Basic Water Safety Honor

Recreational Activities

Requirements

1. Demonstrate how to enter and exit the water safely.

   Answer: To enter safely: go down the ladder or the edge of the pool seated, feet first, then the whole body, without diving headfirst in an unknown spot. To exit: always use the ladder, or place both hands on the edge and climb up pulling your body. Never run on the edge of the pool (risk of falling) and always have a companion. — Diving headfirst in a shallow spot causes serious cervical injuries; the pool floor is generally slippery (wet ground), which is why running is dangerous; SOBRASA (the Brazilian Society of Aquatic Rescue) recommends always having a swimmer accompanied and never alone in a public or private pool — a principle in force, applied in Brazilian swimming schools.

2. While holding your breath, fully submerge your face in the water for five seconds.

   Answer: You inhale deeply, hold the air in your lungs, and submerge your entire face in the water, keeping your eyes, nose, and mouth submerged for 5 seconds. Stay calm, without exhaling through your nose. Lift your head and breathe normally. This exercise teaches breathing control and adapts the body to the aquatic environment for safe swimming. — Voluntary breath-holding activates the mammalian diving reflex (bradycardia, reduction of peripheral flow); 5 seconds is safe for beginners; SOBRASA recommends this exercise as the first step to overcoming the fear of water — a principle used in Brazilian swimming schools since the 1970s and in Adventist children's programs, in force.

3. Breathe through the mouth and, alternately, with the face submerged, release the air, sometimes through the mouth and sometimes through the nose, at least seven times in a continuous and rhythmic manner.

   Answer: You breathe in through the mouth above the water, submerge your face, and exhale slowly — alternating: once through the mouth (forming large bubbles), once through the nose (small bubbles). Repeat the cycle at least 7 times. Raise your head only to breathe in again. The exercise teaches breath control and rhythm, fundamental to swimming well. — This exercise is the basis of modern front crawl, where the exhalation is underwater; alternating mouth/nose trains the coordination of the respiratory muscles; releasing air underwater prevents swallowing water when turning the head to breathe in; SOBRASA and the Brazilian Swimming Federation teach this in phase 1 of children's introduction to swimming.

4. Open your eyes underwater and recover some submerged objects.

   Answer: You submerge completely, open your eyes calmly (without rubbing), and locate the objects on the bottom (ring, stone, toy). Pick up one at a time with your hand, surface, breathe, and dive again. Practicing this improves underwater orientation, overcomes the fear of opening your eyes in the water, and teaches aquatic searching — an essential skill for rescue. — Pool water (with chlorine) can irritate the eyes for 30 minutes, but it is safe to open them; using swimming goggles reduces the discomfort; object retrieval is basic training in water rescue schools according to the Red Cross; SOBRASA uses this practice in the Learn to Swim program for children aged 5-10 in Brazil, in force today.

5. Float face-down for five seconds.

   Answer: To float face down: breathe in deeply, filling your lungs well, let your body relax, extend your arms and legs forming an open X over the water, with your face submerged. The air in the lungs and the relaxation keep the body on the surface for 5 seconds. Raise your head and breathe to end the exercise. — Human buoyancy depends on the air in the lungs (density <1 g/cm³); men float less than women because they have less body fat; the star position increases the area of contact with the water; SOBRASA uses this technique as a pre-swimming test in the children's aquatic adaptation phase of Brazilian swimming courses, in force.

6. Float face-down, over a distance of two body lengths.

   Answer: You push your body off the edge of the pool (with your feet), breathe in deeply, let yourself float face down with your arms extended in front and your legs behind, gliding by inertia. The distance of two body lengths (about 3-4 meters) should be done in passive floating, without swimming, showing control of relaxation and aquatic balance. — This is the "ventral glide" or "streamline", the basis of the start of any competitive stroke; air in the lungs + an elongated position minimize the water's drag; the glide time is a criterion in aquatic adaptation tests according to SOBRASA and the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports, in force today.

7. Float on your back for 15 seconds.

   Answer: To float on your back: lie supine on the water, keep your chin slightly raised, your arms open in a cross, and your legs extended. Breathe in deeply (air in the lungs increases buoyancy) and relax your body. Hold the position for 15 seconds, breathing normally — you do not need to hold your breath in this comfortable position. — Floating on your back is the safest position in emergencies, since it frees the face to breathe; people who are drowning are instructed to do this first; the position is the basis of the "floating survival" technique of the U.S. Navy and the Brazilian SOBRASA — used even in survival on the high seas in the event of a shipwreck, in force worldwide.

8. Holding the edge of the pool, kick your feet alternately for twenty seconds.

   Answer: You hold the edge of the pool firmly with both hands, lie face down with your body extended on the surface, and kick your feet alternately (the left leg rises while the right one goes down) for 20 seconds. Relaxed feet, slightly bent knees, the movement coming from the hips. This trains the leg action of the front crawl and strengthens propulsion. — The flutter kick is the basis of the front crawl and backstroke; the correct movement comes from the hip (not the knee); the feet should be slightly pointed (extension); 6 kicks per arm-stroke cycle is the standard rhythm of the fast crawl — a technique taught by Mark Spitz in the 70s and still today at the Brazilian CBDA, in force.

9. Using your arms and the movement of your legs, swim over a distance of five body lengths.

   Answer: You combine arm strokes and leg kicks to swim face down for a distance equivalent to five body lengths (about 8-10 meters). Use alternating crawl-style strokes or simultaneous dog-paddle-style strokes, with a continuous leg kick. Keep your face in the water and breathe by turning your head to the side, without breaking the rhythm. — The dog paddle is the most natural form taught to beginners; the basic crawl is the next step; SOBRASA defines that swimming 5 body lengths without stopping is level 1 of aquatic proficiency ("aquatic survivor"); 70% of drownings in Brazil occur due to the inability to swim this distance, according to official SOBRASA data, in force.

10. Learn to put on a life jacket and float for thirty seconds.

    Answer: Class III life jackets (recreational) support up to 7 kg of positive buoyancy according to NORMAM-30 of the Brazilian Navy; the correct fit prevents the jacket from riding up to the head (the main cause of drowning even with a jacket); SOBRASA recommends always testing the fit in shallow water before using it in rivers, the sea, or the actual high seas.

11. Demonstrate the safety to perform the following, while in the water:
    • How to call for help in case of emergency
    • How to get rid of a cramp
    • Learn at least ten safety rules for when you are near water

    Answer: Calling for help: raise one arm and shout "help". Cramp: extend the affected leg, pull the tip of the foot toward the body, and massage. Rules: never swim alone, not after a heavy meal, with supervision, knowing the depth, using sunscreen, staying hydrated, respecting the flags, avoiding alcohol, and watching over children. — A cramp is an involuntary contraction of the muscle, common in cold water; stretching reverses it in seconds; SOBRASA has maintained the "Swim Safe" ten commandments since 2008 with the 10 rules cited; a red flag at the beach means it is forbidden to enter the water; about 6 thousand people die by drowning in Brazil each year according to Ministry of Health data.