We were goofing around after practice the other day and decided to see who could swim the farthest underwater. We both went well over 50 meters (the underwater turn was a killer). I opted for dolphin kicking a ways and then switched to the underwater breastroke. I’m not sure which technique is better for distance as opposed to speed. Anyone out there ever make a full 100m underwater? Oh yeah, this can be dangerous because a lot of people pass out. So if you make an attempt, be sure someone is on deck watching you. Perhaps some of you dorks could even put on your competitions suits and monofins and see if it improves your performance. You guys kill me with all your equipment.
I can honestly say I've never gone past 15 yards. I do like my air. I like it a lot. Doing without it goes against everything I live for.
Pretty much my thought too. I do sometimes enjoy relaxed swimming underwater or free without taking a breath--but in no case do I force it. It's more about just enjoying the view down under, and then coming up/ taking a breath when I feel the need. No ambition for a record.
Sometimes the coach has us do widths of the pool underwater to practice streamlining off the wall, and occasionally, we'll do the streamline practice and he'll tell us to stay under until x distance past the flags. Or he'll have us do "breath control" work, so 75, say, with 25 breathing on 3, 25 breathe on 5, 25 breathe on 7. Oddly, I find if I HAVE to not take a breath I'm immediately dying to take a breath. When I'm swimming relaxed, I might go as many as 10 strokes without a breath, no problem. Then, no pressure, just enjoying the feeling of privacy and being surrounded by water. But if it becomes part of a set... oops! It's why too, I have trouble w/ flip turns (that and the fear of being totally disoriented and re-emerging all wrong). Or sometimes if I work on streamline w/ fins, I'll last longer underwater but suddenly panic and pop up on the surface, stop for a second and then continue swimming. I also have a hard time not taking a breath after the flags and the coach gives me a hard time for that--and I'm okay w/ his doing so, and try to comply, but if I need a breath, I take it, b/c my body is what it is.
I'm something of a work in progress. ;)
I can honestly say I've never gone past 15 yards. I do like my air. I like it a lot. Doing without it goes against everything I live for.
Pretty much my thought too. I do sometimes enjoy relaxed swimming underwater or free without taking a breath--but in no case do I force it. It's more about just enjoying the view down under, and then coming up/ taking a breath when I feel the need. No ambition for a record.
Sometimes the coach has us do widths of the pool underwater to practice streamlining off the wall, and occasionally, we'll do the streamline practice and he'll tell us to stay under until x distance past the flags. Or he'll have us do "breath control" work, so 75, say, with 25 breathing on 3, 25 breathe on 5, 25 breathe on 7. Oddly, I find if I HAVE to not take a breath I'm immediately dying to take a breath. When I'm swimming relaxed, I might go as many as 10 strokes without a breath, no problem. Then, no pressure, just enjoying the feeling of privacy and being surrounded by water. But if it becomes part of a set... oops! It's why too, I have trouble w/ flip turns (that and the fear of being totally disoriented and re-emerging all wrong). Or sometimes if I work on streamline w/ fins, I'll last longer underwater but suddenly panic and pop up on the surface, stop for a second and then continue swimming. I also have a hard time not taking a breath after the flags and the coach gives me a hard time for that--and I'm okay w/ his doing so, and try to comply, but if I need a breath, I take it, b/c my body is what it is.
I'm something of a work in progress. ;)
