How do you tread water?

[Jardine]

Which way do you use to tread water? I've read a lot of threads on the stamina skills and it seems that most people have trouble with, or are most intimidated by the treading water test. There is a thread with a girl on Youtube showing the different ways to tread water. She demonstrates the rotary or "eggbeater" kick which is by far the most efficient. This is the kick learned by water polo players and synchronized swimmers to be able to get a good portion of their upper body up out of the water. Has anybody used this video to try and learn the eggbeater? Would a more in-depth video demonstration including underwater video be of help? I played water polo in high school and have taught two of my kids to tread water this way. My 8 yr old daughter picked it up in about ten minutes. My son that started playing water polo this last fall, took a lot longer to learn. It took him weeks to get it down right. So my question is… would a more instructional video be a great aid to those that want to be stronger in this area or would most people just get by with the other methods of treading, i.e. drown proofing, scissor kick, etc.?

 

[paddler3d]

If I understand the 'drown proofing' technique (exhaling so you sink and then push off the bottom) isn't allowed because as part of the standard, you're not allowed to touch anything during the treading part of the stamina test, including the bottom.

Frankly I floated on my back for test and did a gentle scissor kick and floated/swam in a circle. This was also real easy to do when you had to hold your hands out of the water.

 

[TMHeimer]

I dreaded the 400 much more-still do. But I finally figured a way to do the tread and the last 2 mins. hands out of water. I found that in the pool (as opposed to sw) I would start on my back but my feet would slowly sink. I use gentle upward motion with my arms to raise them up, then relax and let them sink again. As well, I discovered an even easier way-- Do that for a bit then big breath and flip over on the stomach while holding my breath to totally relax ( I even find myself blowing a small stream of bubbles out of habit). For the hands out I use the egg beater, but am not good at it (too much movement). So I take a breath and let my head go under but keep my hands out (drownproofing-no touching the bottom in either case-I do it in the deep end to be sure of that, but I'm always right at the surface anyway). Repeat. Hope to get those tests out of the way soon. Seems this test is more a test of figuring it out rather than skill or stamina. Good luck.

 

[RJP]

I'm a tall, relatively skinny guy (6'2" and 185) but for some reason I am apparently neutrally buoyant...hollow bones, maybe?

Leaning back slightly, with my lungs half-full of air and legs hanging straight down, I can float as if my head is on a pillow.

The instructor who monitored my tread was absolutely crestfallen that she couldn't bust my chops as I floated motionless without moving my arms or legs at all, until the last few minutes when every once in a while I had to kick slightly to keep my arms out of the water.

Was a nice rest in preparation for the 400yd swim, which I did right afterward.

 

[paddler3d]

What is all this about 400m swim? Was my instructor a bit off here. I had to do 800m swim and then 1200m snorkel and then the 15 minutes treading water.

 

[RJP]

What is all this about 400m swim? Was my instructor a bit off here. I had to do 800m swim and then 1200m snorkel and then the 15 minutes treading water.

For PADI it's 400yd swim and 800yd snorkel.

 

[RAWalker]

I'm able to float on my back and not expend any real effort more that controlling my breathing. It's easy for me to flip my hands out of the water from the wrist up for the last 2 minutes. This was the easy 5 points for me.

 

[kilo_fox]

Same here. Floated on my back..

 

[scubadiver888]

I do the scissor kick to tread water but I have incredibly strong legs and can go forever. From the research I did, egg beater is supposed to be the most efficient.

Paddler3d, drown proofing is acceptable. If you are pushing off the bottom you are not drown proofing. To do drown proofing you kick out of the water and take a large breath. As you go under the air in your lungs should slow your descent then reverse it. As you float back up to the surface, kick out of the water and take a large breath.

If you touch the bottom of the pool then the pool is probably not deep enough to do proper drown proofing in. Taking a larger, deeper breath might help reduce how far you descend.

 

[paddler3d]

Paddler3d, drown proofing is acceptable. If you are pushing off the bottom you are not drown proofing. To do drown proofing you kick out of the water and take a large breath. As you go under the air in your lungs should slow your descent then reverse it. As you float back up to the surface, kick out of the water and take a large breath.

If you touch the bottom of the pool then the pool is probably not deep enough to do proper drown proofing in. Taking a larger, deeper breath might help reduce how far you descend.

The only drown proofing I had ever had explained to me was from a Navy diver. He described it that you have their hands bound behind their back and their feet bound. They then exhale and sink to the bottom and push off the bottom, repeat. I'm not 100% sure how that drown proofs someone, but that was my understanding.