Can any swim stroke be used for PADI DM?

[TMHeimer]

Considering the fact that all the freestyle events are regularly won with the same stroke, the same stroke that all the records were set using, the same stroke that 6 year olds race freestyle events with for the most part; the crawl is obviously the fastest and most efficient stroke for the vast majority of competitive swimmers of the human persuasion.

The DM swims are not a rescue swim, and you get more points for faster times, up to a point. The requirements for PADI DM swims are so easy there are some 80+ year old guys in the USA who could pass them, and some 75+ year old ladies in the USA who could also pass them. With 193 sovereign Countries in the World, many with residents who are not as out of shape as those in the USA, it is likely that right now in the world there are hundreds of men and women over age 75 with no scuba experience whatsoever who could pass the PADI DM 400 swim and 800 snorkel without any preparation.

Some of those just might swim the side stroke, but none would swim the dog paddle.

Yes, I agree that the crawl is the fastest. I also agree that the DM swims are not rescue swims, they're for speed--therefore if those fast old folks you mention have no scuba experience it's irrelevant. I do feel the tests SHOULD be more geared toward rescue, as that is probably the only time you'd really use them--including self-rescue. But that's another topic. Re the old folks--they most surely would be swimming
very regularly to knock off the tests. I'm sure there are considerably more young, very in shape folks who know how to swim, but couldn't finish one pool lap of the 400 if they're not in swimming shape. And one gets that way by swimming--lots.

 

[JanK]

Freestyle is a specific swimming stroke

Jeff

Not quite. Freestyle is exactly what it says: competition where any stroke can be used. But because the crawl is invariably used (as it is the fastest stoke), the word freestyle is used as a synonym for crawl. But you can actually use frog stroke or any other stroke in a freestyle competition - you just wouldn't stand a chance of winning.

 

[jbrians]

"Doggy paddle" or "kicking on my back" are not recognized swimming strokes. The instructor might accept them, I would not. N

If you had to do a tank valve tow and were no good kicking on your back, the crawl wouldn't be a big help.
I personally believe it isn't a matter of having classic Olympic quality strokes that's important, it's being able to cover a minimum distance in the water in a reasonable amount of time.

 

[TMHeimer]

If you had to do a tank valve tow and were no good kicking on your back, the crawl wouldn't be a big help.
I personally believe it isn't a matter of having classic Olympic quality strokes that's important, it's being able to cover a minimum distance in the water in a reasonable amount of time.

I agree completely. Some feel that the swim tests were not set up with anything to do with rescue (or self rescue) in mind.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

No matter what you feel some people feel, here is what the PADI '07 Instructor Manual says;

The Waterskills and Stamina Module has three roles. First, it confirms that candidates retain previously learned skills, allowing time for practice and redevelopment as necessary. Second, it confirms that candidates have the watermanship appropriate for someone working in a leadership capacity, developing these in candidates if necessary. Third, this module develops skills so they are more suited to teaching, which is important both for a PADI Divemaster assisting with student divers in training, and for progressing to the PADI Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor levels.

My competitive swimming background, previous swimming pool and waterfall pool lifeguard jobs lead me to roll my eyes at the swimming prowess of most public pool and lake lifeguards. Hotel and resort pool lifeguards are often even weaker, although they are also often cuter. Ocean lifeguards are for the most part very strong swimmers, although they are not all "pretty" when they swim. IMHO, PADI Divemaster Standards for Waterskills and Stamina allow people who shouldn't be DM's to become DM's, people who could not work at any of the above jobs. Someone who should be in a diving leadership role should breeze through the PADI Waterskills and Stamina exercises, back to back to back to back, all before lunch.

There is a separate Diver Rescue Assessment.

 

[TMHeimer]

No matter what you feel some people feel, here is what the PADI '07 Instructor Manual says;


My competitive swimming background, previous swimming pool and waterfall pool lifeguard jobs lead me to roll my eyes at the swimming prowess of most public pool and lake lifeguards. Hotel and resort pool lifeguards are often even weaker, although they are also often cuter. Ocean lifeguards are for the most part very strong swimmers, although they are not all "pretty" when they swim. IMHO, PADI Divemaster Standards for Waterskills and Stamina allow people who shouldn't be DM's to become DM's, people who could not work at any of the above jobs. Someone who should be in a diving leadership role should breeze through the PADI Waterskills and Stamina exercises, back to back to back to back, all before lunch.

There is a separate Diver Rescue Assessment.

I know you are a competitive swimmer and I'm not saying I flat out disagree with you. Although the Intructor Manual quote "watermanship appropriate....." is not exactly specific. I would absolutely agree that there must be a fairly big percentage (what % who knows for sure) of DMs and above who are surely not competitive swimmers. Many who could not breeze through the tests before lunch as you say. Maybe none of these should be DMs/Instructors, I don't know. I read all the time of someone (like myself as well) struggling with the 400 swim in particular, keeping at it and finally passing. A lot of these folks would be out of the course right away regardless of their other skills. Maybe that's the way it should be I don't know. Debatable.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I am not claiming to be a competitive swimmer. I participated in summer AAU until my 18th B-day, but only trained 2 weeks the last summer; that was over 32 years ago. I have participated in a handful of 1-2.5 mile Ocean Swims in the last decade, but with only a few days training for each. At age 50 I can still breeze through all 4 exercises before lunch, any day of the week. That is what many of us expect from someone who leads/trains beginning divers in Open Water.

Not many are arguing that PADI has a relatively low bar for most of their courses, all the way up to Instructor. I'd be interested to hear the swim requirements for other agencies DM's certs.