Treading Water

Learn to tread water

The term 'treading water' is often used but seldom understood. Most people think of treading water as an exhausting way of keeping above water in one spot. The arms are waving wildly and the feet are moving as fast as an egg-beater

That's all wrong. Treading water is a way of saving energy and resting in deep water by floating in a vertical position, using the arms and legs as little as possible. It's taught in all swimming survival courses, when students are expected to tread water for maybe 30 minutes or more.

We all have a built-in buoyancy aid; our lungs. Try blowing up a rubber ring with one breath. An adult will be able to fill the ring pretty well. And we can use the air in our lungs to help us float. And, as I said, treading water is floating with minimal help from arms and legs.

But although lungs full of air are great for buoyancy we can't hold our breath for too long, but that's not necessary. What we do is to modify our breathing habit by holding the breath for a few seconds, then blowing out the air quickly and taking another breath immediately. Thus the lungs remain inflated for maybe 90% to 95% of the time.

Most people will be able to float in this way with their nose and mouth above water, and will only need minimal help from arms and legs, but those who are heavily muscled will need to exert more power. Hands should be held with fingers slightly spaced to ensure relaxation and pressed down altenately. Legs can be moved in a modified cycling movement, again with the emphasis on pressing down on the water.

So to recap, treading water is floating in a vertical position, nose and mouth above water, using the breathing technique described and pressing down with hands and legs only as hard as required for comfort. It is something that is worth practicing from time to time. In choppy water the head can be tilted back to assist spray-free breathing.