I heard rescue swimmers rarely or never get any rescues so I was wondering what they do daily,

This is gonna be a lot but I wanna give as much context as I can.

So I am 23m I swam in college and have surfed body surfed all throughout my life and have always been very comfortable in the ocean especially during those El Niño and east coast hurricane swells. YEW! Now I am a non rate at small boat station and I have gotten orders to an AIRSTA for the MAPP program and will be leaving next month. I have been training since I have gotten out of basic. And thanks to this subreddit I found many workouts to factor into my water con since I have mainly seen on here that is what people struggle with or have questions about. So I want to list some of the work outs that I have done to see what y’all think.

All workouts start with varying stretches depending on the day which parts of the body get the most work. Water con is full body. Water con is done with boardies and T-shirt

Swim Warm-up 500 yd free (goggles) 2x200 side kick (mask) 8x25 underwater @60 (mask) Main 2x50 Buddy brick w/ :10 pause to sim partner(mask) 2x200 over under(mask) 2x100 sprint down underwater back (mask) 4x50s gear recover into side brick(mask) ^ Sometimes interchanged with 10x50 sprints with 20 flutter kicks and 10 push ups with a :30 rest.

when I’m on duty I’ll normally have an upper body and a lower body day

Upper body 4x8-10 bench 4 rounds 12 lat raises 15 cable swimmer pull down (single) 5 rounds 30 push ups 8-10 weighted and non weight pull ups w/ dead hangs rest of :60

4 rounds of core work that always has 1:30 timed flutter kicks and other varying core exercises (3 in circuit) on :60 rest then into rows sprints as listed in the AST MAPP workouts.

Lower body 5 rounds 12 hex bar dead lift or close split stance weighted squats (knee ankle strengthening) 20 body weight squats 2x15 Single leg glute bridges :60 rest

6x 1/4mile sprints on 2min rest AFAP or 5k. pace starts at 9 then try to descend by each mile

Then first day off duty is recovery day and the following day is the swim as listed above

Each workout isn’t set in stone sometimes they vary depending on feeling out weakness in parts in my abilities but for the most part that’s what I do on weekly basis. I apologize for the long post I just want to see what rs may say needs improvement or how im doing in terms of being on track or ahead of the curve for where I’m at in the pipeline. Thank you reading!

Hello, I am a 21yr old female! I’m late to the game with no military family/ background and I feel like I’m starting from no where. I am essentially asking if its possible and what I need to do to make it happen:

21yr F, Mile- 12min, EMT-b, Currently enrolled in a paramedic program, Associates of science, multiple rescue certifications (thanks to my local volunteer fire department), and on a low dose of antidepressants. Is this a realistic goal? How do I make sure I am able to hold my own?

Thank you for your time, I just need guidance. I want to help people and water in one of the things I love most in this world.

Hello AST Reddit, About 2 weeks ago, I got the advice on here that I should add bucket tows to my training. Over the past two weeks, I have been able to tow for longer and faster. I did a timed 1000y tow today in 28 minutes.

How far away is this from what I need to be for A-school?

If you’re in the Orange County area and want to train together pre boot camp let me know! Need someone to train buddy brick and do some buddy tows. Let’s get after it before we ship off.

I’m likely going to pursue AST with an asvab waiver as I scored just under the 65 and recruiter said I should just stick with what I got . Curious what the process looks like getting the waiver and if there’s any additional testing I’ll be doing due to be allowed to attend a school? Thanks!

Just wondering what a typical day is looking like while in the Annex X program and stationed at an air station. Is training prioritized or is it more of an afterthought with other various duties being prioritized? Or somewhere in between? Thanks

I’ve been training for a while now and I’m at the point where I feel like I’m not doing enough

Everything I do while training is, 200 yard warm up, 500, lap tracers, sprints, treading, over under/ under overs, and running.

What do I add to my training schedule?

Is there an advantage to being able to breathe to both sides while swimming freestyle?

How often is it that injury will bar someone from becoming an ast? I imagine with the amount of training required and the intensity of actual a school, chances of your body breaking down before you graduate are pretty high?

