Problem with AAUS swim requirement

[lv2dive]

I read through the thread quickly and did not see this mentioned. Be aware some aquarium programs do NOT allow you to kick off from the wall. I thought I would be toast when I found that out *at the swim test* but I figured if I could do it with a kick off, I could probably do it without one, and I was right.

Also from a mental perspective, time how long you can hold your breath sitting in front of tv/computer. Then, you will realize you can hold your breath way longer than it takes to swim 25 yards if your swimming in a zen state with lots of gliding [emoji4]

Hope that helps and good luck!

 

[lowviz]

Kate, Correct, no kickoff.

This is the most insidiously fascinating requirement that I've ever had to meet. Once you get it, it is (and remains) a piece of cake. Everyone is telling me this.

I think that the 25 yd underwater swim is just proof to the "powers that be" that the applicant can be taught proper mechanics.

---------- Post added November 23rd, 2015 at 03:38 PM ----------

... Just remember the underwater hand stroke is like a butterfly hand stroke, all the way to your hips. The inverted heart is for topwater breaststroke.

Oh! Yeah. I keep confusing those two.

... Nothing beats pool time.

Learned that in cave class.

... If the Y isn't keen on you going underwater, you might sneak by doing your lap with a topwater stroke and breathe, 1 or 2 underwater, topwater and breathe, etc.

 

[tbone1004]

it is a mental game, no different than the ditch and don requirements. It is about how you can control your body in uncomfortable situations. No kick-off turns the skill into 4-5 arm pulls for reference, but is it is really all about comfort in the water. It's a very valuable tool in evaluating peoples comfort in the water and fundamental skills. If it takes you 8-10 pulls to get across and you are uncomfortable, you are fundamentally inefficient in the water and that translates up to scuba. You have to master swimming and skin diving first. If you can do it while breath holding, you can do it on scuba with no issues.

 

[sea_ledford]

I run all my divers though the AAUS swim test every year, and the breath hold is always the one that they are freaked out about the most. You know which part no one has ever not passed? The breath hold.

All of the given advise is right on with regard to swim mechanics, zen and all that. What most people don't know is if they can get their mammalian diving reflex to kick in prior to doing the test, it is a piece of cake for all but the most inefficient swimmers. I have my divers do about 5 minutes of surface dives, with and without mask and fins to retrieve a 3-5 lbs weight off the bottom (also conveniently part of the swim test). Spend as much time as you can underwater, holding your breath* prior to the test, and you'll find it's much easier.

*I don't mean try to hold your breath for 2 minutes and then go for it. Try to get 15-20 dives in for 10-15 seconds each, with plenty of surface time between. You shouldn't ever feel out of breath for this.

Now if you have a mean DSO that makes you do the 400 first, then the breath hold, well... I hope your swim mechanics are good!

-Chris

 

[tbone1004]

the other way to get it to kick in is to sit on the side of the pool with your mask on the back of your head and snorkel in your mouth. Breathe for a few minutes and your heart rate will slow WAY down and a bunch of other cool stuff happens, but you have to have the water on your face for it to work properly.

That said, be thankful you don't have to do one of the final circuits.
25m UW in bathing suit
375m surface
don Mask Fin Snorkel while treading water
25m UW in skin diving equipment
375 surface in skin diving equipment.
All timed and graded based on time with serious time penalties for incomplete UW swims-insert evil grin

 

[dmaziuk]

[hands] Oh! Yeah. I keep confusing those two.

Apparently it's the way they used to do it originally, then someone figured that hand recovery is way faster above water and then the powers that be decided to make that into its own separate style, and so the butterfly was born. It is the same stroke, you just go all the way to the thighs. What works really well after that, especially underwater, is the dolphin kick. Like the guy in that breastroke-dolphin video is doing.

---------- Post added November 23rd, 2015 at 06:16 PM ----------

Now if you have a mean DSO that makes you do the 400 first, then the breath hold, well... I hope your swim mechanics are good!

Should be OK if they let you catch your breath first and then vent the CO2 before the hold though.

 

[lowviz]

... What works really well after that, especially underwater, is the dolphin kick. Like the guy in that breastroke-dolphin video is doing. ...

I just can't get that out of my mind. His whip/dolphin combo looks like it is very efficient.

---------- Post added November 23rd, 2015 at 05:32 PM ----------

... Spend as much time as you can underwater, holding your breath* prior to the test, and you'll find it's much easier.

*I don't mean try to hold your breath for 2 minutes and then go for it. Try to get 15-20 dives in for 10-15 seconds each, with plenty of surface time between. You shouldn't ever feel out of breath for this. ...

I agree that you can "get over" feeling air starved. I'll try that.

 

[seeker242]

I agree that you can "get over" feeling air starved. I'll try that.

My freedive instructor kept telling us "Well, technically, you really don't need to breathe until your lips start turning blue". Ha! Although, easier said than done!

 

[tbone1004]

I just can't get that out of my mind. His whip/dolphin combo looks like it is very efficient.

---------- Post added November 23rd, 2015 at 05:32 PM ----------

I agree that you can "get over" feeling air starved. I'll try that.

efficient yes, but you generate very little propulsion from your legs, they really are just there to continue forward motion while your arms are returning to the front. When swimming, your legs generate less than 30% of your propulsion despite consuming a significant amount of O2 due to larger muscle mass. Use your arms.... Promise it works better. On scuba it only is reversed because of the big ass paddles on your feet, but even then, if you compare the energy requirement of the frog kick vs. the flutter, the frog kick is much more efficient because you are using your calves and hamstrings vs your quads and your glutes. Smaller muscles are more efficient for this.

 

[dmaziuk]

efficient yes, but you generate very little propulsion from your legs, they really are just there to continue forward motion while your arms are returning to the front. When swimming, your legs generate less than 30% of your propulsion despite consuming a significant amount of O2 due to larger muscle mass

Rule #1: tbone is always right.
Rule #2: when tbone is wrong...

The 30% is quoted for other styles. In breaststroke the majority of propulsion comes from the legs.

The most efficient way to swim underwater is the dolphin kick: it keeps the body streamlined at all times and uses pretty much the entire body for propulsion. I think it works even more muscles and burns more oxygen though.

The trick with either is doing it right, of course. Men in particular, tend to have more upper-body strength and relatively less oomph in the legs. Breaststroke relies heavily in thin adductor bands that aren't normally well developed and on a lot of rotation (stretch) in all three leg joints... Proper dolphin kick requires more flexibility in the back than many of us have (me, for instance). It is also not entirely true about smaller muscles: to add power to hand pull you utilize more lats and pectorals as smaller shoulder muscles alone are not cutting it.

So in general, when swimming on the surface most men will be swimming front crawl where legs generate at most 30% of the propulsion. In particular, the 25 underwater breaststroke kick: not so much. Sorry.