Speaking in generalities (there are always exceptions), Blacks do have a denser bone and muscle structure than those of European ancestry. Quite some time back in another career, I was a swimming instructor at the Recruit Training Pool at Parris Island. Every Marine recruit went in the water. Those who could not swim got a couple of days of instruction before testing. As one who was in the water with them, and sometimes going to the bottom to retrieve them, a far higher percentage of Blacks than Whites simply did not have positive buoyancy.
That does not mean they cannot learn to swim, only that it’s a tougher process. BTW, the second fastest swimmer among the instructors was Black, but even he could not float without arm and leg movement. (Modesty prevents me from identifying the fastest swimmer).
Not even with full lungs?
I couldn’t have been more than 10 when I got to ride the ditching simulator at the base pool at MCAS Beaufort.
You mean he outweighed his lung flotation ability? He’d have negative boyancy at complete stillness — not even his torso to the surface? Wow ...
Well, I’m white and I have never been able to float.
I’m one of those that sinks to the bottom of the pool and stays there if I try to do a back float or a dead man float. I have also always amazed people when they find out how much I weigh. I have always weighed 15-20 lbs more than I look. I can get my weight down to the point I look like a nazi concentration camp survivor but still be over weight according to the doctor charts, and I’ve done it. I used to run a lot of long distances and I was very very thin.
People have told me its my bones. Supposedly my bones are thick and have less than normal hollow space in them. But there is something different about my muscle too. My muscles are stronger than it seems they should be based on their size. I have always been able to match the strength of guys with much larger muscles than me.
I’m a white man that can’t jump OR swim.