What IS Technical Diving in 2026?

What IS Technical Diving in 2026?

In this episode of Pod Diver TV, Joe Cocozza sits down with Luis of IANTD to tackle one of the biggest questions in modern scuba: what actually counts as technical diving today? From the early days of IAND and nitrox training to modern trimix, cave diving, decompression diving, and closed circuit rebreathers, this conversation breaks down how the definition of "tech diving" has evolved — and why different agencies, instructors, and divers still see it differently. We get into: • the IANTD view of technical diving vs. "Tech Lite" • whether cave and overhead environments are always technical • why depth alone does not tell the full story • recreational trimix and progressive diver development • the controversy around recreational CCR / rebreather training • bailout philosophy, checklists, and risk management • helium costs, narcosis, and why more divers are looking at rebreathers • where technical diving may be heading next Pod Diver TV in a conversation amongst divers who are passionate about diving. If you are interested in technical scuba, cave diving, rebreathers, decompression procedures, Rrimix, or the future of diver training, this episode is for you. Please like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. It helps support Pod Diver TV and allows us to keep producing serious long-form conversations for serious divers. PDTV is now working with Paragon Dive Group. Shop for dive gear, use code PODDIVER and you will save 5% To save money and help support the channel. goto: https://www.paragondivestore.com/ LINKS: Pod Diver Radio episode on Nitrogen Narcosis with Dr. Richard Vann: https://poddiver.libsyn.com/pod_diver... IANTD: https://iantd.com/ Pod Diver Lodge: https://www.poddiverlodge.com/ Pod Diver TV: https://www.poddivertv.com/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 What is technical diving in 2026? 01:40 IANTD history: from IAND to tech diving 05:00 What counts as "technical" — depth, deco, caves, and overheads 09:15 Tech Lite, recreational trimix, and diver progression 14:10 Recreational CCR, bailout philosophy, and safety culture 21:00 Helium costs, narcosis, rebreathers, and the future of tech diving

HPNS in Deep Diving: What Actually Causes It?

🧬🧪 Download audio podcast with Dr Vann about the science of HPNS: https://youtu.be/T9hUkwgKGfE?si=G3vH47Nn5No-wb8O 📚 Recommended Reading: The Physiology and Medicine of Diving – Bennett & Elliott The Terrible Hours – Peter Maas U.S. Navy Diving Manual (Rev. 7) 👥 Featured in This Episode: Joe Cocozza – Tech Diver, Underwater Videographer, Host Terrence Tysall – NAUI Worldwide Director of Training ⚠️ Why This Matters There's a growing trend of misinformation in technical diving content online. This episode cuts through the noise and emphasizes: Going back to source material Understanding real physiology Respecting the history of diving pioneers 🔔 Support the Channel If you value serious, in-depth diving discussions: 👍 Like📺 Subscribe🔔 Turn on notifications It helps us continue producing high-quality, no-BS scuba content. 🌊 About This Series This is part of our Technical Diving Myth-Busting Series, where we break down: 1️⃣Common misconceptions: 2️⃣Bad training carryovers 3️⃣Misinterpreted science 00:00 – Intro: HPNS Myths Revealed ! 01:00 – Welcome to NAUI Headquarters 02:00 – The Salvage of the Submarine USS Squalus 02:09 – Helium doesn't cause HPNS. 04:04 – What is HPNS? 06:04 – Support the podcast: Subscribe and tell a dive buddy. 08:05 – Sheck Exhley 10:08 – Deep Bounce Tech Dives. 13:42 – Why is it important to know about the pioneers of tech diving? 17:00 – Final Thoughts

