Improving in the water

[bud/s junkie]

Ok, for any and all willing to help I need some advise. I'm in fairly good condition and I still got about 2 years before I'm off to buds. I'm 5'10 150 Lbs. I can crank about 150 push ups, 150 sit ups, 20 pull ups, and my runnings pretty good, all around im alright except when I hit the water. I can swim but I'm nowhere near where I'de like to be. I've taken up multiple swim classes and even bought a powerlung to try and build up my lungs. I'de like to know how I can take my scores (30 Meter underwater swim at best, and 800 Meter continuous swim) and effectively improve them. Any tips or advise would be warmly welcomed. Thanks!!

[bud/s junkie]

Oh!! And by the way my e-mail is Frogman2Sniper@Love2exercise.com if it would be easier to help me out that way. And please nobody be offended by my e-address. I don't mean to pose as anything or make any false claims it's simply an aspiration. Thanks again.

[navylaxman]

hey sorry BUD/s Junkie I do not have an answer to your post, but I have a question for you. I am trying to build up my underwater swims I can do roughly 35 yards underwater but not much more. I am trying to work up to the 50m, how well does the Powerlung work? What model do you have? Do you have any feedback of the powerlung? I am just wondering because I am thinking about getting one. Thanks

[king henry viii]

Ok, for any and all willing to help I need some advise. I'm in fairly good condition and I still got about 2 years before I'm off to buds. I'm 5'10 150 Lbs. I can crank about 150 push ups, 150 sit ups, 20 pull ups, and my runnings pretty good, all around im alright except when I hit the water. I can swim but I'm nowhere near where I'de like to be. I've taken up multiple swim classes and even bought a powerlung to try and build up my lungs. I'de like to know how I can take my scores (30 Meter underwater swim at best, and 800 Meter continuous swim) and effectively improve them. Any tips or advise would be warmly welcomed. Thanks!!

you can only swim continuously for 800 meters? So what happens at 800 meters? Is your heart rate jacked in the 180s or are you physically drained? Maybe you're working too hard. How often do you swim? You should be swimming atleast 3 times a week. you could try the BUD/S warning order. 5'10" and 150 lbs, jesus dude, you must be a stick.

[borus96]

well. Unfortunately unlike running swimming isn't so much about busting your *** and pushing as hard as you can. (it is but it isn't ill explain) When you swim no matter how much your busting your own *** it's possible to still get slow swim times (not sure what yours is). It's all about form and timing. Some guys in training will be toast during the swims while other guys who have good form use all that energy as efficiently as possible. One thing I notice with people that have good swim times (I have a 9 min swim time, last I was timed I got 8:50 but who knows about that....) When you swim you have to pay attention to every inch of your body, pay attention to surfaces you are feeling resistance against the water on every stroke and try to not feel that resistance on the next stroke until you are basically gliding through the water with no effort. Take advantages of your pushes off of the wall, these are basically recoveries and not using them is a mistake. You should get a good 10 or so meters off of the wall and try to maintain that through the entire swim and don't wind yourself so much that you are taking an extra 3 strokes to get that distance because then your back to square one. A efficient swimmer can swim down one length in 8 strokes, and trust me if your swimming a mile (1650 meters) and it's taking you 13 strokes to get 25 meters then just imagine the difference in strokes....it is plenty lol. Get with someone who is in DEP or something that has good stroke form and does do well on the swims, don't take advice from someone who swims 500 in 13 minutes and is winded after swimming 300 meters because obviously they arn't being efficient. You want as much of your body in the water as possible that is where your most effective, only turning your head to the right or left enough to take a breath. I hardly ever swim, but I do crossfit and run consistently and don't really get tired on the swims, swimming is basically a recovery for me lol it's the runs that I dislike. I hope this helps sorry for the novel.

[borus96]

hey sorry BUD/s Junkie I do not have an answer to your post, but I have a question for you. I am trying to build up my underwater swims I can do roughly 35 yards underwater but not much more. I am trying to work up to the 50m, how well does the Powerlung work? What model do you have? Do you have any feedback of the powerlung? I am just wondering because I am thinking about getting one. Thanks

don't worry about doing the 50m dude. When you get there you will be able to do it. Two months ago I could barely do 25 back to back. Now I can do 25 back to back without having to push off of the wall. The key is to train your body to use the oxygen as efficiently as possible. This obviously will come with running/swimming/doing crossfit style workouts like they make you do in BUD/s anyways :) AND NEVER LOOK AT THE WALL! lol that is the fastest way to panic

[bud/s junkie2]

well king henry at about 500 meters im really draggin, and at 6-700 im trying not to drown, 800 is just the best ive ever done. in opposition to that, borus thank you so much that was a lot of awsome advice. i took that into consideration and concentrated more on form and less effort, im obviously not efficient to make 8 strokes per lane, but i lasted a bit longer because i discovered that i was actually sprinting every lap...and navylaxman, i dont have any advise for the underwater 50 other than repetition and practice. but i would listen to borus he seems to know what hes talking about. as for the powerlung i have the powerlung "sport" model. i believe this is the best model if preparing for more intense sessions, frankly i believe all the other models are for rehabillitation and power walking moms...anyways, thanks again.

[bud/s junkie2]

Oh, and henry i swim about 3-5 times per week, at about 90 minutes per session. and ya im pretty small, deffinately doomed for the smurf crew :P

[Illmaxic]

swim your @ss off, every day, put out... you will see marked improvements... if you don't, you arent workin hard enough

[palmach]

swim your @ss off, every day, put out... you will see marked improvements... if you don't, you arent workin hard enoughIt seems you aren't allowing, the next step to appear! Are you distracted or a nervous wreck while swimming? I was, and it wasn't until I admitted it, that I instantly went, to the next level etc.

[leahy_j]

my strategy in the pool seems to work fairly well....i kick off from the wall, and start doing the css....then, as i turn my head to take the breath, i try to swallow as much water as i possibly can while filling my lungs, and then go on to the next stroke... i find it works in the long run, as the pool empties out by the end of the swim and i can run the laps instead of swimming them

[StoicSean]

my strategy in the pool seems to work fairly well....i kick off from the wall, and start doing the css....then, as i turn my head to take the breath, i try to swallow as much water as i possibly can while filling my lungs, and then go on to the next stroke... i find it works in the long run, as the pool empties out by the end of the swim and i can run the laps instead of swimming them
:D nice...

Junkie try doing other strokes. I know, I know to get better at the CSS you have to swim the CSS. But drilling with the other strokes, i.e free, breast and back(my arch enemy) you can develop a stronger kick and more endurance. You may also develop a different feel for the CSS when you do it. Lately when I've been swimming I've been telling myself that the goal every training session is to have a quality swim. Every session should be a bit better, I should be able to tweek my form, become more streamlined, breath in a more controlled manner, glide etc. By the time I get out of the pool, I usually have a few DOs and DONTs. So my tip would be to swim the CSS but throw in some freestyle and if you can some breast stroke. You should see or feel a difference.

Good luck.