Swimmers...anyone swim regularly?

[HiccupHaddockHorrendous]

I have a couple of questions!

I was talked into taking part in a swim challenge. We started about 6 weeks ago and I've now got the swimming bug

During the challenge, I was going 3-4 times a week. The challenge is now completed but I'd like to continue going because I really enjoy it and it is starting to make quite a difference to my body shape which I would like to encourage as much as possible.

First question, is once a week often enough to go to keep up the fitness/help with weightloss (I'm also reducing my calorie intake). I've been struggling to get to the pool over the holidays but find it easier during term-time. However, I've done very few of my normal jobs over the last few weeks because every spare minute has been spent in the pool. I need to find a better balance.

Second question, when I started the swim challenge, I could only do 4 lengths . I fairly quickly built up to swimming a mile each visit. However, I'm not getting any quicker. I could probably swim for longer but it takes an hour to swim a mile and I am really quite bored by the time I've done that. I just thought I should be getting quicker or maybe I should keep increasing the length of time I'm swimming.

Any suggestions?

What stroke do you swim?

Have you tried doing things like counting strokes for a length then trying to reduce the number of strokes? Or alternating fast and slow or 3 slow one fast?

There are also swimming drills to improve your tekkers and you alternate these with "swim" so drill length swim length and so on...

I love swimming.

Well, I have problems breathing when swimming so I do a length of front crawl and basically hold my breath for as much of the length as possible because as soon as I lift my head out of the water, i can't put it back under. I understand the theory of what I should be doing but just can't put it into practise (practice?). So, after a length of holding my breath, I have to switch to back stroke.

I have tried counting strokes but am usually counting lengths and try to keep it as uncomplicated as poss . Although, now that the official challenge is over, I don't really need to be counting lengths.

I'm going to google 'swimming drill'!!

I think your problem may lie with your breathing, please stop holding your breath, its so bad for you. No wonder you can't get faster or increase the number of lengths you do, you're putting a lot of pressure on your heart!

If you can't do front crawl properly, then do breast stroke. Yes its slower but the breathing is pretty easy to master and you can still do a mile in an hour. Then book a couple of private lessons to master your breathing in the crawl. You sounds like an otherwise competent swimmer so I bet it wouldn't take long. Youtube also have some good technique videos.

Sorry to be harsh but I had the same problem, and that's what I did, that's all. Two steps back to go one forward and all that, and your long term health is whats important here.

You should breath on alternative sides so start breathing every 3 strokes and build up if you can to 5 or 7. I also second swimming lessons, I have been going for 12 years to an advance swim partly because it makes me go and its been the same people for most of that time and we are all good friends now and go for lunch afterwards
Im a bit like you I can do breast stroke all day but have no stamina for front crawl. I have good stroke and breath correctly but am not really fit enough to go for too long.
We do a lot of different drills in the lessons, catch up on front crawl and back stroke, legs only, arms only, even what we call chicken stroke which is swimming with your elbows.
Once you start thinking about your stroke it all seems to start falling to bits ie concentrating on your arms and you forget about your feet, but it will come back together.

Does your local pool offer swimfit activate plus? It might be worth looking around for a class near you, it's a bit like getting swimming technique lessons and keep fit in the same class. Our local one is great.

I'd second doing an adult improver class, I did one a couple of years ago and it really helped with stroke and breathing technique.

I swim 3 times a week before work now and love it.

Ironically, about a month before the swim challenge, I said to a friend that I fancied learning to swim properly. The same friend talked me into the challenge . Still can't quite work out how we went from thinking about swimming lessons to a sponsored swim!!

They do lessons at my local pool to help improve technique so I will ask if I can join when I go later.

Yes, the breathing is definitely what is causing my front crawl problems. I only do front crawl for the first length. The rest is all back stroke so only hold my breath for a max of 40 seconds.

I'm going to the pool later so will have a go at breast stroke and see how I get on. When I've tried it before, I don't generally get very far, very fast!!

Going to have a look at YouTube while I've got a spare 10 mins

Breast stroke is definitely slower, so you might be frustrated for a bit, but that might motivate you into getting those technique lessons for front crawl!

