# When did swimming become a universal skill? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947 "2016-09-26T17:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/21 "2016-09-27T16:17:02Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Sailors (like in the Royal Navy example you gave) intentionally did not want to learn to swim. It was superstition mainly. If I learn to swim, I’m admitting that my ship may sink, or that I may fall overboard. If I can’t swim, I’ll be sure not to let those things happen. Some old-timey sailor tattoos played on this theme. Across the knuckles: H_O_L_D_F_A_S_T_ was popular. On the feet tattoos of pigs and chickens were thought to keep you safe from going in the water. [Here they are, combined.](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a1/c1/a8/a1c1a8d335176c04a0836846f8854178.jpg) I took a friend out on our pontoon boat recently. I was goofing around, power-jumping the wakes made by other boats. I happened to glance toward him and he was white as a sheet, clutching the rail. Turns out he was scared to death of the water, but thought a pontoon ride would be calm and safe. I slowed down. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/22 "2016-09-27T19:01:22Z")
I was in college in upstate New York thirty years ago and passing a basic swimming test was a requirement to receive a degree. I _think_ the test involved treading water for a couple of minutes and then doing one lap on your stomach and another on your back. I don’t know if it’s still a requirement at that school or any other. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/23 "2016-09-27T19:39:13Z")
When I was in high school, we had swimming class every day for six weeks each semester. Naked. You couldn’t graduate if you didn’t know how to swim. To this day, I’m ok in a pool, but not so good in an ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/24 "2016-09-27T21:10:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was in college in upstate New York thirty years ago and passing a basic swimming test was a requirement to receive a degree. I _think_ the test involved treading water for a couple of minutes and then doing one lap on your stomach and another on your back. I don’t know if it’s still a requirement at that school or any other. A few still do. Columbia, Cornell, MIT, Notre Dame, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Dartmouth, and the University of Chicago are among the ones that still have a swim test as a graduation requirement. [https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/college-swim-tests-eyes-doggie-paddler/](https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/college-swim-tests-eyes-doggie-paddler/) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/25 "2016-09-28T11:54:53Z")
When I met my wife I was surprised to find that she could not swim, and was terrified of water. It turned out that when she was about five an uncle had decided to teach her by the “sink or swim” method and had thrown her into a lake, where she nearly drowned by the time he fished her out. I spent the first summer we were together taking her to the pool almost every evening after work and working with her gradually. She will never qualify fir the Olympics, but she does pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/26 "2016-09-28T16:02:22Z")
My ex grew up in Kyoto right near the water. No one in her family swims. They explained that going in the water is a good way to get killed and no one except fishermen even went on the water if it could be avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/27 "2016-09-28T18:34:11Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > My ex grew up in Kyoto right near the water. No one in her family swims. They explained that going in the water is a good way to get killed and no one except fishermen even went on the water if it could be avoided. Kyoto is not that near the water. I believe it’s about an hour’s drive away to the nearest coast, at Osaka. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/28 "2016-09-28T18:42:27Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Perhaps worth noting here that all animals can instinctively swim to safety, right from birth, even before they can walk to safety. I’d love to see a cite for that. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/29 "2016-09-28T18:51:33Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > A few still do. Columbia, Cornell, MIT, Notre Dame, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Dartmouth, and the University of Chicago are among the ones that still have a swim test as a graduation requirement. > > [https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/college-swim-tests-eyes-doggie-paddler/](https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/college-swim-tests-eyes-doggie-paddler/) The college I went to had a swimming requirement for graduation. The way it worked was you took the swimming test at the beginning of your freshman year, before you signed up for your one required Phys Ed class. If you passed, you could sign up for Phys Ed class you wanted … Ice skating, archery, tennis, whatever. But if you failed you had to sign up for swimming. And you had to pass it to graduate although I’m sure there were exceptions for disabled students. The test itself was swimming a lap at any speed and then treading water for 5 minutes … for the treading water part of the test they recommended a technique they called “drown-proofing” which, IIRC, was kind of a slow low energy water treading. The technique was demonstrated right before the test. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/30 "2016-09-28T19:23:20Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’ve done no more research than that at this point, but I’m guessing the overall numbers are similar for other wealthy Western countries. Roughly 70% of Finns know how to swim which is a lot lower than I thought given the national pastime in the summer is going to one of our 3 million saunas and then for a swim in one of our 187000 lakes. For 15-24 old the number was 86% so maybe it’s getting better. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/31 "2016-09-29T00:32:00Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Kyoto is not that near the water. I believe it’s about an hour’s drive away to the nearest coast, at Osaka. Yore right, I got it backwards, should have said Akita ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/32 "2016-09-29T01:34:41Z")
