
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast
In scuba diving there is training and there is certification. Certification has always been the holy grail of every scuba course. But at Unified Team Diving we are redefining how scuba training works. Our UTD instructors are coaches and our students are clients and our process is to make you an awesome, badass diver. https://utdscubadiving.com
Latest episodes

Apr 28, 2025 • 51min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #108 – Jeff Passes the Torch to Ben and Jay
Send us a textDear UTD Community,Today, we’re sharing a meaningful milestone in the journey of Unified Team Diving.After years of inspiring leadership, Jeff is stepping down from his leadership role at UTD. His vision has shaped the path we’ve walked together, and his contributions have left an indelible mark on our organization. We are deeply grateful for his passion, his pioneering spirit, and the values he instilled in all of us.Jeff will still be around, however, as an instructor, instructor trainer, and coach.As we turn the page, Ben and Jay will step forward to lead UTD into its next chapter. Grounded in our “Thinking Diver” philosophy and the foundational principles of our WE Code, they are committed to carrying the mission forward—with you.We invite you to listen to this special podcast episode reflecting on this transition and where we’re headed next:Thank you, Jeff—and thank you to each of you—for being part of this extraordinary community. We look forward to growing together as we shape the future of UTD.If you have any questions, reflections, or just want to connect, please feel free to reach out to me, Ben, or Jeff directly. Best,Jay GardnerDirector of Development, Unified Team Diving

Mar 30, 2025 • 22min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #107 – Jeff's Carcast - Comparing Yourself to Others
Send us a textDo you feel like you are good enough? That is the core of this episode. In diving, and in sports, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others and that can be a huge impediment to any successful outcome in a class or training program. The most important thing in any training situation, or in a competition, is simple: you do you.As usual, I tie diving to cycling. Regardless of whether these stories are about you, let us know if you need some guidance, some coaching, or some mentoring as you move though your career as the best scuba diving version of you.JeffMore on the UTD Scuba Coaching Program:https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/For more info, contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Mar 13, 2025 • 42min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #106, Ben's Training Corner: Are you on the peak of Mount Stupid?
Send us a textHi, in this episode Ben will discuss the Dunning Kruger effect. A cognitive bias that was created in 1999 by David Dunning and Justin Kruger. It gives a graphical representation of the development when learning new things. It's very applicable to us divers, as we can easily become the victim of incomplete education and/or a false sense of security by our own doing. For more information, contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/Here is a link to the graph:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_Effect_01.svgHere are the videos:Episode 1: https://youtu.be/h-elWmoQ3I0?si=QT2380wwAeOCwTPgEpisode 2: https://youtu.be/zRc-2kADCrI?si=kJENf3TP_tcdAA0PEpisode 3: https://youtu.be/Gl4vf6UyLgc?si=BgJlMDfIj-vaOoCz

Feb 28, 2025 • 45min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #105 – Meet the UTD Instructors - Rene Krikke
Send us a textMeet UTD Instructor Rene Krikke, based in Blomberg, Germany. Rene is teaching across northern Europe and brings a fascinating perspective to our "Meet the Instructors" series. Rene stumbled into diving while on a holiday in Egypt, got hooked, made his way to the UTD Scuba Coaching Program, and is now a UTD instructor.Check out Rene's journey as we continue our "Meet the UTD Instructors" episodes.To reach Rene, click here.https://utdscubadiving.com/member/rene-krikke/For more information about the UTD Scuba Coaching program, click here. https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching

Feb 24, 2025 • 25min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #103 – Jeff's Carcast - The Big Scuba Lie
Send us a textHow many dives do you have? I believe the answer to this question is the biggest lie in scuba diving. As instructors, we are trained to take this answer with a grain of salt. In this short carcast, Jeff takes a look at logging dives, logging flight hours, and some ideas about how to best log your dives.For more information, contact us here:https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/For more information about the UTD Scuba Coaching Program, click here:https://utdscubadiving.com/utd-scuba-coaching/

Jan 13, 2025 • 13min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #102 - Jeff's Carcast – How Do You Stay Motivated?
Send us a textDo you feel like you are in a rut with your diving? Doing the same dives over and over? How do you stay motivated year after year? These are the question we look at today in another of Jeff's soon-to-be-famous UTD Carcast episodes.Check out more on UTD Scuba Coaching, click here.

Dec 18, 2024 • 15min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #101 – Ben's Training Corner - Dive Beautifully
Send us a textIn this inaugural episode of Ben's short podcast series, "The Training Corner," he looks at the concept of 'dive beautifully.' How do you gain your own level of elegance in diving, particularly around propulsion techniques.As always, if you have questions, comments, or thoughts about this, you cancontact us here. https://utdscubadiving.com/contact/

Nov 22, 2024 • 44min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #100 – The Most Obscure Questions in Scuba Diving - DEMA 2024
Send us a textWeerrrrreee...back! The Most Obscure Questions in Scuba Diving - Live at DEMA 2024. This week we collected questions in the booth and pulled them out in front of an audience. Fun, interesting, informative. And did we say fun?

Nov 20, 2024 • 24min
Unified Team Diving Podcast #99 – Advanced Rebreather Training - Ben's Talk at DEMA 2024
Send us a textWe are back in Las Vegas for the DEMA show – us and a gazillion other divers checking out new equipment, new training, new everything. This year, in the Technical Resource Center at the show, Ben gave a talk on advanced rebreather training, why it's important to dive a consistent team configuration in your closed circuit rebreather, and how we accomplish that goal at Unified Team Diving.Here's the link to the video that Ben showed at the beginning of his talk:https://youtu.be/UisaQxKZlmU?si=-MXCvCqfZpwCCwXHCheck out the talk and if you have any questions, click here to let us know.

Nov 14, 2024 • 25min
UTD Scuba Diving Podcast #98 – Jeff's Carcast on Setbacks and More Setbacks
Send us a textThings don't always go quite as planned. Sometime the planning turns into a setback. What is the best way to deal with that? Take "no" for encouragement and take a setback for opportunity.Thoughts or comments? Let me know. Contact here.