40 replies to this topic

[MNJoe]

When I took my OW Course, I was still a heavy smoker, and did very little to keep myself in shape. I was able to complete the swim because I paced myself. It was a slow swim and I didn't let that bother me. Ironically enough, the other 4 people in my class were able to sprint the swim doing the crawl, but they had issues swimming underwater. 1 of the guys was actually doing the dog paddle while swimming underwater with SCUBA gear on. The instructer had to pull on his fins to get him to straighten out his legs.

MNJoe

[Walter]

Trace, you've lost me. What does getting in shape have to do with the question? I'm obviously missing something.

[6Gill]

Always being around water swimming was one of those things everyone just did kinda like being able to ride a bike.I'm not even sure if I know any non-swimmers.

Eric

[WreckWench]

Now I'm slightly taller and a "few" pounds heavier (thanks to Caetllonn's chocolates, maple sugar candy and honey!). So I'm a floater. Takes more weight on my belt to take me under now. New Year's resolution time...

I'm with you...time to shape up and lose weight! What a great way to lose weight...swimming is a great low impact sport!

Trace, you've lost me. What does getting in shape have to do with the question? I'm obviously missing something.

Walter, I think Trace's help on how to use swimming to get into shape is AWESOME!!! One it will help with the battle of the Holiday bulge and two if you are learning to swim in order to dive...this will help you get in shape as well as help your swimming skills.

And I hear swimming will help release stress and negativity! Anyone for some laps???

[Walter]

Walter, I think Trace's help on how to use swimming to get into shape is AWESOME!!! One it will help with the battle of the Holiday bulge and two if you are learning to swim in order to dive...this will help you get in shape as well as help your swimming skills.

Perhaps a new thread would be the best place for it?

[WreckWench]

Walter, I think Trace's help on how to use swimming to get into shape is AWESOME!!! One it will help with the battle of the Holiday bulge and two if you are learning to swim in order to dive...this will help you get in shape as well as help your swimming skills.

Perhaps a new thread would be the best place for it?

Perhaps but you know that if its close...its usually stays! And his post was certainly related and VERY helpful.

Plus I do not want people to post valuable and insightful information, only to have someone say OFF TOPIC or the equilvilent to them. To me that is a deterrent to people giving of their time, talent and knowledge. As you know we are very liberal about allowing topics to wander on this site...and that is because good topics like good conversations do wander. Therefore if after a number of posts, a tangent forms from the original topic and takes off...we will usually then split it off.

[Dennis]

I learned how to swim in elementary school, I don't remember when exactly, but we had swim lessons (if you can call them that, mostly they were "get in the pool and swim") during the summer.

I used just about every stoke there is to get through my swim test. Mostly the back stroke.

[Diverbrian]

Walter, I think Trace's help on how to use swimming to get into shape is AWESOME!!! One it will help with the battle of the Holiday bulge and two if you are learning to swim in order to dive...this will help you get in shape as well as help your swimming skills.

Perhaps a new thread would be the best place for it?

How about I did both?

I was a marginal swimmer for years as I was scared to death of the water until I was six. My dad wised up and realized that the traditional "teach the boy to swim by jumping off the dock until he has to swim" method was just making that worse so I went to a swim course as a boy and loved the water after that.

Flash ahead to years later. I was now looking at a birthday coming up and these are reflection points in our lives. I decided that I wanted to learn how to dive. Well, I have a bad knee so the best low-impact, high aerobic excercise for me was swimming. At this point, I picked up the confidence to take an OW course. I was swimming laps for two hours straight three to five times a week by that point. I had taken roughly thirty beats/minute off of my resting pulse and could no longer straight out float (muscle is more dense than fat).

But, I had to get myself to that point to get enough confidence to take the OW course. My definition of dive training came from another guy in my division on the sub who went to US Navy dive school. On subs, the ship divers run the physical fitness program as they push that much running, swimming, etc. in that training. I assumed that the civilian standards for dive training where based on these people with the lowest body fat percentages that I had ever heard of.

So, I knew how to swim before I started diving. However, I did much more of it after deciding that I wanted to learn to dive. That means both answers!

Oh! And I showed off and did our swim with different strokes on each lap. But, my favorite is the front crawl.

[annasea]

Here's an easy get back into shape workout my head coach made:

. . .

