you did
if someone didn't show
>the same commitment to taking care of themselves on a
regular basis.
>
>I noticed you do rip people new ones for diving
stroke gear but the one
>thing I never see mentioned on a lot of these posts
about fatalities is "Was
>the person in shape?"
>
>I would think that would rank right up there with
"Was he diving stroke
>gear?" but I dont ever see the fitness question
addressed when people post
>about a fatality.
>
>Todd
>
>
>>From: trey@ne*.co* (Trey)
>>To: "Todd Baldi" <todd_baldi@ho*.co*>,
<scottk@hc*.co*>,
>><mhkane@pr*.ne*>
>>CC: <techdiver@aq*.co*>, <cavers@cavers.com>
>>Subject: Most Important Piece fo Equipment wasRe:
Series of recent deaths
>>Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 10:36:35 -0400
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Todd, I do not "require" any workout regimen out of
my
>>divers, I merely lead by example. It is pretty
>>embarrasing when  48 yer old guy can severely out
gun
>>the 20-30 year old's in every measure of athletic
>>performance, stamina , strength fitness and look. I
do
>>not have to do anything but take my shirt off to get
>>that point across, and remind them who never gets
>>cold, tired , injured or bent. They take it from
>>there.
>>
>>Obviously,JJ and  my top guns are in the same
category
>>as me. While other than JJ they are not all around
>>tops in every category, they all do what they do
very
>>seriously. Many are marathon runners, Iron Man
>>triatheletes, sprint triatheletes, Masters swimmers,
>>or cyclists.
>>
>>My main message and example is show up every day and
>>do something, no matter what, and that is what I
have
>>done for my whole life, with even more intensity the
>>last ten years. Besides being the key to fitness, it
>>is the key to longevity and quality of life and
health
>>in every regard.
>>
>>I have no aches or pains, no problem doing anyting ,
>>no problem running or lifting weights with my 19
year
>>old son, no problem doing the Iron Man, etc. I can
>>still bench press more than twice my weight and run
a
>>sub 11 second 100 yds. or do any distance swimning,
>>running or on the bike.
>>
>>I guess you could say I effectively "require"
fitness
>>since to do the dives I ask thes guys to do, it is
>>essential. Diving and especaily diving in the WKPP
>>seems to get people thinking fitness in every way.
>>Most no longer drink, obviously do not smoke, smoke
>>pot or use drugs, and most take fitness and health
>>very seriously.
>>
>>Some of the girls on the team are the same: Dawn
>>Kernagis can kick some ass on a bike or a swim, and
>>Pina can run like a rocket forever. It really shows
on
>>the dopler tests.
>>
>> >George,
>> >
>> >I read a lot on the list and the WKPP website
>>regarding gear configuration
>> >but I rarely see any mention of the most important
>>piece of equipment, your
>> >body.
>> >
>> >I am familiar with your workout regimine through
>>private emails and some
>> >discussion on the list. Could you please give a
>>rundown on what the other
>> >WKPP divers do to maintain their shape.  Is there
>>some set workout rountine
>> >that you require for WKPP divers? Plus what
training,
>>other than what is
>> >listed on your forms do you require your divers to
go
>>through?
>> >
>> >Thanks,
>> >Todd
>> >
>> >>From: trey@ne*.co* (Trey)
>> >>To: "Scott" <scottk@hc*.co*>, "MHK"
>><mhkane@pr*.ne*>
>> >>CC: "List - Technical Diver"
>><techdiver@aq*.co*>, <cavers@cavers.com>
>> >>Subject: Re: Series of recent deaths
>> >>Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 15:22:22 -0400
>> >>
>> >>go to http://www.wkpp.org and then "Equipment"
and
>> >>then the DIR gear config article - it is all
there.
>> >>
>> >>The direct url is
>> >>http://www.wkpp.org/articles/Gear/newgeorge.html
>> >>
>> >>Try to understand it in its entirety.
