How Far Can You GLIDE?

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Former Member — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:12:07 GMT

Time in glide to wall would be good, but done in one of the outside lanes. Or even while swimming is going on in other lanes just to see if there is a turbulent effect that will be noticeable. The "wave" & turbulence test idea is beautiful. I like the idea of comparing the distance and time traveled. How about a "team-plunge" event where one swimmer can draft off the first and then the leader peals away. The clock starts and stops with the second swimmer. Has anyone ever experimented with this? (Other than just drafting too close to the person in front of you in practice.)

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Former Member — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 07:03:00 GMT

This test, does not only evaluate your potential for streamlining, but also your natural buoyancy. On the clip where you manage 25y worth of gliding, you start at the bottom of the pool. You're exceptional buoyancy allows you to maintain a streamline position without kicking at all. You're body is surfacing gradually, without loosing the balance. Several males swimmers would see their legs dropping as soon as the forward momentum stops providing enough support. As soon as the legs start dropping, drag resistance grows and they fall in a vicious circle (ie, legs drop so does the speed, since the speed drops then legs drop even more). They're not necessarily less streamline than you are, they just float less. Buoyancy is affected by a bunch of factor, some of which we have control over (ie, how to use the core muscles to try and spread the buoyancy potential from the upper body region down to the lower body region), and obviously also affected by other factors over which we have less control, ie the distribution of the body fat over the entire body, etc...

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

ande — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 02:51:31 GMT

I haven't been doing these lately (I should since I can push off in 12' of water now) but the ones I did about a month ago have made a huge difference in my *** stroke pull-outs. Thanks for the challenge Ande! You're welcome, how far can you get now?

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

__steve__ — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:20:31 GMT

For self taught swimmers who started from scratch later in life where swimming wasn't reinforced in childhood, this gliding skill seems to be something valuable. I swear I've improved considerably since I started this simple maneuver. I think it corrected something that was off.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

pmccoy — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:57:34 GMT

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

ande — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:44:47 GMT

YES! it's great a way to perfect your pushoffs and streamlines Ask someone to video you from above from a 3 board or platform or 5 meter platform Wear a new TECH SUIT rest a while and breathe like you're preparing to hold our breath for over a minute Breathe in as much as you possibly can on your final breath then jump in & go as deep as your pool allows push off hard streamline skinny & glide far as you lose momentum slightly angle your arms head & upper torso up and let your fat & extra air in your lungs surge you to the surface, even when you're moving super slow maintain your streamline & body position, keep holding your breath, don't leak any air, deal with doubt & discomfort as you're nearing the end For self taught swimmers who started from scratch later in life where swimming wasn't reinforced in childhood, this gliding skill seems to be something valuable. I swear I've improved considerably since I started this simple maneuver. I think it corrected something that was off.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Michael Heather — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:43:06 GMT

USMS has a connection with competition PFD. The late Reggie Richardson, former USMS Treasurer, was an accomplished Plunge artist in the 1930s.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

ande — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:54:04 GMT

y'all are doing awesome! keep practicing the other day I glided 25 yards from the not as deep end of the diving well I think it's 12 feet. I pushed off around 3 meters

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

__steve__ — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:38:56 GMT

My best thus far is 13.5 M I keep getting weekly improvements My method is a dive from edge of pool (depth varies from 4.5' to 5' depending on if the pool was filled back up lol). I do have a few descrepancies however. First, in order to maintain stability I have to flick my foot/toe slightly here or there, not for propulsion though. Second thing, no matter how I position myself my tail end sinks too early

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

pmccoy — Tue, 10 May 2011 09:51:39 GMT

Getting closer to the 15m mark. Almost made 15m on a pfd. Made about 14 yards on a push off. I'm pushing off in the deep end but I'm starting at about three feet and diving to 5 or 6 and then rising from there.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

__steve__ — Mon, 09 May 2011 09:44:11 GMT

About 9m was the best I could get from a push in 5' of water

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Kevin in MD — Mon, 09 May 2011 04:52:18 GMT

The plunge is part of the maryland masters winter series. It is held at the severna park, MD meet every year. I have done it twice and won it twice. Good fun. As I recall the distance was a yard or so short of the flags. The pool there has deep end where you dive but it comes up to three feet deep, making the last 10 meters hard to get more distance on! The prize for the winners is a plunger on a ribbon that you get placed around your neck while standing on the blocks and there is raucous applause. I think you need good, long streamlines - which I can get being 6'5" And lots of momentum helps too, at 245 I also have that in abundance.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

fritznh — Sun, 08 May 2011 08:18:01 GMT

Best I was able to do was about 18 meters from 9 feet down. Gliding the whole pool was impressive Ande!

