Swimming. I just made something of a dick of myself.

[Donneytrumpgal]

Please help me recover.

I can swim, in so far as I can get across water without sinking, but have got into awful habits, and am also much heavier than I was. So, I booked myself into an intermediate swimming class to sort out my stroke and get me a bit fitter.

Oh dear god, I am so unfit. My stroke isn’t bad but I only did a length and a half and was so out of breath I had to hold on to the side and pull myself together. I got all gulpy and panicky.

Then we did some half lengths of face in the water breathing, and that was ok until the water went up my nose and I started spluttering and coughing. And just when I thought I’d started to get it, I swallowed loads of pool and then burped really loudly. Oh the SHAME!

Why am I taking in so much water and snorting when everyone else has this bit sussed?

Should I go and find another sport I’m more physically suited to? Darts?

You went to a class to get better, so you'd hardly be expecting to be rebecca addlington in the first lesson!

In fact, surely it's better if you struggle a bit at the first class then you can really see some improvement.

Ah OP you're fine! I'm a very strong swimmer and last week I managed to choke on a missed intake of breath so badly I actually had to get out of the pool to recover :o Happens to us all!

Well done you for signing up for a class. Swimming is the best!

Keep going op, you will improve. I started on an 'improvers' class swimming lengths and with in months was keeping up the tri training class doing a mile to warm up.
I'm getting back into swimming now, in my 40s,post child bearing. I discovered Pay as You Gym (now called Hustle). I buy a one of pass for the local gym and can swim when it's quiet rather than battling the crowds at the local council pool. I doubt I will be the lean, racing snake I became from my old swimming habits, but it's definitely made a difference to my slightly broken maternal body.

Doh, I started on widths, not lengths. Do you have goggles OP? The you can concentrate on breathing /stroke not keeping you eyeballs dry.

Yes I have nice goggles that don’t leak. But water goes up my nose. Will this stop as I get better or shall I get a nose clip?

It should be obvious but getting into the same lane as someone in a practically empty lido then swimming straight at them and ignoring the signs about which way to swim also counts as dickish behaviour.

Open you mouth and take a gulp of air when you turn your head to the side and out of the water (obviously ) and when you stick you face back under the water, keep your mouth closed and breathe out through your nose. That really helps with the water-up-the nose scenario.

I would recommend a nose clip OP, I personally don't mind water in my nose but if it bothers you it will probably always bother you.
In regards to your first post though, you didn't make a tit of yourself, you went and tried your best. For all swimming is low impact, it's bloody hard work on all your muscles, so don't worry about being unfit. Just keep going, you will improve and you'll find your own pace/rhythm.
I also second what PPs have said, I remember the dicks far more than the people who are struggling. People who come right up behind you in a completely empty pool and then tell you to speed up, people who swim the wrong side of the lane, people who plow into you and then tell you to watch out the way. Like, I get in the zone as much as the next person but it doesn't fuck up my central nervous system to the point that I can't see people or sense the vibrations from someone kicking.

Same issue as theweathergirl my son puked in the pool at 9.30 and they had to clear and cancel the rest of the day never went back to said pool...

I'm in good physical shape (I work out very frequently) but only get to swim lengths when we visit my parents, normally. It is hard if you're not used to it, no matter how in or out of shape you are! Keep at it and you'll get better and better.

I read "Leap in" too and she may have been rubbish at the beginning but she made more progress in a year than I have in 13!

It is a great book though.

Also, The Lido is a good book. Fiction, but has some good stuff about the power of swimming to make you feel better.

As with a PP, if not for irritating small children I would happily never ever swim again except for holiday swimming!
However the annoying bastards love going and the smallest is too young to go in the pool without an adult
I am a shit swimmer, well I don’t really swim. I am terrified of getting my face in the water, I loathe the sensation of water in my ears and if my children ever challenge me to do a forward glide or whatever bollocks they enjoy seeing my suffer, I am so quick under the water and let all my air go in one enormous puff that I have to rise for air immediately.
We went last weekend and I as emerged from one of these humiliating rituals I went to take a gulp of air in however I was still under the fucking water and took in a gulp of water - when I eventually came up, I was spluttering and coughing like a 60 a day smoker.
At least you didn’t look as bad as me op

My lesson is tonight and I’m all nervous and feel a bit funny and perhaps I should just stay home and and and

You'll be fab. Everyone starts somewhere.
I had to relearn to swim after acquiring a disability, and I could splash 2m. Then I had lessons with an incredible teacher and my absolute stretch target was 400m. A couple of years on, and I've swum 5km at a time and have a 2.4 mile sea swim booked for July (I'm bricking it tbh). More importantly, I love swimming in the lido or lake and meet lots of lovely people doing it (and a number of tossers) - and get to eat lots of cake

Oh wow!!! That’s really brill! What a massive achievement!

Am in the car park and I’m going in.

And I’m back!!! This week I took it all much slower and did half lengths instead of full ones so I didn’t have to think about being out of my depth. And it was all much easier and I swam two lengths at the end, properly. Admittedly slowly but properly, breathing trickle, coordinated (ish).

Well done! You faced it down. All upwards from here.

Go you! Well done on getting in and on

CMOTDribbler I thought of you tonight.

Don't feel bad for the distance you managed without stopping. After I restarted swimming I would need to stop every 2 lengths for a break and maybe manage 12 overall but over a few months worked up to 30 without stopping.

I can't help with technique since I'm one of the annoying women doing slow breaststroke. I would love to find a class to learn proper front crawl.

Thank you so much for this thread, I've been nursing this little dream of going swimming, maybe getting instruction - and have successfully got my two little ones doing quite well with lessons... but have yet to actually get in the pool myself. It's a daunting business. All the advice and encouragement, and inspiration from you, OP, has really helped me!

I was sitting on my sofa while you were swimming so well done you!