Urgent help needed to improve technique

steel_spine

I'm hoping someone here can give me pointers as I've just failed my scuba fitness test miserably and I'll have to pass it before long or I'll fall too far behind the lessons and won't be able to dive.
The crux of it is, I can swim, but my technique is appalling & wastes energy. I haven't swum in a pool since I was a kid, and not in the sea for about 6 years (I'm 28 now)
My biggest problem is mastering the timing for breathing - I always seem to get water up my nose and in my airway and run out of energy treading water and choking, or I don't breathe enough because I don't want to choke and feck it up and run out of energy really fast as I've no oxygen.
The pressure really gets to me too and it's hard to relax and concentrate on swimming well when there's a) an audience & b) instructor is watching/ waiting for me to finish. If I can just get this test passed, then the pressure is off and I can learn at my own pace.
Gotta do 8 lengths freestyle, 2 on my back and hold breath underwater for 30 secs. I'm totally fine with the last two, and swimming while diving or snorkelling has never given me issues in the past - I just don't seem to be able to go a single length on my front without choking
Wondering if a noseclip would help a bit?

EDIT: Forgot to say, I know swimming lessons exist but I can't really afford them and the scuba diving, and with work/college etc it's really hard to find time that fits with when the pools nearby are offering lessons.

Burkatron

steel_spine wrote: »

I'm hoping someone here can give me pointers as I've just failed my scuba fitness test miserably and I'll have to pass it before long or I'll fall too far behind the lessons and won't be able to dive.
The crux of it is, I can swim, but my technique is appalling & wastes energy. I haven't swum in a pool since I was a kid, and not in the sea for about 6 years (I'm 28 now)
My biggest problem is mastering the timing for breathing - I always seem to get water up my nose and in my airway and run out of energy treading water and choking, or I don't breathe enough because I don't want to choke and feck it up and run out of energy really fast as I've no oxygen.
The pressure really gets to me too and it's hard to relax and concentrate on swimming well when there's a) an audience & b) instructor is watching/ waiting for me to finish. If I can just get this test passed, then the pressure is off and I can learn at my own pace.
Gotta do 8 lengths freestyle, 2 on my back and hold breath underwater for 30 secs. I'm totally fine with the last two, and swimming while diving or snorkelling has never given me issues in the past - I just don't seem to be able to go a single length on my front without choking
Wondering if a noseclip would help a bit?

EDIT: Forgot to say, I know swimming lessons exist but I can't really afford them and the scuba diving, and with work/college etc it's really hard to find time that fits with when the pools nearby are offering lessons.

This is really hard to know whats going on without seeing your stroke!
It could be a breathing issue, timing issue, arm technique issue etc. It could be all those things rolled into one big mess! Anywho first thing to do is get a nose clip so you can start disassociating your nose from your swimming! If it's clipped you wont take water in & after a while it'll be natural for you to not breath in through your nose while you're swimming!

The next thing I'd recommend is getting a copy of This & start practicing!

Good luck

steel_spine

Thanks, I'll give that a look, I've been trying to think about what I'm doing and watching lots of technique videos, but it's hard to keep collected and remember advice when I can feel myself sinking in the water.
I think perhaps a big problem is not exhaling properly because I'm scared to let go of all my air incase I mess up and choke on water when I try to breathe between strokes.
Ideally I could take lessons and perfect it on my own time, which I'd actually really like to do, it's just that I need to get these 8 damn lengths out of the way as I have a limited timeframe in which to do that before I can relax and go at my own pace

amdublin

I'll be back to post at lunchtime, no time at the mo

amdublin

When you are in the water relax!
Flailing like a lunatic is not helping you stay up or helping you get through the water. It is just expending energy.

If your arms are rotating at say a rotation a second then you literally have a split second to gasp a breath in.

You need to make a conscious decision to slooooooooowww things down. If you can slow down to a rotation every five seconds or even longer you are giving yourself much more time to get that breath in. Slowly turn your head to the sidde and breathe in. Don't worry you will not sink in the time it takes to take the breath: because the stroke will be a better stroke than a flail it ilk keep you bouyant while taking the breath.

You really would be advised to practice slowed down stroek yourself but to get one lesson in with someone who can advise you on your positioning in the water and how to improve your stroke. (head should be looking straight ahead, goggles just under water level)

Good luck!

beatjustice

1 Body position.
2 Legs.
3 arms.
4 breathing.
5 timing.

You must learn how to achieve each of these steps before you can move on to the next. You cannot do one without the other. for example, if you cannot get correct body position in the water, you will not be able to kick your legs efficiently.

1 To achieve body position practice pushing and gliding from the wall.

this involves standing around waist deep with one foot on the floor of the pool, the other against the wall behind you. Standing up straight,(arch your back) Put your arms up tight beside your ears with your hands flat one on top of the other. Put your face in the water. Now push off the wall keeping your ankles together and toes pointed. Glide as far as you can without kicking your legs.

This is known as the streamline position and is the fundamental of successful swimming. It might seem really basic for now but you should achieve this very quickly. You should be almost flat in the water and go at least half way across the pool when gliding.

do the same drill with your arms by your side, and out in front(like super man!)
Now on your back with your ams by your side, look at the roof,

Also practice floating on the surface of the water with your arms and legs spread out(starfish!) while your floating, allow air out through your mouth and nose gradually,- this will be of benefit later when you come to breathing.

Legs

Repeat all of the above and add your kick.

Kick from the hip,
remember to point your toes, and keep your ankles close together.
fast continuous kick.
Heels should be just breaking the surface. (when on your back knees are below the surface)

AS your distance increases move to the shallow end and start aiming to do around half a length.

ROTATION DRILL

Push off as before, kick straight away and bring your arms down by your side. (have a good breath before you push off)

count 6 kicks face down then roll onto your side keeping your face in the water,
count six kicks kicking on your side
roll face down again and kick six
now roll onto the opposite side and kick six

Repeat as many as you can

Stop

Do a slow warm up of front crawl before you begin, and do some sculling
for your warm down. see the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CHt4J6nJvo

see how you get on with this for a start, arms need a little more instruction and you may have some bad habits so i would prob have to see you swim. where is your nearest pool, might be able to meet you for a half hour or so after you have practised this for a few sessions.

good luck

richiek67

Hi There,

I've read most of the thread here so sorry if I repeat a few of the things . I'm a diver myself, advanced paddy! I dont remember ever having to do any lengths for the course but then it was 20 years ago when i did it.
I'd be a faliry strong swimmer and I can sort of see the difficulty your having. I'm teaching my 3 sons how to perfect the breathing too and its all about just relaxing and timing too...
What id suggest is something I had engrained into my head when i learned to swim in marian college. A good place to get lessons if you know the place, its in ballsbridge by the way. Anyway, one step at a time really.
To practice your breathing, one way to do this, is to get a floatation board, you know the ones you see floating around some times in the pool. Hold this in one out-streatched arm with your head in the water, face down. Keep your arm, which ever one you use, out-streached and then while you kick to get across, practice breathing out through your nose. Use the other arm as if your doing the front crawl.
Do it slowly, you should be counting to about 4 seconds by the time you do a complete revolution. As soon as your arm hits the water you should be breathing out through your mouth. As soon as your arm reaches your side and exits the water you should be turning your head to breath. This is a good way to build up your confidence in the whole breathing thing.
I hope this helps.

Rich