Bit the bullet--PADI DM it is.

[Ber Rabbit]

It might vary from one instructor to another but for the snorkel swim we had to stay on the surface and couldn't use our hands. I kept my BC deflated and my hands clasped together and placed on my butt to help keep my fins under. I was using my heavy jetfins that have served me so well.

The 25m isn't really that hard, we make our OW students do it at the beginning of the course just to get an idea of their underwater swimming ability. At the end of the quarter they do it again but are allowed to wear all their snorkeling gear, I think the record for a single breath swim in our program is roughly 60m with snorkel gear. The trick is to take 3 deep breaths, hold the fourth breath then swim as close to the bottom as you can. We suggest watching 1 row of tiles. When you feel the urge to breathe exhale just a little and keep following your row of tiles. When you feel the urge to breathe again look up, you should be near the end of the pool, exhale slowly and kick for all you're worth.
Ber

 

[Se7en]

Had a bash at it last night, and I now think that treading water is the hardest part of the whole lot But I was always crap at that.

Is there a set order to do it in?

Ber Rabbit - why were you wearing your BC for the snorkle test? I'd have thought that the drag of the BC would make it a fair bit harder.

Warmed up for the 25m swim by doing it with fins on until I could comfortably make 50m - the 25 was easy then, but I'd have trouble doing it straight up I think.

Anyway - something kinda interesting to do that got me into the pool for a bit of much needed exercise...

Mike

 

[TexasMike]

Originally posted by Se7en
Anyway - something kinda interesting to do that got me into the pool for a bit of much needed exercise...

:hehe: I was thinking much the same thing. Been promising myself for over 12 months to get up off of my couch potato butt and improve my fitness. DM class might be the carrot (or the big nasty stick?) to make me actually do it.

If nothing else, the improved cardio-vascular should further decrease air consumption.

 

[dc4bs]

Originally posted by SunshineFish
Although I think it would be interesting to see the wetsuit exhange! LOL :mean:

While I havn't seen a wetsuit EXCHANGE underwater, I have seen a wetsuit removal...

My friend (instructor) was wearing a 1 mil exposure suit in the Caymans and decided he was too hot so he got out of it right there.

I was observing him finish up an advanced open water with another friend of ours on the trip.

He just sat right there on the bottom about 15 feet down a few hundred feet off of 7 mile beac. He got out of his gear (had the student hold the BCD etc.) and removed the wetsuit. rolled it up and stuffed it into an oversized pocket he has on his BCD.

It was fun to watch. The student (who was somewhat nervous in the water) got a lot out of it as well. After seeing his instructor & friend strip down to just a bathing suit and then re-don all his gear except the wetsuit he began to relax more himself.

Before you get too mad at him for being a bad example to a student, the student in question used to be his college roomate...

BTW: I'm getting started on my DM cert as well... That same instructor has been on my case about it for months as I have more dive experiance than most of the DMs at our dive shop AND am his usual dive buddy anytime he's not teaching.

 

[davidofaustin]

Just a triffle bit :embarrass to admit that , I dont think I could make the NAUI test right now. I am a lousy swimmer, in that I sink like a rock, and My torso is not the most :fishy:, streamlined (yeah thats the word)

I took up scuba, so I didnt have to worry about fighting to stay on TOP of the water all the time..

So its back to the treadmill. I plan on diving a lot this year, one way or another.

Dave

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Se7en, my instructor likes to go above and beyond the standards so the wetsuit jacket (1/4 inch mind you), weight belt with 6 lbs of lead for proper buoyancy, mask, fins and snorkel weren't enough! Had to slap that BC in there too--AAAARGH! My pool BC is a medium, just a junker I bought for $25 for the chlorine to eat, I wear an extra small in real life. Let's just say that whole 900 yards was a real DRAG! Of course the people taking the class with me outweighed me by a minimum of 100 lbs so all of my transports were a heck of a lot of work too! Guess she (my instructor) just wanted me to prove to myself I could do it.

I think the order is up to the instructor, we do the 450 yard swim then the 25m underwater after a short break then we do a 15 minute float and a 5 minute tread for the survival swim. I don't have much body fat and float like a rock so I end up doing a 20 minute tread. I have developed a nice, lazy tread that keeps me above water with little work. Just for fun one day I treaded water with legs only (look ma' no hands!) for 45 minutes.

I need to get my little fluffy tail on the treadmill and back into the water too. I can tell my aerobic fitness has fallen through the floor in the last couple of months, I get winded trotting up 2 flights of stairs!

Anyway, good luck to all who are pursuing their DM, you'll make it! Then you'll marvel at how easy the swims are after you've done them once.


Ber

 

[Zept]

Ber, what's the trick to treading water? Like you, I don't float well (I'm about neutral in fresh water), and I have to tread frantically if I want to breathe at the same time. How do you manage a "lazy" tread?!


Zept

 

[Heads Up]

But, this works for me:

Take a full lung full of air, lie back & relax, You should be floating on the surface (although your legs may be submerged). When you need another breath, breathe out quickly, grab another lung full and relax again.

Not the most elegant of methods but you should be able to get into a rhythm and stay afloat for the required time.

Worst bit is that it is SOOOOO BORING!! 15 mins feels like an hour!

Good luck

 

[davidofaustin]

:drown: This is me, calmly floating. :angel:

Not the most elegant of methods but you should be able to get into a rhythm and stay afloat for the required time.

It really does work AND it is EXCELLENT advice. If I didnt do it that way, I would get real tired before it was over. If I take a full breath, hold it (on the surface, no gear!), My feet sink straight down, and the water line is just about 1/2 inch below the top of my head. (Yes I know,, a real rock would go ahead and sink with dignity.)

So I had to learn the technique that Heads Up described, just to keep my nose out of water.....

Comes in handy diving though,,,, Diving for fun with alum 80, 3 mil shorty, I have no problems without weights. (In fresh water) Strangley enough, it takes 11 lbs to sink me in the same outfit, in salt water.

Its good advice,,, use it.

Dave

 

[Ber Rabbit]

My lazy tread is done by doing 2 kicks (1 with each leg) then pause. Think of a heartbeat and kick to it. I don't remember exactly how I was taught to move my legs when I tread but now I kick a circle with each leg but in opposite directions.

Right leg from knee down makes a counterclockwise circle while left leg goes clockwise. It's a two beat rhythm that involves making sure you don't smack your legs together. Using your arms a little means you can kick a little slower. I make big circles with my arms almost like I'm scraping the top of the water onto myself. I always try to breathe to a count; in for two, out for two (or three or four), whatever is most comfortable. Basically it's kick/arm, pause, kick/arm, pause, exactly like a heartbeat.

It may not work for everyone but it's all I got!
Ber