Water Con (Underwaters)

[Chrich]

I have a question for any current CCT's regarding underwaters: do you start by pushing off the wall or at the first "hash" mark?
I am currently training with a special operations pre-candidate group in my city at a university and have a few friends going STO and one will be leaving at the end of the semester for selection. My friend that is leaving for selection soon has all of us starting from the hash mark as this is how underwaters are done for CCT selection to the best of his knowledge. This is from a credible source he has. He admits, though, that the information he was given is not as recent as he'd like it to be so it might have changed since his source has gone through selection. I'm just curious if any CCT's that have gone through selection in the past few years would have the answer. In the meantime, I'm going to continue starting at the hash mark.

Thank you for your time. If more clarification is needed, I will be glad to explain more in depth.

 

[amlove21]

I have a question for any current CCT's regarding underwaters: do you start by pushing off the wall or at the first "hash" mark?
I am currently training with a special operations pre-candidate group in my city at a university and have a few friends going STO and one will be leaving at the end of the semester for selection. My friend that is leaving for selection soon has all of us starting from the hash mark as this is how underwaters are done for CCT selection to the best of his knowledge. This is from a credible source he has. He admits, though, that the information he was given is not as recent as he'd like it to be so it might have changed since his source has gone through selection. I'm just curious if any CCT's that have gone through selection in the past few years would have the answer. In the meantime, I'm going to continue starting at the hash mark.

Thank you for your time. If more clarification is needed, I will be glad to explain more in depth.

I can reach out to a couple guys at the Combt Control Orientation Course, but usually the underwaters are started at the wall with a push off.

The hash mark is a fine place for training, it eliminates a solid 8-10 meters you get from a solid push and streamline, so no issues there. I will try and track down the most recent right answer for you.

 

[Chrich]

Greatly appreciated @amlove21

 

[Freeway]

Do CCT complete 50 meters in selection?

 

[Teufel]

50 meters underwater is a beast. I have the breath hold of a gerbil. I passed my 50 meter at dive school when I hit the wall unconscious. Not ideal.

 

[Freeway]

50 meters underwater is a beast. I have the breath hold of a gerbil. I passed my 50 meter at dive school when I hit the wall unconscious. Not ideal.

Do your body give you any signs before you blackout? What's the whole thing like.

 

[DocIllinois]

I went unconscious in high school after deciding to turn and try for 60 when I made it to the wall.

Warning signs were few in my case. The sound of the water going past stopped, next thing I recall is the swim coach turning me onto my side next to the pool.

 

[CrimsonWave]

Also a good sign of expecting shallow water blackout is either the sensation that your about to piss yourself or having a metallic taste in your mouth. I usually start getting the feeling when I'm on my 7th or 8th underwater 25m intervals. now I am no doctor or rocket surgeon by any means but this is just what I've been told by a flight Doc and what I've experienced but I've never had an actual SWB.

 

[thisisjake]

I never felt 50m was all that hard. The hardest 50m I've done was trying to do it 5 minutes after already doing a 50m. I thought I had recovered enough. When I finished my lips were dark blue and I was doing the samba.

I think most people rush their strokes which burns your oxygen faster. If you watch any good free diver they are doing slow smooth strokes. In my opinion slowing down even just a bit always helps.

 

[Towelthief]

Do CCT complete 50 meters in selection?

No you will not do 50M in selection. Just a lot of 25m at 1:30-1:45 intervals. You will be given the opportunity for 50m at ATC school, depending on how far you get you got to use certain gear on a fin.

And at Dive.

About SWB.....my vision would get narrower, but I never got to the point of really blacking out....they say its relaxing.

 

[CrimsonWave]

I've been told its great for your brain.... you know kind of gets rid of those annoying brain cells you have floating around up there...

 

[Freeway]

I really want to get better at underwaters, I'm inconsistent at any breath-holding activities. Some days I can hold my breath past 2 minutes, others I struggle to hold it for a minute.