Took the asvab for the first time a little while back scoring just under the required 65 to be an ast. My recruiter says I should just stick with my score as I can get an asvab waiver long as I do my job and don’t do anything stupid. Is my recruiter lying or is this something that’s actually possible? Don’t want to join and be screwed over not being allowed to attend rescue swimmer school due to asvab. I seem to trust him as he’s been in for a while but wanted to hear what others have to say about this. Thanks!

Does anyone have a good workout plan including swimming and gym sessions to prepare for A school?

I’m a 20 year old female. Current college waterpolo player/swimmer/ ocean lifeguard. What are my chances of making it as an AST? I swim 1000 in 13:00 in a pool (no fins), and 14:00 in ocean (no fins). 5’10 and 150lbs. 500 in pool of 6:07 (no fins), 500 in ocean (no fins) roughly 7-8 mins. I bodysurf consistently

This was my workout today. I would appreciate any advice or tips from any current or former ASTs.

1. 500y swim at 85% effort, 6:30
2. 20 mask and snorkel clears
3. 4x25 underwaters with donning fins, mask and snorkel before resurfacing.
4. 10 minute tread with hands out of the water.
5. 2 tread with 10lb brick and fins.
6. 8x15 side finning sprints. I was aiming to focus on optimal power output.
7. 800y gear swim. Completed in 12 mins.

To any ASTs out there, how does this workout compare to pool workouts in A-school?

PS. I am four months out from attending AST PREP in Petaluma.

As title states, I am wondering what the family life looks like while at swim school? Do married guys have their wives move to Petaluma with them? While in Swim School am I mandated to stay in the barracks or can I stay with the wife? What about kids? My understanding has been that most weekends you have personal time, do guys stay in town? Travel back to be with the family?

I am just trying to plan out best time for the Mrs and I to start our family and what that could look like while I attend swim school. Any advice is really appreciated!

Hey guys! I plan on joining the CG by April, hopefully with an annex x contract. I just had a couple questions about training and preparing for the Coast Guard and AST school.

What dry land exercises will help me prepare for school? What are some materials that I should study before getting there? What underwater drills should I practice? How long should I be able to hold my breath?

I am 6ft 4, 235lbs I know I need to loose some weight, would being around 200lbs be good enough?

and my last question is how does the timeliness to get into the school look like?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate it. (Any other advice you got for me would be awesome as well)

Hello everyone,

I’m currently trying to decide between two career paths: USAF Pararescue (PJ) and USCG Aviation Survival Technician (AST). Both roles are centered around Search and Rescue (SAR), which aligns with my long-term career goals, especially if I transition to civilian SAR roles in the future. I’m considering several factors: financial impacts (both short- and long-term), work-life balance, career prospects in the civilian world, and overall job satisfaction.

Financial Considerations:

In terms of finances, both paths offer competitive salaries and benefits while serving. However, Pararescue PJs may have slightly higher bonuses due to the specialized nature and demanding training of the role. Both offer great educational benefits (like the GI Bill) that would be valuable for pursuing further SAR-related certifications post-service. Long-term, I’m weighing the financial advantages each could bring when transitioning to civilian SAR roles, as I know that specialized military SAR experience is often highly valued.

Work-Life Balance:

For work-life balance, I understand that both careers can be challenging. However, from what I’ve researched, ASTs in the Coast Guard might have slightly more predictable schedules since their missions are primarily domestic. PJs may face more deployments, including combat and overseas assignments, which could impact personal time and relationships. I value work-life balance, but I’m also willing to make sacrifices for a fulfilling job, so I’m trying to understand the demands of each role better.

Civilian Career Opportunities:

When it comes to transitioning to civilian roles, both paths seem to offer solid opportunities, particularly in SAR. Skills gained as a PJ are highly transferable to high-stakes rescue and emergency response jobs, and AST experience is valuable for maritime and aerial SAR positions. I’m considering how each would set me up for roles in organizations like FEMA, local SAR teams, or even private SAR companies. Networking and job placement assistance through veteran programs might also differ between branches, so I’m exploring these resources as well.

Overall Job Satisfaction:

Lastly, I’m trying to gauge the overall satisfaction of each role. Both seem incredibly rewarding but in different ways. PJs are known for their intense missions and high-pressure scenarios, which can be thrilling and fulfilling. ASTs, while still high-stress, may offer a bit more routine, which could lead to steadier satisfaction over time. I’d love to hear from anyone with experience in either field about what brings them the most pride and joy in their roles.

