25 yard UW swim

[dumpsterDiver]

The glide is important. But then so is the breath hold.

Relaxation, confidence and basic comfort in the water are critical. Assuming that you are a comfortable and confident swimmer (if not, then I recommend some swimming instruction) a free diving class where you learn some basic breathing techniques will make this a very easy exercise. Here's something that you can try with a buddy:

Here’s the routine: You need to learn a modified yoga breathing, that is to say instead of tensely stuffing air up to the top of the lungs, empty the lungs by exhaling steadily for five or more seconds, the let the lungs fill comfortably and take them gently to the top … slow and easy.

What's the problem with the way most divers breathe? Their breathing is neither deep enough nor slow enough; it’s all up top and rapid, kind of like panting. While they likely take in enough oxygen they do not eliminating enough carbon dioxide. Shallow rapid breathing also does not move the diaphragm and intercostals enough and muscle memory adds to the push to gulp another breath.

Floating face down, take 5 breaths (empty, gentle fill ‘till comfortable, full but not packed, breathing from the diaphragm and stomach, do not hyperventilate, don't breathe fast, breathe slow, don't breathe high, breathe low) through your snorkel and then hold your breath for 10 seconds focusing on your watch. During the last five seconds your buddy counts down, “five, four, three, two, one, breathe,” and you come up and take a big, empty the lung first breath.

While you recover your buddy does the same thing. Repeat the process with a hold of 20 seconds, then 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then 60 seconds, then every 15 seconds out to 2 minutes. Do not take it farther than 2 ½ minutes. Your buddy should be gently talking to you, encouraging you, and telling you how much time is left at reasonable intervals. It is critical that in between each set you fully recover. Immediately before you start each breath hold set, you must take the five breaths, but be sure that you don’t try and pack it up full, that will just makes you tense. Work with your buddy and concentrate and getting as relaxed as possible.

We do this exercise, out to two minutes at the beginning of every pool and open water session.

Try it yourself (remember you need a buddy), let us know what you find out.

You advice about how to breath upon surfacing is not correct. Maybe it was thought to be ok a long time ago, but it is exactly wrong from what is being taught to freedivers. Freediving has improved human performance in the last 15 years much. much more than ANY other sport. Nothing can compare with the quantitaive improvements that these athletes have acheived by totally smashing the old records. It is truely remarkable. Possibly your recovery method was acceptable 20 years ago, but it is no longer thought to be acceptable. In fact, I think knowledgable freedivers will recognize your advice as dangerous and has been associated with causing Samba and Black outs.

 

[jagfish]

Doing something because it's a requirement for someone else isn't a reason for it to be a requirement for anyone.

Well...yeah, kinda...but if you are assisting on a class where the students are required to do the swim and you can't...that would be a bit embarrassing, don't you think. I once asked a DM candidate to demonstrate this for an OW class an he was unable after several attempts. Very humbling.

Think of how motivating your story of hard-earned success would be for students who were having challenges.

Conversely, I've never had an OW student (I think I did my NAUI crossover in 2006) who was not able to complete the breath hold by the end of the course.

I do not recall OW students having to do an underwater swim.

Really?...it's in my standards book ('96 version), and I took a look around a handful of shop websites describing the swims and they all have the 50ft swim. It's also on my slates, and the NAUI check-off sheet.

You might want to check into that...it could give you extra motivation .

 

[Thalassamania]

I'm a little short on snorkles here, but I'll figure out some modification to this for the next month and a half.

Snorkel not required, just makes it a bit easier.

 

[Thalassamania]

You advice about how to breath upon surfacing is not correct. Maybe it was thought to be ok a long time ago, but it is exactly wrong from what is being taught to freedivers. Freediving has improved human performance in the last 15 years much. much more than ANY other sport. Nothing can compare with the quantitaive improvements that these athletes have acheived by totally smashing the old records. It is truely remarkable. Possibly your recovery method was acceptable 20 years ago, but it is no longer thought to be acceptable. In fact, I think knowledgable freedivers will recognize your advice as dangerous and has been associated with causing Samba and Black outs.

With all due respect, shallow water blackout is not a possibility in a two to three minute breath-hold in shallow water. SWB is caused by scrubbing out the CO2 then going to depth and dropping your ppO2 by respiration without a clear acidotic CO2 signal to breath. Then, as you surface, you further drop your ppO2 by dropping the ambient pressure and thus black out. This has nothing what-so-ever to do with the way in which you recover. You will note that I specifically do not have them hyperventilate and scub, I have them slow and relax. All that I said with regards to, "how to breath upon surfacing," was, "while you recover." Are you telling me that is not correct?

But ... if you have a better and safer way, please share it.

 

[Tortuga68]

I think knowledgable freedivers will recognize your advice as dangerous

Uh... so what Thalassamania advised is dangerous, but you don't want to tell us the right way to do it? Gee thanks

 

[Armymutt25A]

Really?...it's in my standards book ('96 version), and I took a look around a handful of shop websites describing the swims and they all have the 50ft swim. It's also on my slates, and the NAUI check-off sheet.

You might want to check into that...it could give you extra motivation .

I got certified in '90. Memory isn't the best, so who knows. I do know that I was able to hold my breath longer back then. Was also a bit more streamlined. Maybe that's why I don't remember it - was too easy?

 

[Armymutt25A]

Ok, so I tried the breathing in the pool today. I practiced it a bit yesterday at work and need a little clarification. In another thread, Thal said to breathe out forcefully for 5 seconds. When I did this, I started to get light headed. When I breathed out at a natural rate for about 5 seconds and then relaxed, I'm able to hold my breath for about a minute easily while walking at a normal pace. UW, things change a bit. I did manage to make it 75 feet today, but I'm not satisfied with my performance. I noticed that I might as well be swimming in a bowl of Jell-O for as much gliding per stroke that I do. It appears that I'm only moving when I'm exerting force against the water. As far as the psychological aspect, I've noticed that I have to start the swim in the shallow part of the pool. It's like I feel more comfortable as I watch the bottom drop away rather than staring at the bottom 4 feet from my face. In any case, progress is being made.

 

[Thalassamania]

No ... breath OUT forcefully, DO NOT HYPERVENTILATE, breath out SLOWLY and RELAX, empty your lungs from your diaphragm.

 

[Armymutt25A]

This morning, I made it 25 meters with no issues, other than my psychological blockage of starting on the deep end. I found that if I keep my legs still and in the slipstream, I actually do glide! Using just my arms, I am able to make it across the pool relatively easy. I didn't feel the need to breathe until about the last 3 feet.

Now to tackle the 450 yards in 10 minutes.

 

[Tortuga68]

Well done