>> >>
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>From: Scott <scottk@hc*.co*>
>> >>To: George Irvine <trey@ne*.co*>; MHK
>> >><mhkane@pr*.ne*>
>> >>Date: Thursday, August 10, 2000 3:01 PM
>> >>Subject: Fw: Series of recent deaths
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >----- Original Message -----
>> >> >From: "Scott" <scottk@hc*.re*.co*>
>> >> >Newsgroups: rec.scuba
>> >> >Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2000 12:00 PM
>> >> >Subject: Re: Series of recent deaths
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >> Its going to get worse before it gets better.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The more people die, the louder We bitch, and
>>the
>> >>harder they argue and
>> >> >look
>> >> >> elsewhere for a place to put the blame.
>>Disclaimers
>> >>keep you out of court,
>> >> >> but
>> >> >> court isn't the only authority people are
going
>>to
>> >>have to answer to.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I am almost pissed off at Maffatone. What a
>>waste.
>> >>Everyone said shit like
>> >> >> "Oh, he died doing what he loved." Fuck that
>> >>bullshit. He died
>> >> >> traumatically, scared and alone. There was
>>nothing
>> >>glamorous about his
>> >> >> death. He drowned. Its was simply a fucking
>>waste
>> >>of a good man, and a
>> >> >> veteran. He was not only a feather in the cap
of
>> >>his friends, he was a
>> >> >> feather in the cap of our country. As long as
>> >>people accept a *needless*
>> >> >> death like this, and justify it because he
was
>> >>"doing what he loved", more
>> >> >> are doomed to follow. Its all in the mindset,
>> >>people. I didn't know the
>> >> >man,
>> >> >> and imagine it would be quite a privilege to
>>have
>> >>made his acquaintance.
>> >> >> Those of you who did know him, will miss him.
>>Those
>> >>of us who didn't know
>> >> >> him are glad we don't have the pain you do.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> And for what? I cant really find any good
lesson
>> >>from this mans death.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> People who get pissed about the list "Reasons
>>for
>> >>you strokes to shut the
>> >> >> fuck up and listen", will have to get used to
>>the
>> >>idea of the existence of
>> >> >> the list, because it is growing
exponentially.
>>Its
>> >>continued growth is fed
>> >> >> by greed, ego, stupid pride, and politeness.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Scott
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "MHK" <mhkane@PR*.NE*> wrote in message
>> >> >>
>>
>>news:8mup78$26n4$1@ne*.ne*.pr*.co*...
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Given that there have been a series of
recent
>> >>tragedies, I hope everyone
>> >> >> > will take an extra minute or so prior to
there
>> >>next dive and take a look
>> >> >> at
>> >> >> > there diving..  Hopefully you'll ask
yourself,
>>is
>> >>there anything I can
>> >> >do
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> > make this dive safer.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > It seems, based upon the accounts that I
have
>> >>reviewed, that most of
>> >> >these
>> >> >> > deaths were some experienced divers.
>>Complacency
>> >>kills, and I know we
>> >> >> like
>> >> >> > to have a bunch of fun on this NG and beat
>>each
>> >>other up now and again.
>> >> >> But
>> >> >> > no matter what side of the DIR coin you
side
>>on,
>> >>please take a fresh
>> >> >look
>> >> >> at
>> >> >> > your diving and try to remain safe..
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > The only remaining contribution these
diver's
>>can
>> >>leave us with is that
>> >> >we
>> >> >> > can look at there mistakes and learn from
>>them.
>> >>Death is an unfortunate
>> >> >> > byproduct of our sport and should be looked
at
>>as
>> >>a learning tool.  What
>> >> >> can
>> >> >> > be learned, and how can we avoid it from
>> >>happening again..
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > My condoleseces to all the families that
have
>> >>suffered, may they rest in
>> >> >> > peace..
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Stay safe....
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Regards
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>--
>> >>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to
>>`techdiver@aq*.co*'.
>> >>Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to
>>`techdiver-request@aq*.co*'.
>> >
>>
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