Yeah really, _when did_ it become “universal”? It hasn’t. We have gone over that in several threads over the years. > [@Shagnasty](#): > > I have very little patience with non-swimmers. **It is something that everyone should know intuitively** even if it takes practice. And I have very little patience for that part I boldfaced there. It is **not** something everyone knows **“intuitively”** , however much you may believe people _should_. It is a nontrivial learned skill, and the approach that it should be “instinctive” to learn can be actually counterproductive, discouraging those for whom it is more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/33 "2016-09-29T01:57:54Z")
Interesting story Captain Cook (who sailed around the world) back in the 18th century died because he never learned how to swim Of course getting clubbed before drowning didn’t help either:rolleyes: > **[James Cook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook)** > > Captain James Cook FRS (7 November 1728\[NB 1\] – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, cartographer and naval officer famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and to New Zealand and Australia in particular. He made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of Ne... ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/34 "2016-09-29T02:01:45Z")
Another person who drowned in shallow water because he couldn’t swim was Pinocchio:D > **[Pinocchio (film)](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Pinocchio_(film))** > > This article is about the 1940 film. For the character, see Pinocchio (character). Pinocchio is an animated musical comedy fantasy adventure film. The second film in the Disney Animated Canon, it was produced by Walt Disney Productions and originally... ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/35 "2016-09-29T21:49:01Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > Another person who drowned in shallow water because he couldn’t swim was Pinocchio:D > > [Pinocchio (film) | Disney Wiki | Fandom](http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Pinocchio_(film)) Doesn’t wood float? ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/36 "2016-09-30T01:42:30Z")
Not when you are face down in 6 inches of water [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fk_8lJI4bQ8/maxresdefault.jpg "Pinocchio Alternate Ending") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk_8lJI4bQ8) ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/37 "2016-09-30T01:57:35Z")
I grew up on the beach surfing and body surfing throughout my teen years every day. I never learned to swim. I could maybe make 100 yards if my life depended on it but not much more. In salt water I can float well enough to rest if needed and pace myself. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/38 "2016-09-30T02:56:18Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > And I have very little patience for that part I boldfaced there. It is **not** something everyone knows **“intuitively”** , however much you may believe people _should_. It is a nontrivial learned skill, and the approach that it should be “instinctive” to learn can be actually counterproductive, discouraging those for whom it is more difficult. I have observed that many people cannot swim well or at all but I still can’t understand it even though I know that they are really trying. Trying too hard is the real problem however. It shouldn’t take much effort at all. I have been able to swim very well since I was three years old whether it was in pools, lakes or rivers that were infested with anything from Water Moccasins to alligators. I am not especially athletic in general but I always found it very natural. I have swam hours very far out into the Caribbean and back. The only way I would have gotten in trouble is if I fell asleep. It just isn’t very taxing if you pace yourself. Done correctly, it takes less energy than walking because the water supports you. However, I can realize that many people panic and that is the biggest enemy to staying afloat. It took my daughters a long time to learn to swim well because they panicked, started to sink and then panicked some more. Rinse and repeat. I had to jump in and save them a couple of times because they sunk in water and that made it even worse. However, it doesn’t need to be that way. I was watching a Special Forces training documentary earlier this year where they forced people in a pool and made them tread water without using their legs or arms alternately and some of them found it terrifying. I tried it myself this summer by locking my legs and then wrapping my arms around my torso and I was able to stay afloat just fine as long as I wanted in either configuration. Then I tried doing both at the same time and was still able to swim laps. My daughters were impressed but I showed them how to do it and they succeeded as well. It is obvious that a 43 year old man, a 14 year old nonathletic girl and very athletic 10 year old that has roughly the body density of granite aren’t going to qualify for the Special Forces anytime soon but we found an approximation of that test very easy. Survival or recreational swimming isn’t about athletic skill at all. 90% of it is just confidence and the rest is just a few very basic moves that become instinctive once you are in the water long enough. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947/39 "2016-09-30T11:28:15Z")
Again, that it came very naturally to you means jack to how it will work for someone else. Myself I’d rather be trained at whatever skill by someone for whom it took hard work than by someone who found it a breeze. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-swimming-become-a-universal-skill/766947.md?page=1)