How far can you swim?

[PerroneFord]

I've posted about this before. I have never been a strong "swimmer" but because of an upcoming class fitness test, I need to be able to do 300 yards in 14 minutes, likely in open water. No ladder to hang onto, no shallow bottom, no pool edge to grab if you get a cramp or get tired. For someone who's let their fitness slip over the years, it's a daunting task.

But as you mentioned, it's time to train. I began mine this week. Running 6-10 miles a week, and swimming daily. There are some good swimming training bits out there. I bought a "pull buoy" last night which isolates your upper body by holding your legs still and floating them. And I bought a modern kickboard (Zura Sprint Board) which allows you to streamline your self in the water, and lets you work on your kicking motion while keeping your head in the proper position in the water.

I am guessing that if I can put in 30-45 minutes a day in the pool, and another 30-45 minutes running 8-10 minute miles, my fitness should come along well enough for me to pass this test with flying colors. And I'll lose some fat in the process which is always nice!

 

[ScubaMarine]

I've posted about this before. I have never been a strong "swimmer" but because of an upcoming class fitness test, I need to be able to do 300 yards in 14 minutes, likely in open water. No ladder to hang onto, no shallow bottom, no pool edge to grab if you get a cramp or get tired. For someone who's let their fitness slip over the years, it's a daunting task.

But as you mentioned, it's time to train. I began mine this week. Running 6-10 miles a week, and swimming daily. There are some good swimming training bits out there. I bought a "pull buoy" last night which isolates your upper body by holding your legs still and floating them. And I bought a modern kickboard (Zura Sprint Board) which allows you to streamline your self in the water, and lets you work on your kicking motion while keeping your head in the proper position in the water.

I am guessing that if I can put in 30-45 minutes a day in the pool, and another 30-45 minutes running 8-10 minute miles, my fitness should come along well enough for me to pass this test with flying colors. And I'll lose some fat in the process which is always nice!

Thats a little over 1 ft/ second. I would say with your training regiment you should kick its butt! A good swimmer will swim a 200 in roughly 2 minutes. Try competing with these people! Im not even talking olympic fast just "a good swimmer". Also think of it this way in an olympic length pool you have 70 sec to get from one end to the other. However, more likely you will swim a length in 40 sec, the next in 45, then 50 and so on. You just need to average 70 sec lengths.

 

[PerroneFord]

The tests shouldnt be that hard to complete, i think i can do 16 lengths in about 8 mins in my worst shape and not doing any pushoffs.

I hate to be an ***** about this, but for some of us, it *IS* hard. Ask a 4 minute miler to run a marathon and see how they do. Specificity of training plays a huge role. A couple of lengths in the pool for me has me out of breath and heart pounding, but I can run for an hour.

I don't know how old you are, or what shape you are in, but in my youth I wouldn't have blinked twice at swimming this distance even though I wasn't a swimmer. As I creep up on 40, and haven't been physically active in more years than I care to mention, it's not so easy.

 

[ScubaMarine]

I hate to be an ***** about this, but for some of us, it *IS* hard. Ask a 4 minute miler to run a marathon and see how they do. Specificity of training plays a huge role. A couple of lengths in the pool for me has me out of breath and heart pounding, but I can run for an hour.

I don't know how old you are, or what shape you are in, but in my youth I wouldn't have blinked twice at swimming this distance even though I wasn't a swimmer. As I creep up on 40, and haven't been physically active in more years than I care to mention, it's not so easy.

I just want to say I can't stand when people say " I can do it, so it should be wasy for you". What do they know?! That like when a waitress tells you that she is sure you will like the food. How the heck does she know what I like?!

I was trying to break it down in time to give you a little encouragement. Ask me to run an 8 minute mile and ill finish it in 10. LoL I am not a runner and only a swimmer by way of springboard diving and water polo. Like I said with your training you are conditioning your body to handle the test. I did the same thing for my lifeguard test.

 

[mels_2]

I think the difference is how well you breathe while you are swimming, I know this sounds odd but when you are snorkeling you breathe normal and can go on for longer periods, swimming laps however requires you to breathe at the right time. Some of us do this much better then others. If you can breathe realtively normal then the less tired you would be after the swim. When you throw time limits in you tend to breath less often so you can get done quicker hence being more tired at the end of a timed swim.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hank49]

If you (I) need to swim a looooong way, because the boat sank or is lost, who cares how fast you swim? If you have a bead on the shore line, just keep going. It's all you can do. Pace yourself and don't wear yourself down. You may be there for a long time. That's what it's all about anyway. Survival. A fat, out of shape man may make it by keeping a cool head and pacing himself while a fit one who paniced, didn't make it.

 

[PerroneFord]

I think the difference is how well you breathe while you are swimming

Amen to that! For me, after a short while, swimming ceases to be aerobic and becomes anerobic as I can't breathe properly. I hold my head to high, my catch is wrong, I am kicking 10 times faster than I should be, and doing a whole host of other things wrong. Nearly all of them robbing me of valuable oxygen. So for me, like most others I'd suspect, I have to train. I have to learn how to not overkick, and how to get my head DOWN in the water, and how to time the breathing.

I am also learning side-stroke as it is a more comfortable stroke to do over long distances. Just as a NAVY SEAL! At this point I couldn't fathom doing the 2 mile ocean swim they must do to simply pass Phase 1. Geez...

 

[PerroneFord]

If you (I) need to swim a looooong way, because the boat sank or is lost, who cares how fast you swim?

It would be nice to make shore before the sharks come cruising, or before you die of hypothermia. I wonder how many people on this board would make it home, if the boat sank 8 miles out with the tanks and BCs attached...

 

[Hank49]

It would be nice to make shore before the sharks come cruising, or before you die of hypothermia. I wonder how many people on this board would make it home, if the boat sank 8 miles out with the tanks and BCs attached...

Dump the tanks and weights. Even the BCD if you're wearing a 3mm + wetsuit, Swim on your back and gently kick. Never mind the sharks. Never give up hope. At least that's what my friends who were lost at sea for 30 hours told me. I worked at the shop the year before. And I dived that same site where they got lost. Scary stuff. But they didn't try to swim 200 meters in a given time.

 

[WellBelowH2O]

Dump the tanks and weights. Even the BCD if you're wearing a 3mm + wetsuit, Swim on your back and gently kick. Never mind the sharks. Never give up hope. At least that's what my friends who were lost at sea for 30 hours told me. I worked at the shop the year before. And I dived that same site where they got lost. Scary stuff. But they didn't try to swim 200 meters in a given time.

I think he was referring to the tanks and bc's being attached to the boat that sank, meaning that you wouldn't have them for your swim back to land