Very sad story… http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20151228/BREAKING/151229730/2416/NEWS?Title=Sheriff-College-swimmer-was-attempting-100s-before-drowning
Truly sad, but I have to ask, WTF is the purpose of trying to swim 100 meters/yards without taking a breath? This is about as surprising when a dude in a wing suit plows himself head first into the side of a bridge.
Maybe I’ve become far too risk averse.
That sucks.
Back in my day, it was the start of the era of long underwaters (berkhoff). Coaches would never have us do such stupid things as do 100 straight underwater, although I did do it once or twice on my own. I don’t even see that as necessary with the 15m rule in swimming,
I can’t say there is a purpose from a training effect, but I love seeing how far I can get underwater. It is like anything else - seeing how fast one can run, how much power one can generate, etc. I would never expect to die from it though.
Leave a bunch of swimmers alone in the pool for a while and eventually someone is going to start the “who can go the farthest underwater” contest. I doubt there is anyone who has been on a swim team who has not tried to see how far they can go.
Swimming long distances under water is pointless for swimmers as a training tool. It is used by folks like Navy Seals and does kill them now and then. The dangers are fairly well known and even when I was swimming, we knew it was possible to die. But we did it anyway. Such is the folly of youth.
Oh yeah, we all did it, but it was never as a “drill” that coaches would have us do. It was more akin to stupid human tricks.
There is a documentary on Buds Class 234 (Navy SeALs) on video.
They have to do a pass/fail 50m underwater swim. Dudes are routinely passing out if you watch that video. They have rescue swimmers and medics on deck when they do it.
Granted they are exhausted, freezing, and otherwise beat up. But it still illustrates the dangers of longer underwater swims.
Not saying I haven’t done them…but it is wise to do them with a swim buddy.
I don’t think this was a coach given “drill” – the kid isn’t on the Dartmouth roster this year. It sounds like he was swimming to stay in shape and having some fun. The better question is, where were the lifeguards?
Is it a drill in practices today ?
I haven’t seen any coaches actually giving this one out, but I don’t see the varsity practices anymore. I’m assuming that it is an actual drill since they gave it a name (100s) although that could very well just be the paper screwing things up as usual.
Is it a drill in practices today ?
Only very uninformed coaches have athletes do hypoxic sets anymore. We did them back in the 80’s, but nowadays, most know about shallow water blackout: http://www.shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org/
It’s something that, IMO, most competitive swimmers should know by the time that they reach the level of this kid. It’s sad that he was either never taught about it, or like many kids, thought he was immortal. It’s a tragic event that never should have happened.
Well, I’ve got a swimmer in college and one in HS and have never heard of that drill being given… nor did we ever do anything like that when I swam in college (or coached HS). Now, I was always up for seeing how far I could swim underwater without surfacing, but that was always for fun and not in the middle of a practice 
they gave it a name (100s) although that could very well just be the paper screwing things up as usual.
I’m going with this. Especially since I read it as he was at the Y swimming by himself.
I don’t think this was a coach given “drill” – the kid isn’t on the Dartmouth roster this year. It sounds like he was swimming to stay in shape and having some fun. The better question is, where were the lifeguards?
He was here in Sarasota on vacation with his family and working out on his own, not part of any team or organized workout.
My understanding is that it all happened very fairly quickly. The guards got him out and were working at resuscitating him until the EMT’s got there.
I wouldn’t be too critical or draw any conclusions until more is known.
Mark
Ah, see, I disagree with your statement that “only uninformed coaches” do hypoxic sets. Hypoxic sets and holding your breath for 100 yards underwater are two totally different things. Breathing every X number of strokes, or doing underwaters to the 15m marks and surfacing to swim are standard practice. There’s a difference between training for race conditions and being stupid and dangerous, imo.
No, he probably knew about it, but that would never happen to him. I did the same thing 20 years ago, knowing full well that I could black out. I just never blacked out. Was close a couple of times, to the point that my vision shut down.
Swim coaches do have kids work on underwaters, because they are such an important part of racing these days. It isn’t that it’s hypoxic training per se it’s just an important part of the race.
I don’t think this was a coach given “drill” – the kid isn’t on the Dartmouth roster this year. It sounds like he was swimming to stay in shape and having some fun. The better question is, where were the lifeguards?
I wouldn’t be too critical or draw any conclusions until more is known.
Mark
You are 100% correct, of course, and I should have thought before I said that. 
Ah, see, I disagree with your statement that “only uninformed coaches” do hypoxic sets. Hypoxic sets and holding your breath for 100 yards underwater are two totally different things. Breathing every X number of strokes, or doing underwaters to the 15m marks and surfacing to swim are standard practice. There’s a difference between training for race conditions and being stupid and dangerous, imo.
I’m using the term hypoxic exclusively for long underwater sets, not breath control sets like you’re talking about. Two different things. One is a relatively safe and important part of training, and the other is a high risk activity. Watch the video on the link I posted.
I think it is only a matter of time until gyms put up signs saying you cannot do “underwaters.” I see out of shape people do them all the time. In fact 2 days ago I saw a guy do one and when he came up he was clearly dazed.
The story at hand is just sad. Often what happens in these scenarios is upon blacking out an involuntary attempt to breath is made and a bunch of water is swallowed. This is why it is dangerous to do even with lifeguards and/or friends around.
My local pools all have signs about this kind of thing. Someone brought up the question, what were the lifeguards doing?