Poll: Do you know how to swim?

[ForumMaster]

well i have and am swimming 3 times a week for the past year. so i think i know how to swim. we'll see next time.

 

[neutralizer]

I know how to swim. Initially, my dad taught me, but I took a few classes to get some technique or something. My mom doesn't know how to swim though although I think she should just because it's an essential life skill.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: saymyname
I've gone scuba diving a few times and people have showed up who couldn't swim. Each time they were sent home to mull over how retarded they were to even consider it.

Once though this French lady did go. Her daughter was an instructor so she babysat her under water. It was really pathetic.

What's retarded about it? Granted, one of the things you have to do before you're certified in Scuba is to swim... I forget how far in how much time...

But, after that, once you actually start Scuba diving, you never really need to swim. (I wouldn't consider controlling your pfd and breathing such that you're neutrally buoyant, or bobbing on the surface like a cork, and using your flippers to propel yourself forward the same as swimming in the sense of what you need to do if someone drops you in the middle of a lake.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
Nope. I'd love to figure out how to, but after years of lessons, I still haven't got the *slightest* idea. I sink like a rock.

Years of lessons???! and you still can't swim?? uhhhhhhhhhh...

 

[saymyname]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: saymyname
I've gone scuba diving a few times and people have showed up who couldn't swim. Each time they were sent home to mull over how retarded they were to even consider it.

Once though this French lady did go. Her daughter was an instructor so she babysat her under water. It was really pathetic.

What's retarded about it? Granted, one of the things you have to do before you're certified in Scuba is to swim... I forget how far in how much time...

But, after that, once you actually start Scuba diving, you never really need to swim. (I wouldn't consider controlling your pfd and breathing such that you're neutrally buoyant, or bobbing on the surface like a cork, and using your flippers to propel yourself forward the same as swimming in the sense of what you need to do if someone drops you in the middle of a lake.

You need to be able to swim. It's the only safe way to scuba dive. You could get someone killed. People that can't swim can't keep their composure in water. I have a friend who can't swim and we were out jet skiing once. He of course didn't tell me that he couldn't swim until we ran out of gas and I had to give him my life jacket to keep him from drowning while I treaded water. The French lady looked like a wet cat and was completely panick stricken. I would never scuba dive with someone who was relying solely on the BCD. What if there's an emergency? Do you think they can cope with both the emergency and not being able to swim? I've had a BCD fail on me once. It was during a night dive to make matters worse. Try inflating a broken BCD under water.

 

[BW86]

Yes, I've been swimming for my entire life.

i grew up with a boat and a canal in my backyard so I kind of had to know.

 

[siameseplease]

yes.

 

[paulney]

Yep. Breaststroke (best of all), backstroke and crawl (I need to work on my breathing)
I don't know how to do butterfly

 

[mordantmonkey]

butterfly is about the only thing i can't do. useless stroke anyway.
sidestroke is probably the one i like the best. it's oddly relaxing.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
Nope. I'd love to figure out how to, but after years of lessons, I still haven't got the *slightest* idea. I sink like a rock.

Years of lessons???! and you still can't swim?? uhhhhhhhhhh...

Yep. I took swimming lessons from ages 4 - 9, IIRC. I could never get the hang of it.

 

[Babbles]

I learned when I was seven, I think. I am not a great swimmer by any stretch of the imagination, but I can hold my own. When I was a kid I was in Boy Scouts and through that I learned just about every stroke and how to stay afloat for a long time.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: paulney
Yep. Breaststroke (best of all), backstroke and crawl (I need to work on my breathing)
I don't know how to do butterfly

I can kind of do butterfly but that is the one stroke I despise. Both my brother and sister were on the swimteam so they were good at it. I never wanted to join the swimteam despite being really good at the breaststroke.

I remember when I lived in Michigan, taking a swim class was required at the Jr. High level. I didn't really need it but it was good to see the girls in their bathing suits!

 

[Buck Armstrong]

Yes. My dad started teaching me when I was 3. He'd toss coins or action figures into the pool and make me go get them. My mom, who used to swim in college, then took me to a YMCA class when I was 4, and thereafter proceeded to teach me the breast, back, side, and butterfly strokes. We always had pools when I was a kid, and we spent alot of time at the beach and the lake, so it was just natural.

Now I'm trying to teach my 4yo daughter how to swim in my pool. The circle is now complete.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: saymyname

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: saymyname
I've gone scuba diving a few times and people have showed up who couldn't swim. Each time they were sent home to mull over how retarded they were to even consider it.

Once though this French lady did go. Her daughter was an instructor so she babysat her under water. It was really pathetic.

What's retarded about it? Granted, one of the things you have to do before you're certified in Scuba is to swim... I forget how far in how much time...

But, after that, once you actually start Scuba diving, you never really need to swim. (I wouldn't consider controlling your pfd and breathing such that you're neutrally buoyant, or bobbing on the surface like a cork, and using your flippers to propel yourself forward the same as swimming in the sense of what you need to do if someone drops you in the middle of a lake.

You need to be able to swim. It's the only safe way to scuba dive. You could get someone killed. People that can't swim can't keep their composure in water. I have a friend who can't swim and we were out jet skiing once. He of course didn't tell me that he couldn't swim until we ran out of gas and I had to give him my life jacket to keep him from drowning while I treaded water. The French lady looked like a wet cat and was completely panick stricken. I would never scuba dive with someone who was relying solely on the BCD. What if there's an emergency? Do you think they can cope with both the emergency and not being able to swim? I've had a BCD fail on me once. It was during a night dive to make matters worse. Try inflating a broken BCD under water.

No, you don't need to be able to swim. The inability to swim doesn't mean a fear of the water. I'm sure I could find a lot of people who could "swim" underwater in a 3 or 4 foot deep water, but who had never learned how to swim on top for a long duration without touching the bottom. These people could easily learn Scuba.

Furthermore, to take someone jet-skiing and NOT require them to wear a life jacket?! That's one of the most irresponsible things I've ever heard. (Isn't a life jacket mandatory while jet skiing??)

And, what do you mean by the BCD failed? Do you mean the automatic inflator where you push the little button? I'm guessing so, since you're implying that you still tried to inflate the BCD. I don't know about your Scuba training, but filling it underwater should be something that you can do routinely, not something you struggle with.

 

[Peetoeng]

Yes, but not properly. When I do freestyle, my leg would sink. So, I do my freestyle with my legs kicking like in breast stroke.

Nevertheless, I managed to pass scuba dive 300-yard swim test.

 

[SirStev0]

def a skill that should be taught

 

[GML3G0]

Butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle. So, yea...

 

[Mo0o]

I only dont know butterfly

 

[Daishiki]

freestyle, backstroke, breakstroke

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Anubis
yes i started learning when i was 3

i grew up not 50 feet from the ocean so i kinda had to know how to

Lucky dog!

 

[bhanson]

I don't think I've been in a pool/ocean/lake for 10 years.

No, I don't swim, I avoid it like the plague.

 

[cjmtfd102401]

Yep I can swim, I learned when I was around 8. I have tried to teach ni4ni how but it a lost cause.

 

[Schwan]

Yes

 

[secretanchitman]

was on the YMCA swim team for 6 years (got 3rd in "state"). i can do all the strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly), but i just cant freaking DIVE worth beans.

really, thats it.

but swimming is easy to get the hang of.

 

[kogase]

I can swim, but I only do it once or twice a year. I feel very sore after doing it too.