I can swim pretty decent..but it's a struggle and i'm extremely slow with horrible technique. How important is this?

for Navy, basic.. Jump off a 10 meter platform, tread water 5 minutes and swim the length of the pool, any stroke.. pretty sure it is Olympic sized.

I've seen Marine recruit training vids on military channel where recruits can barely swim. So I'm sure you'll do fine.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mertzen,

quote:

Originally posted by Mertzen:
I've seen Marine basic training...

Hey numbnuts... we don't have basic training. It's called Recruit Training (aka, Boot Camp).

Marine Combat Water Survival (MCWS)
Combat water survival training prepares recruits for amphibious combat operations, developing confidence in the water. Whether they arrive knowing how to swim or not, this supervised training will teach them:

• Swimming with gear and supplies
• Rescue and aid
• Survival strokes and techniques

Training in Combat Water Survival develops a recruit's confidence in the water. All recruits must pass the minimum requirement level of Combat Water Survival-4, which requires recruits to perform a variety of water survival and swimming techniques. If a recruit meets the CWS-4 requirements, he may upgrade to a higher level. All recruits train in the camouflage utility uniform, but those upgrading may be required to train in full combat gear, which includes a rifle, helmet, flak jacket and pack.

quote:

Originally posted by HollywoodMarine:

quote:

Originally posted by Mertzen:
I've seen Marine basic training...

Hey numbnuts... we don't have basic training. It's called Recruit Training (aka, Boot Camp).

Corrected.. happy?? No need for the name calling IMHO.

Just trying to contribute, you know.

Not Navy or Marines, but this topic made me think back to one of the things I was often asked as a Coast Guard Recruiter.

Most applicants were surprized when I told them what the swimming qualifications were. They thought they'd be much harder. Here they are

quote:

Men will be expected to perform:
29 push-ups in 60 seconds
38 sit-ups in 60 seconds
Run 1.5 miles in under 12:51
Sit and Reach 16.50"
Complete a swim circuit
Tread water for 5 minutes
Jump off a 5-foot platform and swim 100 meters

Women will be expected to perform:
15 push-ups in 60 seconds
32 sit-ups in 60 seconds
Run 1.5 miles in under 15:26
Sit and Reach 19.29"
Complete a swim circuit
Tread water for 5 minutes
Jump off a 5-foot platform and swim 100 meters

Please note, if you are not a strong swimmer, you can still join the Coast Guard as long as you're willing to work with our trainers to become a better swimmer.

They say the pool is olympic size, but I always thought it looked larger. You could launch a canoe in it, no problem. But olympic size they said, so I guess it was. As recruiters, we were always told to tell the recruits that the pool looked much larger when you were there than it did in the video we used to show applicants.

I always advised applicants to wait until they could pass the swim test to join. There have been people graduate boot camp who could not swim a stroke when they arrived. But we all the stuff you've got going on, you don't want to add remedial swim class to the list.

Remember that Olympic only deals with one dimension -- length. The length must be 50 meters, which is pretty long. The other dimensions can vary. I think there is a minimum width. It probably needs to accommodate 6 or 8 lanes but I don't believe that is set. The depth can also vary some.

Im not trying to be a **** or anything but Marine means sea and it kinda goes without saying. plus if you look at any of the marines history you'd figure out that swimming is important, just look at Iwo Jima. Marines were first to land and they were brought to the island by boat.

My advice to you is to go to your local YMCA or Lifetime fitness and take swimming lessons. After swimming lessons practice swimming regularly and build your endurance. Swimming is a great workout that will help workout almost all your body. Do this and in no time you'll be swimmin like Micheal Phelps =D

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Retired_CG_Recruiter,

nick... the OP has been give advice by other members of the military and myself. you are in no position to give advice and joke about it.

ok so i guess i wont give anymore advice. pay no attention to the first part of my earlier message.

ill just say this then. if your worried about how you swim, go to the YMCA or lifetime to task swimming classes

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nickspartan4,

quote:

My advice to you is to go to your local YMCA or Lifetime fitness and take swimming lessons.

Advice like this is OK Nick. Just keep it on a serious note until you've been around a while.