WannaBEaP3gal
Registered User
How is the swimming at API, and is there any thing I can do to make myself more prepared for the swim stuff??? All advice is appreciated
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Swimming
- Thread starter WannaBEaP3gal
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Don't sweat it too much; I'm a REALLY slow swimmer and I finished the mile 20 minutes or so early. Practice some underwater swimming too. I went into API thinking, "man, I've had 9 months to get ready, I should have swum more." But I still passed. It's 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical, unless you've got one of those body types which just sinks like a rock. If so they'll work with you anyway until you get it.
WannaBEaP3gal
Registered User
I'm definetely working on the swimming right now, I can do all the stokes fairly well (I take my time too, nice and steady), freestyle is killing me though cause I can't get the breathing part right (I end up sticking my whole head out of the water). The one thing I'm really freaked out about is the Dunker thing.. when I did the shortened version of Water Survival Training for my 1/c cruise they demonstrated it, and I have to admit I got very nervous, even though we didn't have to do that for our training that day.
Oh, and I heard they don't let you tilt your head back when you're treading water in full gear, which worries me considering when I did it, the only thing keeping me afloat was the helmet!!! Is this true?
Oh, and I heard they don't let you tilt your head back when you're treading water in full gear, which worries me considering when I did it, the only thing keeping me afloat was the helmet!!! Is this true?
the dunker is easy, more hype than anything else. it will by far most likely be the easiest water training of API (at least i thought). I dont know about tilting your head back, i stared at the ceiling when i did it and either way you do it the helmet will help or hurt you because some folks panic because the helmet floats but your face will sink. Also if you do a search there is a lot more info out there pertaining to this.
IceWoman04 said:
Just remember there'll be at least 2 divers in the water ready to save your bacon if everything goes wrong (which it likely won't). I too was afraid of the dunker but at the end I thought it was the most fun of any of the water survival drills I did at API. I'd do it again just for the heck of it! If you don't get it the first time though they'll put you on hold and dunk you until you do, so it's not a career-ender if you need more time to figure it out. Out of 21 people in my API class, nary a one had problems with the dunker.
The way I kept my equilibrium is to let the "world" revolve around me and the dunker. In other words, I just ignored which way was "up" in the outside world and then told myself I had to swim "down" when I cleared the dunker. Kind of hard to explain on a Friday night after 3 glasses of scotch, but maybe that'll help when you get there.
AS faw as the swim test goes... do that many people use the free style stroke? Or does it waste to much energy... flinging your arms around in a wet flight suit has to burn more energy than breast stroke???
Also while swimming now, I try to practise all the stokes, but more importantly, I try to swim for an hour at least just to build endurance.
Also while swimming now, I try to practise all the stokes, but more importantly, I try to swim for an hour at least just to build endurance.
thrillseeker121
Registered User
I think that would be the key....endurence. Wouldn't they look at how long you could swim for more than how fast?
yup they tell you speed is not the key, endurance is. The only thing about swimming a mile is not getting tired, its getting bored, sang songs in my head the whole way through. Some folks to the freestyle but they're the strong swimmers that did it in college, high school, etc and they finish the damn test in like 20 minutes. folks like me did the breast or sidestroke.
Yeah, I'll second what rare said. I think I actually went slower doing the freestyle in addition to burning myself out quicker. I only used that stroke when they made me. Breaststroke is the way to go IMHO. Sidestroke is just funky to do and you don't go as fast. To each his own, I guess.
API swimming has nothing to do with ability or previous technique especially if like me you sink like a rock. It has more to do with controlling your 'anxiety', when already negatively bouyant they plonk gear on you and ask you to tread water. Also pay attention to what they tell you. They are some of the better instructors since if you listen to what they tell you you will pass everything.
It was quite amusing to be the slowest swimmer in the class and to NEVER have to re-do anything, not treading, dunkers, mile swim.
It was quite amusing to be the slowest swimmer in the class and to NEVER have to re-do anything, not treading, dunkers, mile swim.
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