On some underwaters I go into a zin like state, and coast through the with no stress, or desperate need to catch my breath. On others I feel the need to breathe almost 15 meters in. I sometimes break pace, and rush to the wall.

Are there any good techniques, presubmerge breathing patterns, or something to help.

I also feel like flutter kicks are more effecient, and less awkward than dolphin kicks. I don't know I'm just awkward underwater.

 

[CrimsonWave]

what you need to do is a breath hold interval workout, it takes place while lying down on your bed or flat surface at a relaxed states its a 4 week workout.... getting better at breath holds don't happen in the pool they start outside of it and don't get me wrong they get better with time and constant pool work but the basics and lung capacity strength start outside of it. let me see if I can find my breath hold plan that used when I was first starting out with training. you also need to look up the keyhole stroke for under water movement.

 

[thisisjake]

The breaststroke kick is the most efficient and powerful for swimming like this. Breath holding is more of a mind control thing than anything. When I started training underwaters I watched so many videos on freediving because they truly are the experts.
This guy does 100m in 8 strokes.

This guy sets a world record at 244m. All this takes lots of training but they go to show you that you are capable of more than you think. This guy seems barely out of breath when he finishes which is crazy.

 

[Freeway]

what you need to do is a breath hold interval workout, it takes place while lying down on your bed or flat surface at a relaxed states its a 4 week workout.... getting better at breath holds don't happen in the pool they start outside of it and don't get me wrong they get better with time and constant pool work but the basics and lung capacity strength start outside of it. let me see if I can find my breath hold plan that used when I was first starting out with training. you also need to look up the keyhole stroke for under water movement.

Thanks I'll greatly appreciate the workout plan.

 

[CrimsonWave]

That's absolutely correct staying relaxed with a low heart rate and keeping cool and calm is key with as little extra movements as you can.

 

[standbycontact]

These videos show you the proper technique for underwaters. I used to come up on the other end gasping for air and now I'm coming up a lot more relaxed.

 

[Towelthief]

I really want to get better at underwaters, I'm inconsistent at any breath-holding activities. Some days I can hold my breath past 2 minutes, others I struggle to hold it for a minute.

On some underwaters I go into a zin like state, and coast through the with no stress, or desperate need to catch my breath. On others I feel the need to breathe almost 15 meters in. I sometimes break pace, and rush to the wall.

Are there any good techniques, presubmerge breathing patterns, or something to help.

I also feel like flutter kicks are more effecient, and less awkward than dolphin kicks. I don't know I'm just awkward underwater.

Just breathe in through the nose out through the mouth....trying to breathe all your air out and suck in as much as possible right before the start is not the way to go....its all about relaxing and being focused.

Get a good kick off the wall and just keyhole and breaststroke kick like the videos show.

Eventually after a few intervals you will start to guppy at the end or middle of the 25m...you still have 30-60seconds worth of air in you before the possibility of a shallow water blackout.

Definitely want to stay relaxed though because the sharks can see fear lol

 

[Teufel]

Do your body give you any signs before you blackout? What's the whole thing like.

I went to dive school right after I got back from Afghanistan so I didn't have much time in the water. I came ready to do a 25m and they told me all students needed to do a 50m (no push off) or go home. I've done lots of 25m cross overs but I had never done a 50m. I had a hard time keeping my heart rate down since I was rightfully concerned about passing the evolution and I started getting tunnel vision around 40m.

The world started to close in around me and I saw Jesus in front of me like with giant eagles wings, and singin' lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd with like an angel band and I was in the front row hammered drunk. It was glorious. Then I woke up with an O2 mask on my face. I hit the wall though (with my head) so I passed. The end.

 

[AWP]

I hit the wall though (with my head) so I passed. The end.

Between this, your freefall nap, and whatever else we don't know or have forgotten...what are you going to do the day something goes right for a change?