Tips for the 10 minute treading portion of OW certification?

[JackD342]

One tip not already covered: If you have an instructor that likes to converse, brief, explain hand signals etc. while you are treading/floating and it interferes with your ability to get the job done, speak up and don't let it happen. I see a lot of students float with their head back and their ears in the water where they can't hear me, and I specifically avoid forcing them to modify that so I can yammer on.

One note on eggbeater kick for those still reading: If you can learn it, it has a lot of utility. Without it I would never have passed those life-guarding classes where I had to tread water while holding a 10lb rubber diving brick above my head. Can't think of another way to do that.

 

[Chavodel8en]

One tip not already covered: If you have an instructor that likes to converse, brief, explain hand signals etc. while you are treading/floating and it interferes with your ability to get the job done, speak up and don't let it happen. I see a lot of students float with their head back and their ears in the water where they can't hear me, and I specifically avoid forcing them to modify that so I can yammer on..

I wish I took my OW with you. Im not a strong swimmer, so for the 10 min tread, my strategy was to float just as you describe, But the instructor was going over info during that 10 min, so I kept having to pop my head up, which lead to me sliding into the water, so I would kick back up, bump into other etc etc,

I managed it, but it wasnt easy.

 

[TMHeimer]

I wish I took my OW with you. Im not a strong swimmer, so for the 10 min tread, my strategy was to float just as you describe, But the instructor was going over info during that 10 min, so I kept having to pop my head up, which lead to me sliding into the water, so I would kick back up, bump into other etc etc,

I managed it, but it wasnt easy.

Yeah, all the instructors I assisted went over basic hand signals during the OW "tread". Mostly as a way to help students pass the time. I assume in today's e learning you're supposed to know them for the written test anyway. I don't know for sure.

 

[delacrue96]

To help me with treading water, my husband told me to try not moving or move slowly. This great video helped me,

 

[purbeast]

The thing about that video is how easy he can float, vertically or horizontally, with his head out of the water. I simply can't do that lol. But it does give some pointers aside from that.

 

[dmaziuk]

The thing about that video is how easy he can float, vertically or horizontally, with his head out of the water. I simply can't do that lol.

Unless you've densonium endoskeleton, it's 90% skill. I'll grant you the other 10% is having big lungs from swimming through the formative years.

 

[TMHeimer]

It's an OK video. My wife can vertically float like that without any movements or training. I can't. But, drown-proofing is a piece of cake. It appears they are actually drown-proofing but mostly with head out if water. Again, I can't do that either--my head will submerge a bit and I will begin to slowly spin around. Lungs full keeps me at least close to the surface, then a kick up for more air.
No matter how you manage to "not drown" as boulderjohn says, it is important to be able to float in fresh water. Even I can simply float on my back in salt water. Anyone here ever have a problem with that?

 

[JackD342]

What we all know as drown-proofing was called the "jellyfish float" when I was a pre-teen taking swim lessons at the YMCA. I'm thinking they really didn't want to use the word "drown" in those classes...

 

[dmaziuk]

It appears they are actually drown-proofing but mostly with head out if water. Again, I can't do that either--my head will submerge a bit and I will begin to slowly spin around. Lungs full keeps me at least close to the surface, then a kick up for more air.

If you look closely you'll notice he has his chin in the water most of the time and sometimes his mouth is completely under. When your head's "submerging a bit", how far is a "a bit"? -- I.e. what is the difference between that and his head "out of water": two inches? Four?

 

[TMHeimer]

If you look closely you'll notice he has his chin in the water most of the time and sometimes his mouth is completely under. When your head's "submerging a bit", how far is a "a bit"? -- I.e. what is the difference between that and his head "out of water": two inches? Four?

I don't think there is any difference--it's all drownproofing and perfectly "legal". As John stated, as long as you don't touch anything but water and don't drown, you pass. In my case, I vaguely recall from 9 years ago that my head was at times completely submerged--perhaps then my back arched up a bit due to my inflated lungs (maybe). I know I could have kept my hands out on the DMC test for a hell of a long time doing what I legally did. I probably still could today age 64. Don't know for sure because there's no reason to practice that silly exercise (or to be in a pool for that matter).