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BIGPLANS09
09-17-09, 10:04 PM
Hello, I was just wondering how strict is boot camp on swimming? Because unfortunately I can't swim. Will the DI's teach me? Thanks in advance.

tangovictor87
09-17-09, 10:12 PM
you'll get put in a group with the other recruits who can't swim and you WILL learn to swim

NoRemorse
09-17-09, 10:13 PM
They'll teach you the week before swim qual but I wouldn't call it swimming; think of it more like drown proofing.

In any case since you're months away from shipping learn to swim. It will improve your IST and definetely help you on the runs

USCFIGHTONUSC
09-17-09, 10:33 PM
Hello, I was just wondering how strict is boot camp on swimming? Because unfortunately I can't swim. Will the DI's teach me? Thanks in advance.

They don't hold swimming lessons, but you're gonna be encouraged to try.

Is there some reason you can not learn to swim now?

Life is all about making it easier and here is your chance to do that.

Lisa 23
09-17-09, 10:50 PM
Combat Water Survival – By definition, the Marine Corps is an amphibious assault force. Therefore all Marine recruits are required to know how to survive in the water. Recruits receive basic water survival training at the indoor pool, which is safely conducted by specially trained instructors.
Training in combat water survival develops a recruit's confidence in the water.
All recruits must pass the minimum requirement level of Combat Water Survival-4 (CWS-4), which requires recruits to perform a variety of water survival and swimming techniques. If a recruit meets the CWS-4 requirements, he/she may upgrade to a higher level.

All recruits train in the camouflage utility uniform, but those upgrading may be required to train in full combat gear, which includes a rifle, helmet, flak jacket and pack.

http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/training/index.asp
Under 'Training Matrix', click on Phase I, and the training matrix for that Phase will come up.

ecom
09-18-09, 06:51 AM
Get in the pool now and learn to swim and tread. The better you can learn now, the less you'll suffer later. The minimum you have to do is CWS-4 which is 4 minutes treading, jump off a 10 ft platform, and swim 25m all in cammies without boots.

BIGPLANS09
09-18-09, 07:24 AM
I appreciate the replies Marines. I have a pool in my complex that I've been practicing in. I could never really get the technique for swimming down but I will keep trying.

Melancon
09-18-09, 07:48 AM
As long as you have air in your lungs you will naturally float if you relax. As said before, just learn now so that you can go at your own pace. You won't regret it.

BR34
09-18-09, 08:02 AM
...unless you drown and don't get to go to MCRD.

temarti
09-18-09, 08:07 AM
In the Tampa area there should be a few places to take some basic classes, the Y is a good start. Just getting into the pool is of course the first step, however you can't just teach yourself how to swim unless of course it is an emergency :cool:.

Just relax while in the water, it is better to go prepared and ready for the swim, then go not knowing what to expect. Good Luck!

ecom
09-18-09, 02:45 PM
BTW: When swimming the 25m distance, you can only use elementary back stroke, side stroke, and breast stroke; you cannot use front crawl.

BJKpfaller
09-18-09, 02:46 PM
When I went in (1965) in the first session they tossed everyone in the pool in swimsuits. The ones they had to rescue were determined nonswimmers and had to SUFFER through extra swim classes. That was on top of the regular training. Bottem line learn to swim!!!!
Let me know how you do after you graduate.
S/F
Jack:evilgrin:

NoRemorse
09-18-09, 03:14 PM
...unless you drown and don't get to go to MCRD.

We will of course be blamed for that.

Quinbo
09-18-09, 03:31 PM
Use the hummingbird swim method. That is where you flail around at lightening speed and eventually sink to the bottem.

Relaxation and confidence in the water works. If you need to start on the shallow end so if everything goes to hell you can put your feet on the bottem then so be it. Time and practice works for about any endevour.

SlingerDun
09-18-09, 04:04 PM
I could never really get the technique for swimming down but I will keep trying.I bought a book. Don't remember the title or author but he was a swim coach at Columbia University. Like most people i could freestyle, side stroke it or dog paddle to the end of a pool and back but didn't know how to breathe efficiently and with raw technique gassed out quick enough. After a few weeks study and practice i was swimming continuous laps 25 to 30 minutes every other day and working full time

Besides Amazon many library systems have learn to swim books and video.

