In-Depth API Swim Question

[Pags]

Check out chapter seven for information regarding the treading portion. It seems like different kicks are okay but aren't taught because of difficulty to master. I was taught the modified frogkick and it works for me. But then others do the eggbeater and it works just fine, too. I have yet to see someone successfully do the scissor kick. Usually it drags them down when they have boots on, but hey, it might work for you.

https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/cnatt/nascweb/model_manager/files/swim/netc_1552/netc1552 16.pdf

Good stuff. I taught kids how to swim and coached swim teams for years so I can see how frog kick would be the easiest to teach. But, if you have time in A-pool to have time in the pool I'd strongly recommend folks to try and learn the eggbeater. It certainly isn't easy to learn and it isn't easy to teach but it's the most energy efficient form of treading water especially when coupled with effective and coordinated sculling (use of hands). I'm fairly positive I could tread water using the eggbeater method for hours even today. I'm not sure I could scissor kick for more than a minute or so and would be completely exhausted after those minutes. The other important part to recommend of treading water is body position; if you're essentially sitting in the water then you'll barely have to move your arms and legs to keep your mouth out of the water. Also, the goal is to keep your head up, not your chest or belly. You're survival swimming, not playing water polo.

That said, if you're not a good swimmer go to the open pool sessions and get help from the instructors. Then go spend a lot of time in the water. Go play in the deep end of the pool with your buds. Find some sort of hidden swimming to keep practicing. Probably not as applicable to the average SNA but I spend a lot of time treading water when I go play in the pool with my kids especially if I'm staying close at hand while the youngest goes off the diving board. Something like that is all good practice.

 

[Jim123]

The other important part to recommend of treading water is body position; if you're essentially sitting in the water then you'll barely have to move your arms and legs to keep your mouth out of the water. Also, the goal is to keep your head up, not your chest or belly. You're survival swimming, not playing water polo.

The guys who seemed to have the most trouble with treading water didn't seem to understand this. As long as you're not inhaling water then your body placement is fine, but some people want to have their head and neck out of the water- water polo like you said. That wastes a bit of buoyancy and wastes a lot of effort.

Another gimme is your breathing. If you breathe out quickly, immediately breathe in quickly, and then hold it for a moment then you're taking better advantage of the buoyancy of your two lungfuls of air. If you breath normally, like you're on a brisk walk, then it doesn't help you float as much.

 

[SevenFootElephants]

I appreciate the advice. I’ve definitely been working on the frog kick and eggbeater. I’m actually in the pool about 2-3 times a week. No luck yet, but I haven’t given up. My problem is that I sink straight to the bottom. I’ve got a pretty athletic build and I’m only 5’7”, which apparently isn’t good for floating. That’s why I was asking if I could even use the scissor kick. I know I can muscle through it. I’ll just be tired as heck afterwards. Not sure about with boots on.

 

[Pags]

I appreciate the advice. I’ve definitely been working on the frog kick and eggbeater. I’m actually in the pool about 2-3 times a week. No luck yet, but I haven’t given up. My problem is that I sink straight to the bottom. I’ve got a pretty athletic build and I’m only 5’7”, which apparently isn’t good for floating. That’s why I was asking if I could even use the scissor kick. I know I can muscle through it. I’ll just be tired as heck afterwards. Not sure about with boots on.

Yeah, you can float you just need to find the right body position. Lots of people sink like a stone if they don't have a body position to maximize buoyancy. Since you're in A-pool you've obviously had to demonstrate some form of survival floating at some point in your life. So you know that you don't always sink straight to the bottom. If I survival float I can float forever. If I have a straight up and down body position I'll sink to the bottom. If I float on my back I'll also sink. But you can float. You're not the first guy who's tried to say he's too shredded to float but I guarantee you that you can float if you do it right. There are videos out there to show proper position but in it's close to a forward slouch in a chair. If you sit with your elbows on your knees and you chin in your hands that's kind of close to how you should be in the pool.

 

[SevenFootElephants]

I hope you’re right. I hear the instructors are great. I’m not at A-Pool yet, but I’ll definitely check it out. Do you know if they have people that work with you during A-Pool?

 

[LTJG_Fluffy]

I hope you’re right. I hear the instructors are great. I’m not at A-Pool yet, but I’ll definitely check it out. Do you know if they have people that work with you during A-Pool?

I had to do remedial and can attest that the instructors are top notch. Went from not very good or comfortable in the water (gassed after a lap, not knowing how to do any of the strokes properly, nervous about the tower to line jump) to being able to not only pass but start enjoying swimming in the ocean and actually having fun when it came to the API swim portion later on. Honestly the most rewarding and fun part of API for me.

I know they were allowing students who were in A-Pool to sign up for remediation swim before actually doing the basic water survival course a few months ago. The reasoning was that a lot of students were rolling from water survival. Not sure if that's the case now. Your best bet is to go to the water survival department and ask if they can take you in, and then inform flight management. If you do get picked up for remedial, just be ready to start the water survival portion immediately after completing remedial. There usually isn't any wait time in between.

 

[SevenFootElephants]

That’s funny. I’m comfortable as heck in the water. Like I said, I just can’t float. So that’s the biggest concern. That and having to use the frog kick for certain things.

 

[Meyerkord]

That’s funny. I’m comfortable as heck in the water. Like I said, I just can’t float. So that’s the biggest concern. That and having to use the frog kick for certain things.

Just remember that, when you wear the full gear, the helmet floats. You won't sink to the bottom. Too many times I saw people panicking with all the gear on. If you just float and relax, you will not sink.

 

[Brett327]

Just remember that, when you wear the full gear, the helmet floats. You won't sink to the bottom. Too many times I saw people panicking with all the gear on. If you just float and relax, you will not sink.

Full lungs also float. A good technique is to keep your lungs full, using rapid exchanges of air.

 

[TheShiftyCDQAR]

I’m probably the worst swimmer in this forum that has wings. I can’t frog kick for beans. I’ve gone 17 years with swim instructors yelling at me to frog kick and I’m still here. If they aren’t throwing you a lifesaver, you’re doing fine. If they do, you’ll try again. Work on the different strokes, but you don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer to make it through. Not even close.

haha I appreciate this statement, I got dumped in the pool during our aircrews annual swim qual as an enlisted guy to see if I could snag an AO position. Sank like a tank and then was told to figure it out on my own and come back

Fast forward 4 years and now I'm heading to Pcola as a SNA. I was dreading that happening again but seems like if you put the effort in they will genuinely help you build and pass