Are you a strong swimmer?

[DefDC]

Started swimming at a young age. Despite being a bit chunky, I was able to swim a lap and a half underwater (diving start) on one breath, in an olympic sized pool. I was able to do that 3 times in my life. Failed MANY MORE tries.

Despite being about 6'2" and 260lbs in high school, I received my lifesaving cert. Made the required laps and crap without a problem, and was able to tread water for 30 minutes with my hands above water. Never had to do it clothed, but I don't think that'd be a problem.

Became a chain smoker in college and quit swimming more or less. We did go to Jamaica for Spring Break, and I went snorkeling between drinks and smokes. Was still able to swim very well, and hold my breath for about 2 minutes underwater.

For my honeymoon, went to Mexico and did some non-certified scuba. I was still able to swim for 15-20 minutes without a break, with all the gear.

I guess I'm better in the water than on land! I would've tried out for the swim team, but I was already in music, which practiced after school. Waking up even earlier for swim practice? Hell no! I also worked after school. Even a teenager needs SOME sleep!

 

[SearchMaster]

I was a competitive swimmer for most of my childhood/adolescence, so I'm a very good swimmer even now (25 years later). I even held some regional records that stood for at least 10 years. My sister was a couple of slots away from making the Olympic team in '84.

 

[SirStev0]

no seal either, but i'm a pretty damn good swimmer.

 

[nublikescake]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante

Fear?

My dad is 60 and he never learned how to swim. He refused to go into the pool past the shallow end when he was in his early 40's (when my brothers and I were little kids). He loves to be on boats, but don't put him in the water - it's just not his element. And he's one of the bravest and most prideful people I know.

*shrug* Maybe I'll never learn how to swim... iDunno. I want to, but have nobody to help me (teach me, keep me from drowning, etc), and I know quite a few lifeguards and swimming instructors -- there's not enough money in the world to get me to go into their kiddie wading pools, much less a swimming pool under their supervision. lol

What you need is man-to-man swimming lessons from a friend or someone who you're close to who knows how to swim well AND a pool that's kind of secluded and w/ little or no traffic. Spend a good 10 hours in 5-10 days and you will start making progress.

But I agree, fear is a BITCH for adults. The moment your feet can't touch the pool floor you'll start to panic. They key is persistence and perseverance. Adults can and DO learn swimming. Nothing's impossible.

 

[wwswimming]

got caught in a rip current at Torrey Pines once. the buoys were very
big, for San Diego, 11 feet @ 17 seconds. i got a taste of what was to
come when i was on the beach putting my flippers on. a wave washed
up the sand. we're talking 2-6 inches of water. lots of it, fast moving.
just stood there & let it do it's thing. it eroded all the sand around my
feet, until i couldn't stand up. never been knocked down by a 4" wave
before.

i think the Navy should do training on days like that. make the guys
swim from Coronado to Point Loma (5 miles) or more, against the current
(that's different from a rip.)

 

[BoomerD]

I used to be a very good swimmer. in about 1967, I not only earned the Boy Scout "Mile Swim" badge, I did it 5 times in one day. (scout camp can get boring as hell after a couple of weeks)
Time and gravity have taken a tremendous toll on the old body however, and with the bad back and knee, I have difficulty kicking enough to swim very much anymore.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: nublikescake
What you need is man-to-man swimming lessons from a friend or someone who you're close to who knows how to swim well AND a pool that's kind of secluded and w/ little or no traffic. Spend a good 10 hours in 5-10 days and you will start making progress.

But I agree, fear is a BITCH for adults. The moment your feet can't touch the pool floor you'll start to panic. They key is persistence and perseverance. Adults can and DO learn swimming. Nothing's impossible.

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping for. No clue whatsoever *how* I might go about doing that, but perhaps I'll find a way sometime soon.

 

[Cogman]

If your measurement of a strong swimmer is someone that can swim in regular cloths, then yes, I am one. I have swam off and on for over 10 years. I might not be a superman of swimming, but I've never been last in a swim race.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: invidia
Strong, as in I can swim and stay float by myself with sneakers + jeans + shirt. Also want to know how many people out there can actually even swim.

I have never attempted this.

 

[KeithTalent]

I'm a pretty strong swimmer, but I have to really focus to remember to kick my feet all the time, otherwise I just end up using my arms.

Starting to learn the fly stroke tonight, so we'll see how that goes. Can't believe I've never really tried it before.

KT

 

[TheSlamma]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
I can't swim.

Yet.

Chances are you never will at this age. Fear is a bitch.

Fear?

There are plenty of swim instructors now that are equipped to train adults with fears of water.

