Swimming requirement

[BR]

As a recently certified diver, let me just add that a few months before we did our OW class, my boyfriend was phobic about water. The first time we went to the pool, he could only do one lap. But in just a few short practice sessions, he could easily do the required swim and more. It may not be so much that you are physically tired, but just need to get comfortable in the water and learn to breathe properly. If you can get air efficiently, you can swim a lot further. Just a thought.

 

[DennisS]

I can swim, but I am not a strong swimmer, if that makes any sense. My experience at a gym is I can swim only one length 50 yards than I am gassed. Though I do consider myself in average shape. The 200 yard requirement bothers me some. Usually I swim 50 yards, stop for a minute and then can do another 50, and do this half a dozen times. I do hang on the edge at the end of a 50yd. I believe I am breathing properly exhaling under water and inhaling about every other stroke. Using fins I am sure that I could do the 300 yd requirement don't think I need the mask and snorkel. Would you expect that I will have a problem. I may be able to do 50 yd paddle on my back for a little break and then continue to freestyle but I have not really tried this.

Based on what you have experienced, how much of a problem will I have?

None! Fortunately for me my instructor used a calendar to time my swim!!!

I jump in the pool and start out swimming, I'm huffing after 50 yards, I stop, do it again, slow down, start huffing, stop, finally after about 300 yards I hit my slooow stride and finish my mile. It takes over an hour to swim my mile at my pace. But if you go slow, no slower, no, slower still, you can get your distance

 

[Notso_Ken]

Do the 300 instead if you can. If not, get advice on your form and breathing. Swimming has nothing to do with "swimming with fins on". You can be in great shape, comfortable in the water and konk out after 50 yds. if you don't swim regularly. Based on my experience (be it at age 55), you may have exactly the same problem as me doing the exact distance- 50 yards. 3+ months later I'm still working on doing 400 for DM course, though I can finish it now--my time still sucks. I didn't have to swim for OW course--just the fins/snorkel thing- aced that. Good luck.

I started diving in 2001, and in 2008 started working on DM. So, I had to face facts that I did not know how to swim (except for dog paddle and back stroke - neither one fast enough to pass the 10 min 450 yd requirement for NAUI DM). So, at age 52 I learned to do the crawl. At first, it was my left arm would reach exhaustion after 50 yards. But, by continuing to work at it, I got to where I can do the crawl for 300 yards, then back stroke the rest and get under 10 minutes. Keep working at it, it comes with effort!


Ken

 

[TMHeimer]

Notso, How long did it take? After passing your DM test did you keep up the routine (see my "swim poll" on Going Pro forum)? I finally can do the 400, but during my training I slipped on ice while running and messed up my leg muscles, so now I can't do 2 laps of the 800 with fins (which I could do without any training). Think I'm jinxed.

 

[zackalack8999]

Backstroke. I did it for my DM test, and still lapped everyone. I've never really had a problem with swimming though, so this might not be very helpful.

 

[Roy McKinney]

With 640 muscles in the body the only way you can train the specific muscle group used for swimming is to swim more. Something else to think about...all of those muscles need plenty of oxygen, if you lack the lung capacity to keep the muscles fed a steady supply, then it won't matter what shape your in you'll exhaust quickly. Any kind of cardio workouts can help with that.

 

[halocline]

Matt, that statement is, to me, an excellent to do the snorkeling instead of the swim. How many times have you ever been 50 yards from the boat, yanked off all your gear and swam back instead of snorkling back?

Well, I don't use a snorkel while diving except very occasionally if I know I'll have a big surface swim. Personally I think snorkeling and swimming are both extremely useful skills for any new diver to practice, especially if there's a deficiency in either or both. I just think that in this case, the OP is going to be more confident and have more fun as a diver if he improves his swimming. Snorkeling could be a big part of that too, I don't see why they have to be exclusive.

 

[paddler3d]

Just remember that your swim isn't timed and you can use any stroke.

Before you really begin to dive, take a personal assessment, think about if something happens to your dive buddy and you have to pull them to the boat that is 20m's away, and you have to do this after having donned 60 some pounds of SCUBA gear that you humped from your car. Would you be able to do it?

In water you are neutral. You just need to be able to get there and back w/o your heart exploding.

 

[ptyx]

With 640 muscles in the body the only way you can train the specific muscle group used for swimming is to swim more. Something else to think about...all of those muscles need plenty of oxygen, if you lack the lung capacity to keep the muscles fed a steady supply, then it won't matter what shape your in you'll exhaust quickly. Any kind of cardio workouts can help with that.

Cardio would help, however swimming is a very technical sport. The human body is just not designed to move through water, and learning how to use the muscles you have efficiently is a faster way to progress than accumulating muscle.

Especially with crawl, it's really easy to do a lot of splashing and kicking, not breathe enough, and not get anywhere. Personally, I stick to breaststroke because I have a semi-efficient one (if not fast) while my crawl is a disaster and gets me exhausted in 5 minutes - and yes, I should probably take lessons to fix that as well :depressed:

(Total Immersion seems to have self-taught stuff for crawl).

 

[AaronB]

Probably just repeating what others have said but ...

This is not a times assesment, it more of a way to gage that you are comfy in the water as well as being at a "fair" level of fitness. Take it slow, mix up the storkes if you need too, i did my fitness swim mostly on my back and just took it very slowly and concentrated on my breathing and getting between point A and Point B, i didn't count lenghts (small - ish pool) so ended up with my instructor laughing his ass off at me when i did a lot more than i should of done! But eitherway jsut take it slow and don't consider it a competition.

I let you in on a little secreat that may make you feel better thought .. Our clubs DO is a BSAC FCD and NI ...... And can't swim at all!

Thats not to say he can't get to point a to point b if needed thought, he just doesnt do it in any reconsized form or stoke

So just get in that pool and show everyone what you can do!