August 21st: I’m a seal!

Today we did our practical by the pool. It was a lot of fun. There were teams of 4 people and only one person of each group had to be the “seal” and have their heart rate tested with different behaviours. I volunteered because I had already prepared myself to get wet and becausei don’t have a gym membership, I knew this would probably be the only time I would get to swim in the pool. The requirements for the whole prac are below. I learned that I am a horrible swimmer because I could not do the laps comfortably even though there were only four. Also, eating Mars bars was awesome, except when they had to place ice packs on my throat, underarms and crotch for my metabolism to shiver and work off the fat I had just ate…. So cold and the professor did get a picture of me at that time.

Thermoneutral Zone: Heart and breathing rates at Rest, and again after Feeding.

Start Stopwatch

REST - Thermal neutral conditions on shore:

1. Time 0.00 Homo aquaticus lies down and rests for two minutes.

2. Time 2.00 At two min record HR and count number of breaths taken over the next 30 sec

3. Time 2.30 Record HR again at the end of the 30 seconds.

Stop stopwatch

EAT - Specific dynamic action on shore:

1. Homo aquaticus eats a chocolate bar, restart stopwatch once they have finished eating

2. Time 0.00 As soon as they finish eating, record HR and number of breaths taken in the next 30 sec

3. Time 0.30 Record HR again at the end of the 30 seconds.

4. Time 2.00 Record HR and count number of breaths taken in the next 30 sec

5. Time 2.30 Record HR again at the end of the 30 seconds

6. Time 3.00 Ha rests for exactly 5 minutes, one team member to get 5 ice bags ready for next test.

Thermonegative Zone On Shore: Heart and breathing rate in response to temperature change

COOL –Thermal cold conditions on shore:

7. Time 8.00 Homo aquaticus is still lying down resting.

8. Time 8.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

9. Time 8.30 Immediately place bags of ice cubes between thighs (hold tight), neck and armpits, and

10. Time 8.30 measure HR and Breathing for 30 sec

11. Time 10.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

12. Time 11.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

Thermonegative Zone In Water

RETURN TO SEA

13. Time 11.30 Homo aquaticus enter the water and rest at surface (floating) for two minutes

14. Time 13.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

15. Time 14.00 Ha Rest 1 min no record

16. Time 15.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

DIVE

17. Time 15.30 Record HR Ha Hold breath for 30 sec, safety crew tap on shoulder when 30 sec is up

DIVE RECOVERY

18. Time 16.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

19. Time 16.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

20. Time 17.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

21. Time 17.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

22. Time 18.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

23. Time 18.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

SWIM AS EXERCISE?

24. Time 19.00 record HR Ha now swims two laps

On completion of TWO laps (ie 4 lengths or 200m) record lap time:

Then Restart stopwatch.

1. Time 0.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

2. Time 0.30 Record HR Ha Hold breath for 30 sec, safety crew tap on shoulder when 30 sec is up

3. Time 1.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

4. Time 1.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

5. Time 2.00 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec

6. Time 2.30 Record HR and Breathing for 30 sec