200 yard surface swim..

[cummings66]

If it was me and I wasn't sure I could do the swim part, and I wasn't because it had been 15 years since I was last swimming and that was in the Ocean, I would go to the local Y or swim training school.

I did about 1 - 2 hours of swimming each weekend until I got back some of my skills. I could barely swim 50 feet before tiring out when I started and by the end of the month I could easily do the 200 meters. I'm even better now because I continue working on my surface swimming every time I'm near a pool or beach. I've almost got my breathing rhythm back to where it was and that is I think the hardest part of swimming. You've got to breathe right or you'll tire quickly. PS, practice with fins as well because that helps the leg muscles get used to it and you'll do better under water.

Treading water isn't that hard, but PADI does say tread or float, not just tread. In any event try remaining vertical and see how much you sink. For me I sink to my eyeballs and stop so I don't have to work real hard to tread water. The knowledge that you won't sink helps you swim better. In other words, if you relax you'll find you stay on top of the water with less effort, struggle and you'll tire out and feel like you're drowning.

I surprised myself on swimming and I bet if you and yours get comfortable in the water by doing weekly sessions you'll do better than expected. It really isn't that hard once you get into it, and you just might like it. If you swim freestyle keep the head down and rotate to the side to breathe, and if you swim on the back keep the head back so you float easier. On your back you can use the arms in a pulling motion completely under water (easier) or paddle like the freestyle (faster).

The breast stroke is also easy to do and would probably be easier to do in the beginning. The Red Cross has a good book on swimming, check it out at a local library and it'll give you plenty of info on how to swim. That is if you just need a refresher, if you've never been able to swim a short course would be helpful.

 

[Wristshot]

We were not allowed the Mask-fins-snorkel option. I would not have chosen it, but my buddy requested it. They seemed confused and said no. While the 200 yd/m was untimed, I think that there might have been a time limit, but it was pretty long.

My buddy is very very bouyant. I worked my tail off treading water for 10 minutes, while he simply laid back and floated at the surface. The instructors never told him he couldn't do that; they just took bets on whether he would fall asleep (he almost did).

The payoff for me is that I endured 10 minutes of flailing legs and arms, but he has to use 10lbs more lead on every dive! *smiling*

We had about 10 people in our class, until two failed the swim test, and one more never returned for the second or third pool sessions. 9 seems a little high if there is only one instructor and no assistant. Of course it also depends upon the capabilities of the group. If you had 12 like my buddy and like me would be easy. If you had 4 or 5 that freaked every time any water got inside their mask, then that would be too many. (We had two of those! We spent a lot of time at the bottom of the pool waiting for the return of the Polaris missiles!)

Practicing swimming before the "exam" is a good suggestion. Of course continuing to practice after certification is a good idea also.

Wristshot

 

[Ishie]

Treading water was more difficult because we were in 15 feet of water with our instructor and DMs playing "catch the three pound soft weight" while we were treading. That was exciting, particularly retrieving it if it got dropped. Ab diving practice, anyone? Heh heh.

 

[Vayu]

This was ours:

The following evaluation will take place during the first pool session. Successful completion is necessary in order to continue in the course. At no point during this evaluation are you allowed to use swim aids (mask, snorkel or fins).

Underwater swim of 20 yards, no push off or dive.
400 yard swim, using the following strokes, 1 Lap each in the order given: crawl, breast, side, elementary backstroke.
15-minute survival float.
Recover 10 lb. diving brick from deep water (12 feet).

During our skin test, we did another 400 yd swim with mask, fins, and snorkel. During the last 100 yrds we had to turn our mask backwards to make sure we could swim with just a snorkel and water around the nose.

Both swims were timed.




Personally, I think the requirements should be more. One day you guys might have to swim to shore.

-V

 

[StSomewhere]

Vayu, what agency?

 

[clgsamson]

Snorkel, wetsuit and fins and 300 yards swim in the ocean. Followed by a 10 minute threading and a 10 minute floating position.

 

[Walter]

i was told that for padi the 300 meter fins mask ans snorkle was new this year

You were told wrong. PADI made that change in either 2000 or 2001.

 

[Buoyant1]

I had access to a pool to work on things, but the best part was the access I had to a pool at a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale a few weeks before...this tub was a HUGE one, and I did a few laps, and worked out my strategy...

Regular hand over hand swimming up, back stroke back, modified doggy paddle up again, breast stroke, more back stroke etc... as I got tired one way, I went to another muscle group. The stamina wasn't a problem as far as the energy needed to do it, but since I'm not a swimmer by any stretch of the imagination, I had to do something, I'm more of a water treader! I was so ready that I did an extra set of laps by mistake, but it didn't hurt!

The surface float was tough because I wasn't able to hold a cocktail while doing it! haha!

But seriously, the really tough part was that we did it before class, and my leg cramped like hell! (at least I got to practice the cramp removal technique in a more practical application!)

Trust me If I can do the swim, anyone can!

 

[couta0938]

To be honest if you are worried about swimming 200 metres then is diving the thing for you?

I'm not having a dig at you John, but the level of fitness and swimming ability of some divers is a real cause for concern for me. I'm going to start a thread on this in a short while. But the issue here is all about self-rescue. If you get in trouble, are you fit and capable enough to get yourself out of trouble? For example, on a shore dive, you swim out 200 metres, the current starts pulling you out. You abort the dive and begin the swim back to shore, only you're not fit enough or a strong enough swimmer to get back - what do you do? Not only have you put yourself at risk by failing to physically prepare, but you're also jeopardising your buddy... food for thought!

John - Good luck with your course. I'm sure you won't have a difficulty completing the 200 metres, it'll soon fly by in a pool. However, please, I beg you, get yourself up to a good level of swim fitness. Not only will you feel and look better for improving your fitness and swimming capability, but you'll also be a more confident and safer diver!

All the best,
Andy

 

[Vayu]

It is NAUI through the University of Florida's Academic Diving Program.

http://www.scuba.ufl.edu/

-V