Drown proofing

I was wondering just how many people had been taught this technique?

www.drownproofing.com...

My personal experience in water rendered me incapable of submerging otherwise I would have to endure extreme pain due to the water seeping down my ear canal.

For this reason I am making this thread, to show you a means of drown-proofing without going head under water and that to me makes more sense than having to keep coming up for air.

While basically the same, there is one major difference. The original method was to keep the lungs inflated and breaths needed to be taken rapidly when you did exhale. My method only requires you maintain that buoyancy through a chest expansion that your chest muscles can hold. ... and laying on your back with your face above water.

Like a boat that is open on top the floatation comes from the displacement of water, not the amount of air you can contain. You can practice this easy enough but being in the water is easier as you will find your natural point of self buoyancy.. it works like this...

take as deep a breath as you can and you will feel your chest cavity expand to accommodate the extra air. now exhale a little but keep your chest expanded... a little practice and soon you will be able to circular breathe... inhaling and exhaling, at the same time... but that isn't necessary to stay afloat.

All you need to do is train those chest muscles to keep your chest expanded without having air pressure expand it. Floating becomes effortless and swimming is as easy as doing a slow backstroke. Your head should remain above water and your body will feel like it wants to live on top rather than underneath the water.

The important thing is to remain calm.

While this would work for ideal conditions, any temperature variable that could induce hypothermia is still the more urgent issue and not merely a matter of floating. If you can lose body heat then you will eventually succumb to the elements if left without heat. In cold water chances are your muscles will cramp and drowning is inevitable unless you can get dry and warm. The amount of time you got depends on the severity but it can be as little as mere seconds or as long as hours...depending upon how fast your body loses heat..

Heat loss will occur through the top of the head more readily than anywhere else in the body. All of your blood flows through your brain and the head is less insulated.

Your best bet is to stay out of the water, but, if you have no choice then a good drownproofing method can increase your chances of survival.

At the very least you should teach your kids how to float anyway... giving them confidence in water might not be so good if they start thinking of swimming over their heads and over-estimate their capability so make sure you DON'T leave them unattended... but do get them to see that they can master their fears easily enough.

How many people really know how to swim for survival?

reply to post by anoncoholic


This is great advice, when the floods come this will be useful

Learnt this in Secondary school actually, completely ignored it being a teenager though

Great Post

reply to post by anoncoholic


The other problem is waves. It is much more difficult to float when the ocean is churning around you. Best bet will always be a personal floatation device (that way you can also sleep)....

reply to post by anoncoholic


Good skill to have, especially for non-swimmers, but even for swimmers it is a good way to conserve energy.

My brother can float in fresh water, head out of the water, in a zen pose and breath comfortably with no movement whatsoever. In Scuba class, we had to tread water for 15 mins and he just sat there the first 10 without moving, and then the coaches made him start treading water whether he needed it or not.

He presses the souls of his feet together, spreads his knees, sits back comfortably like in a recliner and rests his hands on his knees. He expands his chest fully and then breaths shallowly.

In Salt Water, he barely even has to expand his chest, he just floats to the top! We are all a little jealous of it, LOL!

I was drown proofed every summer of my youth swimming with my older brothers.

Sure fine and dandy IF you can reach the bottom of the pool.

Real drown proofing is learning how not to panic and knowing how to tread water.

I have my WSQ... I guess when they tied my hands behind my back and tossed me in a pool... I knew I was drown-proof...

but years later when I was attending a White Water Rescue course... with dozens of swift-water experts there to participate... I learned no one is drown-proof not even I... you see during that training event... even with all the equipment and gear to mount a rescue... our lead trainer managed to get swept up under a rock and pinned under the surface...

dozens of us leaped into action... rigging belays and safety lines... the countries finest in action... it took us 20 minutes to recover his body... it happens... safety first... never let your guard down...