Almost died while surfing in Peru when my shoulder went off, thanks my mate pushed me back to sand. One thing he told me and I never forget and apply for everything is, DO NOT PANIC, keep calm, FEAR IS LIFE, PANIC IS DEATH! 👊🏽
Almost died doing 2 days ago doing exactly what that SEAL instructor did. Held my breath way to long underwater and triggered a seizure that lasted 20 minutes even after the lifeguards pulled me out. Be careful, no joke, cuz the water can kill you. Thanks Joko for the important lesson. Definitely will be more careful next time in the water.
I love water. I can spend hours emerged, especially in the sea. For me it came from taking lots of swimming classes at a very early age, it just ingrained that notion in my head that bodies of water were not only safe but also fun places to be in.
@@MIbra96 never too late to learn. I didn't until I was 25 and training mma with a seal friend who found out about my lack of swimming ability. Found myself hurled into a pool and had to figure it out lol
I used to swim 2-3 hours continuously in the ocean, usually parallel with a beach with my feet unable to touch the ocean floor. I went to my usual beach after a few months absence, and they'd changed the structure of the beach and wave breakers. I swam out a hundred yards, reached a point where a wave breaker ended, and suddenly I was exhausted. I began to panic, and tried to swim back to the beach. I knew I wouldn't make it, so I swam to the wave breaker. I just made it, rested and swam back to the beach. Haven't swum long distance in the ocean since.
Coulnt you go on your back and rest like that. Or was it so windy and waves were too big. We dont really have big waves or oceans here. Lot of lakes though. But here we are taught swimming on their back, because you can rest like that when swimming.
If you are alone you can bring a body board or a towable flotation device and drag it behind you if your uncomfortable. Hang onto it when ur tired then continue. Swimming with fins helps you get comfortable too.
Sounds like you may have been fighting a current. If the beach has changed, you can bet the ground under the water has too, and that can channel all kinds of dangerous movement just under the surface. I'm glad you made it out, whatever the reason. Be safe.
@@laurivaisanen6918 This was the Atlantic Ocean, and I didn't want to get dragged further out. I did panic a little however. Maybe if I'd just relaxed and swum slowly sideways instead of back to the beach, I'd have been okay.
@@TravisLackey I think the change in the beach structure had made the channel between the beach head and wave breaker more narrow, so perhaps more energy in the current.
What Jocko said is absolutely true. Even at a gym that has an indoor pool - don’t swim without a lifeguard. The best way to get comfortable in my opinion, find a diving well and tread water on your back right in the center.
He was talking about having a lifeguard when you're training to hold your breath. I don't think he meant to scare everyone into never swimming alone in a pool.
I grew up swimming in the ocean, surfing, diving etc. I love it. Nothing beats how i feel after coming out of the ocean. I always have a huge respect for it though. I never get too comfortable in there, especially when she started bringing in big swells
Eamon Shields if you don’t mind me asking, where do you live? I’m from southern Poland but live in the UK for over 10 years now, and I always have been wondering which countries have swimming and swimming sports as a huge part of their ‘culture’, I guess. I always fucking love being by the ocean and I only recently swam for the first time properly in a long time, went from not being able to swim to comfortably swim normally and even be capable to swim with my arms or legs only for quite some time, all in the course of few days during my holiday, and it was fucking great. I’m not sure if it’s true but Western US and Australia are the places which I always associate with swimming, surfing, and just overall beach kind of vibe.
@@dmitrixallo7072 I'm Dutch and swimming is big here, for instance kids need to learn how to swim because there's water everywhere, this country is like one big swamp.
Hello... in our holidays we had a house with a Swimmingpool. My wife and the Kids went out for a walk while i was working out. I was listening to this video while i tried to improve my distance diving. Because of the stories you told in this video i stopped being to careless and waited for them to come home. I want to honor the sacrifices of the three people that you talked about. There tragic death was a warning for me and i'm thankful for hearing these stories. Great podcast ...
I'm from Hawai'i as well, I really recommend finding a swim buddy who surfs or has spent a lot of time in the ocean. There's things we're taught as kids in Hawai'i that just became normal to us. Constantly watching the ocean is a big one. You never, ever turn your back to the ocean. Don't fight currents, work with them. Dive into waves and under them. The ocean is no joke.
