Tips for the 10 minute treading portion of OW certification?

[Geobound]

My instructor told me that if the whole of my head goes under water, I fail.

I made sure that my nose was sticking out so that I could breathe, and he was happy with the result and so was I.

The one thing that was made perfectly clear was that drown proofing (face in the water only to come up for air every so often) was not allowed, but anything else goes.

As I said earlier, for a guy that could never, ever float, I found it surprisingly easy with the few tips I read.

 

[boulderjohn]

My instructor told me that if the whole of my head goes under water, I fail.

If your instructor had failed you for that reason, he or she would have been violating standards.

 

[TMHeimer]

If your instructor had failed you for that reason, he or she would have been violating standards.

One instructor told me she had the same rule. Amazing. I know I have been slack on knowing every item of every standard, but jeez an instructor should.

 

[Geobound]

If your instructor had failed you for that reason, he or she would have been violating standards.

I don't if he would have actually failed me or not, but it sure motivated me into making sure I knew how to do it properly.

I'm guessing that's what the underlining message was, as he was a brilliant instructor who was super patient and thoroughly explained everything (multiple times if need be) to make sure I got it right.

Of course that was a private instructor, and he had plenty of time to make sure I got the skills (all of the skills) down pat.

 

[dmaziuk]

One instructor told me she had the same rule. Amazing. I know I have been slack on knowing every item of every standard of every agency, but jeez an instructor should.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[tursiops]

So, how are your knees? Yeah, seeming an off the wall dumb question, but no.
I have, have had, will always have knees that no 90 year old would trade for.
Want to cheat out floating??
A nice side effect of my bad knees are the mid thigh to calf length neoprene sleeves I Wear.
Lay back on the surface, let my feet dangle deep, slow shallow breaths. Can do it all day long. So, maybe between now and then you can develop a knee issue?

Flotation devices not allowed. Sorry!

 

[lowviz]

That was a good vid, but the guy appears to have average buoyancy. I can exhale deeply and stay on the bottom for as long as I like. I expect that most people are that way also or drowning victims would all be found at the surface.

You want your nose and mouth out of the water, your lungs keep you up. Keeping the rest of your head (above your nose and mouth) out of water is a complete waste of energy. Notice the horizontal buoyancy section of the video.

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't if he would have actually failed me or not, but it sure motivated me into making sure I knew how to do it properly.

I'm guessing that's what the underlining message was, as he was a brilliant instructor who was super patient and thoroughly explained everything (multiple times if need be) to make sure I got it right.

Of course that was a private instructor, and he had plenty of time to make sure I got the skills (all of the skills) down pat.

Drown-proofing when your head is below the surface much of the time IS (one way of) doing it properly. If my fishing boat sank in the middle of Lake Superior this would be my only alternative if no PFD.

 

[TMHeimer]

That was a good vid, but the guy appears to have average buoyancy. I can exhale deeply and stay on the bottom for as long as I like. I expect that most people are that way also or drowning victims would all be found at the surface.

You want your nose and mouth out of the water, your lungs keep you up. Keeping the rest of your head (above your nose and mouth) out of water is a complete waste of energy. Notice the horizontal buoyancy section of the video.

Agree completely. Sometimes I like to exhale and just sit on the bottom in the shallow end of a motel pool and wave at people. Probably not a good thing to try in the deep end....

 

[purbeast]

So I did it tonight and it was a lot harder than I expected. I didn't realize it was going to be at the end of the pool session, and prior to it, we had to swim 100yds with snorkel/fins then 200yds without. That 200yds killed me and then had to tread 10 mins after. I simply am not bouyant at all and holy crap it was tough. I had to take a break between the two swim and treading because I was winded. I can't remember the last time I actually swam in general because in the pool I'm either in shallow or in the ocean if I'm "swimming" it's to snorkel and I have fins on.

But I did it so that is all that matters lol.