Any insights or experiences you could share would be greatly appreciated as I make this decision. Thanks in advance!

I'm currently thinking of going AST or PJ and have some questions about the AST pipeline. I'm planning on seeing a recruiter this week but could use some first hand advice on this matter.

How physically/mentally prepared should I be upon the moment of enlisting? Will there be enough time while waiting for A-School to train if I'm coming in with competitive (swim/run/calisthenics) numbers? Should I just aim to get into the mentorship program and trust that it will prepare me for A-School?

I’m shipping out December 2nd for basic with the annex x contract. I’ve been swimming and running daily while slowly working up my times and distances in both. Including brick and fin workouts. I watch a lot of content on current or past rescue swimmers and I’ve noticed they all have larger taller statures. I’m 5’9 145lbs and slightly concerned about my size and weight going into this career field/rate. I eat as much as I can and have a focus on protein intake but have a very high metabolism and makes it feel nearly impossible to put on weight. Hopefully I I’m able to put on more weight as I still have a while before I’m sent to A school but just curious what it would look like for someone my size. Will this be a disadvantage, advantage, or just not really matter and it comes down to my fitness level?

Hello, I am on the List and currently training for A school next year. Last week, I hit a 6:20 on my 500y swim and followed with a 5:38 in a 400y gear swim. From what I understand, these are scores put me in a good position for A school, but I still want to improve.

With being honest with myself, finning is the area that I need to improve in. I am very exhausted after 150y of finning while holding a brick out of the water. I want to show up to the PREP program being able to finish a 800y brick fin without any breaks. Does anyone have any tips to build strength and endurance for finning?

Overall I have come a long way and really proud of myself. Today I’ve realized a major weakness, “treading water while nothing is going on around me” I’m fine while stuff is happening but sitting there is more exhausting then doing something

As well has lap tracers, I’m getting deeper in the pool and I’ll be confident enough to make it the whole length of the pool by the end of the week for sure! But a little nervous to pop and and immediately go right back down. Just worried about blacking out.

Only thing as of right now I’m terrified about is buddy tow, I’m a weaker person and I’m scared that I won’t be able to that.

Last thing I’ll say is people around me, I’m a very confident person and I need to be a RS but people around me can either do better then me while on swim teams of they talk down on me for wanting to do this with no swim team experience

How long did you train before going to boot camp and eventually rescue swimmer A school to feel/be prepared? I have no swimmer background but ultra athletic. I was thinking 3-5 months of training to gain confidence, endurance and prepare mentally before shipping out. Going to join a deep end fitness class for water confidence, a masters swimming class for endurance and stroke technique for water efficiency, basic breathing exercises in the shower, long distance running, and a strength and condition program with a focus on endurance. Going to balance that with a part time job maybe and reading and chess to keep my mind sharp. Need some other activity to keep balanced with social time with others. Haven’t talked to a recruiter or taken the ASVAB so I should talk and request to do so. Want to pass it the first time. What’s your guys experience and advice.

What’s going on rescue swimmers! My little brother is getting out of the Navy as a rescue swimmer next year. In the Marine Corps, we would give paddles or tomahawks or swords, etc., depending on the unit or MOS. Not sure if anyone can shed some light on something yall would give another rescue swimmer EAS-ing. Any input is appreciated

Rah

Just looking for some advice here. For the past few months I've been training to become an ast, but last week I broke my wrist. This will definitely slow down my progression since I basically can't do any upper body or swim for around 2 months. I changed my weekly schedule to do basically abs, legs, and cardio( bike only though can't do treadmill ). Does anybody have any advice on how to precede and get some kind of decent workout plan with my wrist in mind? Thanks

Any advice on how to structure my week? I know that in rescue swimmer school you run, lift/calisthenics, and swim during the day. But for most of the training programs I've seen, land and pool days are separated. Should I not train how a normal day is executed in school? Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

Do you get any time to rest between the pool lengths, or do you just come up for a breath and on to the next?

I am shipping out for basic on October 8th, and was wondering what week the Annex X PT test is taken? I’ve heard a range of different times, and I am wondering if there is a set week to take the PT test?

What’s the typical week like like as a coast guard aviation survival technician? What do you do everyday? How many days are you on the helicopter on duty? What do you do off duty? What do you do in the office?