Ones like this

You already have the right attitude when you said "Yet"

 

[buck]

Strong swimmer because of surfing. Grew up having to paddle out almost 1/4 mile to the outside waves. I have had my leash along with friends break about that far out, you learn not to panic and just take your time getting back in. I could swim a good distance in the ocean, even in a wetsuit... As for speed, I dont have a clue.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: buck
Strong swimmer because of surfing. Grew up having to paddle out almost 1/4 mile to the outside waves. I have had my leash along with friends break about that far out, you learn not to panic and just take your time getting back in. I could swim a good distance in the ocean, even in a wetsuit... As for speed, I dont have a clue.

Yup, me too. I don't surf like I used to, but surfing the Oregon coast makes you an expert swimmer, and pretty fast too if you want any waves at any crowded spots

 

[jjones]

I can swim well, have no fear of jumping in the water in almost any situation, and I'm sure I could do the things you mention quite easily, but I wouldn't consider myself a strong swimmer. I've never competitively swam or ever even had any swimming lessons; I've just been swimming pretty regularly since I was a child.

 

[rh71]

no i can't swim more than a lap because I hate putting my head underwater. I never learned to swim as a kid - and they expected you to just jump in the pool and do laps in HS... a few of us said 'fuck that' and got doctor's notes. No they don't teach. Anyway I took a class in college and I know how to swim and can float and all that... I just dont' like the experience of breathing in water so I don't ever put my head under... which leads to early fatigue... which leads to not being able to swim for a long time.

Anyway I'm glad I learned a bit so at least I didn't fear snorkeling the few times we went, or even just the deep end of the pool.

Maybe I'll do it right when we teach our kids.

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: rh71
no i can't swim more than a lap because I hate putting my head underwater. I never learned to swim - they expected you to just jump in the pool and do laps in HS... a few of us said 'fuck that' and got doctor's notes. No they don't teach. Anyway I took a class in college and I know how to swim and can float and all that... I just dont' like the experience of breathing in water so I don't ever put my head under... which leads to early fatigue... which leads to not being able to swim for a long time.

Maybe I'll do it right when we teach our kids.

Your not supposed to breathe in water . Theres a reason we gag when we try and do that.

Really though, I have a hard time understanding the fear of putting your face in the water. Can you just not do it? Or is it getting the breathing rhythm down that gets to you?

 

[SnipeMasterJ13]

I was a lot stronger back in the day, but I'm confident I could do it. I made it through all of my swimming classes easily. The only one left to take was the lifeguard class, which I didn't have any interest in doing.

 

[Uppsala9496]

Grew up on a lake. It's about 1.5 miles across. Every summer my brother and I would swim to the other side of the lake and back. Kind of a right of passage living up there.

 

[skyking]

I'm very comfortable in and under the water, float and tread water well and know a few strokes. That said, I'm slow as hell getting anywhere on the surface

 

[D1gger]

Certified life guard here, but it has been a while since I have done much long distance swimming. I still find it very easy to stay afloat and swim so I think I could get out of most situations without grief.

 

[Vehemence]

Nope, pretty meh at swimming.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster
I was a competitive swimmer for most of my childhood/adolescence, so I'm a very good swimmer even now.

Me, too. I have a ton of medals, ribbons and trophies from those days. When I was 11, I swam 1500 meters (metric mile) in an open-age group Middle Atlantic States (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, DC) AAU meet.

There was one kid in the next lane my age, but the second youngest swimmer in all three heats was 17, and the ages ranged up to 25. Up until that summer, I had never been in any race longer than 100 meters.

It was in an Olympic sized pool (which is 50 meters long, and therefore twice as long as most outdoor lap/competition pools). The first thing I did was to make sure I opened a 50 meter lead on the other young kid.

LOL, they had lap counters at every turn. I felt so strong still that with 400 meters to go, I dialed it up. Apparently, the counters thought I was misinformed about how long I had to go, and were running up and down, trying to set me right.

But I already was "right." I finished with the 7th fastest time, out of 25 participants. I never felt winded, but when I went to get out of the pool, I couldn't even pull myself up and out. I had given it everything I had.

I came in second in my heat, and apparently was closing in hard on the winner, whom I couldn't/didn't see. Everyone there was applauding me, which was unique as there were no "teams", and we were all swimming as "independents."

 

[imported_Imp]

I hate swimming, but am pretty good. Never really learned to tread water, which is my only major problem. The backstroke is my forte, while I hate the breast-stroke with a passion.

 

[spidey07]

Deadman's flot comes in real handy or just floating on your back.

Was a life guard and certified scuba diver - lots of the tests for these are pretty strenuous so I'd say strong swimmer. Could probably stay afloat indefinitely in sea water, freshwater would be difficult after the first few hours (I sink).

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
3-4 laps underwater in a normal lap size swimming pool

I want to call shens.

I was on a lot of really good swim teams when I was young, and NONE of us could even do 3 FULL laps in a "normal" (25 yards indoor/25 meters outdoor) sized lap pool, let alone 4 . . . not that we tried often or ever rigorously practiced for it. But we all were in damn good shape.

Anyone else want to chime in on this one?