Master the Underwater swim test

[MonkSeal]

Surprised on the comments that the wall push off isnt allowed in the GUE test.

Have completed two classes with two different instructors so far and in both cases pushing off the wall was done.

I wonder if this is an instructor specific requirement.

I guess you did more then minimum requirement.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Remember that the underwater swim isn't really to see how far you can swim on one breath of air -- it's to see how well you maintain your composure in a stressful situation. At least, that's how it's taught at the university where I volunteer. I'm assuming GUE has essentially the same attitude.
I will point you here for a slightly better explanation.

If GUE wanted to see how far you could swim on one breath of air, they'd tell you to swim from one side of a 25-yard pool to the other (or really, "as far as you can"), front crawl, sprinting, with your face in the water the whole time. That's much easier than doing a true underwater swim...

 

[CompuDude]

Remember that the underwater swim isn't really to see how far you can swim on one breath of air -- it's to see how well you maintain your composure in a stressful situation. At least, that's how it's taught at the university where I volunteer. I'm assuming GUE has essentially the same attitude.
I will point you here for a slightly better explanation.

If GUE wanted to see how far you could swim on one breath of air, they'd tell you to swim from one side of a 25-yard pool to the other (or really, "as far as you can"), front crawl, sprinting, with your face in the water the whole time. That's much easier than doing a true underwater swim...

Actually, if GUE really wanted to see how far you could swim on one breath of air, they'd tell you to do it in a drysuit. I tried just for kicks once... mask, drysuit and weight belt. I was able to make it 80' (back and forth in a 40' pool) but it was every bit as hard as I thought it would be!