Walking in water is a basic survival skill of swimming and is a useful way to stay afloat in the water. This is something you can learn before you even learn to swim. Walking in water is also often used in aquatic sports such as water polo. Even if you're not a great swimmer, you can build stamina and learn how to walk underwater for long periods of time and increase your strength.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Basic Techniques
Step 1. Use your arms and legs
Use all arms and legs with the body upright (vertical). If you change your body position to a horizontal position and start kicking with your legs and pedaling with your feet, you're starting to swim instead of walking in the water.
Step 2. Keep your head above the water and breathe normally
Keep your head above the water and try to breathe slowly. Slowing your breathing will calm you down, conserve energy, and allow you to walk in the water longer.
Step 3. Move the arm horizontally
If you move your arms up and down your body will move up and down again because you have to pull your arms back up. Move your arm back and forth with your closed hand facing the direction of the movement. This will keep the body upright.
Step 4. Move the leg in a circular motion or kick the leg back and forth
If you move your leg in a circular motion, don't taper the leg and make it stiff. If you kick your leg back and forth, point your leg down and kick constantly.
Step 5. If necessary, lie on your back and pedal your arms and legs
Stop pedaling for a moment by lying on your back. You still have to pedal your arms and legs, but not as much as when your body is in a vertical position.
Step 6. Hold on to the float if you find it difficult to stay underwater
Logs. Paddle. Inflatable boat. Either way, use any type of floating device you can use to hold on to and help you stand in the water. The less energy it takes to stay standing in the water, the longer you will be in it.
Method 2 of 2: Water Walking Techniques
Step 1. Perform a dog paddling motion
A dog paddling is one in which you move your arms forward while kicking your legs up and down.
- The advantage: this move doesn't require a lot of "proper technique" to do it.
- Disadvantage: This move is energy-consuming, meaning you won't be able to perform this technique for very long.
Step 2. Try a flick kick
A flick kick is where you walk in the water with your legs while keeping your arms outstretched for balance. To perform a flick kick, point your toes down and kick one leg forward while kicking the other leg back. Perform consistent forward and backward kicks.
- The plus: you can keep your arm free when you do a flick kick, giving you the opportunity to do other things with your arm.
- The downside: because you only use your legs to keep your body standing, this technique can be stressful.
Step 3. Do the frog kick
The frog kick is where you move your leg to the side, then bring it back to its original position. The frog kick is also called the whip kick. Start with your legs together, move your legs to the side, then bring them back to the starting position.
- Pros: this kick is less tiring than a wag kick or a dog's paddling motion.
- The downside: using this kick causes you to suddenly jump out of the water and then come back in instead of staying still.
Step 4. Try pedaling
The paddling motion allows you to walk in the water with your hands. To pedal, spread your arms out to the sides and plunge them into the water. With your palms facing each other, move your hands toward each other, until they are almost touching. When you reach this point, turn your palms outward and move your hands back to their original position. Keep both hands moving backwards and forwards.
- The plus: you can keep your legs free with this pedaling motion, which allows you to combine this movement with underwater walking techniques such as wagging kicks.
- The downside: You have to keep your whole body in the water (except the head).
Step 5. Try a twisting kick
Also known as the eggbeater, this technique requires you to move one leg clockwise while moving the other leg counterclockwise. This technique is difficult to master, but saves a lot of energy.
- Pros: You save a lot of energy doing this technique if you can master it.
- The downside: this technique is difficult to master and many people need to practice extensively to learn it.
Step 6. Try the small helicopter technique
Lie on your back in the water the same way you float. Move your hands immediately in a circular motion. Move your legs up and down together.
- Pros: these are movements that are very easy to explain to children.
- The downside: turning hands can be tiring.
Tips
- Relax and save energy. The longer you walk in the water, the more tired you will be, and the more prone you will be to hypothermia.
- If necessary, use float equipment. This equipment gets you used to floating in the water.
- The saltier or sweeter the water, the easier it will float.
- If you swim and get tired, swim without using your arms.
- Practicing will make it easier for you to hold your weight to stand on the water.
Warning
- Always swim with a friend.
- If you're new to swimming, don't try to impress others when you're in the water (such as walking in the water without arms, without legs, and so on).
