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Learning to swim
- Thread starter PrenticeBoyofDerry
- Start date
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RedHerring2 said:
Actually, I'm pretty sure it was because I was just breathing normally, as if I was talking a walk in the park. Despite being good at physics, I hadn't made the link between breathing and buoyancy - and no swimming teacher never told us!
Years later, when we were just messing about in the pool, some other kid was showing off his new trick of playing dead on the bottom. "With your lungs empty you just go straight down ---". I learnt more that day than I ever did in the previous four years. Fair comment.
Norcon said:
I'm inclined to agree with that. I can swim at least twice as fast with my head down in the water. I can do a length on a good day - and that's just using the same dog paddle stroke. I don't know whether it's because of improved streamlining or because I need much less lift so more of the stroke goes into forward propulsion. Maybe it's both.
I can see the advantages for learning to swim. Your lungs are full for maximum buoyancy and you don't have to think about breathing because you aren't. You might want to use a nose clip for your first attempt.
PS: I don't remember ever getting a lesson on how to swim underwater. Looking back now, I think that was a serious omission.
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RedHerring2
Breathing & buoyancy are only really relative when you're stationary in the water. When you're moving through the water (on the surface) there's little correlation.
On learning to swim underwater first, there's a problem in that you need confidence to try that, which usually only comes after you've learned to swim! So chicken and egg problem really.
Swim teachers don't teach underwater swimming for a very good reason; by hyper-ventilating, it's possible to fool your medulla oblongata into thinking you don't need oxygen yet, hence no need to breathe yet. There are anecdotal examples of people drowning through hyper-ventilating then not breathing in time to maintain consciousness. (Shallow water blackout)
You're right about the head down thingy, 'cos you have more of your head in the water, the rest of your body and especially your legs are higher in the water, requiring less downforce to maintain yourself on the surface and you are more streamlined, hence why competitive swimmers spend more time swimming with their faces in the water.
Putting your understanding of physics into practice;
You weigh a definite amount, which displaces a definite amount of water, the more of your body is out of the water the more gravity/fluid dynamics or whatever wants to find a more stable state. Hence the average person will find a natural floating position with a little bit of themselves actually sticking out of the water, perhaps the crown of their head, or if in the crouched/mushroom position, it will be a fraction of their back, or if lying on their back it will be just their face, etc.
Next time try treading water, then raise one arm, see what happens. It's pretty obvious, you sink further into the water becasue you are now displacing less volume, for the same weight.
On learning to swim underwater first, there's a problem in that you need confidence to try that, which usually only comes after you've learned to swim! So chicken and egg problem really.
Swim teachers don't teach underwater swimming for a very good reason; by hyper-ventilating, it's possible to fool your medulla oblongata into thinking you don't need oxygen yet, hence no need to breathe yet. There are anecdotal examples of people drowning through hyper-ventilating then not breathing in time to maintain consciousness. (Shallow water blackout)
You're right about the head down thingy, 'cos you have more of your head in the water, the rest of your body and especially your legs are higher in the water, requiring less downforce to maintain yourself on the surface and you are more streamlined, hence why competitive swimmers spend more time swimming with their faces in the water.
Putting your understanding of physics into practice;
You weigh a definite amount, which displaces a definite amount of water, the more of your body is out of the water the more gravity/fluid dynamics or whatever wants to find a more stable state. Hence the average person will find a natural floating position with a little bit of themselves actually sticking out of the water, perhaps the crown of their head, or if in the crouched/mushroom position, it will be a fraction of their back, or if lying on their back it will be just their face, etc.
Next time try treading water, then raise one arm, see what happens. It's pretty obvious, you sink further into the water becasue you are now displacing less volume, for the same weight.
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Another session and improvement has been gained.
It's amazing, a week and half ago wouldn't of believed it.
The doggy paddle need addressing though.
I consider myself relatively fit, but it don't half get the lung function rattled!
It's amazing, a week and half ago wouldn't of believed it.
The doggy paddle need addressing though.
I consider myself relatively fit, but it don't half get the lung function rattled!
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RedHerring2
Keep up the good work PBD.
Don't worry too much about the lung functioning at the moment.
When you're learning you're all tensed up which means your body occupies less space but still weighs the same. When you learn to relax a little more you'll find buoyance appears to improve a little.
Also doggy paddle is not a very efficient stroke so needs plenty of energy for propulsion. when you learn one of the other strokes, propulsion per breathe increases.
Edit; Just noticed one of your other posts. I think it's safe, judging by your other sporting activities, to assume that you have good cordination. So you really should spend some time on improving some of the other strokes.
Don't worry too much about the lung functioning at the moment.
When you're learning you're all tensed up which means your body occupies less space but still weighs the same. When you learn to relax a little more you'll find buoyance appears to improve a little.
Also doggy paddle is not a very efficient stroke so needs plenty of energy for propulsion. when you learn one of the other strokes, propulsion per breathe increases.
Edit; Just noticed one of your other posts. I think it's safe, judging by your other sporting activities, to assume that you have good cordination. So you really should spend some time on improving some of the other strokes.
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RedHerring2
Yeah, it's seems a strange anomaly that you can be fit but not water-fit.
There's appears to be almost no substitute for getting water-fit than by swim training.
There's appears to be almost no substitute for getting water-fit than by swim training.
I have a VO2 max of over 60, which puts me in the elite as far as fitness is concerned. I did get a bit of cramp last night, but had also been training about an hour and a half before plus the cycle home.
Coordination, I would question, but I usually pick things up quite quickly through determination rather than natural ability!
But the swimming wacks me, don't think my efficiency is to good at the moment, lots of strokes for metres covered and still a little tense, need to relax.
But getting much better and breathing has improved, my Missus is surprised at how quickly I have picked it up
Really enjoying it!
Coordination, I would question, but I usually pick things up quite quickly through determination rather than natural ability!
But the swimming wacks me, don't think my efficiency is to good at the moment, lots of strokes for metres covered and still a little tense, need to relax.
But getting much better and breathing has improved, my Missus is surprised at how quickly I have picked it up
Really enjoying it!
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namsag
JOE90 3 months to swim a mile you must have been all wrinkly by time you got out of the water
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RedHerring2
JOE90 3 months to swim a mile you must have been all wrinkly by time you got out of the water
I bet he pished a few times as well.
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RedHerring2
You should do a sponsored swim, Joe, so much per week!
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namsag
Dont let us put you off your stroke Joe
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