Swimming at USAFA?

AVT

USAFA 2015
10-Year Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
372
How important is swimming at the Air Force Academy and later the Air Force?
I am a very weak swimmer, and I'm taking lessons at the moment to get better.

Also, does anyone have any experience with the "basic" swim courses that supplement the regular courses?
 
In short, swimming is extremely important at USAFA as there are two swimming classes (swimming and water haze) that all are required to pass. Practice swimming, underwater swimming (including keeping eyes open for long durations without goggles), jumping off the 5 and 10 meter, side stroke, back stroke, etc.
 
Swimming and Water Haze are required classes. You don't have to be a strong swimmer, but you do NOT want to be weak enough to be placed in basic swimming (it's twice as long...)

Basic water haze, is the same length though. I got lucky. I almost failed regular swimming and was put in basic water haze. Only 16 lessons total!
 
Soo, say that I've never had swimming lessons, but can swim a little. Will it be okay, and I'll just have to take the twice as long basic class?
 
Soo, say that I've never had swimming lessons, but can swim a little. Will it be okay, and I'll just have to take the twice as long basic class?

I think swimming is a required PE class. You will probably be sorted into the group that can't swim 'right', given lessons and forced practice and will have tests to pass along the way to get your eventual midterm and final PE class grades. That's how I intpret what I've been told anyway...You don't have to swim to get through BCT. I'd focus on that part of the fitness regime a lot harder. pushups, leg raises, butterfly kicks ad nauseum, etc...
 
take lessons and swim 1 or 2x a week for a workout. the best way to get better at swimming is to swim!! during your workout practice all your strokes. you tube has a ton of of videos that show the experts swimming and info on techniques. use that to help you get better.
 
Bottom line is the USAFA swimming class was not designed to teach someone how to swim. It's a test to see if you can pass the standards. Learn how to swim now or prepare to deal with some crap (trying to learn how to swim well in 16 days.)
 
what does the test consist of initially...

to be separated into the weak vs. basic swimming?

Also, just what excact swimming strokes/distance combinations, tread water tests, etc should a high school senior learn to do know and practice before arriving?

TIA

Swimming and Water Haze are required classes. You don't have to be a strong swimmer, but you do NOT want to be weak enough to be placed in basic swimming (it's twice as long...)

Basic water haze, is the same length though. I got lucky. I almost failed regular swimming and was put in basic water haze. Only 16 lessons total!
 
to be separated into the weak vs. basic swimming?

Also, just what excact swimming strokes/distance combinations, tread water tests, etc should a high school senior learn to do know and practice before arriving?

TIA

I haven’t taken it, but I’m sure it’s not meant to break people. If you are proficient at swimming I can’t imagine you will have an issue. Like somebody said before, to get better the only thing you can do is to swim!
 
I think I found the answer to my question on a different forum

For future reference, here's what it was in Oct of '09

I think the wording of "Demonstrate drown proofing and treading" is humurous.:smile:



Validation criteria for Swimming:
Swim 250 yards in 4:30 or less
Demonstrate mastery of the 3 efficiency strokes (Elementary Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Sidestroke)
5m scenario – Jump from 5m, sprint to 1st bulkhead, swim underneath, sprint to 2nd bulkhead, swim underneath, sprint to end wall in 1:15 or less
Demonstrate drown proofing and treading

Validation criteria for Water Survival (no goggles for any event; you must have your ABU’s):
- In the following order:
1. Swim underwater 25 yards wearing ABU’s
2. 5m scenario – Jump from 5m, sprint to 1st bulkhead, swim underneath, sprint to 2nd bulkhead, return to 1st bulkhead in 1:30 or less wearing ABU’s
3. Jump Scenario – Jump from 10m within 10 seconds of “go”, land vertically with hands and arms close to body, swim underwater, surface just past 1st bulk, clear, sweep, inflate shirt
4. Show pant inflations
5. Show treading and drown proofing
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Validation criteria for Water Survival (no goggles for any event; you must have your ABU’s):
- In the following order:
1. Swim underwater 25 yards wearing ABU’s
2. 5m scenario – Jump from 5m, sprint to 1st bulkhead, swim underneath, sprint to 2nd bulkhead, return to 1st bulkhead in 1:30 or less wearing ABU’s
3. Jump Scenario – Jump from 10m within 10 seconds of “go”, land vertically with hands and arms close to body, swim underwater, surface just past 1st bulk, clear, sweep, inflate shirt
4. Show pant inflations
5. Show treading and drown proofing

Any Eagle Scouts thinking Swimming Merit Badge?
 
So if, say I was a competitive swimmer/water polo player, about how much of the swimming courses could i get exempt from? i realize that i would probably still have to do the water haze course, but what else could i get myself out of taking?
 
My guess would be nothing. The AFA isn't going to be teaching people how to swim. You will be doing things that wouldn't be a normal part of competitive swimming / water polo.
 
So if, say I was a competitive swimmer/water polo player, about how much of the swimming courses could i get exempt from? i realize that i would probably still have to do the water haze course, but what else could i get myself out of taking?

Hopefully, as a competitive swimmer/water polo player, you are strong enough that you would be able to validate both swimming and water survival and not have to take either course.
 
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