OW course: Treading water
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krawlings
Contributor
When I did my OW tread . I just did the back float with slow hand and feet movement to keep away from the pool wall . this pool had a curant . My foot kicks was a frog kick (on your back). thi helpt keep the lower part of yor body from sinking.
BabyDuck
Contributor
yep, you're probably so fit that treading/floating will be tough for you. great advice above!
i don't have that problem & floated with head, hands, & feet out of the water for this test since the water was cold...
i don't have that problem & floated with head, hands, & feet out of the water for this test since the water was cold...
IceCube
Registered
So had my first pool session today and failed the treading water part :shocked2: I'm reasonably fit, I can ride my bicycle for 15 miles nonstop and on the elliptical in the gym burning 600 cal/hr for an hr nonstop without issues. I can also hike nonstop for 5+ miles, so I am at a loss as to why I can't tread water for more than a few mins, perhaps my technique is all wrong and combined with some fear of drowning I think I am just not relaxing. I completed the swimming part fine but the instructor said I could repeat the treading exercise tommorow. More so I am just plain embarassed that I failed it
So question...what is the easiest way to tread water without much effort?
You have the same problem I have. I'm in good shape with little body fat and I sink like a rock. Even with a full set of lungs I do not float. As a snorkeler, I've always had to keep moving just to stay on the surface. I can drop myself to the bottom of a pool very fast with a sharp exhale.
As for treading, the best I could do was about a minute or two before I tired out. I did some pool work and was able to work my way up to six and half minutes. While treading, I would look straight up and only thing out of the water was my eyes, nose, and mouth, and everything else submerged. It was a good workout, but I could never get to that 10 minute mark.
My scuba instructor told me that the treading test is supposed to be done with neutral buoyancy. He said instructors tend to be quick to put weights on positive people, but tend to neglect us negatives. He put a shortie wetsuit on me (I still sank but not as bad). That at least got me through the test. It at least allowed me to lean back in the water with my legs bent. I still had to scull my arms behind my back to keep me up.
Talk to your instructor to see if he/she can or willing to "modify" you to be neutrally buoyant.
the treading test for me was with a swimming trunk, not even a wetsuit. With neutral buoyancy I can do 10 mins no problem. Yes, I sink like a rock as well unless I pedal reallllly hard which tires me out in a 2-3 mins. I haven't practiced the egg beater, I will try it at my gym pool next time, I'm sure all those water polo guys are really fit and stay afloat for a long time!
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PTAaron
Registered
Hmm.... in our Open Water class we never did the treading water test (at least not in the pool part that we have already completed), although I did read that we were going to have to in the book.
Gen San Chris
Contributor
All good tips, the main one is to relax! I am very lucky and I think that is because I am a bit fat, I can stand to allention in the pool and keep my head above water, I can tread water for hours without effort! So, the easy way to tread water is to get a bit fatter than you are now!
Awesome video. This should me with my divemaster water treading skill. For PADI Divemaster, the water treading skill requires 15 minutes of treading, with hands out of the water for the last two minutes for the max score.
Ron
Relax.....Anxiety makes you sink.....
A few suggestions:
1) Don't try to keep too much of your upper body out of the water. The more of your body you keep above water the more you have to fight gravity.
2) Watch the video and take note of the fact that she's doing 80% of the work with her legs and 20% with her arms. If you try to do too much of the work with your arms you'll tire more quickly.
3) if you can float by keeping your lungs mostly full then use that to your advantage
4) Visualize yourself as a kayak and not as a speedboat. The point here is that a kayak glides through the water with slow even strokes and the speedboat powers it's way through the water with brute force and lot of movement. Slow down your movements, relax and you'll probably find that you can achieve the same effect with a lot less movement than you're putting into it
5) Practice it. Just because you're fit doesn't mean that you're automatically a strong swimmer. Also cycling isn't necessarily good training for swimming because you use different muscles. For example, I can run long distances but I tire much more quickly swimming than I do running. Likewise a strong swimmer might not be able to run long distances. If you want to become a strong swimmer, then you need to swim and use those specific muscles and those specific movements. Technique counts for a lot in any sport. Do you really think those water polo guys are super-human?
I hope this helps a bit.
R..
1) Don't try to keep too much of your upper body out of the water. The more of your body you keep above water the more you have to fight gravity.
2) Watch the video and take note of the fact that she's doing 80% of the work with her legs and 20% with her arms. If you try to do too much of the work with your arms you'll tire more quickly.
3) if you can float by keeping your lungs mostly full then use that to your advantage
4) Visualize yourself as a kayak and not as a speedboat. The point here is that a kayak glides through the water with slow even strokes and the speedboat powers it's way through the water with brute force and lot of movement. Slow down your movements, relax and you'll probably find that you can achieve the same effect with a lot less movement than you're putting into it
5) Practice it. Just because you're fit doesn't mean that you're automatically a strong swimmer. Also cycling isn't necessarily good training for swimming because you use different muscles. For example, I can run long distances but I tire much more quickly swimming than I do running. Likewise a strong swimmer might not be able to run long distances. If you want to become a strong swimmer, then you need to swim and use those specific muscles and those specific movements. Technique counts for a lot in any sport. Do you really think those water polo guys are super-human?
I hope this helps a bit.
R..
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