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Rykno — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:07:24 GMT

13m is the farthest I've been able to manage with a 3ft deep push off. I'll have to wait until the fall when we have our next home meet and move the balkhead and try starting from 10ft deep and see if that helps. I also noticed I go farther holding my breath the entire time rather than slowly exhaling.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

pmccoy — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:52:16 GMT

Finally got back in the pool today and gave this another try. Two attempts from a push in 8 feet of water, drag suit. Attempt 1 - 12.5 yards, attempt 2 - 13.5 yards. Both times I pushed off at about two feet and angled downward. I didn't catch enough angle on the ascent either time and seemed to stall a little. Second try, I had a bit more speed and could have glided further if I didn't run out of breath.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Allen Stark — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:03:41 GMT

I tried it again today and even though shaved I couldn't quite match my 14 yd from last week.I think my legs are tired from Nats and travel.I did finally make 25 yd on a BR pullout from a dive,being shaved and doing the dolphin kick early helped.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

aquageek — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:32:20 GMT

I interrogated Ande about his feat yesterday and have concluded it is 100% legitimate, which makes it impressive .

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

ande — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 06:50:25 GMT

Before I jumped in, I breathed in as much air as I could Pushed off pretty deep, went level till I started slowing down then angled up Using my float factor to rise to the surface Note how I picked up speed in that phase Then glided ever so slowly to the wall I didn't let out any air At the flags & where the lane lines Turn red I Wasn't sure I was going to make it After I touched I think I could have gone a little further YouTube - Swimmer Glides FAR from just One Push I think Ande is right that you need to work on the angle so you're able to use buoyancy to help push you forward.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Karl_S — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:47:37 GMT

Tried this several times today. Pool depth is 4.5 feet. Best effort about 9 yds. My feet would sink as I lost speed. IMO this isn't due to poor form. I'm just so skinny that I have no buoyancy in my legs. It made me recall the Red Cross advanced beginner swim test when I was about 7. To pass the 30s float test, I had to cheat by sculling and kicking when the instructor wasn't looking. I couldn't pass today without sculling and kicking either. If I had to learn to float before learning to swim, I would be a non-swimmer today.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

__steve__ — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:18:02 GMT

EDITED 13.5 meters with a dive from gutter at 4.5' end of pool

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Former Member — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:49:02 GMT

From a hydrodynamic standpoint, I think you will glide farther underwater if you expel air in a controlled way to surface slower and hold some of that underwater speed longer. As you slow down, the upward bouyancy force can start overcoming the forward momentum force and start changing your velocity vector off of your bodyline axis. Did I just say that? Have you ever considered a guest appearance on the Myth Busters? :)

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

knelson — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:58:47 GMT

You've told everyone my secret on how I swim my breaststroke. My strength is in my pulldowns, the kick almost makes me go backwards. :) You just reminded me...when are you, me and That Guy going to give our breaststroke clinic? Hansen, Kitajima and Soni are getting very anxious to attend. :D

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

larsoda — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:39:11 GMT

After about 8 attempts, the best I could do was 12.5 yds in a 3.5ft deep pool. I'll have to make a trip to a deep pool and see if I can do any better. It was an eye-opener.

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

Former Member — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:05:20 GMT

work on the angle so you're able to use buoyancy to help push you forward. Exactly. If one were to push off at only six to eight feet deep, the results will vary. Upward lift from buoyancy combined with the correct angle results in forward momentum (as in a wing). And that's part of the reason why this is more difficult to achieve in a shallow pool. Less lift. Still, that was pretty cool. :applaud:

RE: How Far Can You GLIDE?

rtodd — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:08:26 GMT