Any regular swimmers?

[aristocat]

Hello,I swim 3 or 4 times a week doing usually 30 lengths each day and wondered if there are any fellow swimmers out there?

[KatyTuncer]

Open water swimming is the new marathon running I heard.

[BsshBossh]

Well I ventured out to the local pool at lunch time. No idea how many lengths I did - probably 10 lengths in 30 mins but it's a start . I loved it. My main stroke is breast but I did a few Back and Front. I was out of breath and wobbly afterwards which is good and I'm beginning to feel a bit sore now. Hope to go again at least once this week. Next week I'll aim for 3 sessions. I'm lucky where I live because there are three pools near me so I will try each one in turn.

Hope everyone is still swimming?

[fatlazymummy]

Hi everyone, I'm a regular swimmer here.
BssBossh I have lost over 4 stones, with swimming as my main form of exercise. I believe swimming is great exercise, it is cardio and resistance combined. It really has helped me to tone up, my stomach is much flatter than it was and my arms and shoulders are showing much better definition .The only thing to remember is not to snack too much afterwards. Swimming does make you hungry.
I try to swim 3 times a week, 60 lenghths a time [1.5ks], breast and backstroke [I can't do freestyle]. unfortunately my nearest pool has closed and it is hard to swim properly in my replacement pool [no lanes], so I really just have to turn up and hope for the best!

[fatlazymummy]

Yay, I have just swum 70 lengths/1750 metres in 62 minutes [approx]. I cannot believe how far I have come in 9 months. When I first restarted swimming I could only manage 20 lengths. Today I'm sure I could have managed a lot more if not for time constraints.

[EssieW]

Another swimmer here - just got back into it after a couple of years when children small. Front crawl mostly and I do a mile in 40 minutes.

[BsshBossh]

Well, I managed 30 lengths breaststroke in 30 minutes yesterday and fell amazing! I didn't want to snack afterwards - I rarely do with exercise, which is strange - and was filled with energy. I'll try and go tomorrow morning again. I love how, unlike running, I can keep on going despite being a bit breathless as my joints and muscles don't hurt in the water. That's only got to be good for building stamina.

[zippy539]

Great to find this thread (and possibly kill it!). After years of trying to run with little success I've recently discovered that I LOVE swimming. I started doing twenty minutes 5x a week and I'm now up to thirty mins each session (I do 2xbreaststroke, 2xcrawl, 2x backstroke - repeat ad infinitum). Ultimately I'm aiming for 50 mins swimming session to cover around 1.5k (followed by a record breaking 7 minutes to shower, shampoo, condition, dry, dress, apply slap, dry hair, cycle to school in time for pick up). I think the second half of that equation is going to be more challenging than the first.

I have a v low boredom threshold so I use a finis MP3 player to keep me company. But when I listen to music I tend to injure myself by swimming too fast (I have a slightly ropey shoulder) so now I've started to listen to speech podcasts while I plow up and down at a slightly more leisurely rate. I'm also using a float so I can give my shoulder a break on alternate laps by just using my legs.

I'm currently two stone overweight so I'm curious to find out whether others have found swimming good for weight-loss.

[BsshBossh]

Hi Zippy. Someone upthread has commented on losing 4 stones. I've only been swimming for two weeks (used to swim loads as a child and teen though) and can already see my figure trimming up nicely. My tummy in particular! I am watching what I eat though.

[tyler80]

Six months later I'm still contemplating rejoining my old club. But trying to summon up the courage as I'm so unfit compared to when I left. I'd hoped to do some swimming on my own before joining to get back up to speed a littl but the timetables are impossible for me around here. I've got quite a few pools to choose from but they all seem to operate on the same timetable, really irritating.

[BsshBossh]

Tyler, what are typical opening times? Ours all seem to open at 7am and close at 9 or 10pm so I am able to find suitable times within that. I go different times on different days depending on work/DH/DD schedules.

[isw]

Just saying hello, I used to swim loads but now "swim" loads with dd and can never seem to face going back to the pool to swim myself if you know what I mean. However, am recovering from broken ribs and extensive soft tissue damage so think swimming is the way forward esp as now have a 50m nearby. Am going to aim for 10 lengths. Wish me luck!

[tyler80]

Ours don't open until 7.30am (I start work at 8), later at weekends. Close at 4pm at weekends, and seem to be clubs/water aerobics etc. from 6pm onwards in the week. No more than 2 lanes ever.

