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LiteHedded

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hey guys.
just signed up for a padi ow class and have some questions.
I'm pretty well out of shape and I'm told we'll have to do a 200 yard surface swim.
I know it's untimed but I don't wanna look like a total fat slob and take twice as long to swim it as everyone else. any suggestions? I have about two weeks until class starts. think that's enough time for me to condition myself to be able to do that swim fairly comfortably?
the tread/float for 10 minutes is no problem. I could float all day long if i had to.
but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.
I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys could give me
after all this stuff I can't wait to get started on the actual scuba skills
 
Worrying about the physical requirements isn't worth the time and energy unless it motivates you to do something about it. Don't not get busy because you think it might not be enough time - just do it, as the saying goes.

Two weeks of daily 30 minute sessions of aerobic exercise will have a noticeable impact on your conditioning - so start today. If you can find a pool where you can swim laps, great, otherwise any gym will have the treadmills and bikes that you need. Right now, starting a program immediately is more important than anything else.

Second, relax. Diving is more fun if you don't approach it as a competitive thing. Somebody has to come in last in the swim and doesn't matter if it's you, so long as you keep your head up and have fun.

Take a look at www.divefitness.com - it's an excellent site full of information, advice, exercise programs and what not designed to help divers get in better physical condition.
 
LiteHedded:
hey guys.
just signed up for a padi ow class and have some questions.
I'm pretty well out of shape and I'm told we'll have to do a 200 yard surface swim.
I know it's untimed but I don't wanna look like a total fat slob and take twice as long to swim it as everyone else. any suggestions? I have about two weeks until class starts. think that's enough time for me to condition myself to be able to do that swim fairly comfortably?
the tread/float for 10 minutes is no problem. I could float all day long if i had to.
but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.
I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys could give me
after all this stuff I can't wait to get started on the actual scuba skills

First off, you do not have to be in perfect shape to learn to dive. If that were the case, myself and probably 50% or more of divers being certified would never make it. As far as the swin goes, don't start out too fast, take it slow and steady and you'd be surprised how well you do. Keep in mind, it is always better to practice some before you do it. swim as often as you can until your clas and work on a steady pace, not speed. If this is a PADI course, you do not have to swim 60 feet without fins, underwater on one breath. You may be confusing this with the Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent, (CESA) which you do under water in full gear including fins. You will keep the regulator in your mouth but you must exhale while swimming a distance of at least 30 feet.

Good luck and let us know how your class goes!
 
all the shops I went to had a similar underwater swim.
I get the feeling it's like a confidence booster?
like saying if you're down 60 ft you can get to the surface on a breath of air or something.
 
LiteHedded:
hey guys.
just signed up for a padi ow class and have some questions.
I'm pretty well out of shape and I'm told we'll have to do a 200 yard surface swim.
I know it's untimed but I don't wanna look like a total fat slob and take twice as long to swim it as everyone else. any suggestions? I have about two weeks until class starts. think that's enough time for me to condition myself to be able to do that swim fairly comfortably?

Conditioning is always a good idea, but I wouldn't worry about how long it takes you. Though I am in good shape, for whatever reason, I am one of the slowest swimmers you can find, but I could swim to Japan and back (probably because I don't expend that much energy swimming). If you pace yourself on the surface swim, you'll probably find yourself finishing around the same time as all the people who starting hauling through the water like there was a shark chasing them, and at 150 yards, felt their legs and arms knotting and their breakfast returning. The idea is that you can get back in. They want to make sure that if you're out to sea, you're not going to swim 100 yards, stroke out, and drown.

LiteHedded:
the tread/float for 10 minutes is no problem. I could float all day long if i had to.

Of course, my instructor had to make this one more interesting by tossing soft weights at us ::groan::

LiteHedded:
but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.

Relax when you do it. It's a lot easier. I can hold my breath for up to a minute, but when I went abalone diving, the first boat out, I was tense from "gotta get an ab" and literally couldn't hold my breath for more than ten seconds. Second boat out, it was so rough that I just went limp in the water, and once I was in the right head space, I could stay down for a respectable bit of time. So just remember (in all things actually) to RELAX. One of the nice things about scuba diving versus other forms of being in water is that most of the time, even in a difficult situation, time is actually on your side. Nothing like getting tangled in kelp under ten feet of water and thinking "Wow, if I don't manage to free myself in the next forty-five minutes, I could be in some real trouble... la de da..."

LiteHedded:
I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys could give me
after all this stuff I can't wait to get started on the actual scuba skills

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
LiteHedded:
all the shops I went to had a similar underwater swim.
I get the feeling it's like a confidence booster?
like saying if you're down 60 ft you can get to the surface on a breath of air or something.

Actually, more comforting than that if you keep your head.

If you take a breath off your SCUBA unit down 60 feet and have to make it to the surface (first, and they drill you on this TIME after time, DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH), but since the air you are breathing is compressed, as you ascend, the air in your lungs expands, so if you slowly let out that breath (versus freaking and puffing it at once), it will carry you, quite easily, all the way to the surface. My dive buddy made it from fifty feet during an emergency ascent one time (I followed behind him more slowly).
 
