Open Water Fitness Tests

[TheHuth]

Does anyone have an opinion on which is the better skill test to do (200 meter non assist, or 300 meter with snorkel, fins and mask)?

 

[muddiver]

What are you testing for? The 200 meter non-assist is a watermanship test. The snorkel swim is a skin diver ability/fitness test.

You require the test to fit the reason for requiring the test.

 

[CT Sean]

I personally think the 300 meter with fins is significantly easier and the 200 without is more a test of actual swim ability. I'm not sure what you actually mean by "better"

 

[archer1960]

I was allowed to use a mask on my 200m swim, but not fins or snorkel. Which was nice, because my contacts don't work will without...

 

[RJP]

Assuming you're asking - as a non-certified diver - "which test should I do when taking my OW course" the answer is "it depends."

From a fitness standpoint, they should be roughly equivalent. Propulsion is somewhat easier with fins... but that swim is 50% longer. Net-net should be the same relative fitness needed.

One consideration that's never brought up in these discussions is pool size: Unless you're doing the swim in a "full size" pool (~25m or longer) it's a real pain in the ass to do 300m in fins. The constant turning to change direction slows you down (not that it's timed, but it's a waste of energy) and can cause foot/leg cramps in those not used to swimming with fins. The shop where I did my DM and instructor training had an on-site pool, which was great. But it was far smaller than a lap pool... so by the time you actually get moving on each lap it's time to stop and turn around.

If you're worried that your not a strong swimmer... don't sweat it. It's not timed and you're not graded on technique.

I also suggest you do it at the END of a pool session rather than the beginning, if possible. Students who do the swim first and get winded, cramp, etc end up having a bad pool session afterward.

Ray

 

[TheHuth]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the 200 meter is the way to go. I consider myself to be a very strong swimmer. I spent every summer on a lake as a kid, and we'd swim all the way across it for fun. But I havent swam in years. I am however in pretty good shape since I ride my bike almost every day. So if you're saying that few people fail the fitness tests, I'm sure I'll be perfectly fine.

 

[Neilwood]

Assuming you're asking - as a non-certified diver - "which test should I do when taking my OW course" the answer is "it depends."

From a fitness standpoint, they should be roughly equivalent. Propulsion is somewhat easier with fins... but that swim is 50% longer. Net-net should be the same relative fitness needed.

One consideration that's never brought up in these discussions is pool size: Unless you're doing the swim in a "full size" pool (~25m or longer) it's a real pain in the ass to do 300m in fins. The constant turning to change direction slows you down (not that it's timed, but it's a waste of energy) and can cause foot/leg cramps in those not used to swimming with fins. The shop where I did my DM and instructor training had an on-site pool, which was great. But it was far smaller than a lap pool... so by the time you actually get moving on each lap it's time to stop and turn around.

If you're worried that your not a strong swimmer... don't sweat it. It's not timed and you're not graded on technique.

I also suggest you do it at the END of a pool session rather than the beginning, if possible. Students who do the swim first and get winded, cramp, etc end up having a bad pool session afterward.

Ray

The shop I did my OW cert at had its own pool. IIRC it was approx 17m end to end which meant that with a decent turn and kick off the wall you could almost glide to the far wall (I tend to do the breaststroke and IIRC I was doing about 3 strokes per length). So on that basis, the 200m swim was by far the easiest - whether it gave a good impression of my fitness or ability to swim is a different matter (I think it was more an impression of how good my kick of the wall was).

---------- Post added January 12th, 2016 at 05:31 PM ----------

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the 200 meter is the way to go. I consider myself to be a very strong swimmer. I spent every summer on a lake as a kid, and we'd swim all the way across it for fun. But I havent swam in years. I am however in pretty good shape since I ride my bike almost every day. So if you're saying that few people fail the fitness tests, I'm sure I'll be perfectly fine.

I think you will be fine if you can swim even fairly weakly - there is no time limit so you can swim as slow as you need to not get out of breath/cramp up.

 

[tursiops]

First, for OW it is not a fitness test, it is a swim test. Second, either is acceptable for OW. As an instructor, I prefer the 200 yd/m swim....it seems to me to do a better job weeding out those who cannot swim. It is a long way to dog-paddle.

 

[TheHuth]

First, for OW it is not a fitness test, it is a swim test. Second, either is acceptable for OW. As an instructor, I prefer the 200 yd/m swim....it seems to me to do a better job weeding out those who cannot swim. It is a long way to dog-paddle.

That makes perfect sense. This should be a cakewalk then.

 

[dmaziuk]

One consideration that's never brought up in these discussions is pool size: Unless you're doing the swim in a "full size" pool (~25m or longer) it's a real pain in the ass to do 300m in fins. The constant turning to change direction slows you down (not that it's timed, but it's a waste of energy) and can cause foot/leg cramps in those not used to swimming with fins.

Full size open heel fins are a PITA in a pool, full stop. Even if you do flip turns open heels try to come off on every push-off. Large blades mess up your kick-pull timing. Ugh.

If you haven't swam in years, get in the pool and do 200m before the test once or twice. Otherwise your body might try to go the way it remembers from back when. Middle of the test is not the best place/time for finding out you aren't that kid anymore.