Swimmers unite!

[aristocat]

Any swimmers still here?

There were quite a few of us last year, just wondered if you are still here. I still go 3 or 4 times a week and love it :)

I would love a swimming holiday and am sure DD would too! Like *AntiJam's" she too swims better than me and she is only 9 years old -though she is County standard! DH can just about swim a length and would probably be quite happy quaffing a few beers on the boat every day

I too can only turn my head to one side - mine is the left - and I think it is because I sleep on my front and lie facing that way.

Swam 1.8k today in 45mins and had a lane to myself for the whole time and the whole pool for the first 20 mins. Bliss

magimedi for bilateral breathing try this - breathe to your normal side, but every few strokes try turning your head to the other side very gently and just looking under the surface of the water - so don't bother trying to get air, just get used to moving your head in that direction. It's quite nice doing this and looking up at the surface of the pool. It might 'loosen' up that side a bit.

Then gradually increase the turn of your head so your goggle breaks the surface and eventually you can turn enough get a bit of air. It should feel quite relaxed and help you to balance in the water (as breathing on one side only can make you a bit lop-sided)

Then practice getting air from your worse side every so often, then do whole lengths just using one side then the other.

I have a new 'favourite' side in the last few weeks- no idea why- hated the left side before. I have to force myself to use the right now......

Another swimmer signing in! Have joined swim club at gym to give me a bit more inspiration in the pool . It's a great challenge - 45 minutes hard swimming as we do lots of pace work and sprints. All front crawl except today when we finished with 25 m butterfly (first ever attempt at butterfly - but I survived).

And another swimmer signing in.

I swim 5 times a week before work half a mile of front crawl (takes 18 minutes plus I do five minutes stretching afterwards). Can only breatheto one side (to the left every fourth stroke!).

On a practical note, can anyone recommend goggles that don't leave too much of a mark - at 53 my skin is less elastic than it was and I am fed up of the time it takes the marks to disappear.

kaizen - I will try that on Wednesday, when I next swim. Sounds like a really good idea.

Kaizen - the other thing to try is turning from the waist so it's not just your head turning to the other side. And really outstretched the leading arm at that point . It doesn't have to be big turn - apparently you shouldn't be able to see the ceiling but only a bit of the side of the pool when you turn your head

Sorry - meant that for magimedi not kaizen!

I do a 2- beat kick like the one on the video below (but not nearly so well timed or smooth yet!!) I find it fits my style and I like the way it co-ordinates with the arms (sometimes). Different kick styles fit different bodies though.

Most people do a 6- beat kick, which is a faster 'flutter' kick, or a 4 beat, which is inbetween - these are usually better for sprinting. I think kicking too much causes drag (lots of blokes do this as they kick to keep their heavy sinking legs afloat) and is tiring unless it's used really well. I sometimes don't kick at all, and just streamline. I sometimes give a massive kick with both legs at the same time, but that's naughty apparently.

The other thing to remember is always kick from the hip, not the knee (or your leg will bend and create drag) and try to THINK that you have a coin to hold between your bum cheeks - don't do this literally you can practice with a kick board.

I watch how better swimmers kick underwater, as they are usually really horizontal so the just kick adds propulsion, and doesn't try to keep them afloat. Hope that helps a bit - what do others think?

Do you point your toes? I once had a lady who used to go backwards, because her feet were pointing up like when you're standing. Most people aren't that extreme, but getting a good line does help - and yes, kick from the hip with the whole leg, not from the knee.

Some great tips on this thread for me as both a virtual non-kicker and a non-bilateral breather - thanks all. I think I'm a 2-kicker as well kaizen if i kick at all

I do struggle with bilateral breathing and can only breathe to the left. I can if I really concentrate, swim a couple of lengths bilaterally but as soon as I need to speed up it gets too hard. I guess I need someone standing over me with a whip to get me to do it all the time! Or just slow down and really try to get it a constant thing.

That Burgh Island swim looks fantastic kaizen I would def do it if in the UK!

Our swim squad was back yesterday after the long summer holidays - our coach was quite gentle on us which is most unlike him, most of the time I can barely lift my arms when I get out

ps yes I know it's crazy to sea swim if you can only breathe to one side..which is why I really need to nail the both sides thing....

For more kicking stuff, watch Sun Yang's 1500m freestyle gold medal swim on you tube - he's a 2/4 beat kicker with a really smooth stroke but when he's in his last 100 metres and going to break the world record, he suddenly develops a massively fast kick like a paddle-steamer going up the pool - it's quite funny to watch (if you're a swim geek )

Kaizen & caper

I swum this morning & tried your advice for a few lengths. I sed a pull bouy so I didn't have to bother with kicking. It went really well & by the end I managed a couple of breaths on the right! I was so pleased - then the next time I tried it I nearly drowned!! But it is definitely helping & I will persevere.

magimedi- two steps forward and one step back!! Well done on your two breaths, just try and keep a relaxed head and neck and do it when it feels ok. I had two breakthroughs last week - I used my lat muscles and back to move my arms instead of throwing my hand forward, and my head relaxed into the water properly for the first time after being told 8 months ago. Bloody yippee!! But I have to focus on those two things now until it's natural - god knows what the back end is doing but it makes each length interesting and I'm keeping up with the Ironmen now......

I'm doing Burgh Island with swimtrek in June. I'm also interested in doing the Dart 10km, has anyone done that?

I haven't done the Dart, but it's supposed to be an 'iconic swim' adn very pretty. I think 75 puts me off a bit. A friend of mine did it and said it was easier than expected as the flow is tidal. Her and a friend had dodgy stomachs afterwards too after ingesting some suspect river water

Hi everyone, kaizen kindly pointed me over here.

I've just joined my local councils membership for leisure centres, and went swimming yesterday for the first time in a while.

I forgot how much I love it :) I went to the next town on the bus as they have a nice new pool.

Managed to do 22 lengths in just under half an hour, and am aiming to do more each time.

I do breaststroke but really want to do front crawl so will look at some videos on YouTube.

I would love some lessons on my technique etc. the local pools do swimming clubs for various abilities but I need to ask where I fit in.

Hoping to go at least twice a week, more when I can.

porkincider, I am very jealous! I had a chat with DH, to do it would mean I need a hotel the night before, and all the logistic nighmare that comes with that, plus child, etc. so we need to plan it properly.

littlemiss, welcome! It's such a nice feeling, isn't it?
Do you know about swimfit?
It's fab, gives you sets to do :)

Yesterday I learnt to do a turn with breast stroke after watching youtube videos. Took a while but loving it now!

Am still a bit baffled by the flip turn that I've seen agile swimmers do with front crawl. Amazes me - how do you make the body go 'down'?!

Place marking until I get on the laptop. Love this thread! I have taken up swimming again this past year (used to swim loads as a kid), and really enjoy it. Looking forward to checking out those technique tips and hopefully signing up to some swims in the near future.

SwimmingMom, it's probably better to google for videos of tumbleturns than to have explained in just written words. (Certainly at this time of night, anyway...)

Low on energy today so just swam a leisurely 70 lengths (45mins)

Looked at some YouTube videos of tumble turns and can't believe I can do it now! Thanks to for this thread, I never would have tried them otherwise. They are very messy, but have only been doing them for my last two swims, so I'm sure they'll become more elegant as time goes on.

Looking forward to the swimathon now - anyone else doing it?