Games & Recreation Swimming

[blueboy25]

I'm Grant Hackett

 

[Wallaby]

Canadians look at anyone who can't ice-skate as basically disabled. Probably 90% of Aussies can't.

In Kenya, if you can't out-run the school bus, I think you get exiled from the country.

Most Australians live within an hour or so of the beach - it's only natural many of us learnt how to swim. My missus came from the country (central victoria) - not a wealthy family - no beachy holidays - couldn't swim a stroke and didn't want to. She learnt in the Whitsundays - Reef snorkelling is the best way incentive to learn swimming. TBH, she probably still can't actually swim - but put in the water with some tropical fish, a mask and flippers, and she'll be afloat for hours.

 

[Kram]

One of my mates told me a story that on his way to early morning training, he seen this old bloke looking like he was struggling to get in the water and asked if he needed a hand? 'Nah, nah, I'm bloody alright!!' He reckoned he then sort of slipped into the water with a leg either side of an anti-wave lane rope..

 

[Plugger35]

I can't remember not knowing how to swim. Remember being taken by my mum for swimming lessons prior to starting school and then had lessons at school as well as competing in swimming carnivals. I was never much good apart from breaststroke but could keep myself afloat alright.

Used to go down the beach a lot as a kid too, one my mate's mum was a beach nut that loved to sunbake and would take us down to City Beach with her where we would go body surfing with the occasional dumping, was awesome fun.

I met people in the midwest of the US that had never even been to a beach, I felt sorry for them as that's just unthinkable for anyone from Australia.

 

[Poseidon]

I can swim well enough to not drown in deep waters but I can't swim any stroke for a marathon distance (a marathon distance for me is anything >20m)

 

[CrippsonBlue]

Didn't learn how to swim until my 20's. Meant I was generally pretty scared of the water growing up, although I still partook in water activities regardless. As for why - I just remember when all my other friends could, I couldn't. People probably just assumed I could, and I never told anyone otherwise.

Partner ended up teaching me at the local pool - treading water didn't take long to learn, however the action of breathing while swimming did.

If I needed to save myself, I think I could tread water for several hours at a minimum, and could travel pretty far so long as I took breaks by floating on my back.

Always had a feeling drowning would be the way I would go - maybe that arose from my fear growing up however. Nowadays I'm leaning towards a car accident.

 

[JuddsABlue]

the idea that people can go into water and not stay afloat baffles me

 

[chargers 09]

I swam competitively at a national level from 13-15/16, still had some near drowning experiences while surfing.

 

[chargers 09]

the idea that people can go into water and not stay afloat baffles me

I can't float if i stay still, I know heaps of people I used to swim with who struggle to float. But yeah, I don't understand how someone can't swim it isn't very difficult.

 

[JuddsABlue]

I can't float if i stay still, I know heaps of people I used to swim with who struggle to float. But yeah, I don't understand how someone can't swim it isn't very difficult.

thats like saying I cant walk if I dont move my legs (the rare exeption being floating on your back ie staying still, but who the **** does that and how would it save you? it would keep you up for a period of time but you wouldnt get anywhere)

staying on top of water is basically kicking your legs and moving your arms in a motion that keeps your head up, its first level mechanics. I couldnt imagine a functioning human being not being able to master this in their first 5 seconds in the water. Theres even a saying about it...."sink or swim"

As for distance swimming, that can be harder to master but even a basic person should be able to move forward at a steady pace in water

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Used to go down the beach a lot as a kid too, one my mate's mum was a beach nut that loved to sunbake and would take us down to City Beach with her where we would go body surfing with the occasional dumping, was awesome fun.

Bit rude to the other swimmers for you guys to be shitting in the water

 

[fairdinkum]

the idea that people can go into water and not stay afloat baffles me

I get what you mean but earlier this year I saw a guy who didn't know how to swim in a deep pool and it now makes sense to me how adults can drown. He was Arabian or something in our neighbour's pool and basically, when somebody who is scared of deep water is in deep water, they panic and thrash about like some kind of petrified animal fighting for its life. They stiffen their upper body (esp. their neck) in a futile and counter-productive attempt to keep their mouth above water level. Utterly graceless. It is quite a sight to behold.

Having witnessed that, I can see how people who don't know how to swim can drown so easily. Their panic instincts take over and it is only a matter of time before it is curtains. Not a nice way to go, I reckon.

 

[crazyman27]

Swam competitively when I was younger (stopped when I got to 10/11 but kept doing vacswim). Went for my first swim since then a few months ago and was surprised to find how hard it was. The main thing I noticed was it took awhile to get my breathing right (particularly exhaling when under water). As soon as you tense up your first thought is to get a breath so you lift your head and your breathing gets mucked up. So it's impossible to get into a rhythm. I think that's the beauty of swimming, the more relaxed you are, the better your performance.

 

[BomberFletch31]

I had swimming lessons during primary school, but I'm hardly proficient at swimming. I could probably paddle around a bit and stay afloat, though.

I hate swimming. I would avoid the beach or the pool like the plague. I wouldn't voluntarily do it unless I absolutely have to.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

didnt know how to swim as a kid, did a few lessons but could never get past the mid stages. now i can dog paddle a little while and float and the most i have swam straight is around 30m.

but i reckon if a plane ever crashed into the ocean and i was in it id struggle to swim for long periods at a time.