NAVY Master Diver Mindset: with Master Chief Rick Bettua USN

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer and U.S. Navy Master Diver Rick Bettua joins Joe Cocozza on Pod Diver TV for a powerful, story-driven interview about what it takes to become a Navy Diver and the mindset that keeps you alive when everything goes sideways. Rick shares how a Super Bowl halftime "Navy Divers" ad sparked his dream, how he literally got himself to dive school, and why Navy diving is as much leadership and mental toughness as it is underwater skill. We cover Navy Diver training, mission realities (ships husbandry, submarines, salvage, security operations), and the hard lessons that forged Rick's career plus the principles he wants every diver to remember: STOP • THINK • ACT and Never Ever Quit. If you're a scuba diver, tech diver, or current/former military, this episode is packed with motivation, history, and real-world dive culture. Featured: Rick Bettua Author of Breathe: A Survivor's Tale (Navy Master Diver stories + the events that led him to write the book) Order a copy of Rick's book at: https://www.amazon.com/Breathe-Master-Divers-Survival-Tales/dp/1637898215 When scuba diving in North Florida come stay with us at the Pod Diver Lodge: www.poddiverlodge.com Chapters: 01:34 Introduction to Rick's Journey 03:20 The Inspiration to become a Navy Diver 04:26 Joining the US Navy at 17 05:35 First Ship… not a diver yet. 07:29 A Deal is a Deal ! 10:00 The Dream Begins. Attending Second Class Diver School 13:57 Swimming against the Frogmen 16:28 First Assignment as a Navy Diver 21:03 Duties of a US Navy Diver 23:25 The dangers of diving on Submarines 27:34 Making Master Chief Petty Officer 29:30 What does it take to be a USN MASTER DIVER 33:00 LEADERSHIP: Diving is the FUN part. 38:09 Surviving a SHARK ATTACK. (Warning Graphic Content) Keywords / SEO: U.S. Navy Diver, Navy Master Diver, Technical Diving, Navy diving, Navy diver training, ND pipeline, dive school, ships husbandry, submarine diving hazards, salvage diving, shark attack, military diving, leadership, mental toughness, stop t

Saturation Diving: Life at 600 feet down. Good pay but the toilets can kill you.

Using the toilet can kill you… at least if you're living for weeks inside a saturation chamber. In this Pod Diver TV episode, Joe Cocozza sits down in Lisbon, Portugal with former Portuguese Marine and commercial saturation diver João Rainho to unpack what life is really like as a sat diver. João walks us through his path from spearfishing Marine to IMCA-certified commercial diver, North Sea contractor and finally saturation diver working worldwide. He explains how sat systems work, why divers spend 28+ days pressurized instead of bounce diving, and how an entire vessel—from cooks to life-support techs—exists to keep a handful of divers alive around the clock. João breaks down the pay and danger myths around saturation diving: which sectors actually pay well (North Sea, Norwegian, Dutch, UK), where safety slides (Gulf of Mexico, Persian Gulf, parts of Africa), and why some new divers quit after a single sat. He talks candidly about long hitches away from family, the psychological strain of living in a steel tube, and the strange realities of everyday life under pressure—including how flushing the toilet the wrong way can be fatal. We also hear about his dream expedition: crossing the Atlantic from Lisbon to New York underwater in saturation mode. If you're curious about commercial diving, offshore oil and windfarm work, deep decompression, or what sat life is really like beyond the movies, this interview is for you. To watch video goto: https://www.youtube.com/@poddiver

Boost Your Scuba Video: Pro Lighting Tips from Keldan + Ultralight (DEMA Show)

Join me on the show floor at DEMA for two rapid-fire interviews on underwater lighting for videography. We talk beam quality, color accuracy, CRI/TLCI, wide vs. spot beams, diffusion, battery management, burn times, mounting, and how to build a travel-friendly rig that still looks cinematic. First up is Keldan on color science, filters, and matching ambient light; then Ultralight walks through arms, clamps, and buoyancy to position lights precisely (and keep your rig neutral). If you shoot wrecks, reefs, or macro, this is a compact masterclass in getting better results underwater. Gear & topics mentioned Underwater video lights, high-CRI LEDs, color filters, domes/diffusers, arms & clamps, buoyancy floats, cable vs. onboard power, action cam vs. mirrorless rigs. 👍 If this helped, please Like, Subscribe, and drop your favorite lighting tip in the comments. Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:24 – Keldan Interview 05:26 – Ultralight Interview Hashtags / SEO tags #DEMA #UnderwaterVideo #ScubaDiving #UnderwaterLighting #Keldan #Ultralight #Videography #WreckDiving #MacroVideo #CinematicDiving #CRI #TLCI #Backscatter #DiveGear