This is a small tip for all of you who have not quite reached your goal in underwater swims. This is something that worked for me, I hope that in sharing it more of you will be able to reach your goals.

I have been training to become a CRO for about 2 and half months. When I first tried to do a 25m UW I checked out a few youtube videos and went for it. I got a little less than half way across. After a few weeks I could do a 25m without much trouble. For the next month or so, up until yesterday, I was just doing a few 25m UWs after my pool Workouts, and I was not really progressing. So my workout buddy and I decided that we should try to do the 25m underwater and then push off, gliding back the other way as far as possible before we surfaced. The first time I tried this I made it to the far wall, pushed off going back the other way, and then realized I was already almost halfway back. So I kept going, and I made all the way back on that very attempt. I had no intention of going all 50m when I started.

My point is this: If you can do a 25m relatively easily, try pushing off and gliding back as far as possible before you surface. If you have not raised the bar for your self recently, it may be time to do so.

It seems really simple, but I am sure there are others, like me, who may think they can't do a 50m yet. You may be wrong...

I would love to hear any feedback that any of you might offer.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm about at that point where all of a sudden 25m feels really easy, so I'll give this a shot.

By the way, I'm FY '11. How about you?

So i just tried this the other day.

Did about 5x 25m underwaters then resting about 2mins once I hit the wall.

Tried for the 50m. First attempt I hit the wall turned around, and somehow aimed too step towards the pool and whacked my shins on the lip of the pool, but still managed to get a little over 1/4 the way with the push and a couple pulls before I decided to break the surface.

Tried it again, and with a good plant on the wall and push off, got half way before I started getting a funny feeling and stopped. Good tip for sure though.

Its good to see guys are still training for 50m underwaters. CAUTION. Always have a swim buddy watching your every stroke.

TIP. Remember, its not a race. Usually the slower guys can go farther underwater. Its about remaining relaxed. 50's usually only took 50-55 seconds for me. Anyone can hold their breath for that long. Just stay relaxed....take your time....and you will get to that wall. Don't look ahead, it will mind trick you. You should know where you are in the pool by how many strokes you have taken.

Remember, swim buddy, and stay relaxed. Good luck gents!

Glad to hear it is helping. Sometimes I will swim with guys that are not training for ST, and I can confirm what FD said, they will ALWAYS surface if they look up. I just stare at that fascinating blue line until I can kinda see the shadow of the wall.

Karab, I am in FY' 13. I am a Civil Eng major though, so most of my class would be FY'12.

Just tried this out today...went pretty well. I have only done 25m underwater (max) but today I took the advice on this thread and once I hit the wall I just turned around and pushed off and kept going. I ended up surfacing at the half way mark on my way back. That was pretty awesome!

So, I know now that I have the lung capacity to do the full 50m underwater (because I was concerned that I didn't). I just have to get past the mental barrier.

Side note: I was focusing on relaxing and taking my time and trying to swim downhill but I'm having a problem with my feet dropping throwing off my balance and my rhythm.

Any tips?

look at the bottom and pull towards it when you do your stroke. I sometimes find after I do the pushoff I'm still pretty high up to the surface and just need to keep aiming downwards

Update:

Tried it again today, finally got the whole 50 meters, twice! It took me a couple of times to get it and I didn't even get the two 50m underwaters back to back. I failed twice after the first successful one. The mind is a powerful thing...

I think my problem last time was I was trying to glide for too long and as I lost momentum my legs and feet would drop almost touching the bottom. I don't really have a problem with being too high, in fact I think that I might be doing them too low. My mask is literally (most of the time) only 2-3in off the bottom of the pool, which sometimes interferes with my stroke.

Weaks,

Good job on the 50! Now that you have successfully completed one, you should be able to make all of them.

Now, being only 2-3 inches off of the floor....no big deal. That's exactly how I did it. If it interferes with your stroke, try adding an inch. But I'd advise staying as close to the bottom as possible. Remember....Sharks attack from bottom up.

I also glide until I stop, then I stroke again. In my mind, why bother wasting energy to stroke when you are still moving.

Try accomplishing a 25m underwater in as few strokes as possible. Its a good tool to better your underwater patience. "Ride the Glide" as they say. When I did this I could get down to 3 strokes for a 25m. I've heard of a guy who could do it in 2 strokes. I've tried and tried, but haven't been able to match it.

