Swimming

[Rachel72]

I've read before that it's best not to wear ear plugs when you're diving because of the pressure, IIRC. However, if I recall correctly, it's okay to do so if you're swimming, not diving down to a surface.

okay, I really didn't know.. It was only a suggestion...

[Hazel360]

I enjoy swimming a lot; it's one of my favourite sports (and one of the few I'm good at). Personally, I find myself better at swimming long distances. I do prefer oceans over swimming pools, too.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Hazel360

[Wrenn]

Swimming is great, though I don't really have any tips for you besides practice. Some practical advice, maybe... Don't go out really far into a wave pool. All the wimps on inflatables will knock you around like a cue ball. (Yes, I am one of the idiots who goes really far into wave pools.)

[igloo9201]

Lol ikr, Wrenn? It's really painful (I'm that stupid, too :3). But thanks, everyone for your advice!

[DragDraw]

I like swimming very much, but I don't like swimlessons. So in the summer, swimming in the pool, that's what I like! Holding your breath under the water is not so difficult for me. I just swim, and I REALLY want to reach the upperside of the pool, so I hold my breath, longer, longer, longer, untill I'm there. I hope I'll get the 3 minutes aswell

[Iside]

First of all, I made this partially because I'm curious if anyone else loves to swim!

 

But also because I'm wondering how to be a stronger swimmer and how to hold my breath longer. Also, how do you dive to a depth of 35 feet without your ears exploding?! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

I like swimming and at summer I especially love diving looking for shells. I usually menage to arrive at around 30 feet without many problems.

 

Trick for your ears is your velocity. Some years ago I used to use flippers and ofter I was unable to arrive that depth because of my ears exploding.

For this reason I don't use them anymore, so while diving I take much more time to arrive to the sea bottom and my ears are ok.

 

As for breath, I must say that I use a swimming mask, so I have no problem of water entering my nose. Best way to improve your breath is of course practice: try to hold it while sitting and time yourself, then everyday try to hold for few more seconds. Then try to hold it under stress, for example while climbing a stair.

[Zembra]

I love swimming and joined the S.A.S swim team and compared to others im pretty fast. Im not sure how to dive 35 feet, just diving 12 is hard. You can try to plug your nose with your hand and as you sink try to breath through your nose but dont. This will help pop your ears and resist pressure.

[Trope]

Swimmer, lifeguard-in-training, free-diver and scuba diver here. Can you tell I'm obsessed with water? x3

 

I free-dive up to around 20 meters depth, when scuba diving I'm limited to max 40 meters. The pressure in your ears can be terribly annoying, but the one trick that always helped me in the beginning is very simple:

 

1. Put two fingers on your nose and push on both nostrils so no air can flow through it anymore.

2. Breath through your nose.

3. Feel your eardrum snap back into place.

4. Rise and repeat when the problem starts up again.

 

The more you'll dive, the less frequent the problem will occur.

 

One important warning: don't blow too hard or you might damage your ear. Also, when coming up again come up slowly or the pressure could damage your ears. Pressure's a tricky thing when diving, so you should always remember not to descend/ascend too quickly.

 

Some tips for your breathing:

- Start practising outside of the pool. Find yourself a comfy spot: lie down in bed, sit down in a comfortable couch etc.

- Relax. When stressed, tired, when you've just finished eating you'll find that holding your breath will be more difficult.

- Exhale fully - slowly. Form you lips into an 'o' shape and force the air through the little hole.

- Suck the air back in your lungs. When it feels as if you can't get in anymore, starting gulping in some more. It'll feel uncomfortable in the beginning, but still keep it up until no more air goes in your lungs.

- Exhale again - slowly, in pauses.

- Repeat this several times.

 

Only when you're completely relaxed holding your breath above the surface should you take it to the water.

 

> One last interesting tidbit: our lungs work on 2 'pulses'. One's triggered by the CO2 levels in our blood and can be delayed, the other cannot: it makes us gasp for air. You know the feeling you get when swimming underwater, as if your chest is about to burst? That's the first one. If you hyperventilate before swimming you'll strongly diminish the amount of CO2 in your blood and you'll delay that feeling.

 

Be warned however: don't do it too much or you will not notice when your body really needs oxygen and the second pulse will kick in and make you gasp for air - quite a difficult situation when underwater.

 

Good luck!