Hey everyone,
We just opened our pool up, and I'm getting into swimming more than I ever have before. I'm only fouteen years old, and have recently become very interested in getting good at swimming. My biggest concern right now is learning to tread better. I have absolutely no idea if I'm using the right techniques while I try to tread water. I want to get really good at treading first, then I'll try to learn to swim faster.
Right now, I kind of just wave my arms and legs around wildly to stay above water. I find this VERY tiring, and I have to hold on to something fairly quickly because I'm just too tired to keep going. My goal is to be able to tread comfortably, and actually use treading to rest and regain my breath rather than lose it faster.
This question probably sounds pretty stupid coming from a fourteen year old, but can anyone tell me how to improve at treading? Any tips, techniques and ways to practice would be awesome.
Thanks :)
What you need, young treader, is a no less than a polyfoam, Day-Glo noodle . . . and as luck would have it, there was a fascinating, in depth article in the last USMS magazine about the many beneficial uses for noodles, including their salutary effect on treading.
I'm certain, based on their acerbic comments, that many a member on this site would be willing to send you their now-infamous Noodle issue in exchange for the cost of postage.
Former Member
Move your ankles in opposite circles....like an egg-beater kick that water-polo players use. Then pretend like your frosting a cake with your arms. Both arms just go easily back and forth (bring both arms in, push them both out) about 6 inches under the surface of the water. Pair those together and it should be really easy. Once you get better, you'll find that you really don't have to do anything to stay up. Good Luck!
Former Member
Originally posted by BillS
What you need, young treader, is a no less than a polyfoam, Day-Glo noodle . . . and as luck would have it, there was a fascinating, in depth article in the last USMS magazine about the many beneficial uses for noodles, including their salutary effect on treading.
I'm certain, based on their acerbic comments, that many a member on this site would be willing to send you their now-infamous Noodle issue in exchange for the cost of postage.
:D
Speaking of noodlers, I have not seen geek or gull on here recently. ;)
Do you know anyone who plays water polo? They are the perfect people to ask about treading techniques!
Former Member
I'm teaching my 14 yr the same. This is what I tell her and it seams to work.
With your legs do a big sissor kick, then bend you knees to about your waist line more or less then sissor kick again,and just keep repeating the process.
Then at the same time with your arms should be - kinda like your getting ready to put your arms around someone to hug them - roate them back and forth - yes like someone said like sreading frosting on a cake.
Keep your fingers together, and hand up and down, you want your hands to push the water not cut the water. Roate in big movements, at first you may have to use faster roataion, then get to were you are using bigger arm roatations and bigger sissor kick roations.
The idea of treading water, is to keep you a float until your are rested enough to swim to shore or side of pool, or until help can
arrive. Hope this helps
Former Member
Hi! Learning to tread is probably one of the milestones for a swimmer. Many might disagree with me when I say that you really aren't a swimmer if you can't tread water.
There are many ways to do it, but the easiest way for me was to transition from a regular breaststroke to a heads-up breaststroke. Critical points are: to stay relaxed especially when breathing and keep those lungs filled with air for buoyancy;
Here's a short video clip of me doing this heads-up breaststroke: Treading in Pool
Here's my own personal account in a blog entry of the first time I learned to tread in sea water where it is much easier to learn treading (pics):
Treading in Open Water
Hope you find them useful. Or just visit my blog at:
http://isjaw.blogspot.com