Trace

I see ... so you're the other half of the 8.33%!

+

[WreckWench]

Annasea you forgot one answer so I added it...oh the powers of being a mod!!!

Here is the answer you forgot:

Some combination of above meaning whatever it took to finish the test.

Not only was this an important answer that you forgot...but it was exactly how I finished MY test!!!

[annasea]

Here's an easy get back into shape workout my head coach made:

. . .

Trace

I see ... so you're the other half of the 8.33%!

+

I stand corrected... our numbers just went up by one-- 3 non-swimmers vs. 23 swimmers.

Annasea you forgot one answer so I added it...oh the powers of being a mod!!!

Here is the answer you forgot:

Some combination of above meaning whatever it took to finish the test.

Not only was this an important answer that you forgot...but it was exactly how I finished MY test!!!

Well, that is what I meant by "Other".

[WreckWench]

I stand corrected... our numbers just went up by one-- 3 non-swimmers vs. 23 swimmers.

My instructor was not particularily happy when he found out I could not swim yet I was taking scuba. He said...it helps if you can already swim. I said "I'm sure it does...but that doesn't mean I still can't learn this sport and be good at it now does it?" He said "no but it sure helps if you are a swimmer already".

After a few incidents in the water I realized what he was REALLY saying was that by being a swimmer you have more comfort in the water and therefore you'll handle issues in the water more easily. Its not really about swimming...its about being comfortable in the water and not panicing which is the real culprit.

BUT...I was not a swimmer when I learned...I managed to float most of my way thru my swim test and I didn't really learn to swim until my DM course. But after 900 dives later...I think anyone who has dove with me will attest...being a swimmer first may help...but it won't stop you from learning to dive if that is what you want to do. Oh yes...and being a good diver at that!

Annasea I'm VERY PROUD OF YOU!!! And all others who are learning to swim in order to learn to dive. You have my utmost respect...for you have to work twice as hard as the rest of us to do something we now take for granted or have simply forgotten how challenging learning can be.

[annasea]

Annasea I'm VERY PROUD OF YOU!!! And all others who are learning to swim in order to learn to dive. You have my utmost respect...for you have to work twice as hard as the rest of us to do something we now take for granted or have simply forgotten how challenging learning can be.

. . . . . .

One thing I'd like to clarify though is I still can't technically swim... or at least by my definition.

To me, *swimming* is being able to manouver yourself back and forth repeatedly using a recognized stroke, ie. front crawl. I can manouver myself back and forth with a bit of the backstroke but I haven't found it to be more effective than my personal preference at this time -- gliding on my side or just kicking while on my back. The furthest I was able to do the front crawl was about 20 M. (Mind you, I haven't been practicing lately either.)

But judging by the responses here so far, it seems most people are indeed swimmers!

[WreckWench]

One thing I'd like to clarify though is I still can't technically swim... or at least by my definition.

To me, *swimming* is being able to manouver yourself back and forth repeatedly using a recognized stroke, ie. front crawl. I can manouver myself back and forth with a bit of the backstroke but I haven't found it to be more effective than my personal preference at this time -- gliding on my side or just kicking while on my back. The furthest I was able to do the front crawl was about 20 M. (Mind you, I haven't been practicing lately either.)

But judging by the responses here so far, it seems most people are indeed swimmers!

My dear my dear my dear....by your defination I am STILL NOT A SWIMMER...and although I passed my DM swim test scoring a 3 out of possible 5 points in front of 2 divemasters, 3 instructors and one Course Director...I did it via a combination of several strokes and some floating after pushing off the side of the pool which is when I rested...and lord knows what else. In fact...my main instructors said...it wasn't pretty but it was effective and you were faster than I thought you'd be.

So do I care? No. Should you care? No. Will you EVER really need it? NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

(Except for the comfortableness in the water part... knowing how to manouver from one end of the pool to the other...or from a boat to a drowning victim or from one end of the wreck to another is all that matters...HOW you look doing it is does not! So please don't beat yourself up cuz you don't think you look pretty swimming...no one really cares!!! I know I don't and if anyone cares that I can't swim pretty...well that is there problem and not mine!! )

'Nuff said...

[annasea]

So please don't beat yourself up cuz you don't think you look pretty swimming...no one really cares!!!

Hey, I never said nuthin' 'bout not looking pretty... I just said I couldn't swim!