Alright, im new to this site, Im not a usual swimmer but i recently got in the pool and feel in love. I quickly made friends at the local pool on-base. Im a United States Marine with hopes and dreams in Becoming a Reconnaissaince Marine. In other words Marines with Gills. They are like the SEAL's from the Navy and Pararescue from the Air Force. The guys at the pool quickly tought me how to swim "the right way" cross-over and *** stroke as well as the Side-stroke and other technics. i go to the pool everyday. My biggest problem is dealing with the underwater 25 meter swim. To become a Recon Marine i have to accomplish the following....
1) 500 meter swim with out touching the floor in under 17min.
2) 30 min. tread
3) Deep end Rifle retreaval and then treading water for 5 sec.
4) 5 min. water float by using trousers as floating devise
5) 25 Meter underwater swim (my problem)
I have no problem with any of the others but the 25 meter kills me only because i feel like my lungs are going to explode. is there any tips of any kind out there that can prepare me for my "indoc" or evaluation to see if im sea worthy and serve as a Recon Marine. Thanks for hearing me out. :banana:
Parents
Former Member
1- How far or how long you go without breathing is FIRST an action controlled by the accumulation of C02 in your blood. Later, much later, a whole lot later than 25 meters you would eventually need oxygen. What gives you the urge to come up for a breath is the carbon dioxide accumulating. What causes C02 buildup is energy expenditure and lack of breathing, or respiratory movements (to eliminate the C02)
2- If you swim fast you will get to the other side sooner, but if you swim fast you will accumulate C02 faster. If you swim slow you will accumulate C02 by not eliminating it with breathing. So you must find a point of equilibrium where you will reach the other side with slow deliberate movements.
3- If you hold your breath for a little past the point of despair or complete panic, you will enter a "second wind" zone of confort which will carry you another 5 or 10 or more meters forward.
4- All above is only for crossing a swimming pool. If you are going to dive deep other factors would come in and make it DANGEROUS to try for a "second wind" or try hiperventilating to eliminate C02 prior to the diving.
5- Lastly and with apologies for the seemingly professoral language, the main force that will take you across the pool will be mental, not training physically, nor bettering your lungs or cardiovascular capacity or whatever. The urge to breathe is powerfull but you can get some extra yards (or meters) by training to not come up at first urge to breathe, hold on a little and you will find a surprising quiet peacefull extra yardage. Take care, billy fanstone
Reply
Former Member
1- How far or how long you go without breathing is FIRST an action controlled by the accumulation of C02 in your blood. Later, much later, a whole lot later than 25 meters you would eventually need oxygen. What gives you the urge to come up for a breath is the carbon dioxide accumulating. What causes C02 buildup is energy expenditure and lack of breathing, or respiratory movements (to eliminate the C02)
2- If you swim fast you will get to the other side sooner, but if you swim fast you will accumulate C02 faster. If you swim slow you will accumulate C02 by not eliminating it with breathing. So you must find a point of equilibrium where you will reach the other side with slow deliberate movements.
3- If you hold your breath for a little past the point of despair or complete panic, you will enter a "second wind" zone of confort which will carry you another 5 or 10 or more meters forward.
4- All above is only for crossing a swimming pool. If you are going to dive deep other factors would come in and make it DANGEROUS to try for a "second wind" or try hiperventilating to eliminate C02 prior to the diving.
5- Lastly and with apologies for the seemingly professoral language, the main force that will take you across the pool will be mental, not training physically, nor bettering your lungs or cardiovascular capacity or whatever. The urge to breathe is powerfull but you can get some extra yards (or meters) by training to not come up at first urge to breathe, hold on a little and you will find a surprising quiet peacefull extra yardage. Take care, billy fanstone
