deepwater problem !

zardette

Hi,
I have recently moved to a new 50m pool with an 8ft deep end. While I have no problems swimming many lengths of this pool (on the surface), I did recently suffer an episode of leg cramp while I was in the deep end, and did sink and panic a bit for a few seconds, before I could drag myself to safety at the side of the pool.

I have only been swimming for the past year and a half, up to then I had a severe fear of water (due to nearly drowning as a kid).
I had overcome those fears, but this episode has set me back a bit, and it's putting me off swimming again.

I would like to get ahead of this before it becomes a severe block. I think I need to somehow gain the ability and confidence to rescue myself from the bottom of deep water if I should ever need to.

Are there classes or individuals that could teach/guide me in this area?
Preferably in the Shannon/Limerick/Ennis area, (or even Killarney at the weekends.)

If anyone has any other advice or opinions on this, I would appreciate that too.

Thanks in advance,
Dette

hunnymonster

I was terrified of deep water when I started. OW was a real trauma. The only thing that has helped me is experience. The more time I spend in the water, the better I get. A very experience OW swimmer friend of mine, taught his (also terrified) wife to swim, as soon as she could do the distance, he took her out to see, just far enough that land was a sliver on the horizon, that seemed to work for her.


I would suggest, just swim more to get your confidence back but if you want to prevent the cramp situation again, go down the deep end. wrap elastic around your ankles to stop you kicking and swim to the side without your legs. Similarly, practise swimming with one arm only. It will help you figure out, that you can rescue yourself if something goes wrong.

BendiBus

Learn to tread water.

Not just one method. Try as many different arm & leg movements as you can think of. Learn to do it by just sculling, then by just using your legs (not easy!). When you can do this you won't have the same fear of, say, a leg cramp as you'll know you can stay above water with just your arms.

You can practice this close to the edge of the pool so you can grab solid ground if you suddenly feel the need.

It's also good fun to practice holding a stationary position in the deep end, moving only to get out of the way of oncoming traffic.

It's a huge confidence builder and a great position to watch other swimmers from.

zardette

Hi All,

Thanks for all the very good advice!

To hunnymonster - its seems that just spending time in the deepend does build confidence and its has help me alot.

BendiBus

I could thread water before but I never practice holding a stationary position in the deep end which I did for the first time it was scary but once I push myself down to the bottom ( with great difficulty) I say how fast I could get up which helped me a lot.

I would say that getting this confidence not only got be back into the pool but improved my stroke now I can swim relaxed in the water and my oxygen intake is much less and I am breathing better as a result.

Again thanks so much and hmmm one thing :rolleyes: how do you surface dive I can dive in now but just can't surface dive that is dive from the surface every time I try I just end up doing a swimming flip turn.:mad:

Thanks,
Dette

trishw78

it's all in the head, well that's how I remember learning... mentally you know what you want to do so I suggest visualise what you want to do as your doing it, that's what my brother did when he was learning... he used to do something simular as you.