Didn't pass swim test

[tedtim]

Just keep swimming.

When my wife was thinking about taking the OW course she hesitated because of the swimming. We went to the pool and she had a difficult time. We went to the pool three times a week for about six weeks and she had no problem passing the swimming test. I think part of it was having been away from swimming for a long time. It did not take much to get into good enough shape to pass the swimming test.

You can do it!

 

[spectrum]

Oh Supoernal, you don't need to say you failed, you just weren't ready for it yet. The good news is that your instructor is holding you to standards and trust me that does not always happen. This bodes well for your long term well being.

Great strategy on the lessons and general fitness work. You will get there. Frankly my distance swimming isn't much different than yours but I've been working on that at the Y as my winter goal. I'm also doing 30 minutes of skin-diving laps to get some good cardio time until my swimming is stready enough to go for long distances. Then I treat myself to skin-diving down along the bottom of the pool for a while. The swimming is as much technique as it is cardio so with a good teacher you'll be back in scuba class in tiime for spring checkout dives. Just keep at it.

If you have your basic gear and the time to do some skin-diving in the pool that's good stuff. Getting truly accustomed to breathing exclusively through a mouthpiece and so forth will also give you a leg up when you get back to dive class. Your legs will be accustiomed to the loading of your fins and that's sure to save you a cramp or 2.

Hang in there we're all pulling for you and trust us when we say that the journey will be worthwhile.

Pete

Well, I failed the swim test on my first scuba lesson.

I had to swim 8 lengths of a 50-yd pool. After about 3-1/2 lengths, the instructor told me to stop because I was clearly exhausted. I could barely get out of the pool. I didn't think I was THAT out of shape because I walk a fair bit, but I guess I am, especially in the upper body.

I was fine at treading water.

I'm glad I signed up for swimming lessons, starting this Sunday. I'm also starting deep water aquafit 3x a week.

My new goal is to get fit enough to take scuba training later on.

I'll STILL see you all underwater - just a little later than I thought!

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

One of the most difficult things to do, is to have faith that you CAN and WILL float on top of the water if you just lay back and relax, making your body as flat as possible. If you bend in the middle and let your butt sag, you will sink. If you turn vertical, you will sink. If you fill your lungs with air arch your chest up, arch your back, and lean your head back in the water until your ears and the back of your head are under the surface, you WILL float. I promise you. From there, try not to fight it.

When I was a lifeguard in the Army, I taught a black friend of mine how to swim. That guy swam like a friggin' BRICK. After he learned how to lie on top of the water and relax, without getting all tense, he realized that the water would support him and that he could be in control. Shoot... From then on, that fella was like a FISH!

 

[Dive-aholic]

Well, I failed the swim test on my first scuba lesson.

I had to swim 8 lengths of a 50-yd pool. After about 3-1/2 lengths, the instructor told me to stop because I was clearly exhausted. I could barely get out of the pool. I didn't think I was THAT out of shape because I walk a fair bit, but I guess I am, especially in the upper body.

I was fine at treading water.

I'm glad I signed up for swimming lessons, starting this Sunday. I'm also starting deep water aquafit 3x a week.

My new goal is to get fit enough to take scuba training later on.

I'll STILL see you all underwater - just a little later than I thought!

It doesn't sound like it's a matter of being in shape or fit as much as it is just learning better swimming strokes. You can float, so that's a start. Take the lessons and try again. And remember, it's not a race! You can take as long as you need to finish the laps. The idea here is to show you can swim the distance, not that you can beat everyone else to the finish line.

 

[ScubaTexan]

I usually use the breaststroke and backstroke when I'm swimming. I'm better at them than I am the crawl. The main thing to remember is to relax -- this isn't the Olympics.

 

[mark99]

I thought the swim test was 200 m

 

[MoonWrasse]

I alternated between a dog paddle and a back stroke.

It's more about body position and keeping one's exertion level to something you can manage without going anarobic, or short of breath.

I love the backstroke, I can swim it in non sprinting mode for an hour or so without stopping.

Body postion and streamlining is very important for diving - understanding how just a little drag can make a big difference in exertion levels.

 

[bennedc]

Seems like we got to take as long as we needed to complete the swim, as long as we completed the laps. Don't wear yourself out too much. Life goes on. eyebrow

 

[Diver Dennis]

Rhonda, you'll do fine after a few lessons. Good luck!

 

[novicediver]

I always took swimming for granted but then again, I am somewhat of a fish. Set a goal of 2 lengths at a time without stopping. Do this for 2 or 3 weeks. Then increase by a length every two or three weeks depending on comfort level. Before you know it, you will be able to swim 200 yards/meters without a problem.