Recognising sambas?

[steff]

Hi all,
I’ve just started doing some pool training (2nd night). I’ve done a little diving in the ocean, but am still very green. At training last night, I’m told I had a samba. What happened was this - I’d being doing 25m laps on short recovery times (6 breaths), for about 40 mins. I then stopped for a while (5-10 mins?), then started doing 50 m laps. Did the 1st 50, which was hard, but okay, then had a break and watched someone breathe up, and then do 75m (all up probably 5 mins break). On the 2nd 50, the 1st 25m was really easy. Botched up the turn right royally, then swam back. This is when things get a little hazy. I remember seeing the end of the pool, then the end of James’ fins, but that’s where I become confused. They tell me, I came up, took a breath, then went face down back into the water. I don’t remember James grabbing me, but do remember Nathan (swimming next lane over), coming over.

OK. I accept from the evidence and the search on sambas I did on deeper blue about ½ an hour ago, that I had a samba. I figured that it probably happened as I was already depleted from the 25s I’d been doing before. I am convinced that I didn’t hyperventilate before the swim. I was definitely cold afterwards, I think I was probably cold before.

My question is this. I didn’t really feel anything. It was hard, but no harder than the previous 50m, or the 50s I did the week before, and probably felt easier than the ocean dives I’ve done. I can pinpoint reasonably well the trigger this time, but how do I equate that to a recognisable set of circumstances that I can use as a guideline for next time (like a clinical pathway I guess). I guess what I’m asking is how can I recognise the signs of this, to stop it happening again, if it didn’t really feel any different to any other swim?

Thanks in advance

steff

[fcallagy]

Hi Steff
I think that for some of us at least there is no way to spot the signs you may feel like you are doing great and bang yor gone or your feel really bad but make it ok. Thats the problem with sambas and BO sometimes there are no warnings. There also could be a host of other factors from being slightly dehydrated, stressed or the onset of a small infection ( cold) that you might not even notice but your body is fighting it all the same. Some people feel the approaching samba more don't. I have only had one myself a small one and was surprised by it also. The only thing i really remeber about it was that i had surfaced after a static and "forgot" to breath. Others may have better advice.

[naiad]

It could be because of the short recovery times. It is possible to get hypoxic when doing short intervals, even if the distance is relatively short.

Lucia