Brushing up on my swimming skills?

[rongoodman]

Deep squats or stairs are evil for the knees. That's why there are elevators.

Controversial, at best.

 

[Neilwood]

Actually squats may not be your friends! If your knees are starting to act up squats might actually be the worse thing for you to do. Swimming, walking in water or water running, and biking and yes even diving would be far better. Deep squats or stairs are evil for the knees. That's why there are elevators.

Enjoy,

Doesn't have to be deep squats, just enough to get the legs used to working. I certainly would be dubious about doing full squats the way I used to (why didn't I listen to people that told me I would pay the price in later life???)

 

[TMHeimer]

kev & dmaziuk, I'm not saying you're wrong. I did try such suggestions last Feb. in a pool with little success. You guys do use the words "most people" and "should make you". So I guess that means there may be exceptions....Anyway, it's an old discussion.

Anyway, what Neilwood said--Basically for the float you can do whatever you want, including drownproofing to get the test done, as long as you touch nothing but water or air. Now, how far one can "sink" during drownproofing, still not touching the bottom, and have it still be called "floating"...Hmm, perhaps something new (????) to discuss on this?

 

[Nemrod]

I do not agree with most people in this thread. I am of the mind that anybody involved in water activities should be a good swimmer if not a strong swimmer. I also belive in total physical fitness and know as fact that a high level of fitness and good water skills including swimming will make you a better, safer and more confident and complete diver.

N

 

[TMHeimer]

I do not agree with most people in this thread. I am of the mind that anybody involved in water activities should be a good swimmer if not a strong swimmer. I also belive in total physical fitness and know as fact that a high level of fitness and good water skills including swimming will make you a better, safer and more confident and complete diver.

N

Can't really disagree. There probably is a difference between body surfing 8 foot waves off New Jersey (did that decades ago...) and wading into a lake at 3 foot depth with no current. I think you're tempting fate taking a fishing charter if you can't really swim well. And with diving, you are almost always in significant "deep" water.

 

[Neilwood]

I do not agree with most people in this thread. I am of the mind that anybody involved in water activities should be a good swimmer if not a strong swimmer. I also belive in total physical fitness and know as fact that a high level of fitness and good water skills including swimming will make you a better, safer and more confident and complete diver.

N

I don't see where you are disagreeing with most people in the thread. Most people have said that being a better swimmer will be helpful from both a fitness and confidence in the water basis.

The extent of fitness and swimming skills might be a point of discussion though. I certainly don't think you need to be able to do huge distances or be ultra fit to scuba dive effectively.

I think a lot comes down to the type of diving you want to do. A recreational depth bimble (10-18m) in no current would tend to require less fitness etc than technical diving in any guise would tend to suggest a higher level of skill in the water and probably need more fitness (if only for lugging more tanks about)

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't see where you are disagreeing with most people in the thread. Most people have said that being a better swimmer will be helpful from both a fitness and confidence in the water basis.

The extent of fitness and swimming skills might be a point of discussion though. I certainly don't think you need to be able to do huge distances or be ultra fit to scuba dive effectively.

I think a lot comes down to the type of diving you want to do. A recreational depth bimble (10-18m) in no current would tend to require less fitness etc than technical diving in any guise would tend to suggest a higher level of skill in the water and probably need more fitness (if only for lugging more tanks about)

Yes, type of diving--and other water circumstances. Jeez, how many times can we agree?

 

[Marie13]

Well, I'm at the pool for my Discover Scuba class. After seeing some of the people here for an OW class and seeing their swimming skills, I'm not so worried!

 

[Marie13]

The folks doing the OW swim with mask, snorkel, and fins are just cruising along. The other folks seem to be struggling a bit. Instructors are giving students the choice of which one to do. I know I've made up my mind!

 

[Nemrod]

I don't see where you are disagreeing with most people in the thread. Most people have said that being a better swimmer will be helpful from both a fitness and confidence in the water basis.

The extent of fitness and swimming skills might be a point of discussion though. I certainly don't think you need to be able to do huge distances or be ultra fit to scuba dive effectively.

I think a lot comes down to the type of diving you want to do. A recreational depth bimble (10-18m) in no current would tend to require less fitness etc than technical diving in any guise would tend to suggest a higher level of skill in the water and probably need more fitness (if only for lugging more tanks about)

Good, we all agree then, wow consensus on SB, been an outlier for so long it feels weird to be in the tribe. I will not compromise even one little whee bitty bit, I mean exactly what I say, I believe that anybody engaged in water activities and especially including SCUBA should be physically fit and at least a competent swimmer. I will leave it to the individual to meet those terms and define them specifically or make their excuses for not doing so and hopefully, with God's grace and good fortune, not pay a price if they set the bar too low. There is not always going to be somebody to pull you out, even supposedly benign dives can go very badly and the occasional stupid human tricks we all perform routinely cannot be counted out. Physical fitness and a modicum of skill go a long ways to even the odds or set them in our favor.

N