You have mastered your neutral buoyancy. You know the dive theory physics formulas by heart. You can spot a microscopic nudibranch from five meters away. But for many PADI Divemaster candidates, the biggest source of anxiety has nothing to do with scuba diving at all.
It is the watermanship and stamina assessments.
To become a dive professional, you must prove you possess the physical fitness to handle yourself—and rescue others—in an emergency. The PADI Divemaster course requires you to complete four specific stamina tests. You are scored on a point system (from 1 to 5) based on your time. The goal is not to be an Olympic athlete and score a 5 on every event; the goal is to achieve a solid, passing aggregate score across the board.
At Sierra Madre Divers, we regularly see strong divers let nerves get the better of them during these swims. To help you conquer the physical side of your internship in Bohol, here is the breakdown of the four stamina tests, the common traps candidates fall into, and exactly how to train for them.
The 400-Meter Swim
The Test: You must swim 400 meters continuously without any swimming aids (no mask, no snorkel, no fins, no wetsuit buoyancy). You can use any stroke or combination of strokes.
The Common Trap: Adrenaline. Candidates hit the water, sprint the first 100 meters in a panic, completely spike their heart rate, and have nothing left in the tank for the remaining 300 meters.
How to Train and Execute:
- Pacing is everything: This is an endurance event, not a sprint. Find a slow, rhythmic pace that you feel you could maintain for an hour.
- Mix your strokes: Freestyle (front crawl) is usually the fastest, but it is exhausting. Breaststroke is fantastic for catching your breath while maintaining forward momentum. Alternate between the two.
- Hit the pool early: Don’t wait until you arrive in the Philippines. Two months before your course, get into a local pool. Swim 100 meters, rest, and repeat until 400 meters feels manageable.
The 15-Minute Tread (The Drown-Proofing Test)
The Test: You must tread water, drown-proof, bob, or float in water too deep to stand in for 15 minutes, wearing only a swimsuit. For the final two minutes, you must keep your hands completely out of the water.
The Common Trap: Exhausting the legs early. Candidates often kick frantically for the first 13 minutes, meaning when it is time to raise their hands, their legs immediately cramp and they sink.
How to Train and Execute:
- Scull for 13 minutes: For the first chunk of the test, let your arms do 80% of the work. Scull the water with your hands and barely move your legs. Save your lower body energy.
- The Eggbeater Kick: For the final two minutes when your hands go up, the “eggbeater” kick (used by water polo players) is infinitely more efficient than a scissor kick. It provides constant, upward lift rather than the bobbing motion of a standard tread.
- Breathe into your chest: Keep your lungs as full as possible. A full lung acts as a natural BCD, making you significantly more buoyant.
The 800-Meter Snorkel
The Test: You must swim 800 meters using a mask, snorkel, and fins. The catch? You are not allowed to use your arms to swim. They must remain at your sides or outstretched in front of you.
The Common Trap: Severe calf and foot cramps. Bicycling your legs (bending deeply at the knee) creates massive drag and burns out your muscles rapidly.
How to Train and Execute:
- Kick from the hip: Your knees should only have a slight, natural bend. The power must come from your hips and glutes, creating a long, sweeping flutter kick.
- Train with your actual fins: Do not train with tiny pool flippers and then attempt the test in heavy, stiff jet fins. Train in the exact fins you plan to use so your ankles adapt to the specific resistance.
- Hydrate and fuel: Cramping is often a sign of dehydration or lack of potassium. Drink plenty of water and eat a banana an hour before this test.
The 100-Meter Diver Tow
The Test: You must push or tow an inert diver at the surface for 100 meters. Both you and the “victim” must be wearing full scuba equipment (BCD, tank, regulators, wetsuit, and weights).
The Common Trap: Fighting the water. Candidates often try to tow the victim from the arm or BCD shoulder strap, causing the victim to drag diagonally in the water, acting like a massive sea anchor.
How to Train and Execute:
- Streamline the victim: Before you start moving, ensure the victim is lying completely flat on their back. If their BCD is over-inflated, their chest will pop up and their heavy tank will drop their hips down, creating massive drag. Vent a tiny bit of air from their BCD to get them horizontal.
- The Tank Valve Tow: The most efficient method is often the tank-valve tow. Swim on your back, grab the victim’s first stage regulator or tank valve between your knees or with one hand, and pull them directly behind you in your slipstream.
- The Fin Push: Alternatively, put the victim’s fins on your shoulders and push them forward like a wheelbarrow using a strong frog kick. Try both during your training to see which works best for your body type.
It Is About Safety, Not Hazing
The watermanship tests are not designed to break you; they are designed to ensure that if a current suddenly rips, or a guest panics at the surface, you have the cardiovascular baseline required to save them and yourself.
At Sierra Madre Divers, we don’t just stand on the boat with a stopwatch and shout at you. During your Divemaster internship, we run dedicated stamina workshops. We will review your swim strokes, critique your finning techniques, and help you find the absolute most efficient way through the water.
Are you ready to prove you have what it takes? Start swimming today, and contact us to book your PADI Divemaster internship in Bohol. We will see you in the water!