[BsshBossh]

Well, I've been swimming regularly for two weeks now. I love it. Am focussing on building stamina so still on 30 lengths in 30 minutes but I've noticed that once I pass the 20 minute mark I kind of enter a zone where I could swim on and on and on. It's only time constraints that prevent me swimming more than 30 minutes at a time. I think I'll aim for one weekend long swim a week - say 45 mins to begin with... Oh God I love love love swimming. So glad I gave up running as I never enjoyed it and it hurt my joints.

[fatlazymummy]

BsshBossh welcome to the zone! I get that as well, it's great.
Unfortunately I only have 2 more swims before the summer holidays [I am unable to swim then due to various reasons, hopefully I will get 2 good ones.

[aristocat]

hi ladies ........... sorry I lost the thread I am still swimming away - usually 4 times a week and 40L which takes me 30mins.

I have also lost 4 stones in the last 2 yrs due to eating less and ( I believe) my swimming. 2years ago, I started swimming 20L and gradually built up from there.
I would like to swim a KM instead of a mile but I am happy with what I do now and with the school holidays coming I will be taking my DCs regularly. I am determined to do 'real' swimming with them and not just messing sbout!

[aristocat]

Oh yes 'the zone' BsshBossh I get that too! You just sort of get into a routine and feel like you could swim forever

[BsshBossh]

aristocat that's amazing weight loss. After just one week of swimming my DH and I both noticed how much tauter I was looking. My legs and tummy in particular have completely toned up and reduced in inches. Six weeks in and also eating better, I've lost 18lbs. I've lost much more and firmed up more by swimming compared to when I was running. Easier on my old joints too!

[aristocat]

watching the Olympic swimmers and wish I could be 1/2 as good as they are sigh

[drxerox]

Hi all, great to see a swimming thread. I belong to a gym, and have gone regularly, but thought, as we're lucky enough to have an outside pool, that I should try serious swimming instead. It's only 10m long and I've been doing 100 length sessions in 40 minutes (breast stroke/crawl). I feel great - even though the water is cold - and I'm going to try and keep doing it as long as possible this year. Today I was swimming in the pouring rain, which was lovely. Has anyone managed to swim all through the year in an unheated pool?

[Maia290]

Lovely to see all these messages about swimming.
I used to swim on/off, I also swam during the pregnancy I found really good speacially towards the end of the pregnancy, it was a relief to be floating and not feeling so heavy.
My baby is now 14 months old, I would love to go back swimming, but I am not sure how to manage my time, also working full time. I just need to get organised I guess.

[Ummaummaumma]

Hi,
Can I join the swimmers although technically I won't be swimming properly again until after the summer holiday?
I love swimming and try to go 3 times a week term time. When I'm up to speed I do 40 x 25m, 10 breast, 20 crawl and 10 legs only. I have phases of swimming but have developed v big shoulders, have I been doing something wrong? Lots of other regulars I know don't look so hench!

[BsshBossh]

Okay, have had an enforced break from swimming recently due to 1. Going on holiday, 2. DD being on school holiday, 3. Skin issue (not related to swimming). Will start again when DD starts school. Can't wait!

[fatlazymummy]

Yes! I had my 1st swim for 7 weeks, [due to the summer holidays]. It felt awesome. I thought it would be really hard work, but it wasn't at all. My cardio wasn't quite as good but my strokes actually felt more powerful [I have been working with dumbbells during the holidays].
Unfortunately the pool I have been using is due to close soon so will probably have to stop for a while. It is very frustrating.

[shukes]

Hello ladies! Am I the only bloke on here? Maybe the title 'Mumsnet' should have given me a clue! I'm 72. Once upon a time I was a competitive swimmer, but I've done no real exercise for the better part of 50 years! My 32 year old son has recently started competing in triathlons, and back in May of this year he asked if I fancied going down to our local pool for a swim. I managed about 20 lengths (25 meter pool) before I felt tired. I enjoyed it, and I started going fairly regularly. I now swim 6 days a week and I swim a regular 40 lengths in 5 sets of 8 (with about 45 seconds recovery time between sets) - all on front crawl. I've now got my time down to below 30 minutes and I'm working on changing to 4 sets of 10 and then. . . . . . .Who knows? I'm loving it and occasionally I venture into the 'fast lane' when there's noone about!

[aristocat]

Hurrah! I had lost our thread, lovely to see everyone swimming.