Looking for critique

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ball N' Chain

Infantry
Verified Military
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Messages
196
Location
Hawaii
Hey guys, I am looking for some critique on my underwater swimming if possible. The video doesn't show the whole process, but I will get a better video from underwater this week.
From what you see, what can I improve on?

 
This is just my advice from being in the pipeline so far. Try to glide a little longer between strokes, especially the first one. Look straight down the whole time. Some guys flutter kicks, but saves energy to learn to have one big stroke and glide it out without ever kicking to conserve energy, really comes in handy for ten ups.
 
This is just my advice from being in the pipeline so far. Try to glide a little longer between strokes, especially the first one. Look straight down the whole time. Some guys flutter kicks, but saves energy to learn to have one big stroke and glide it out without ever kicking to conserve energy, really comes in handy for ten ups.

Should I kick and pull with my arms at the same time to get a longer streamline? Also, what are ten ups?

Appreciate your feedback.
 
I've got nothing. I never passed the swim portion of the assessment for 160th, and when they took me anyway, I never tried it again.
 
This is a good place to find that kind of assistance. I wish you luck.
 
Should I kick and pull with my arms at the same time to get a longer streamline? Also, what are ten ups?

Appreciate your feedback.
Just study some keyhole strokes off YouTube honestly, strong push and glide till you almost stop, do the leg kick movement to bring your arms up and continue momentum and repeat. I aimed for a 4-5 strokes for 25 underwater.

Ten ups are the going be one of the more enjoyable moments...
 
Just study some keyhole strokes off YouTube honestly, strong push and glide till you almost stop, do the leg kick movement to bring your arms up and continue momentum and repeat. I aimed for a 4-5 strokes for 25 underwater.

Ten ups are the going be one of the more enjoyable moments...

Thanks for the advice. 4-5 strokes for 25m seems comfortable. I will start shooting for those numbers.
 
Not sure where you are in FL but since you're there and are interested in improving your technique and overall prep for potential indoc, check into: www.sfta.us

Col Stocker and his team have BTDT; straight up legit guys that can help you on your path.
 
Not sure where you are in FL but since you're there and are interested in improving your technique and overall prep for potential indoc, check into: www.sfta.us

Col Stocker and his team have BTDT; straight up legit guys that can help you on your path.

95 miles from there, and I will give strong consideration to making that trip a handful of times to get some knowledge. That aquatic training looks awesome, thank you very much. Water confidence on Thursdays!
 
The key to cross overs is to lower your heart rate as much as possible and stay calm.

I have trouble with slight panic in my body. At this point in time I am only doing 25 yards just because I am trying to stay safe with limited over watch on my side. But even at 25 yards, 3/4 of the way my diaphragm starts to spasm and I my heart takes off because my body panics. I force myself to finish anyway, and I hope soon the panic will go away.

Have any advice on how to control the spasms?
 
I have trouble with slight panic in my body. At this point in time I am only doing 25 yards just because I am trying to stay safe with limited over watch on my side. But even at 25 yards, 3/4 of the way my diaphragm starts to spasm and I my heart takes off because my body panics. I force myself to finish anyway, and I hope soon the panic will go away.

Have any advice on how to control the spasms?
Just keep doing cross overs
 
I'm currently getting ready to ship to BMT and head into the CCT pipeline, I have been doing lots of water con prep so hopefully some of this is of use to you, most all of what I'm saying here is straight from the mouth of the spec ops developer I've been working with or from my buddies in AFSOC who have been helping me with my training:

- After pushing off the wall, and after each keyhole stroke, wait until you are essentially at a dead stop before doing a frog kick/recovering. Lots of people waste forward momentum by getting impatient, which in turn wastes oxygen on unneeded movements. This especially gets harder by stroke 3-4 I find.

- 4 to 5 strokes is a good goal, watch youtube videos of people shooting for world records on underwater swims, you'll see they're usually at 3, and they're incredibly efficient.

- Your kicks look a little frantic, definitely using up precious oxygen, I would work on either 1 or 2 solid dolphin kicks after your keyhole, or learn to do without kicks altogether if you can.

- Do breath hold exercises to get your body used to being hypoxic (there are many exercises listed online to try out)

- Box breathing and one/two breathing will help you regulate your heart rate as best as possible during tests and events (look up Mark Divine on youtube)

- Do multiple underwaters with set rest periods in between (start with say 2min), use the 2 min to one/two breathe, and then go on the 2 min mark, get used to repeating this many times.

- If you are getting ready to take the PAST then this may very well be something to take note of: Get to the point where you are able to do your underwater, touch the crack of the pool, turn around and kick back off the wall before surfacing. Most pools are 25yrds, not 25m... When I took the PAST I was surprised to find out I had to do the underwater, turn around, kick off the wall, and swim a short distance before surfacing. I had to do that for the first time, on test day, after a recruiter got me there late and I literally had to jump right into the pool and "GO!". It wasn't a huge deal, but also it wasn't fun having that extra surprise thrown in right before my PAST.


Hope that is of some help to you,
 
I'm currently getting ready to ship to BMT and head into the CCT pipeline, I have been doing lots of water con prep so hopefully some of this is of use to you, most all of what I'm saying here is straight from the mouth of the spec ops developer I've been working with or from my buddies in AFSOC who have been helping me with my training:

- After pushing off the wall, and after each keyhole stroke, wait until you are essentially at a dead stop before doing a frog kick/recovering. Lots of people waste forward momentum by getting impatient, which in turn wastes oxygen on unneeded movements. This especially gets harder by stroke 3-4 I find.

- 4 to 5 strokes is a good goal, watch youtube videos of people shooting for world records on underwater swims, you'll see they're usually at 3, and they're incredibly efficient.

- Your kicks look a little frantic, definitely using up precious oxygen, I would work on either 1 or 2 solid dolphin kicks after your keyhole, or learn to do without kicks altogether if you can.

- Do breath hold exercises to get your body used to being hypoxic (there are many exercises listed online to try out)

- Box breathing and one/two breathing will help you regulate your heart rate as best as possible during tests and events (look up Mark Divine on youtube)

- Do multiple underwaters with set rest periods in between (start with say 2min), use the 2 min to one/two breathe, and then go on the 2 min mark, get used to repeating this many times.

- If you are getting ready to take the PAST then this may very well be something to take note of: Get to the point where you are able to do your underwater, touch the crack of the pool, turn around and kick back off the wall before surfacing. Most pools are 25yrds, not 25m... When I took the PAST I was surprised to find out I had to do the underwater, turn around, kick off the wall, and swim a short distance before surfacing. I had to do that for the first time, on test day, after a recruiter got me there late and I literally had to jump right into the pool and "GO!". It wasn't a huge deal, but also it wasn't fun having that extra surprise thrown in right before my PAST.


Hope that is of some help to you,


This is extremely helpful and informative. Since I posted this, I took the feedback I got and put it to use. Just in the past few days I've gone from barley swimming 25 yards underwater to hitting 25 meters, not with ease but not terribly exhausting.

I took another video of me doing a 25 yard, hit the wall, and go halfway back, check it out on YouTube. Same account I posted first one from.

Sadly my form is pretty terrible and I do waste a ton of oxygen with excess movementioned, as well as I don't get the best streamline due to my body placement. I am going to do a class with a coach to fix my techniques a bit, but thats a week away, so I will definitely take ALL of your advice and implement it today at the pool.

Thank you again, and best of luck in your pipeline!
 
Do some reading on free diving. I got some good info through that as far as increasing underwater time. Honestly, though, nitro pretty much nailed it
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top