Another question about swimming

[tiffykinsx3]

Hello Marines, i have posted about swimming before but this is some sort of a different question.
i ship out in less than 7 weeks (45 days to be exact) and i still havent learned how to swim. im pretty terrified of water and when my feet dont touch the ground of a pool...along with diving boards. the only thing thats mentally bothering me for getting ready/pumped for boot is the swimming. plus my recruiter showed us a video of a recruit getting Dropped from his plt for being scared of the water...which makes me even more nervous.
but to get to the point, i have 3 passes (1 hour each) for the YMCA to learn how to swim. i just want advice on what techniques i should learn now before i ship? for instance, should i focus more on the tred water technique or a basic swimming by kicking your feet?

thanks for taking your time out to read this post, i appreciate it.

[Assaultdog0351]

Don't even worry about treading water, that will come natural. Pay that few dollars to get a month membership and go everyday. Start in the shallow end and start with a breast stroke... super easy and it feels natural once you get it. then try the free style (google all these) this is easy as well. if you can do these two strokes, treading water will come natural as you learn to take breaths to make yourself float (don't forget to lean back a little to bring your chest to the surface) once you can get these three things decent.. start to work in the side stroke (once again, google it and practice it on the floor before getting in the water) there is a good video that says you're grabbing the mango from the tree and putting it in the basket. The only way to get good at swimming if you can't already is good old fashioned hard work so don't be shy and don't turn away any advice that other swimmer might give you. feel free to "slightly change" a swim stroke if you feel less resistance doing it your way. HARD WORK AND PRACTICE

[Assaultdog0351]

also, don't beg.. but... some YMCA's will hook it up on the price if you can't afford the regular price

[Zulu 36]

also, don't beg.. but... some YMCA's will hook it up on the price if you can't afford the regular price

You might also explain WHY and they might cut you a big break and get you an instructor. Be totally polite even if they say no to a price break because they might change their mind if you're civil.

[YLDNDN6]

Worst case scenario, you don't learn to swim. At least learn to roll over onto your back and stay afloat on your back by gently waving your arms in the water and using a gentle kicking motion with your hips thrust foreward (don't let your butt drop) and chest pushed to the surface, and your eyes facing straight up or even slightly like you are looking up. Take deep breaths and let them out slowly. As you feel yourself lose bouyancy, inhale deeply and calmly again. As an example to my kids, when I taught them to swim, I was able to tread water (simply stay afloat) in this manner for well over an hour. It has been a while since I was in, but if this is all you could do back then, they passed you. We had a few recruits who couldn't even do this but they learned and were passed. Being afraid of water isn't something you can bring to the Corps with you. Learn to stay alive in it before you go and you should be fine.

[MOS4429]

im pretty terrified of water and when my feet dont touch the ground of a pool...along with diving boards...which makes me even more nervous.
but to get to the point, i have 3 passes (1 hour each) for the YMCA to learn how to swim. i just want advice on what techniques i should learn now before i ship?

Good advice so far.

But zeroing in on your biggest challenge at the moment, it is fear. Before you can learn any stroke, technique, kicking method, you have to get over your fear of water and diving boards. I think the number one reason people drown is they freak, panic, and suck in water.

I am sure you have heard the quote, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself."

I would recommend before you go too far, you need a water familiarization course just to realize there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of when it comes to a pool and water. I sort of went through this when I was about 7 years old. I got in the pool and went around and around the pool holding onto the gutter. Finally I would come to a corner, and sort of push off cutting the corner "hands free" to the wall. Eventually I worked up to letting go of it and became a self-taught swimmer.

The Y is a good place to go. You have 3 free passes. Use them. But I agree with what somebody said about joining the YMCA and getting in the pool every day. You need more then three 1-hour lessons, but it will take at least that to get your confidence to the level that you no longer are afraid. When you go to the pool, just remember that there have been people in your position before, and they got over it. And all those you see doing laps at one point could not swim. I have two daughters who teach swimming lessons at our local Y and another who works in membership. It is true that they may give you a break. The CEO at our local Y is anti-military, so he sort of sucks, but I doubt that is true elsewhere.

If money is an issue, ask for a financial hardship. They have paperwork you can fill out, and be sure to tell them why you are wanting to join and that it will only be for 45 days.