@Bill Barnfappel OH crap, I'm so sorry. I used to see it all the time, tourists with no clue. I stopped counting the number of tourists I pulled out of the water who were about to get pulled out to see in my late teens.
Absolutely. Still water is one thing, to be safe in the outdoors you need to be able at a minimum to stay afloat and control your direction somewhat in moving water. Currents, cross currents and undertows can be your best friend or worst enemy in an emergency.
If you want to be comfortable in the water, play water polo. Really fun to play, great workout, and it’s intense. If you play center, it’s kind of like wrestling in the water, with a ball and swimming. Plus, water polo athletes have the highest chance of becoming seals compared to other athletes
It seems plausible that “Jock Up” would come from a jockstrap, as in “Gird your loins” for battle, as in God’s statement to Job when he pushes a bit too far.
Jocko your referencing our good friend, Navy Seal Brett Marihugh, and Seth Lewis that both lost their lives during the training accident in 2015. Brett was one of the most HARDCORE mf'ers I know... RIP Brother, you are never forgotten. Talk about a small world, Representative Dan Crenshaw was in Seal Teams with Marihugh. Marihugh was a Deputy at Oakland County Sheriff Office, and the video you just sent out to our buddy Garza fighting cancer was a friend of Brett's also.....
"First things first: Water. Will. Kill you. You will die." As a Marine this hits home bc I love the water and I'm at home in it. But I've seen what Jocko is referring to firsthand. Water will humble you very quickly if you don't respect it.
Large masses of water freak me out. So I signed up for swimming lessons with 7 year old kids since it was the only thig available in my area. The coach and the kids helped me get over my fear and now I don’t sink like a rock to the bottom of the pool. They taught me to respect the water instead of fear it.
As a endurance athlete on land and in the ocean you learn to respect the ocean. The same way l respect the mountains. Things can go bad very, very quickly so you have to know when to push and when to back off and more importantly when to 'pull the pin'. I know experienced people who made the wrong call and died because of it. As Jocko said to feel comfortable in water you have to spend time in the water but do it safely.
My life truly began when I started surfing in 2015. I surf in the U.K. all year round, including January and February when the air temperature is often below freezing. It's amazing for the mind and body.
sounds like shallow water blackouts are one of few circumstances where Jocko does not say "good" thank you for taking that much time to spell out how dangerous water is you talk in reference to high-end training, yet it applies to simple swimming.
If you're looking to get over it I also recommend choosing a swim buddy who's very familiar with being in the water. Like Echo I'm from Hawai'i and grew up in the ocean. There's things I do in the ocean that I don't even think about that never occurrs to my non ocean dwelling friends. Like diving under a wave when it breaks, watching the whole horizon and wave patterns, looking at the sand ridges at the bottom of the ocean to get an idea of how powerful the waves are in that area. Etc.
It's good to be warned though, I only recently discovered this black out stuff was a thing and it's quite scary, but it doesn't keep me from taking swimming lessons and becoming less anxious in the water
I have this routine after working out I get in my car, drive to the ocean and swim for a bit even if its already dark outside or night. Today wasnt different, it was dark, around 7pm, there were no lifeguards or people around and I got in for my occasional swim. 30 seconds in - I look back at the shore and I realize I got extremely carried away and fear settles in. I immediately panic, water covers me, gets in my nose and mouth, I desperately call for help but there was no one around to hear me. I quickly realize that if I dont start acting I wont survive. It is time to fight for your life. I was able to shake off the panic, calm down and make the right moves. I somehow find ground under my feet and fight my way out. Nearly got dragged off the ground back in a couple of times as well. Once I get out and couple of minutes go by, I can see EMT on the shore, Police Boats going back and forth on the water shining projectors in, flares go off and all that business. I quickly call 911 to let them know Im okay and they can call it off. I was ignorant, proud and stupid. I thought the water is my friend and since I know how to swim and am a diver with plenty of experience, Km safe from danger. Learn from my mistakes. The water is your enemy. It will try and suck you in and drown you. Never go in alone, especially in the ocean, especially in the dark. I was lucky, but nobody promises you the same.
