I swim pretty often, but rarely just a 400 or 800 for time like we did for the DM stamina tests.
Swim Poll
- Thread starter TMHeimer
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My swimming is seasonal. I swim daily during the summer. I grew up in swim clubs & competing so it's second nature. Winter I always do the swims with my students, and I take my kids to the pool (but that involves something entirely different from swimming!) I believe a dive pro should maintain regular cardiovascular fitness of any kind. To me diving is a sport not a hobby (hobbies are sedentary activities imho)
OP
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Thanks for your input. I agree with you completely on the cardio. When you said "second nature" that made me think. In the 39 years since high school swim team I did tons of snorkelling and got OW cert. 5 years ago. But no swimming AT ALL. Other than my lack of interest in it after H.S., I was always prone to "swimmer's ear"- sometimes to a painful degree. So whenever I was at a motel pool or in the ocean, I would have had to wear ear plugs to swim properly (ei. not like a dork with head out of water side to side to keep both ears dry.). So since I had really no interest in swimming, I never had the ear plugs handy, and I didn't want to do the "dork" swim in public. SO.... I lost the "second nature". Along comes the DM tests and &*^%$&#!!! After a pool visit or 2 I began to get back the form that I had lost. Then it was a lot of training to get back to any decent swim time at age 56. After all that, I think I will retain the "second nature" the rest of my life. But if I don't keep in "swimming" shape, I wouldn't even attempt the 400 3 months from now. Cardio stuff only helps so much if I don't swim.
Yeah techique is huge. Mine is poor compared to when I was younger and swimming all the time. Still better than average, but not by as much anymore. Now that the neighborhood pool is open, I plan on making a few trips a week to put in some work on that technique. It'll make for a good change of pace.
OP
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So, about 67% said they either don't swim at all or do so only occasionally. Do you think that means these folks basically couldn't get a "3" on the 400 right now, or does it mean they may be in very good overall shape and still could get a "3"? Thought I would revive the poll anyway just to get some more votes.
I make my DMC's take the swim tests back to back. I do it with them, just to prove that it is not that hard if they are good swimmers. I enjoy testing my time with them. I did the 400 all backstroke last time. The look on faces was priceless.........
We had to do our's all in one evening. I did my 400 on my back as well - because that was the only way I could! I fully admit to not being a water baby.
I love swimming. I try to swim 100 laps in the community pool at least 3 times a week if I'm not diving. When DM'ing, pulling the flag (or being dragged by it in strong currents) is exercise enough.
Not having a swimming pool readily available, I never swim unless I end up being by a pool. However, I do 45 to 60 mins medium to high intensity cardio training (treadmill, elleptical trainer, stationary bike/road bike, X-country skiing (winter)) five times a week.
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