Not sure if this would be the right place for the question...But here it goes:

In a swim meet.. in the 50 or 100 meter Freestyle, how long can you stay underwater before comming up on stroke.. I seem to recall, as far as your lungs will take you..

1. Are you limited to one pull and and kick underwater?

2. You can swim underwater for as long as you can hold your breathe.

Thanks to all swimmers...

In competition swimming, there is no limit to how long you can stay underwater.

Most however, will find that after the impetus of the dive, a single double-handed pull, and a couple of kicks, it would be quicker to surface and start stroking... that is... if you are swimming to win.

Freestyle is "free style"....you can do it whatever way you want as long as you don't go out of your lane.....at least that was the rule way back in my youth when I did a tiny bit of competitive swimming. I believe that for some strokes there was a limit on how much underwater activity you could do after the initial dive and on turns...but can't remember which one(s).

Chownah

in backstroke there is a maximum of 15 metres underwater

in breaststroke the head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.

freestyle and butterfly have no restrictions.

in backstroke there is a maximum of 15 metres underwater

in breaststroke the head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.

freestyle and butterfly have no restrictions.

Not true. Freestyle falls under the same rule at backstroke--you must break the surface by fifteen meters. And the first arm stroke in the butterfly must bring you to the surface.

Thanks.. I thought the backstroke had a restriction... I seem to remember that.. but freestyle and Fly..I'm not sure.. thanks for the information..

Does Thailand have a masters swimming program? Cheers..

in backstroke there is a maximum of 15 metres underwater

in breaststroke the head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.

freestyle and butterfly have no restrictions.

Not true. Freestyle falls under the same rule at backstroke--you must break the surface by fifteen meters. And the first arm stroke in the butterfly must bring you to the surface.

Not true. According to http://www.uaf.edu/src/SwimMeet.html there seems to be no restrictions on freestyle. It says "In a freestyle event, any style or combination of styles may be used." while it does mention that the breast stroke must be swum on the surface.

Chownah

in backstroke there is a maximum of 15 metres underwater

in breaststroke the head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.

freestyle and butterfly have no restrictions.

Not true. Freestyle falls under the same rule at backstroke--you must break the surface by fifteen meters. And the first arm stroke in the butterfly must bring you to the surface.

Not true. According to http://www.uaf.edu/src/SwimMeet.html there seems to be no restrictions on freestyle. It says "In a freestyle event, any style or combination of styles may be used." while it does mention that the breast stroke must be swum on the surface.

Chownah

All that says is that any style can be used--it is not the complete rule on freestyle. If you read the actual rule, it includes the heads up at 15 meter condition, and the requirement to touch the wall with any part of the body on turns and the finish. The fifteen meter rule applies to the butterfly as well since you can do numerous dolphin kicks before doing the first arm pull. I'd suggest a visit to www.fina.org and follow the links to the swimming rules.

BTW, I have been officiating swim meets for going on three years and will probably achieve my referee certification this summer. I also write a monthly column on swimming rules for a team newsletter.

BTW, I have been officiating swim meets for going on three years and will probably achieve my referee certification this summer. I also write a monthly column on swimming rules for a team newsletter.

Then you should be advised that there is more than one set of rules for swimming competitions......my link is not FINA....I believe that my link shows the complete set of rules used for a swim meet.....perhaps I'm wrong though...can you find a link showing that this is an incomplete set of rules? Underwater swimming used to be allowed everywhere for freestyle and the limit on underwater swimming was made by some organizations because of the (minimal) danger of swimmers passing out from staying underwater too long and was instututed as a safety precaution....some swim meet organizers are not so worried about this and don't include this restriction.

Chownah

BTW, I have been officiating swim meets for going on three years and will probably achieve my referee certification this summer. I also write a monthly column on swimming rules for a team newsletter.

Then you should be advised that there is more than one set of rules for swimming competitions......my link is not FINA....I believe that my link shows the complete set of rules used for a swim meet.....perhaps I'm wrong though...

Chownah

Your link is an abstract of a real set of rules written by a person who is running an intramural swim competition at a college in Alaska. There is no way that can be interpreted as a "complete set of rules" for serious competition. Go read a real set of rules and see how much is missing.

Yes, there can be instances of minor variances in rules. I officiate high school as well as USA Swimming meets and they have different rules for making a backstroke turn (although I think the high school rules will change eventually). Serious competition all over the world goes by the FINA rules.

So I'll rephrase my answer to the original poster:

If you want to follow the rules used by the overwhelming majority of swim competitions in the world, then your head must break the surface before the 15 meter mark. If, however, you want to make up your own rules, or follow some rules someone else made up, then you can stay underwater until your head crashes into the wall if you'd like.

Thanks.. I thought the backstroke had a restriction... I seem to remember that.. but freestyle and Fly..I'm not sure.. thanks for the information..

You're welcome. I've really come to appreciate swimming as a sport since I've started officiating. It's great to see kids working hard and achieving goals. Most of my time is as a volunteer (I get a small stipend for officiating high school but not the age group swimmers), and it has taken away from my golf time. But I think it's worth it after seeing what the kids get out of swimming.

Does Thailand have a masters swimming program? Cheers..

That I don't know. If they do, I'll be ready for the 60 and over class by the time I move there for good!

If, however, you want to make up your own rules, or follow some rules someone else made up

All rules are made up by someone....even the FINA rules are made up by someone!!!

Chownah

If, however, you want to make up your own rules, or follow some rules someone else made up

All rules are made up by someone....even the FINA rules are made up by someone!!!

Chownah

Come on--you know what I meant. I'm referring to the difference between a recognized sanctioning body and someone ('one' as in a single person) drawing up some rules for a non-sanctioned event. You obviously have to have the last word whether you actually have a valid point to make so you can have it--I'm done. But I'll leave you with this. According to your link, which you referred to as a complete set of rules, a swimmer doing a 100-meter free could do the following: dive in, swim a few strokes, stand on the bottom of the pool and then jump foward and start swimming again. He could repeat that several times until he got tired at which point he could just start pulling himself forward by grasping the lane lines. When he got to the far end of the pool, he could just turn around and head back without ever touching the wall. Obviously that would be a farce but those are all situations that are covered in REAL rules and not in your link.

Rules are just rules....none are more REAL than others....and since you want to have the last word I'll let you respond and have it.

Chownah

Thanks for the information...I too have enjoyed my swimming activities... I don't enjoy tennis anymore after years of pounding the courts. I'm in a new age division now.. 50 plus...I have been approached about coaching and teaching swimming at our pool.. I have not done this in a while.. I think with stroke technique I would be fine and of course constructing workout for the kids...

Swimming has also been one of those sports I used as a trainer for other sports.. But it has always been a blast to swim the first fifty and off the first turn, and come up on stroke and breath..

The Fly has been my latest challenge, and with all the reading and trial and errors.. soon.. my first strong 50 meters of fly will come.

The reason for the question on dive off and surface, we had a very informal swim meet. I asked about the dive requirements and they said, GO DAI.. So I did and increased by lead significantly on the rest of the pack... and it was a bit unfair in my opinion..

Thanks for the information...I too have enjoyed my swimming activities... I don't enjoy tennis anymore after years of pounding the courts.

I'm kind of in the same boat. I play racquetball for my competitive fix but it's getting tougher. After playing at lunch, and then sitting at my desk for awhile, I really feel my age when I finally get up and try to move! But my understanding is that racquetball isn't played in Thailand (I guess squash is as close as I can come to it) so I think I'll probably swim for fitness and golf, golf, golf!!!!!