LiteHedded:
but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.
I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys could give me
after all this stuff I can't wait to get started on the actual scuba skills
The swimming requirements are not difficult, and if you go out and practice them, you will see that they are not hard to complete. If you can swim at all, you can do it - if you're not in good shape, just set a steady pace and keep going. Don't try to swim fast or hard, because the effort required to go just a little bit faster is much greater than the slight increase in speed will justify. Find your comfortable "hull speed" and swim at that pace, and don't worry about anybody else.

On the underwater swim, especially, I second the suggestion to relax and take it slowly. You will run out of air very quickly trying to go fast, but you may surprise yourself with how long you can keep swimming underwater at a smooth pace.

Whatever else you do, do NOT try to extend your breathholding ability by hyperventilating. Take two or three deep even breaths before starting, hold the last one, and start swimming slowly. As you feel the need to breathe building up, release a very small amount of the air in your lungs - a few bubbles at a time - and the urge to breathe again will slacken just a little bit and allow you to keep going.

I have seen a couple of people doing the "underwater" swim on the surface, but keeping their faces in the water, swimming freestyle. I don't think that would help me go any farther, but (if your instructor permits it) your mileage may vary.
 
My response it to go see your doctor and get his or her OK anf then join the YMCA for a month and start from there in their pool.
 
LiteHedded:
hey guys.
just signed up for a padi ow class and have some questions.
I'm pretty well out of shape and I'm told we'll have to do a 200 yard surface swim.
I know it's untimed but I don't wanna look like a total fat slob and take twice as long to swim it as everyone else. any suggestions? I have about two weeks until class starts. think that's enough time for me to condition myself to be able to do that swim fairly comfortably?
the tread/float for 10 minutes is no problem. I could float all day long if i had to.
but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.
I'd appreciate any suggestions you guys could give me
after all this stuff I can't wait to get started on the actual scuba skills

I was 42 years old and out of shape when I did the swims last year and I too was worried about them beforehand.
I practiced the front crawl for a few weeks before the class but it turned out to be a waste of time. The young bucks in the class turned the swim into a race and the pool was so churned up that I sucked water every time I tried to take a breath. I took my time and swam almost the whole thing side stroke. Remember the key phrase, “any stroke, any speed” is your friend, so us it.

The underwater swim is actually quite easy when you realize that it does not depend on breath hold ability. It is all technique. Stroke, glide, stroke glide, stroke glide, that is all there is to it. If you don’t put the glide in there you will be in trouble. The underwater swim only takes a few seconds and almost anyone can hold their breath for a few seconds. The key is to not work too hard. When you go under and kick like crazy you quickly deplete your oxygen and the accelerated buildup of carbon dioxide gives you the unappeasable urge to breath.

Here are my tips for the underwater swim.

1. Take two good breaths then exhale a little. If your lungs are full you will waste all of your energy trying to stay submerged.
2. When you first start swimming, swim a bit towards the bottom. If you are a floater like me this will help you avoid fighting to stay underwater. I actually swam down about 7 or 8 feet then it was a nice smooth cruse to the finish and the surface.
3. Don’t focus on the finish, focus on the stroke and glide. Do a good strong stroke and then glide. Concentrate on smooth and streamlined. Remember this is a conservation race.

The funny thing is that a few of those young bucks tried to complete the underwater swim five times before they finally figured out that this race is not won with speed.

I hope this helps you some.
 
LiteHedded:
hey guys.
just signed up for a padi ow class and have some questions.
I'm pretty well out of shape and I'm told we'll have to do a 200 yard surface swim.
I know it's untimed but I don't wanna look like a total fat slob and take twice as long to swim it as everyone else. any suggestions?

I was in the same position, and worried about it as well. Once we got in the pool and started swimming I realised I wasn't the slowest. There was actually a man in his 40's to 50's that looked very fit, but he was so tired after the swim that he quit the class and couldn't do the water tread. We were all shocked and tried to convince him to come back. I think you'll find that everyone else is also taking it slow too.

I have about two weeks until class starts. think that's enough time for me to condition myself to be able to do that swim fairly comfortably?
You definitely want to do this but don't use any aids. I made the mistake of doing laps with my snorkle while practicing, and when it came time to do the test we weren't allowed to use anything but a mask or goggles. I haven't been able to figure it out but I breath alot better with the snorkle and swallow alot less water than without. Also keep in mind that while swimming is alot physically jarring on the joints etc than running, you should still take it eaysy. It's better to do it every other day and keep it up than to try doing it 4 days in a row and then having to take 8 days off because of the pain.


the tread/float for 10 minutes is no problem.

I agree. My instructor turned it into a fun memory game where we each took turns saying everyone elses name. It made the time go by quickly and we all became aquainted with each other faster.
.

I could float all day long if i had to but I think we have to swim underwater for 60 ft on one breath without fins. I don't know if I can hold my breath that long.

I can't help on the last part as my school (SSI) didn't require an underwater swim. I don't think they're used so much to teach you about emergency ascents as they are just a general guide to your comfort level in the water.
 

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