So I was thinking about maybe signing up for a PE course like Whitewater Rafting, Scuba or Sea Kayaking and they all say "intermediate swimming ability". Not having taken any swimming at State, what does this mean exactly? Do the coaches kind of evaluate you at the beginning? Is it really necessary to take something before this? Because that would kind of suck to take 2 semesters of swimming before I can take Scuba or anything!!

Has anyone taken one of these and can tell me how intensive it is? I am just an occaisional swimmer - really only at the pool in the summer or at the beach.

ETA: for Downhill Skiing, does anyone know where they usually go to for the trip (e.g. what ski slopes?) How do you get graded? I just registered for it

[Edited on June 3, 2006 at 11:10 AM. Reason : ]

6/3/2006 11:00:32 AM

If you take lessons it is:

3 days at App
1 day at Sugar
1 day at Beech

If you audit it then it is:

2 days at App
2 days at Sugar
1 day at Beech

For a grade you have a midterm which is really easy as long as you study around 15 minutes. Then the lesson instructors at App give you a grade as well which is basically a 100. So unless you really suck you will get an A.

6/3/2006 11:16:02 AM

my friend did a skiing/snowboarding class and they went to the slopes near boone...my friend had 2 meetings during the entire semester then in dec. they went on there trip and they get graded up there

6/3/2006 11:16:44 AM

I don't know about the others, but for Scuba you have to swim a half mile for the end of the semester, I believe the time is part of your grade.

How is your swimming ability?

6/3/2006 11:22:52 AM

Hmm. I mean I can jump into a pool..uhhh...swim. I don't know how to do any like a backstroke or anything. I'm scared to jump off of diving boards because when I was little my dad just threw me in the 12ft section of our neighbor's pool and I didn't learn how to swim....I almost drowned. Not like a HUGE deal but still enough to scare the shit out of me.


Maybe if I take some swim lessons, or private ones so the instructor can help me more, this summer at my swim club, it might be better?

6/3/2006 11:28:30 AM

they'll probably give you a swimming test one of your first few days. I took canoeing, and even though its not as intense as scuba, we had to swim 800m and tread water for 5 minutes.

6/3/2006 11:32:21 AM

I took PE 104 and the Prereq is Advanced Beginning Swimming or equivalent skills and we were never "tested" on our swimming ability. The first day was a meeting outta the pool and every day after that was just getting in the pool and doing laps.

How do you swim? Doggy paddle? Can you tread water? I would think that you need to be able to do the front crawl (freestyle) at the very minimum.

6/3/2006 11:51:12 AM

For scuba, you need to be able to swim 16 laps in 16 minutes. Depending on the instructor, swimming outside of class is assigned. You'll probably be in the pool 4 times a week (2 in class, 2 outside of class). When I took it, I hadn't done any serious swimming in a long while; however, I was decently in shape. Doing the swimming outside of class got me to the point where I was able do the 16 laps with no problems.

I'd consider it more of a time issue than an swimming ability/inability. If you have some prior experience with swimming and can spend the time outside of class to practice, you should be good. If you need to learn how to swim/need some serious corrections to you form, best to take another class beforehand.

6/3/2006 12:14:44 PM

I mean yeah I can doggy paddle or just..like...swim regularly too?

When I was younger at our swim club, you had to tread water for 3 minutes and swim i think maybe 5-8 laps. I think. I don't really remember. I can tread water, however.

But right now, I am thinking maybe just to get someone to help me out some.
That way I'm not laying by the pool all summer, I'll actually be in it.

6/3/2006 12:33:51 PM

You'll probably be okay. I'm in 104 right now and so far I've been able to keep up pretty well despite not being in the best of shape. I think what people are saying like "swim 16 laps in 16 minutes" is needed by the end of the semester--not the beginning. You should really just e-mail the teacher of the class and ask just what's expected.

More than likely, they really just want you do be able to swim to safety if you fall out in rough water.

[Edited on June 4, 2006 at 5:43 PM. Reason : .]

6/4/2006 5:37:12 PM

For SCUBA, they do test your swimming ability on the first day. You get in the big pool and "circle swim" (swim in a giant square in the middle of the pool) for about 15 minutes. The instructor (at least Coach Carroll) announces at the end of the swim that if you had to switch from a freestyle stroke to any revovery stroke (back-stroke or side-stroke) then you need to evaluate your desire to take the class and dedicate yourself to swimming at least 2 other days a week.

I have never taken a swimming class at state, and haven't had swimming lessons since before 2nd grade. I did swim all summer before taking the class though (not because I was preparing for the class, just because I was looking for something low impact - now I continue to swim several times a week to get ready for my next challenge - a triathlon in August!!). I wanted to take SCUBA because I had been SCUBA diving in Mexico after a 2 hour class and wanted to get certified (now I laugh at my 2 hour class! haha). The SCUBA class gets you VERY proficient and comfortable in the water.

I will warn you though, that if you are scared of the 12 foot section of the pool, you obviously don't want to take the class. You spend A LOT of time on the floor of the 12 foot section (with and with out your tank). For me the hardest part of the class (by far) was the ditch and dawn - where you have your mask, fins, weight belt, and snorkle on and go to the bottom of the deep well, take off all of your equipment - then go to the surface take 3 (and only 3 breaths) and return to put all of your equipment on. You have to clear your mask and snorkle on the way up. All the while you have to clap and "okay" after each step of the test (after taking the equipment off, after putting it on, before surfacing, and signal okay after surfacing). That was the one test that many people in my class (including me) had to take over and over and over and over.

6/5/2006 10:35:04 AM

i heard that the key to the ditch and dawn is that you have to do it slowly and dont panic and youll be fine

6/5/2006 12:13:29 PM

^ That is exactly right.

6/5/2006 12:18:06 PM

its actually easier if you do it with less than three breaths or no breaths at all

6/5/2006 12:43:27 PM

I just got done with Scuba and it is not that hard. You have to be able to swim, nothing special, just be sure you can float and keep moving forward. It is a long class and they will teach you everything that you need to know to pass the test at the end. The class is a blast. If you take it, be sure to sign up for the trip to the Keys, you have to sign up for a trip and that one is by far the best!

6/7/2006 12:31:43 PM

Quick question--why are you referring to it as the "ditch and dawn?"
You apparently didn't hear correctly in class--it's "ditch and don"---referring to the fact that you DITCH your gear on the bottom of the pool, then DON it after you go back down.

:-P

6/10/2006 3:56:57 PM

Oh and I have no clue where you came up with this "16 laps in 16 minutes"
Perhaps you meant "swim until I get tired"

6/10/2006 3:59:27 PM

Because I wrote Ditch and Dawn you obviously knew what I meant. Don't be one of those assholes who tries to make up for a small dick by looking for flaws in every person you meet.

And actually, I assumed it was Ditch and Dawn because you ditch your gear and then rise to the surface (syn. for rise is dawn).

[Edited on June 11, 2006 at 7:05 PM. Reason : to add.]

6/11/2006 7:03:37 PM

Can't say that I'm making up for anything---but I am someone who looks for flaws in PE226 and 227 classes since I TA (volunteer) for them. In scuba, a lot of times a mistake will lead to a quick death.
Besides, I just wanted you to know why it's called what it is--no reason to get bent out of shape.

[Edited on June 11, 2006 at 8:37 PM. Reason : ]

6/11/2006 8:36:29 PM

meowrrrrrr

6/12/2006 1:05:43 AM