200 mts/yards? I can't do it!

[Darmok]

Hi there!

I'm going to do my open water certification with PADI in about a week (not this but next weekend). I decided to practice some swimming and I realized that 200mts is a lot!!! I think the pool here is maybe 15 mts long and I cant do more than two or three laps without stopping at least for a little bit.... I'm doing free style swimming. What's your recommendation? Should I wait to get certified? It looks like my biggest prob is when I need to turn to do the next lap. Any advice? I'm 28 years old, 180 pounds and I can run on a threadmill without issues!

Just 3 weeks ago I did a Discover Scuba and had no problem, I also snorkeled twice in Cancun without an issue, but the whole no stopping seems to be a problem for me!

Thanks!

[brandon]

If you're having a problem swimming less than 50 meters without stopping, it sounds like your problem is technique, not necessarily lack of fitness.

Practice a bunch more, or work with a swimming instructor. If all else fails, flop over onto your back and backstroke it. I can swim backstroke forever...

If I remember right, the PADI swim test for OW isn't timed. If it is timed, it has a ridiculously long limit - certainly not anywhere approaching race speeds.

Practice, practice, swim with someone more skilled than you... you can do it, it's not that tough!

-Brandon.

[gtjason2000]

why do you think the pool is 15 m. most pools are 25 or 50 m unless you are swimming in someones backyard pool. You may be trying to swim too fast. Also are you breathing to the side or are you lifting your head up to breath. If you don't have nice streamlined breathing and are trying to swim with your head out of the water that could make you very tired. I recommend you slow down or try a different stroke. Some of the survival strokes are easier so you can stay afloat longer but not necessarily cover a great distance very rapidly. One of the easiest strokes is side stroke or two armed backstroke with a frog kick. I also find a nice slow breast stroke fairly relaxing. If slowing down doesn't work and you have no idea what I am talking about with the other strokes you may need to take some swim lessons to refine your stroke.

[FishFood]

I didnt have a swim test with my PADI OW cert...? Maybe my instructor forgot.

Either, way, practice some different techniques.

Also, I wonder if the swim test is with fins? That would make a huge differnece.

[Jaymeany]

No fins, no time and any stroke. Double check that distance on the pool. It is really easy to swim too fast, take your time and use different strokes (different muscles)

[awap]

Try a side stroke and/or a breast stroke. I'd bet you couldn't take more than 10 minutes if you tried.

[cgvmer]

I can swim all day with breaststroke, but remember slow down it's not a race!

[downunder]

Originally Posted by FishFood

I didnt have a swim test with my PADI OW cert...? Maybe my instructor forgot.

Either, way, practice some different techniques.

Also, I wonder if the swim test is with fins? That would make a huge differnece.

WOW! Yeah, mark that up as a "forgot"! Hope the instructor remembered to talk about slow ascent, decompression, etc!

[TxScubaBear]

Not timed, and you can use ANY swim stroke you want, slowly pace yourself, if there is a couple of you- agree to pace each other; we did in ours and both did good without feeling like we were beat up afterwards!

[FishFood]

Originally Posted by downunder

WOW! Yeah, mark that up as a "forgot"! Hope the instructor remembered to talk about slow ascent, decompression, etc!

Yeah, he covered that...

No faster than 4 ft per second.... right?