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It does get much better. That I can promise you. Equalizing your ears should not be a major challenge as long as you don't have a cold/sinus blockage. If you do, that would make it very difficult. Just remember to equalize early and often, before you even feel the need to do so. I personally wind up equalizing every couple of feet or so. Usually the easiest method is to pinch your nose and gently blow against it.
As for the water in your mask. This one usually doesn't come naturally to most. Just remember that you are capable of breathing from the regulator in your mouth whether you have a mask on or not. The water in it will not effect your breathing, as long as you don't inhale through your nose. It's all about relaxing and thinking about what you are doing.
If you are on your knees when you let the water into your mask, take a breath. Place your fingers on the top of your mask, on the frame as if you were trying to touch your forehead. (Some people prefer to use the index and middle finger of one hand, others like to use the index fingers of both hands to do this.) Begin to exhale from your nose with a steady rythem and begin to slowly look up.
The pressure you will be putting into your mask through your nose will displace the water and viola! You have a mask that's cleared!
Let me know how it goes during your next pool session.
Sea you in the Deep Blue!
As for the water in your mask. This one usually doesn't come naturally to most. Just remember that you are capable of breathing from the regulator in your mouth whether you have a mask on or not. The water in it will not effect your breathing, as long as you don't inhale through your nose. It's all about relaxing and thinking about what you are doing.
If you are on your knees when you let the water into your mask, take a breath. Place your fingers on the top of your mask, on the frame as if you were trying to touch your forehead. (Some people prefer to use the index and middle finger of one hand, others like to use the index fingers of both hands to do this.) Begin to exhale from your nose with a steady rythem and begin to slowly look up.
The pressure you will be putting into your mask through your nose will displace the water and viola! You have a mask that's cleared!
Let me know how it goes during your next pool session.
Sea you in the Deep Blue!
The basic problem is you never learned needed skills. Now is not the time to be learning those skills. You should have learned them in your class. It ticks me no end when I hear about people like you who have been victimized by incompetent instructors. You should have "mastered" the skills, completeing it one time and not being confident is not mastering the skill.
I responded to this same type of situation last September, I'll cut and paste my response below, I hope it helps:
Jennifer,
Your problem can be solved. Of course it would be easier to solve if you lived next door, but you can do it.
At what point do you "freak out"? When you think about flooding the mask? When you actually flood the mask? When you fail to clear it quickly?
My methods may sound unrelated to your problem at first, but they will work. Often, important skills are left out of OW classes. Take your time and practice each step until you are comfortable before moving to the next.
Leave your SCUBA gear in your bag. You only need 3 things at the pool at this point. 1. Mask 2. Snorkel 3. Weight belt with weight.
At no point will you leave the shallow end of the pool.
Take your snorkel off your mask and put on your weight belt. With your mask on the pool deck, your snorkel in your hand and your weight belt on, get into the shallow end of the pool. You should be where when you stand you are no deeper than chest deep, waist deep is even better. Put your snorkel in your mouth and breathe from it. Now, bend over and breathe through your snorkel while you dip your face into the water. If you are comfortable, stay awhile until you feel natural. If you have difficulty, think about drinking through a straw while you practice the excercise. Remember, you can always stand up straight to end the excercise at any time. If you need to, you can slowly build up your time until you feel comfortable.
Next, practice dropping underwater, allowing the snorkel to flood and coming up to blast it clear, leaving your face in the water. Continue until you are comfortable
At this point, you have accomplished three important things.
1. You lowered your anxiety level by working in a no risk (shallow) environment.
2. You became an expert in no mask breathing.
3. You know you can breathe with a flooded mask.
Now, put your snorkel down and pick up your mask. Put it on and drop down to your knees. Break the seal just enough to allow a small amount of water in. Clear the mask. Do not pull out on the bottom, merely push in on the top while looking up. The biggest mistake most people make is not looking up. The second most common mistake people make is not exhaling through their nose. Keep your mouth closed. Repeat this until you are comfortable. Don't forget to stand up and catch your breath between clearings. Now, increase the amount of water you allow into the mask to about ¼ flooded. When you are comfortable with that level, move to ½, then to a fully flooded mask. When you've reached the point you can clear it easily every time, see how many times you can clear it on one breath. After you are at this point, clearing your mask will be easy. You will have reached it in a step by step manner that was easy to accomplish.
