I can't swim

I'm an adult male and, no matter how much I've tried (granted, it wasn't much), I can't learn to float.

I was almost drowned by my babysitter when I was a kid. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Body density plays a part. I could swim, but can't float. Some competitive swimmers can't float.

Air can make you buoyant. If you suck in air to stay afloat and then rhythmically inhale and exhale to stay up in a float, it's not too bad >_> That's how I do it

NeonPhoenix posted...

Air can make you buoyant. If you suck in air to stay afloat and then rhythmically inhale and exhale to stay up in a float, it's not too bad >_> That's how I do it

I've tried sucking in air and jumping in a pool. I still sink. I have no idea what's wrong with me.

Well at least now you can eat a devil fruit and it won't affect you as negatively

Just put your arms out and lay on your back. Floating in water is easy.

So I've been thinking about Titanic (Jack sinking).

You need to move your legs (have energy) to float, right?

I think I can do my top half correctly, but don't know what to do with my legs.

Help me, floaty ones.

I can but not expertly. I actually had a near death drowning experience once since my brother who is bigger than me, started having a panic attack in the deep end of a pool. I tried to save him but he overpowered me and I was unwillingly drinking pool water. If others didn't jump in to save him, he probably would have killed me first before him inevitably drowning too.

i can swim pretty good, but i can't float for shit
not laying on my back

i can float if i lay face down, but that could be a problem long term

I'm an excellent swimmer. It helped my grandparents had their own pool when I was growing up. I was in that thing from diaper age on. I was a little fish by 5 years old and my grandpa even taught my to open my eyes underwater and to see from a young age too.

But man oh man was it surprising when I joined the Navy and we had "swim test" day and we had to jump off a high dive into a pool and then swim laps. I was shocked at how many people couldn't swim, were too afraid to jump off the high dive and they were joining the NAVY to spend time on the ocean lol. Like WTF.

I never laughed so hard as watching the instructors give them a "This is Sparta!" kick off the diving board. Things were different 35 years ago, they probably can't get away with that now. I also remember punching a kid in the face who was freaking out and kept trying to grab me and was starting to drag me down. There was like 100 of us in the pool and it was kind of chaotic with a number of people freaking out and they had told us if someone grabbed us and wouldn't let go to punch them away so they didn't drown us. So I did.

But where I'm from it was seriously strange to not know how to swim. Like we literally had swimming in junior high in 7th and 8th grade. Our school had its own big ass like olympic pool and I'm in bumfuck Iowa in the Midwest. I was already a great swimmer by then but for those that weren't we had an entire semester of swim lessons that taught strokes, diving, treading water, survival float, everything. I wasn't aware other people grew up not having swimming in school.

Plus besides my grandparents we spent every summer as kids at a public pool. Like all day every day. That is what we did for like the entirely of 3rd grade through 8th grade summer.

OmniNakago posted...

So I've been thinking about Titanic (Jack sinking).

You need to move your legs (have energy) to float, right?

I think I can do my top half correctly, but don't know what to do with my legs.

Yeah, definitely get your legs involved. Keep kicking them. Like you're kicking the water away from you. Maybe get a kickboard to help you stay afloat while you get a feel for it.

OmniNakago posted...

I've tried sucking in air and jumping in a pool . I still sink. I have no idea what's wrong with me.

Umm...

I used to swim pretty well when I was in middle school. I hadn't swam again in a very long time, and when I went on a hiking trip that had a lake, I tried to swim and started sinking with every stroke. I managed to frog-paddle underwater until I reached shore a short distance away, but that experience was frightening.

I thought swimming was like riding a bike; you never really forget how to do it. But I did. I haven't been swimming again since.

bloodyarts posted...

I used to swim pretty well when I was in middle school. I hadn't swam again in a very long time, and when I went on a hiking trip that had a lake, I tried to swim and started sinking with every stroke. I managed to frog-paddle underwater until I reached shore a short distance away, but that experience was frightening.

I thought swimming was like riding a bike; you never really forget how to do it. But I did. I haven't been swimming again since.

That's weird. Did you get really skinny or really muscular since middle school? I can understand never learning how to swim, but forgetting how entirely seems wild to me.

Wait... There are people that float ? I thought everyone sunk if they weren't actively swimming?

= O

Try a dead mans float. I find it easier than trying to float on my back. For back you need to know how to balance yourself. But anyone can dead mans float.

...Today I learned that some people cant just..float?

Seems so odd to me. Granted, I grew up on the coast, but still. The trick is to just relax. Any tensing tends to throw you off. You just relax and lie back.

Unless TC is mistaking floating with treading water? Which is a different thing.

You need to keep your arms and legs moving at all times by pushing down on the water by moving your arms horizontally in oval shapes and scissor kicking the water while pushing your chest up

or you can synchronize all of that to boost yourself up just above the water

to float on your back you just need to make sure your chin and belly are close to the surface.. the more horizontal your body is to the floor, the better. Stretch out your arms and use them to keep you moving.

Keep holding in your breath

Bottom legs are the key!

Y'all, thank you. I don't think I'll die.

Neither do I

Hambo posted...

That's weird. Did you get really skinny or really muscular since middle school? I can understand never learning how to swim, but forgetting how entirely seems wild to me.

I took up boxing from age 16-20, so I did put on some muscle, but I was still lean. I'm a whole dad-bod now in my advanced age, so I wonder if I might swim a little better nowadays..?

Why did I get modded for any of this? If

OmniNakago posted...

Bottom legs are the key!

Y'all, thank you. I don't think I'll die.

Yeah, the appendages are what keep you level.

Then some people just float better than others, but for most keeping a lungful of air will make you close enough to buoyant.

https://youtube.com/shorts/pZUWzDC1kMM?si=EqcwVCXTg-rGPeO4

OmniNakago posted...

I'm an adult male and, no matter how much I've tried (granted, it wasn't much), I can't learn to float.

I was almost drowned by my babysitter when I was a kid. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Did you have mandatory swim classes in middle school gym?

Well, one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is floating is easier in salt water. Pools may be a kontrolled environment, but yeah, they're also easier to sink in.

The_Korey posted...

Well, one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is floating is easier in salt water. Pools may be a kontrolled environment, but yeah, they're also easier to sink in.

Why is salt water much easier?

Take swimming lessons if it's that bad lol

OmniNakago posted...

Why did I get modded for any of this? If

You did?

Smallville posted...

Why is salt water much easier?

I dunno, science or some shit?
Here's something for ya. the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan salt kontent is so high, it's nearly impossible for a human to sink in it.

The_Korey posted...

I dunno, science or some shit?
Here's something for ya. the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan salt kontent is so high, it's nearly impossible for a human to sink in it.

Holy shit.

It's also very ill advised to swim in it for more than 15 or 20 minutes, so don't get any krazy ideas.

Salt water has more buoyancy than fresh water.

Personally, I think that swimming is much easier than floating, so don't let that stop you

Then again, follow basic rules and you should be fine. Grab som rocks and go nuts.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gMAzbBVLrZk