Scuba Diving Lessons & Physical Conditioning in Tampa, FL

Question
I'm 16 and I live in Tampa, Fl. I've been trying to look for  place that offers lessons but all the places i find are pretty far away I was hoping you could offer some help. I was also wondering if there was any kind of physical conditioning i could do by myself that would help my diving since I haven't tried diving before

Answer
Juan -

There are programs in your area located in Largo, St. Pete and Brandon. The ones in Largo and St. Pete can be found by going to this website: www.usadiving.org. Click on Clubs and then click on your state. The teams registered in Florida will appear. The one in Brandon is the Brandon Swim & Tennis Club. 405 Beverly Dr Brandon FL 33511. 813-689-0908. Ask For Joe Greenwell. These are the only clubs I know of in the Tampa area.

As far as physical conditioning goes, you need to develop flexibility, abdominal and leg strength. You may want to join a gym or enroll in a beginning gymnastics program.

At the above listed website, also click on Store and then Educational Materials. There you will find reasonably priced dvd's, cd-roms and books on physical conditioning for divers.

Other websites about diving include:

www.aaudiving.org

www.usadiver.com

www.flipnrip.com

www.laurawilkinson.com

www.diving.about.com

Good luck with your pursuit of this great sport.