Problem with AAUS swim requirement

[dmaziuk]

I assume you are just trying to be funny. But if you are serious, why do you suggest that?

Of course I'm kidding, but OTOH if you have that and all the other baggage that comes with it, your level of comfort in the water is way above and beyond that of an average OW student.

 

[tursiops]

OP, how did you do on your aquarium test? Which team are you going to be on?

 

[Hoyden]

I am not sure if the original poster attended our recruitment, but 20 prospective divers showed up and 19 of them passed the swim test with no real issues. This included divers of a variety of shape, sizes, and ages. The one diver who failed to successfully complete the swim test admitted that they could not swim and said that that was why they became a diver.

 

[lowviz]

I am not sure if the original poster attended our recruitment, ...

No, I did not. I let the volunteer services guy know well in advance.

I've completed the swim a couple of times but it wasn't at all pretty. Not about to squeak through this requirement. Currently hooked on swimming at the Y. Great instructor, teaching me all about body balance and coordination for the primary styles.

The main reason I folded was that I was told that the dolphin tanks will no longer be maintained by volunteers. Sounded perfect for me: get in early, clean, and leave before the aquarium opens...

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Iowvis,

25 yards underwater should be easily attainable; but not be swim conditioning. As some others have stated, it involves technique and relaxation. My stroke is a modified breast stroke, whereby I make a a full, body-length pull with my arms starting in front, ending at my sides (thigh), and gliding; then I recover my arms to extend them in front during my frog kick, and glide some more. I repeat this stroke until I have swam the 25 yards (which is the width of my community pool. DO NOT EVER TRY UNDERWATER SWIMMING FOR DISTANCE, as that is a prescription for shallow water blackout. But 25 yards should be easily and comfortably attained.

SeaRat

 

[lowviz]

With no push-off one really needs to get and keep the synch right. My instructor is all over me about this.

And this is funny, lose the board-shorts swimsuit. I was amazed at how much drag it contributed. I got something more streamlined and it made a huge difference.

I totally agree with the U/W breast stroke but doesn't the kick and arm recovery happen about at the same time? I don't see how arms can be extended during the kick. What you say seems more natural to me but I hear differently...

 

[dmaziuk]

And this is funny, lose the board-shorts swimsuit. I was amazed at how much drag it contributed.

Breastroke's particularly bad because the thighs push them into parachute shape at wind-up and then the kick creates very sharp acceleration that tries to rip them off you.

One other thing to reduce drag is slide your palms up your body during arm recovery. I.e. keep the hands and forearms as close to your torso as you can, crossing them at lower abdomen and uncrossing in front of the face.

I totally agree with the U/W breast stroke but doesn't the kick and arm recovery happen about at the same time? I don't see how arms can be extended during the kick. What you say seems more natural to me but I hear differently...

I mentioned before that I like gliding with my arms to the sides instead of forward. That's slower but I'm not in it for speed records. So I do pull-kick, then arm and leg recovery at the same time. On the surface, OTOH, I do a delayed kick to add a bit of a wave to it: it's like diving in head-first and I kick when palms are together and going forward already. This angles the kick down and supposedly makes it more efficient.

 

[lowviz]

Breastroke's particularly bad because the thighs push them into parachute shape at wind-up and then the kick creates very sharp acceleration that tries to rip them off you.

Agree, I questioned the tug I felt on the kick and that is what started it...

One other thing to reduce drag is slide your palms up your body during arm recovery. I.e. keep the hands and forearms as close to your torso as you can, crossing them at lower abdomen and uncrossing in front of the face.

I'm taught to push off, glide, and then make a very strong "double question-mark" figure with my hands. I get a really good second glide this way. After that, I'm told to follow pretty much what you are saying. When it all "clicks" 25 yd is nothing, but one flub and it becomes a struggle.

 

[dmaziuk]

When it all "clicks" 25 yd is nothing, but one flub and it becomes a struggle.

Yeah, the only real fix for that is do it 4 hours/day 7 days/week for a decade. What usually works is stretch out as you glide, take a second to relax, and start over -- you'll lose speed (but you're losing the race either way) but you can get back into the groove.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

lowviz,

I cannot describe the stroke, but this You Tube video actually explains it very well. It also combines a dolphin kick in the stroke. Breast stroke swimmers use this on their dive, for their first pull. For your work, simply continue the same stroke underwater until you got to the 25 yards.


Here's another look at the fine points underwater. Note the streamlining he does, with his arms locked together:


SeaRat