Great topic one thing my father pressed being comfortable in water I love swimming in the ocean hear in Myrtle Beach but I'm careful not to push myself to much I respect the environment mother nature is brutally honest
I dreamed I wrecked a SUV in a state park lake the other day, got a tree branch ramed threw my face, boy when I got back to the campsite, they were shocked.
Divemaster - San Diego, 1979 - Drowning is a primal horror. PANIC is the enemy. For 40 years I've seen it, intervened in it, & SAR'ed in it's aftermath. Train to extend your panic threshold. Frantic thought & movement must be banished to the cornfield forever. And NEVER forget! Acquiring & refining skill sets is an infinite process. There's a ZEN to it. Just be sure to file it all in your mind under the heading, RESPECT! -all Caps.. In this game the opponent plays for keeps. After all it is still innerspacewalking. When I'm put out to pasture I hope it's on a Kelp bed, coral reef, or bottomless blue blowing rings. Rings which will rise, expand, & burst into a space I tend to prefer less. Be safe all.
had a guy from Ranger Training Brigade drown in the middle of the day at Smith gym in Benning a few years back. Same deal, he was training for something and there was no lifeguard
I was not a frogman, but some of my best memories was doing water comp drills at the pool in Sasebo Navy base in Japan with a friend of mine who was headed back to BUDs. Bricks, breath holds, bottoming, etc... I grew up in South Florida. I was in the ocean, a pool, or an empty pool on a skateboard all the time till I joined the Navy (Surface GM). Ended up in Yokosuka on a destroyer and Sasebo for a short time after the 2011 earthquake and Tsunami. Did a lot of real world shit on that ship. The one constant all real sailors know is mother ocean. It's 75 percent of the world. Whether your a SEAL, a GM, or a cook being comfortable in the water is good for the body and the soul. TLDR learn to fucking swim and your life will be that much better. The surf is definitely up my dudes!
A nice thing about water exercise is that you never have that uncomfortable feeling of overheating and sweating so long as the water is max about 82 degrees.The water cools you off in real time. The exception would be when the water exceeds 82 degrees... which is extremely dangerous because the body can’t sweat in water to cool you.
The more you swim, the more you learn when you're not breathing properly, or when you're going too hard, or staying underwater for too long where it could become dangerous. You learn that you shouldn't be hyperventilating before/when working out. This confidence in your ability and expertise makes you relax and you become a better swimmer, same for scuba diving and surfing. Serious freediving is the base jumping of water sports, so I wouldn't ever do that shit. Knowledge of water safety is power.
I'm not the most confident swimmer. I have been in pools all my life but only learned relatively recently proper form. But after almost dying due to panic last summer I have a "respect" for the ocean. Some might call it genuine fear lmaooo. Even though I know I can tread water well and for long periods of time. Even though I know how to float both on my back and stomach and survive. Even though I am a better swimmer than some lifeguards. I refuse to be where my feet don't touch the ground. I recall that time I panicked and the panic always returns. I look towards the lifeguards that weren't there when I needed them, and my brain wants to preemptively call them over so I have the least amount of mental anguish while I battle for my life, before fatigue takes me under. Every time this happens it's a mental battle to stay calm, and not raise my hand for help, "You're not in danger, you're safe, you are competent" I have to remind myself. I could be 1 stroke from ground contact yet the feeling I'll just fall into the sea and no one will notice pervades me. I will see braver swimmers do their laps further out to avoid people. And here I am doing my laps near the children in the shallows because I'd rather deal with ducking waves every now and then, then be in deep water. I'm not sure when I'll get over this fear. But I know one thing. I doubt I'll die living like this.
@Max Tsed my brother served in the TEAMS the same time Jocko was nearing the end of his career. I have infinite reverence for the SEAL community. Joking around triggers you? Smh, Your better than that. settle down and lighten up.
Grow up in so cal lol. I learned how to swim when I was like 3 or 4, simply because everyone else was having fun in the water all the time and I didn't want to miss out
Alfred Chan Honestly it’s great, I swam for the first time in a very long time few months ago during my holiday with my parents, I went from not being able to swim to being capable of swimming for some time with either just my arms or just my legs, all during the course of a few days. I think I might’ve spent at least 4 hours in the water (either swimming pool or ocean) minimum per day, I never wanted to leave, even writing this brings back an amazing feeling.
