Swimming endurance advice & tips

[DogDiver]

I would highly recommend going to a local YMCA and take a swimming class. Let them know your scuba goals and they will put you in an appropriate class. Just a fyi. When I took my NAUI ITC (instructor class) we had to swim a 10 minute 440. I ended up getting a YMCA swimming coach to help me get my game together. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[kaylee_ann]

Im going to ask about private lessons since the groups don’t start until March.

I would highly recommend going to a local YMCA and take a swimming class. Let them know your scuba goals and they will put you in an appropriate class. Just a fyi. When I took my NAUI ITC (instructor class) we had to swim a 10 minute 440. I ended up getting a YMCA swimming coach to help me get my game together. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Jcp2]

Yeah, thing is, I hadn't swam in 2 years before the discover dive where I swam 2 laps. So, it's tiring doing 2 full laps at the 25m pool by my house lol. I have to do 10 at my dive center pool. No matter if I go fast or slow I'm still tired out. Wonder if it has to do with me keeping my head out of the water kind of craned up and it makes it harder to kick/do arm strokes? Not sure.

There might be an option to swim 300 m with mask snorkel and fins, no time limit, as alternate.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

There might be an option to swim 300 m with mask snorkel and fins, no time limit, as alternate.

Nope. Not in my classes. Swimming required.

 

[TMHeimer]

Nope. Not in my classes. Swimming required.

Agree with that. All should know how to swim. But if the 300 m/s/f is to be used it should be that or the 200-- one or the other. Or possibly both. Not a choice for instructors or students to make. There have to be good reasons for these tests. Another old topic.

 

[EFX]

Yeah, thing is, I hadn't swam in 2 years before the discover dive where I swam 2 laps. So, it's tiring doing 2 full laps at the 25m pool by my house lol. I have to do 10 at my dive center pool. No matter if I go fast or slow I'm still tired out. Wonder if it has to do with me keeping my head out of the water kind of craned up and it makes it harder to kick/do arm strokes? Not sure.

I was fortunate to take swim lessons from a professional coach/instructor for free where I live. According to the instructor the number one problem people have who complain of being tired (baring medical issues or grossly out of shape) is body position in the water. Most people who are not swimmers swim with their heads out of the water. The instructor said, "head up, feet down". This causes the body position to be diagonal relative to the surface of the water which causes greater resistance while swimming which, in turn, makes you tire easily.

For the freestyle the water line should be at the top of your head in the center between the front and back. You should be looking straight down to the bottom of the pool. This is why swimming lanes have a "T" at the end of the lane's black tiles. Competitive swimmers know they are at the end of the lane and to start their flip turn without having to look ahead to see the wall.

When I finished the class it was amazing how much easier it was to swim laps. This was the case for the other four strokes we learned (back, breast, side, and elementary back). The breast stroke is an exception where the feet are lower due to the head being raised up to breathe. But, the slightly inefficient body position is counter-balanced by the legs/feet providing most of the propulsion (in the freestyle it is the arms that provide the power). There were also many other things I was doing wrong that I was able to correct. A good instructor can help you swim with the correct technique which will greatly improve your enjoyment of the water. I'm glad to see you are pursuing swim lessons.

 

[kaylee_ann]

I was fortunate to take swim lessons from a professional coach/instructor for free where I live. According to the instructor the number one problem people have who complain of being tired (baring medical issues or grossly out of shape) is body position in the water. Most people who are not swimmers swim with their heads out of the water. The instructor said, "head up, feet down". This causes the body position to be diagonal relative to the surface of the water which causes greater resistance while swimming which, in turn, makes you tire easily.

For the freestyle the water line should be at the top of your head in the center between the front and back. You should be looking straight down to the bottom of the pool. This is why swimming lanes have a "T" at the end of the lane's black tiles. Competitive swimmers know they are at the end of the lane and to start their flip turn without having to look ahead to see the wall.

When I finished the class it was amazing how much easier it was to swim laps. This was the case for the other four strokes we learned (back, breast, side, and elementary back). The breast stroke is an exception where the feet are lower due to the head being raised up to breathe. But, the slightly inefficient body position is counter-balanced by the legs/feet providing most of the propulsion (in the freestyle it is the arms that provide the power). There were also many other things I was doing wrong that I was able to correct. A good instructor can help you swim with the correct technique which will greatly improve your enjoyment of the water. I'm glad to see you are pursuing swim lessons.

the swim instructor got back to me so I'm in the process of scheduling now! am really excited.

 

[formernuke]

the swim instructor got back to me so I'm in the process of scheduling now! am really excited.

We will get you some gills yet.

 

[DavidLoPan]

I'm starting diving lessons the 28th and want to increase my swim endurance for the 200m test. I figured I've wanted to be more fit for a while, what better time to start than now? I've been doing combined leg/cardio workouts and found that my cardio endurance is good. Any arm exercises, swim practice advice or breathing exercises you could give? Also when swimming, is there anything I could practice to be more efficient in the water and use my energy better in terms of strokes/breathing? TIA!

For the swimming portion it's not about speed but keeping a comfortable pace.
As for treading water you just need to demonstrate you can float and keep your head above water.

For me, when I started scuba I'll admit, i never knew how to swim or tread water (but i was comfortable with mask, fins, and snorkel). For the swim test I just plopped on my back, floated, and kicked. For the treading water i just floated on my back without kicking. And i wasn't overweight. I was actually very fit, less than 5% body fat, lean muscular build.

I went through advanced and dive master courses but by the time i went through those programs I've already taken swimming lessons and practiced swimming.

Good luck

 

[mbs]

There might be an option to swim 300 m with mask snorkel and fins, no time limit, as alternate.

Yup, mine had that option! Without mask/fins/snorkel I sink like a rock. That would have been difficult for me. With them I can go all day