GUE Basic Fundamentals

Some divers use the Fundamentals course as a way to improve their skills and systematize their knowledge. Others see this training as a ticket to participate in GUE projects. Many technical divers and even experienced instructors from other organizations take their Fundies because they want to improve their basic skills and/or access cave and technical training with GUE.

Each GUE course includes a swimming test. In this case, it is:

• 275m swim in up to 14 minutes.
• 15m underwater on breath hold.

A diver with a GUE Performance Diver certificate can take an abbreviated version of the GUE Basic Fundamentals course, completing elements of the training that they have not previously completed.

With the new adaptive GUE Mastery Learning learning platform, you can start learning theory at your own pace as soon as you sign up for the class. The instructor will have insight into your progress and, if necessary, will explain you the most problematic issues. Thanks to this solution, during in-water sessions, you will spend more time on practicing and using your knowledge in real conditions.

Theory topics in the GUE Basic Fundamentals course:

• Global Underwater Explorers – history and training system
• Basic diving skills: buoyancy, trim and balance, and propulsion techniques.
• Equipment configuration and optimization.
• Situational awareness.
• Dive planning and gas management.
• Breathing gas dynamics.
• Nitrox diving.
• Introduction to decompression procedures and the Minimum Deco principles.
• Diving safety and accident prevention.

During the training, you will master the key skills necessary for safe and efficient diving. The practical training focuses on precise mastery of your equipment, diving techniques and safety procedures that are the foundation of your further diving development.

Scope of practical training:

Equipment configuration.

• Equipment adjustments and personalising
• Breathing gas management .
• Gas analysis and marking.

Buoyancy control , trim and balance.

• Stability.
• Precise buoyancy control – maintaining a stable position in various situations,
• Dynamic buoyancy control – variable ascent speed and ability to keep stops at target depths.

Advanced propulsion techniques

• Effective propulsion techniques: frog kick, flutter kick and their modifications.
• Manoeuvring: back kick and helicopter turn.
• Reducing effort and gas consumption when swimming.

Teamwork and safety.

• Teamwork in GUE diving – effective communication and team coordination.
• Emergency management.
• Emergency gas sharing procedures.
• Emergency ascent in the depths with minimal decompression.
• Valve drill.
• Correct use of the surface marker buoy (SMB) .

Introduction to Gas Management

• Theory and practical application of nitrox in recreational diving.
• Introduction to GUE standard gas mixtures.
• Conscious planning and execution of a dve plan.

The practical part of the course consist of several intensive sessions in the water, where the exercises are gradually developed to ensure that participants fully master the critical skills. The instructor analyzes and corrects mistakes on an ongoing basis, which allows you to quickly improve your technique and build good diving habits.