Can You Swim in Clothes? Reflections on the Perception and Reality of the Effect of Clothing on Water Competency

Abstract

In the second phase of the project entitled Can You Swim in Clothes?, physical education students (n = 37) with known water proficiency completed an aquatics education program that included the wearing of clothes in simulated water survival activities. Using a modified version of Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), participants were asked to estimate their exertion levels before and after performing a range of clothing related water activities including a 50 m sprint, a 5 min survival swim, a 15 m underwater swim, and a 5 min survival flat. Participants reported significantly higher exertion ratings post activity than they had estimated for all activities, especially when clothed, irrespective of age, sex, or self-estimated water competency. Reasons for the underestimation of exertion, especially with regard to clothing are discussed. Ways of applying the protocols developed in this second phase of the project to other populations, especially those with less water competency and high-risk groups, are recommended.