As far as the diving board, same advice. If the person in front of you can jump, so can you. It always looks higher when you are up there than it actually is. Start small, jump off the side, go to a low dive, work your way up. You Y, however, may not have a diving board, but hopefully they do.

Good luck and in short time you'll be swimming like a duck!

[E4O]

The key is being relaxed and using steady movements. People fail because they don't do these things and become fatigue, which leads to panic in the water- something that probably screwed that recruit who failed. You will be in cammies when you swim qual in boot camp and you can blow air into you cammies and float. No treading required.

The basic back stroke is easy for beginners and practice the correct movement when out of the water.

[tiffykinsx3]

thank you all for your responses. the receptionist at the Y gave me those passes because her 2 sons are a Marine & poolee...i plan on going there monday to start some sort of membership. the swim instructor however didnt really care about me leaving soon for boot and didnt want to spot me in his schedule. maybe i can try again - just bring my mom with me this time.
i did try swimming in the pool when i went to the hotel for MEPS everytime... but since they gave curfews i couldnt really practice on my own.

but once again thank you! the greatest advice i've heard.

[thewookie]

Funniest thing I saw at bootcamp was this kid who couldn't swim. They dropped him off the 15' diving board, and all he did was sink and gulp water. Sunk like an anchor. They brought him up after a few and pumped him out, and he was good to go.

He didn't finish training with us, but he lived.

Man, that was funny, thanks for reminding me.

Good luck.

[sempidr]

My bootcamp platoon at MCRD in 64 was half from Calif., and half from the mid-West. We were surprised that half the boys from the mid-West could not swim. The Drill Instructor had a couple of us from Calif. dive in and pull them out. Those guys would try and drown you, they were in such a panic. Most of them got it, finally, but a couple that didn't, disappeared one night. You didn't ask questions, either.

Main thing is to get over the fear, and do your best to relax. Like mentioned before, learn to ay least tread water.

Ever forward,
Sempidr

[E4O]

My bootcamp platoon at MCRD in 64 was half from Calif., and half from the mid-West. We were surprised that half the boys from the mid-West could not swim. The Drill Instructor had a couple of us from Calif. dive in and pull them out. Those guys would try and drown you, they were in such a panic. Most of them got it, finally, but a couple that didn't, disappeared one night. You didn't ask questions, either.

Main thing is to get over the fear, and do your best to relax. Like mentioned before, learn to ay least tread water.

Ever forward,
Sempidr

Now a days, if they are panicking, it's better to either through a line in for them or let them go unconscious in the water. That's how one of the USMC swim instructors taught us.

[MOS4429]

Funniest thing I saw at bootcamp was this kid who couldn't swim. They dropped him off the 15' diving board, and all he did was sink and gulp water. Sunk like an anchor. They brought him up after a few and pumped him out, and he was good to go.

He didn't finish training with us, but he lived.

Man, that was funny, thanks for reminding me.

Good luck.

I was one of those who did not float. When they taught you to lie on your back, arms out and float, I sunk. During final qual, it was a pain, and they would entice you to take their hand or line and get out thus fail. I figured just had to hang on for 5 min so don't panic. Didn't qual first class but qualed.

[MOS4429]

thank you all for your responses. the receptionist at the Y gave me those passes because her 2 sons are a Marine & poolee...i plan on going there monday to start some sort of membership. the swim instructor however didnt really care about me leaving soon for boot and didnt want to spot me in his schedule. maybe i can try again - just bring my mom with me this time.
i did try swimming in the pool when i went to the hotel for MEPS everytime... but since they gave curfews i couldnt really practice on my own.

but once again thank you! the greatest advice i've heard.

Having your mom go is a good idea.

If the person giving the swim lessons is less than enthusiastic, ask to speak to the Aquatics Director. Most Y's have them. Let the Aquatics Director know your situation, see if they can refer you to someone who can assist. Sometimes there are people who will give lessons but are not the regularly employed staff.

If the Aquatics Director is not helpful or they don't have one, you can ask to speak to the CEO of your local Y. There must be one that can assist.

Sounds weird, but the way I learned to swim was watching those who could swim well, and then trying to mimic what they did.