200m swim test and 10 mins water treading

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johnslowinski

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Hi everybody, im very new here, planning to take open water course somewhere in Aug or Sept. i was non-swimmer and currently learning swimming about a month already. I feel quite anxious about the 200m swim test and water treading, currently i only can do like 75m continuos swim(breastroke) and could only last 1 minute in treading water. I want to ask for some tips on how do you guys passed the tests before?
 
Which agency?

I was SDI. Any stroke was permitted. I did most of it on my back with some side stroke. We were allowed to float or tread water. As I float without trying, I floated. And almost fell asleep. :D
 
If you can't manage more than 75m of breaststroke you're either over exerting yourself or you are in really really bad shape.
Try swimming on your back like Marie mentions above, and try to pace yourself a bit, it's not the olympics.
 
Hi everybody, im very new here, planning to take open water course somewhere in Aug or Sept. i was non-swimmer and currently learning swimming about a month already. I feel quite anxious about the 200m swim test and water treading, currently i only can do like 75m continuos swim(breastroke) and could only last 1 minute in treading water. I want to ask for some tips on how do you guys passed the tests before?
Make sure your swim instructor knows your goal. The breast stroke is much more tiring than some others....keep at it. The key to treading is to relax, and do it in slow motion. Yes, some folks are quite negative, but most are not.
 
Hi Jon slowly. I really struggled with this! Get yr self some swim goggles n nose plug. Makes swimming distance easier. Distance just equals practise. Now I do 200m in 8 minutes. The tread water is just floating with a bit of practise. Lay there floating on my back n just take n hold deep breaths n relax. Paddle a bit as yr taking yr next breath. Then float again. Ten minutes soon goes by. ( non of my 200plus dive mates can doo this now!) k
 
Thanks everyone. Will be taking it with SDI. during water treading, do we hold breath, or just breath as usual?
 
I just took deep breaths n floated. Then paddled a bit. Less tiring aftr yr 200m swim! K
 
Thanks everyone. Will be taking it with SDI. during water treading, do we hold breath, or just breath as usual?
You can't hold your breath for ten minutes. Just breathe normally.
 
Most people, especially people trying to learn how to swim, do not understand how buoyant their body actually is in either salt or fresh water. That is why you see new, inexperienced, apprehensive swimmers and snorkelers thrashing about in the water, furiously kicking and moving hands trying to stay afloat. They don't realize that all that flailing is actually detrimental to staying afloat and it wears them out in short order.

Here is a suggestion that I used when teaching swimming, most recently when I taught my non-swimming wife how to swim and tread water prior to taking her OW cert course. There are many ways to reach the end objective, but this is one that worked for my wife.
First, read up on drown proofing techniques. Then, don a scuba mask or swim goggles and practice those procedures in a pool, close to the side, until you are comfortable and confident that you won't sink if you are not furiously kicking and moving your arms. The mask or goggles will help you see that even if most of your head is in the water, you are not sinking like a stone to bottom of the pool. When you are comfortable and confident, then add a slow and easy cycle of figure 8 movements with your arms and easy scissors kicks with your feet to tread water.

FWIW, my wife not only learned how to swim, she did the 200 meter swim using a combination of breast, side, and back stroke, had no problem with the water tread, and did a great job on her OW course. If she could do it, you can do it.
 
You just need more time in the water to get fishey. Sidestroke, elementary backstroke, breast stroke. You need to do 4 laps. Your legs probably feel like they sink, but your chest full of air will definitely float. When your face is in the water exhale, when your face comes out breath in. Just keep at it. You can do it.



 
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