Treading water?

[blackvans1234]

Hey all, just curious as to what ''treading water'' means to PADI and NAUI.

I'm assuming floating on your back does not count as treading water, but you never know until you ask!

(im not lazy, im just efficient!)

I've been prepping myself for the physical requirements (even though it's gonna be a while before I can go for DM)

 

[knotical]

from PADI:

Tread water, drown-proof, bob or float using no aids and wearing only a swimsuit for 15 minutes, with hands (not arms) out of the water during the last two minutes.

 

[TMHeimer]

Some people (like me) are negatively buoyant. Take the "easy" way-- the ONLY way with hands out the last 2 minutes. Drown proof. Take a good breath, let your head go under & your body do what it wants--you won't sink. After a while take another breath. Hands out 2 minutes no big deal--you may spin around a bit. It is no physical test at all--you don't even have to kick at all. Wish my instructor had told us this. If you are positively buoyant in fresh water and can float on your back that's even easier. Either way is perfectly "legal". None of this "egg beater" kicking, etc. The only rule is you can't touch the pool sides or bottom--and with drown proofing part of you (back) will always be at or above the surface--nowhere near the bottom. The idea is that you can survive in the water alone. A "5" (PADI) score with NO work--maybe you need to practise this stuff ONCE--what's the test?-- perhaps a mental one to see if DMCs can figure out how to do this simple thing?

 

[Torben]

The manual states "Tread water, drown proof, bob or float". So floating is okay by PADI standards.

I usually tell my dmt they need to treat water, not float, because I want them to prove a certain level of fitness. So ask your instructor, how he wants you to do it, after all he is the one that needs to sign you off.

To a dmt this should be no problem, it is only 15 minutes.
Some good advices, keep your lungs full of air while treating, exhale and inhale fast.

Make circular movement with your hands.

Good luck

 

[Hawkwood]

How do you score them if the "float" per PADI Standards, but not by your "standard"?

 

[RTee]

While it is OK to teach beyond the minimum standards (knowledge and practical applications) as long as it is safe and well within your competency, the marking has to be in relation to the set standards and not to the instructor's preferences. Doing so constitute an ''ism''.

If you want to observe and/or build fitness and stamina, have them doing lapses, play underwater hockey or do the egg beater as part of every pool sessions. When it comes to the test, if the individual can float like a plank on its back and do so with his hands up for two minutes at the end, then he met the statement requirement and deserve full credits.

P.S. Having said that, by the time the candidate is assessed on this very specific exercise, you should have a pretty darn good idea of his/her overall fitness and stamina because by that point the individual will have gone through rescue diver (course pre-requisite) and demonstrated his/her ability to swim 400 yards unassisted and 800 yards with snorkel, mask and fins.

 

[TMHeimer]

While it is OK to teach beyond the minimum standards (knowledge and practical applications) as long as it is safe and well within your competency, the marking has to be in relation to the set standards and not to the instructor's preferences. Doing so constitute an ''ism''.

If you want to observe and/or build fitness and stamina, have them doing lapses, play underwater hockey or do the egg beater as part of every pool sessions. When it comes to the test, if the individual can float like a plank on its back and do so with his hands up for two minutes at the end, then he met the statement requirement and deserve full credits.

P.S. Having said that, by the time the candidate is assessed on this very specific exercise, you should have a pretty darn good idea of his/her overall fitness and stamina because by that point the individual will have gone through rescue diver (course pre-requisite) and demonstrated his/her ability to swim 400 yards unassisted and 800 yards with snorkel, mask and fins.

I agree with everything. Having the "egg beater" as part of a physical regiment is fine, as long as the instructor knows that anyone who is very negatively buoyant can't do it for very long. In OW class it was required--by our instructor-- that you had to tread and not float. I managed the 10 minutes, but it wasn't easy. Of course, you also could use arms. This would be a violation of PADI standards. Treading the 2 minutes with hands out was impossible. At the time I had no real idea that it was my negativity--I thought I was just way too old and out of shape--watching the other 3 do it with relative ease. You'd think every instructor would be well versed in this stuff.

 

[Hawkwood]

.... In OW class it was required--by our instructor-- that you had to tread and not float. I managed the 10 minutes, but it wasn't easy. Of course, you also could use arms. This would be a violation of PADI standards....

Of course now as a DM you know that this IS a violation of the Standards. Did he withhold certification or make anyone repeat the tread?

 

[TMHeimer]

Of course now as a DM you know that this IS a violation of the Standards. Did he withhold certification or make anyone repeat the tread?

No everyone passed. I zipped through the 300 MFS but used my arms. Then she said this was not allowed, so I asked if I should do it again & she said no that's OK. 300 with MFS is really no test either--don't need proper swim form, just reasonably strong legs. But I don't think whether you do the 200 swim or 300 MFS should be decided by the instructor, since PADI gives the option. One or the other, or both, but everybody should have to do the same, but that's just my opinion.

 

[boulderjohn]

No everyone passed. I zipped through the 300 MFS but used my arms.

I assume you meant to write 800 MFS.