Questions about swimming

[biggiy05]

This is a mix of ironic, sad and funny. More sad than anything lol.

In two months time I'll have a full release in hand from my doctor and I'll be a volunteer firefighter/Emt-Basic at the fire department down the road from me. They are literally just over a thousand feet from Alum Creek reservoir. It's a very busy area in the summer and fall time. So of course that means there's water rescues to be made.

Here's the ironic and sad part of it. I'm not that great of a swimmer. By that I mean I'm terrible. I'm going to working out of a fire dept that bought a new boat because they are spending so much in the water when the weather is nice.

Since everyone knows we can find anything on the internet I'm asking you guys and gals. I have access to a decent sized pool with a deep end of 8ft. Does anyone have tips or suggestions I can try soon as the weather breaks?

 

[snowgyre]

Play Marco Polo with kids. After getting caught for the gazillionth time you'll be too frustrated to think about if you're doing things right or wrong and just go with the flow. ;-)

Seriously, it just takes practice and confidence in yourself. Holding your breath even while at the surface improves your buoyancy, so it'll help you tread water more easily. Also, don't fall into the bad habit of holding your nose when you go underwater. Blowing bubbles through your nostrils works just as good at keeping the water out and leaves both of your hands free for swimming.

If you're going to dive deep (>6 feet), be sure to equalize the pressure in your ears. I do this by pinching my nose shut at the surface and the blowing air into my head with my mouth shut. It sounds weird, but when you go underwater you should feel your eardrums pop a bit if you're doing it right. If your ears start hurting during a dive, don't go any deeper. Go back to the surface and try to equalize again. You need to continue equalizing all the way down until you get at depth, then you're good. Your ears will equalize themselves on the way back up.

All it takes is practice, practice, practice! Set yourself a series of challenges, like throwing coins progressively deeper in the pool and retrieving them. You'll get good at it at no time. You also should strive to use the least amount of movement possible to maintain a position. It'll save you energy, especially during water rescues.

 

[biggiy05]

You also should strive to use the least amount of movement possible to maintain a position. It'll save you energy, especially during water rescues.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a handful of nieces and nephews. I have my niece and nephew during the week and I'm sure I could steal them for a day and go to the pool.

I'll be taking a water rescue course next Spring/Summer depending on my paramedic training. I'll be taking a cold water rescue course first. I have a busy summer ahead of me.:main_thumbsup:

 

[Mel&Keith]

All I have to say is good luck! I have a water phobia and still can't swim after taking swimming lessons at 4 separate points in my life. I commend you for wanting to get better at it as an adult, I wouldn't have the courage.

 

[Nubster]

Go to the local pool and see when they offer swim classes. You'll be surprised how many older people are poor swimmers. I am on my local FD dive and swiftwater team and I can tell you from experience, you better be a great swimmer to do the job. It isn't hard to learn though, you just gotta want it. Sounds like you have a great plan for yourself and I doubt you would have any troubles.

I figured I would throw these pics in just for the heck of it...

Here I am gearing up for a cold water training dive and yeah, that is snow...

And here I am mopping up after a mobile home fire...

And here I am almost biting the big one after the second floor of a local market flashed over while I was in front of the window..

Good luck with your FF endeavors, you'll love it.

 

[biggiy05]

I am on my local FD dive and swiftwater team and I can tell you from experience, you better be a great swimmer to do the job. It isn't hard to learn though, you just gotta want it. Sounds like you have a great plan for yourself and I doubt you would have any troubles.

Good luck with your FF endeavors, you'll love it.

Yeah one of my neighboring FD's has a certified rescue dive team. It's something I've always been interested in since moving here. The good thing is that once I get better at swimming I can practice as much as I want in my gym's pool. I think I'll go there after cold water rescue just to warm up.

I've loved every second of the trip so far.

 

[temec]

honesty... just hop in the pool and swim laps... do it as much as possible for as long as possible... you will eventually pick up on it and become better