Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

gobears — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 09:24:55 GMT

I limit it similarly - occasional 8x25 yds @1:00 streamlined underwater dolphin kick with fins, I do not hyperventilate between reps, and come up if I need to. I think GO BEARS thankfully cautioned me a few years back about hyperventilating between reps and pushing too far. There's been a lot more published since then, but apparently the message hasn't reached everyone. Glad you are cautious :) Always so sad to hear about a tragedy like this...

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

knelson — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 10:36:49 GMT

Wow. We have a policy at our Y pool that holding your breath under water like that is not allowed. Although it seems much better than the alternative of NOT holding your breath while underwater! :) Seriously, though, practicing underwater swimming is a vital component if you want to become a faster swimmer. You can't become a faster underwater swimmer without practicing, so it's a bit of a fine line between challenging underwater training and dangerous underwater training.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Sojerz — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 09:10:32 GMT

Sad tragedy. Really unfortunate. I never go beyond 25 meters underwater for safety. I also make sure not to do too many underwater drills in very short periods of time. I limit it similarly - occasional 8x25 yds @1:00 streamlined underwater dolphin kick with fins, I do not hyperventilate between reps, and come up if I need to. I think GO BEARS thankfully cautioned me a few years back about hyperventilating between reps and pushing too far. There's been a lot more published since then, but apparently the message hasn't reached everyone.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Kurt Dickson — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 08:39:45 GMT

Actually, thinking about this, I wonder how long it was before somebody noticed him. Presumably, a healthy 21 year old could be resuscitated without incident if he was not under long. A nonfatal drowning due to 50 meter underwaters occurred with my daughter's former team and it was parents that brought it to lifeguards attention (almost missing a second blacked out child in the water with the commotion of the first). I swim at multiple facilities, some with and some without lifeguards. Anecdotally, I am not sure the presence of lifeguards is very cost effective or very lifesaving.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Kurt Dickson — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 01:41:52 GMT

So sad this keeps happening. Beyond stupid doing prolonged underwater swims...

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Swimspire — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 01:30:22 GMT

Bob Bowman, who has been very active in educating the swimming community on the dangers of shallow water blackout, recently took to social media to plead for a stop to the practice pf prolonged breath-holding: "PLEASE STOP EXTENDED BREATH-HOLDING ACTIVITIES. THEY ARE NOT RELEVANT TO COMPETITIVE SWIMMING PERFORMANCE AND CAN BE FATAL." I couldn't agree more. If you would like more info on shallow water blackout, you can check out my 3-part series on the subject via SwimSwam: swimswam.com/.../ swimswam.com/.../ swimswam.com/.../

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

MustangFlyer23 — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 10:18:08 GMT

Sad tragedy. Really unfortunate. I never go beyond 25 meters underwater for safety. I also make sure not to do too many underwater drills in very short periods of time.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

FindingMyInnerFish — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 06:15:36 GMT

I think the tethered hands and feet test is not an UW distance swim, just a test in the deep end where they have to accomplish a series of feats. Basically how well they stay calm bound up like that. I know exactly how well I'd stay calm in such a situation: not more than a nanosecond. Fortunately, I have no ambition to join the SEALS.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

orca1946 — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 04:32:48 GMT

As far as pool swimming, I see no need for 50 yard/meter under water no breath swims!

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

__steve__ — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 03:09:57 GMT

That "need for air" pain is telling you that you're about to pass out. Without it (from hyperventilating or deep breathing), you just pass out. I once came close to having a similar experience when the team that rented the pool I use, changed pool locations, taking their backstroke flags with them! Luckily I acknowledged the prolonged lack of turn cue and slowed down in time for it not be serious. My head still hit the wall hard enough to bleed though. Now, I never attempt backstroke without first making sure the flags are up.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Bobinator — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 02:27:13 GMT

@Rob, Seals, at least the ones I've known are really not that amazing at swimming. They wear super long and stiff fins that propel them through the water with very little effort. Don't get me wrong, I will never dispute the fact they are brave, strong, courageous, and save all of us! I'm just saying the Seals that have shown up at my pool could have never completed the workout IAM did this morning unless they had their super fins and were swimming on their side. The thing that happened to this young man is a culmination of years of cardio-training coupled with his ability to work past the pain and enter the twilight zone where his brain received no signals. Serious Trouble!

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Former Member — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 14:26:08 GMT

Wow. We have a policy at our Y pool that holding your breath under water like that is not allowed. Didn't know why until now. So sad.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

secondheart — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 11:24:05 GMT

The problem is that swimmers have this false sense of security that they will receive a "unique" signal that will tell them it is time to surface before they pass out. This doesn't happen!!

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

FindingMyInnerFish — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 09:54:10 GMT

Well, for elite groups like the Seals, you'll get more hard core recruits and training than for the average masters swimmer, even though we're going to be in better shape than average--and even a college team, it seems to me, won't undergo that kind of training. But I've done underwater sets w a past masters group and hated them. I could never stay submerged b/c I'm pretty buoyant so my body probably saved me. More and more, I wonder if I even need to do these sets. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Rob Copeland — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 08:54:17 GMT

The swim test includes an underwater swim (not sure how far) so obviously they want to train on that DanDuring Navy Seals BUD/S candidates must swim 50 M underwater. However, every reliable source will tell you; never train for this on your own or even supervised by under-qualified individuals. Most will recommend you become a competent swimmer and leave underwater training to the BUD/S instructors who know exactly what they are doing. The risks of shallow water blackout are well documented and all too often end in tragedy. YouTube of BUD/S underwater test. www.youtube.com/watch

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

__steve__ — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:32:48 GMT

This is very unfortunate, the kid had so much ahead of him. Hopefully this will reach others and prevent it from happening again for others The swim test includes an underwater swim (not sure how far) so obviously they want to train on that (I think they have to do it with the feet tied, and their hands tied behind their back). Dan I think the tethered hands and feet test is not an UW distance swim, just a test in the deep end where they have to accomplish a series of feats. Basically how well they stay calm bound up like that.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Swimspire — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:24:46 GMT

Saw this news on SwimSwam today. It's a tragedy that confirms the need to continue to educate swimmers, coaches and pool staff - among others - about the dangers of prolonged underwater breath holding. Thoughts go out to Tate's family and friends.

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

ForceDJ — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 09:27:33 GMT

That is tragic! The pool that I swim at is on the Navy base in Newport, RI where the Naval Academy Prep School, and Officer Candidate School are located. The SEALs recruit from the ranks of those schools so those candidates hoping to get selected are always training for their swim tests at that pool, but during the open/lap swim...which means they're not being supervised by SEAL instructors. The swim test includes an underwater swim (not sure how far) so obviously they want to train on that (I think they have to do it with the feet tied, and their hands tied behind their back). But years ago the lifeguards and pool management got so aggravated with their lengthy underwater swims that large signs had to be put up stating that it is strictly forbidden. Dan

RE: Beware no breathers: tragedy at pool

Allen Stark — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 08:14:03 GMT

That is so sad and so preventable. Don't try to see how far you can swim underwater,it is not worth the risk.