Breathing control for swimming

[emttim]

emttim,

When I was talking about kicking, you can either be on your stomach kicking with your hands out in front of you - when you want to breathe, take a stroke the normal way and breathe to the side. But I was talking about kicking on your back, with your hands at your side. I don't know - when I do it, I make headway and float fine. Note, I'm keeping about 1/2 the air in my lungs - so not breathing out all the way.

Perhaps I float better - I have a "normal" amount of muscle for a man 5'10". I am overweight - beerbelly, so perhaps that helps me float ...

Lol, I have a beerbelly and normal amount of muscle too, so no advantage over me there...probably the fact you keep half the air in your lungs since that keeps your buoyancy up, I breath out all the way. D'oh. Well, my swim test (and confined water dives 1 & 2) is tomorrow, wish me luck! I think I'll do ok with the swim test....will probably be the slowest person and finish it last, but I don't really care.

 

[bamamedic]

I don't know if this helps, but I passed my swim test by doing the world's crappiest backstroke (it's really the only stroke I know, besides doggy paddle, and I didn't want to do a 225 yard doggie paddle!). I just laid on my back, did a breaststroke style arm stroke, and a frog kick leg stroke (I think it's called the elementary backstroke). I told my instructor, "It isn't going to look pretty, but I'll pass!", and I did.

Thankfully, it's not a race. The slowest person still passes! In a way, slow and steady is the way to go. The speed demons will be about to drown in the last few yards, and you'll still be going at a relaxed, steady pace.

As far as the 10 min tread goes, I really just floated on my back for the whole 10 min, and made enough "treading movements" with my arms and legs to look like I was treading water. It worked, and that's what counts.

Be glad you're not taking the NAUI course . I"m still trying to pass that darn 50 foot underwater swim!

Good luck!

 

[emttim]

I don't know if this helps, but I passed my swim test by doing the world's crappiest backstroke (it's really the only stroke I know, besides doggy paddle, and I didn't want to do a 225 yard doggie paddle!). I just laid on my back, did a breaststroke style arm stroke, and a frog kick leg stroke (I think it's called the elementary backstroke). I told my instructor, "It isn't going to look pretty, but I'll pass!", and I did.

Thankfully, it's not a race. The slowest person still passes! In a way, slow and steady is the way to go. The speed demons will be about to drown in the last few yards, and you'll still be going at a relaxed, steady pace.

As far as the 10 min tread goes, I really just floated on my back for the whole 10 min, and made enough "treading movements" with my arms and legs to look like I was treading water. It worked, and that's what counts.

Be glad you're not taking the NAUI course . I"m still trying to pass that darn 50 foot underwater swim!

Good luck!

Yeah this is true...plus unlike with the backstroke, if I do breast stroke, I can see where im going and the wake from other people swimming past me won't mess me up that bad. I did try the elementary backstroke today at my swimming lesson but the coordination wasn't quite there since I haven't really played with it that much, so not sure if I'll use it tomorrow.

Hmm, 50 feet underwater is about 15.5 meters....that's not /too/ bad. Ironically, even though I'm still just an ok swimmer, I've actually always been very comfortable being underwater and swimming underwater (mostly because it's "easier" to hold your breath and just swim through the water than try to stay above it and expend energy). I wouldn't constantly be exhaling if I did that though, heh I'd probably just hold my breath.

 

[hvulin]

I don't know if this helps, but I passed my swim test by doing the world's crappiest backstroke (it's really the only stroke I know, besides doggy paddle, and I didn't want to do a 225 yard doggie paddle!). I just laid on my back, did a breaststroke style arm stroke, and a frog kick leg stroke (I think it's called the elementary backstroke). I told my instructor, "It isn't going to look pretty, but I'll pass!", and I did.

Thankfully, it's not a race. The slowest person still passes! In a way, slow and steady is the way to go. The speed demons will be about to drown in the last few yards, and you'll still be going at a relaxed, steady pace.

As far as the 10 min tread goes, I really just floated on my back for the whole 10 min, and made enough "treading movements" with my arms and legs to look like I was treading water. It worked, and that's what counts.

Be glad you're not taking the NAUI course . I"m still trying to pass that darn 50 foot underwater swim!

Good luck!

Congratulations, but please do try to enhance your swimming skills since it's quite an important skill in life (not just diving)...