I only learnt to swim at all about five years ago, I would hold my breath and thrash up a length in a sort of crawl, then feel like I was going to collapse after. I took a 6 week adult course and still couldn't master the crawl breathing but did crack breast stroke. I happen to like breast stroke and was so chuffed to have overcome even putting my head under water, I stuck with it. But I will be looking into more lessons this year so I can do front crawl on holiday in August as like you, I now want to get more done and be quicker in the lengths I do and the time I have (and I really admire those swimmers who do it so effortlessly in the fast lane next to me!)

You're already further ahead than I was so I bet you'll crack it quite quickly. Good luck :)

I don't think you need to speed along, I am always being told to slow down.

For breaststroke our teachers seem to think it is better to hold the glide and do less strokes, then in the end you can do a lot longer swim.

What is it about the breathing that gives you problems OP?

I think that a back to basics lesson is in order before you get stuck in too many bad habits.

Well done though - IMpressive effort

Thanks for the replies and suggestions

I've just been googling swim drills and have a few ideas to try out at the pool this evening.

The problem I have when doing front crawl is that once I have lifted my head out of the water to breath, I can't put it back in the water which then causes my head to just swing back and for with each stroke. I get what I am supposed to do but just can't quite get my head around how to do it in RL!!

I'll definitely find out about improver lessons.

Why don't you try with a swim board and practise moving your head and breathing that way first.

A lesson will make a huge difference to the way you swim.

I'm going to start swimming every day from next week, once the schools are open again. Does anyone listen to music when they're swimming and can recommend headphones etc?

Swim board is a good idea...I was thinking about that earlier.

I asked about lessons and you have to book a group of 10 lessons and there are 8 in a class. It's in addition to my membership so I might just look for a couple of private lessons.

Imperial - my friend was talking about a waterproof Walkman the other day...I'll ask her what she found out. Sounds like a great way to relieve the boredom

May be worth asking one-off your local lifeguards if they offer lessons in their spare time, depends what's written into their contract, but I asked (to coach my DD's) and the lifeguard taught them superbly. Became a family friend in fact.

Yy to kickboarding. Arms almost straight, head down in water, with neck slightly angled enough for your eyes to glance ahead occasionally. You must practice swivelling your head to the side (do both sides) every 8 leg kicks or so.

Are your ears affected by water flooding in? Some folk are really uncomfortable but don't know why. Get ear plugs if this is the case.

Thanks, hex. I'll enquire next time I go down.

I did have problems with my ears for the first couple of weeks but they seem to be ok now

Former elite swimmer and swimming club teacher. I'd say get a couple of 1:1 lessons, on technique, it will work wonders. Maybe give yourself a couple of weeks between the sessions to practice and let it sink in (scuse pun), so you can figure out how it works. In order of teaching, its body position, leg kick, arm stroke, breathing, timing. It sounds like you've got stuck on the last two, which are interlinked. You can be shown breathing techniques but without the timing you're a bit stuffed... and unluckily its a bit of a lightbulb moment thing, you don't quite get it then all of a sudden it clicks. A decent teacher would sort that pretty quickly as long as you're not afraid of putting your face in the water for freestyle, which it sounds like you're ok with. Ditto technique polishing for the other strikes. The ASA have lists of all qualified teachers in your local area, or just ask at the pool. You need a L2 teacher. Enjoy!

Thank you, jemima! Useful information. I'll definitely look into 1:1 lessons.

I agree on 1:1 lessons - it will be more expensive than a group lesson, but it will be totally focussed on what you can and can't do, so it will be better value, and you shouldn't need as many lessons to achieve the same as you would if you were in a group, so the costs balance out.

I agree with using a board - hold one arm at the top of the board, and the arm on the other side at the bottom of the board, so that arm is bent, then swim along doing legs only, and turn your head to the side of the bent arm, and turn it back. Swap arms when you do the next length, so you practice both sides.

If you need to, go to the side of the pool, bend forward, so your arms are out straight in front of you, holding the bar or the side of the wall (depends on pool design), with your face in the water. Pull one arm back through the water, as you would with front crawl, and breathe to this side. Then do the same on the other side. As you should have your feet on the pool bottom for this, you can just focus on your arms and turning your head to the side for breathing, till it starts feeling normal.

If you're having trouble with your ears, then Boots and elsewhere do a range of earplugs these days - I've got some which let sound in, but not water.

Timing and breathing is pretty key to most swimming strokes, once you get to a point where you want to go faster, so a couple of lessons could make a load of difference.

And look for a swimp3 for music - I've never found headphones that work in ear underwater but this plays through bone conduction!