Keep up the good work!

FD,

Thanks. I'll take your advice next time I go to the pool. Oh, and 2 strokes! Is that guy part fish or what...that's insane! Guess it a good goal to shoot for.

I have done two stroke 25s. Takes a real hard push off the wall. Without that push it's 3, often four.

JUST GOT MY FIRST 50M! aslbnflfbauhlfb Soooo stoked right now!

right now im capable of pulling off 50's easily. some comes with lung capacity (i held my breath for 3:47 the other day just chillen there) and technique helps. i currently swim about 65 meters on the norm and have come severely close to a 75. my advice:

-do as few strokes as possible (as already stated)
-find your zone. the more comfortable, the better
-the best trick i've ever done, besides increasing lung capacity, is controlling your breathing. instead of only releasing one or two breaths before surfacing, try this. when you feel you cant hold any more, release just a little air. i mean just a little. do one more stroke. release a little more, stroke again. i uaually do this 5-6 times and it helps usually by half a length. try it yourselves and let me know if it helps guys.

Steven625, you should post a video of that 2 stroke 25m underwater....id love to see it. "believe nothing you hear,and only half of what you see". Anyway, good for you if you pulled it off. As far as im concerned 50's are easy compared to 1:30 underwaters. For a 50, just dont pop, and you'll make it to the wall. For 1:30s the real challenge comes in. Sure, you can try the same method of not "popping", but more than likely if your breathing and stroke sucks for these you'll pass out by the 5th or 6th. try them....let me know how that goes

I never claimed to be able to do 2 stroke underwaters.

and for the record i actually only held my breath for 3:24 (not 3:47 as i accidentally typed above). I don't like claiming things I've never done. And Maximum2, someone else claimed the feat of 2 stroke 25's. I'm only at about 5-6 strokes. If I could cut down my amount of strokes(focus on technique) I bet I could BEAST underwaters lol

It's interesting to see a "who's the baddest" discussion among wannabe's that have not made it through indoc, scuba, MFF, Paramedic, or PJ school.

I'm not sure what the indoc record is for an underwater, but I know a PJ that did roughly 130M in The Gambia during a TAL site TDY we were on...he was a TSgt at the time. I know a number of PJs and CCT that routinely do 35 - 40 chin-ups on their PT test, and many NCOs and SNCOs in both careerfields routinely MAX the operator PT test...yet I see wannabe's struggling with the PAST.

We had a SSgt crosstrainee in our class that did our final pull-up and chin-up eval (we did both back then...20 pulls/19 chins) with a 25lb weight belt strapped to his waist...this during week 2. We had a guy that did not sweat during our runs...in July...in Texas...ever...and could do a one-arm pull-up but didn't make it due to cross-overs...he failed on the last eval in the last week.

The point is, whether it is water con, running, swimming, cals, or just the grind...there is something you're not good at and it will test you...best work on that. I have no problem with the advice...just keep the egos in check until you've made it.

Keep practicing, it's not that big of a deal.

Back to the initial topic... Great advice SJG! I did exactly what you said and surprised myself that I was able to do 50m. My problem was seeing the wall after the first 25m and thinking about going up for air once I touched it. For some reason singing in my head helped me stay calm and focused as well. (Jack and Diane by J. Mellencamp)

I'll put this out there as it's helped me and may help others.


On underwaters, my main focus is relaxing and allowing myself to benefit entirely from each stroke.

I've been doing all my underwater training with a dry mask.


When I do underwaters with a charged mask, I find it much more difficult to relax.

So then when I go back to a dry mask, I find it's easier to relax.

Basically, I find swimming with a charged mask helps me to "get comfortable being uncomfortable" and complete the task despite discomfort.

I've read that in Indoc, you'll often perform with a charged mask, so this seems applicable to prepare oneself.

I actually only swam a 25m underwater a few times (before I knew anything about wanting to be a PJ, (I was a lifeguard)) But I attempted a 50m and was successful. Now though, that I am trying to do it again (while training currently) I can't quite bring myself to do it. So it is mostly a mental thing, not something you can entirely practice for.