Remember, you can always stand up if you feel uncomfortable.
Walter
I responded to this same type of situation last September, I'll cut and paste my response below, I hope it helps:
Jennifer,
Your problem can be solved. Of course it would be easier to solve if you lived next door, but you can do it.
At what point do you "freak out"? When you think about flooding the mask? When you actually flood the mask? When you fail to clear it quickly?
My methods may sound unrelated to your problem at first, but they will work. Often, important skills are left out of OW classes. Take your time and practice each step until you are comfortable before moving to the next.
Leave your SCUBA gear in your bag. You only need 3 things at the pool at this point. 1. Mask 2. Snorkel 3. Weight belt with weight.
At no point will you leave the shallow end of the pool.
Take your snorkel off your mask and put on your weight belt. With your mask on the pool deck, your snorkel in your hand and your weight belt on, get into the shallow end of the pool. You should be where when you stand you are no deeper than chest deep, waist deep is even better. Put your snorkel in your mouth and breathe from it. Now, bend over and breathe through your snorkel while you dip your face into the water. If you are comfortable, stay awhile until you feel natural. If you have difficulty, think about drinking through a straw while you practice the excercise. Remember, you can always stand up straight to end the excercise at any time. If you need to, you can slowly build up your time until you feel comfortable.
Next, practice dropping underwater, allowing the snorkel to flood and coming up to blast it clear, leaving your face in the water. Continue until you are comfortable
At this point, you have accomplished three important things.
1. You lowered your anxiety level by working in a no risk (shallow) environment.
2. You became an expert in no mask breathing.
3. You know you can breathe with a flooded mask.
Now, put your snorkel down and pick up your mask. Put it on and drop down to your knees. Break the seal just enough to allow a small amount of water in. Clear the mask. Do not pull out on the bottom, merely push in on the top while looking up. The biggest mistake most people make is not looking up. The second most common mistake people make is not exhaling through their nose. Keep your mouth closed. Repeat this until you are comfortable. Don't forget to stand up and catch your breath between clearings. Now, increase the amount of water you allow into the mask to about ¼ flooded. When you are comfortable with that level, move to ½, then to a fully flooded mask. When you've reached the point you can clear it easily every time, see how many times you can clear it on one breath. After you are at this point, clearing your mask will be easy. You will have reached it in a step by step manner that was easy to accomplish.
Remember, you can always stand up if you feel uncomfortable.
Walter
Swamp Rat
Guest
Bravo, Walter! Good instuctions. But I wouldn't call their instructor incompetent unless they finished the course without the skills. Sometimes you have to wait till the next day if the person is having major problems with a skill.
Swamp Rat,
I agree with you, but he said he finished the class. If he meant only one session, that's a different story. I took it to mean he has a c-card, but can't clear his mask. If I'm mistaken, it's not the first time. OTOH, I believe the first pool session should be devoted to the swim test, learning to use a snorkel, learning to use a mask, and IF there's any time left, learning some kicks.
WWW
I agree with you, but he said he finished the class. If he meant only one session, that's a different story. I took it to mean he has a c-card, but can't clear his mask. If I'm mistaken, it's not the first time. OTOH, I believe the first pool session should be devoted to the swim test, learning to use a snorkel, learning to use a mask, and IF there's any time left, learning some kicks.
WWW
I should have been more clear......I just finished my first session. I think the instructor is ok, it's just that he says...."ok this is how you do it now let's all do it" and there's really not much time to work or practice on each skill. And if you had trouble he really didn't do much to help you except to say that no one really likes the mask clearing and it takes practice. Anyway....I hope it does get better and thanks for your input. I'll let you know how the second session goes.
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