I been going to the gym for 25 years...lots of arm work outs and I can't get that nice lump on my bicep. my chest, shoulders and legs look good. There is a genetic component. I know guys that don't lift much but still have bigger biceps than me. I'm a slim dude...some guys are born more stalky. trust me..I could lift weights for 50 years and won't look like jocko
One of the best public service announcements ever made: "Water will kill you". So, that being said learn to swim, know your limitations and ALWAYS have respect for the water.
Talking about those who died: not a single German navy seal (Kampfschwimmer) to this date has died in training...I think even the Navy seals can learn from others!
Growing up in south Louisiana, I was always in, on or around the water. Still am for the most part. I worked as a lifeguard and I hold several SCUBA certs. Water is definitely an equalizer. I’ve seen grown men, the size of NFL linemen, get into a 4’ deep pool with floaties on their wrists. Calm, clear pool water will kill you just as fast as murky, flowing river water.
I can relate to what the point is. I did some crazy azz sh-t up until five years ago. Somehow I developed epilepsy as I got older. After the denial stage of saying to myself I didn’t have a problem and I could control it, I realized I was being a complete dumb shit putting myself and others in danger. I mean simple things like driving a car. Like walking down the street to someone waking you up out of nowhere not knowing jack. It was a good wake up call for a lot of things in my life. So what they’re talking about be true man.
Water is expensive to play in :) I love water, my father tough me how to swim. I nearly drowned two times after that, i learned to respect it, the hard way. But i still love it, especially in the summer, when there is a cloudy day.
After listening to this I would have thought the question was "how do I get more comfortable with commercials in the middle of podcasts." Great advice on water though, especially the one in one out.
That almost happened to me in a hotel swimming pool that was heated . I was doing underwater holds too... ( going from one end of the pool to the other underwater) . I had a sensation that I wanted to sleep and got out immediately. I barely got out when my legs stopped working and I got lightheaded . I won’t dare workout in a pool alone after that. I was alone too when it happened
When Echo was talking about that guy crying and Jocko said he doesn't like him I felt bad. In a bootcamp I had a moment where I started crying too. It wasn't like whining, just the tears were spontaneously coming out. We had this training with stupidly heavy and old backpacks. I would depict them as a cube. Just cube with 2 ridiculously small straps. After like hour with it it just happened. 🤷♀️ I suppose no one from the platoon noticed. But still I am kind of in doubt of myself now when Jocko said he doesn't like that guy. I mean Jocko and Jordan Peterson are my two internet dads so I feel like disappointment 😶
This is the purpose of basic my friend. To stress your mentality farther then it has been so that you build your fortitude and get your breaks out before you find yourself in the real deal scenario. Don't beat yourself up over it
The eyes can tear for a lot of reasons. I was an amateur boxer and sharp body shots would make my eyes tear. I think its an autonomous body function. Like breathing (stress in your case) but it doesn't mean anything if you fight on and win. You finished your training. You won.
Alright, thank all four of you guys! I didn't expect would actually read the whole text. So I will try to answer all of you. First of all, thank you, Simon. You are right I have seen such sh*t too. cBake0, you have a point. I totally agree. And thanks for the positive outcome. Tom, that is very interesting! I didn't actually know that such thing could happen (despite the fact that I am studying medicine). Nim Boo, thanks for correcting me. You are right I didn't even hear him saying that the soldier was crying that the one person should come forward. Yes, I agree with you it, the bonds that are being created by the huge stress are torn by such people. I don't like that guy now too, lol :O Have a nice day guys and stay on the path!
Good words to live by. I think that that respect for water and acknowledging that it can kill you can actually help to make you a good swimmer. It's the same way respecting guns and their power can help to make you a good shooter and someone who is skilled with guns.
Right sir, I can comment on black outs in the water, I was tearing down a swimming dock ,with a diston hand saw, and being in the watersawing the the pie piling, ,and having wrapped my thighs around the slimy nutrient rich pulling , sawing wildly, ,and having to push the time envelope , I started , too max push myself the position , and the leg hold, biceps sawing motion too keep the sawing , I started to go black, it was stars starting, good job , bud,