Got back into the pool in August trying to cut the weight i packed on from quitting tobacco:cool: now swimming freestyle laps for about 18 minutes as of yesterday, tomorrow it will be 19 then i'll level out somewhere under 1/2 hour so as not to go so long that i get soured and don't enjoy it anymore.

Once you know how to breathe and relax, the struggling part is almost over and you can concentrate on an efficient stroke. After a few thousand correct strokes (that doesn't take long) it becomes muscle memory like riding a bike, gravy.

I extracted a nugget from Michael Phelps' coach the other night when he was training Shaq for his freestyle "contest" against Phelps. He said: drop your head some and it will lift your hips. He did, and appeared to be more buoyant and level in the water. I didn't know that technique.

In my old training book the author said: keep your head up, cutting through the water with your forehead. Well i'm not moving fast enough to cut much of anything so i would rather drop my head a bit and swim with more buoyancy...

Oh, and bananas are great food for a lap swimmer! They just seem to hit the spot.

--->Dave

NoRemorse
09-18-09, 04:16 PM
Yeah, if you're working on your breast stroke you'll find yourself relaxing more and moving faster if you keep your head underwater or mostly underwater during most of your strokes; like you standard 3-6 stroke then breathe cycle.

It's good for acclimatizing yourself to being in the water, floating, having your head under, and holding your breath.

It also relaxes your neck; if you're not holding tension in your neck you're less likely to hold tension throughout the rest of your body. Google the front float or survival float and you can look at videos of people practicing the float... which is actually more important for a beginner than learning how to move.

If you can learn to float with your face submerged you'll learn to relax that much quicker. Keep the air in your abdomen, not your big swelled up chest, don't breathe in too deep because you'll just create more tension and internal pressure and keep a small reserve air pocket in your mouth.

Your survival float should take minimal energy; you can either learn the egg beater or whatever or bastardize the breast stroke and learn to tread water with it. If you start in shallow water it will be harder... which is good.

Once you get to deeper water it's actually easier to tread because there's more water to displace and you can extend your body to its full length. Also remember that if you go under and you've got a breathe in you, odds are you'll eventually start to bob back up to the surface.

The point is to eventually get to where you can float without using your arms.

Ok, look, the simplest thing you can do is get in the water and explore. Take a breath and submerge. Get used to moving underwater and floating on the surface. You can always kick off and grab some more oxygen.

commdog7
09-18-09, 04:19 PM
Will the DI's teach me?

That's 'Drill Instructor' to you. You do not rate to call them DI's.

Rocky C
09-18-09, 04:22 PM
How come noone mention Water Wings to start off. :)

SlingerDun
09-18-09, 04:26 PM
Huh, Water Wings? Is that like Navy T-ball:angel:

Rocky C
09-18-09, 05:45 PM
Huh, Water Wings? Is that like Navy T-ball:angel:

HAHAHAHAHA!!!:D

SlingerDun
09-18-09, 10:46 PM
....Keep the air in your abdomen, not your big swelled up chest, don't breathe in too deep because you'll just create more tension and internal pressure and keep a small reserve air pocket in your mouth...I tried those combined techniques today. It's gonna take some practice but its not like i have much else on my mind when im swimming besides like: what i'm gonna cook for dinner, don't turn and kick off or the walls may cave, can't seem to find goggles that won't fog, gotta check the PH level when i get out etc...

--->Dave

ecom
09-19-09, 12:27 AM
You won't have goggles in boot camp so you may want to get used to that.

I can't tread water very well. The way I managed to pass the tread portion is by inflating my blouse. Button up the sleeves as tight as possible and button up all the front buttons. Hold the front of your blouse with one arm, duck you mouth inside and blow air into it. A bubble will form on in your blouse near your shoulder blades. This bubble will help you float.

SlingerDun
09-19-09, 04:24 PM
I can't tread water very well. The way I managed to pass the tread portion is by inflating my blouse. Button up the sleeves as tight as possible and....Poolee has 16 weeks and a swim tank in his yard, plenty of time to learn the classical strokes and swim like a pro.