swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

I've started swimming to get fit, does anybody else swim for fit? Can we encourage each other?

I'd like to join too.

I've been swimming twice a week for a couple of months now. It's the only exercise I can do well. I'm definitely better in water than on land Usually do 40 lengths x 25m so 1k in about 40 mins. Want to get this down to 30 mins.

Usually go at 6.30 am but am not working this week so going at lunchtime.

My fave stroke is breaststroke and now I have mastered the breathing bit I'm doing drills which makes it more interesting.

Welcome Married and Sasher*.

Back to swimming this week after feeling a bit poorly last week.

Rights did you solve the Mooncup question? I've never used one.

Shotgun I've just (today) finished a can of Swim Spray and found it really good (no more itching, no more dry hair, no smelling of the pool all day). I ordered it online and if I reordered today I won't have a new one by Thursday's swim so I was thinking I might try to pop out to Boots and buy their stuff (it was mentioned earlier on the thread) as it is lots cheaper. However, I don't want something that is full of chemicals. The beauty of Swim Spray is all it is is vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid).

If anyone does have the Boots stuff and can tell me the ingredients I'd be grateful (it doesn't say on their website).

Actually, this is all I can find on Boots at the moment (all others are shampoo or conditioner, no 3-in-1 as I thought they did): www.boots.com/en/Childs-Farm-3-in-1-Swim-For-Top-to-Toe-After-Swim-Care-250ml_1480869/

I swam with my Mooncup without incident. Hoorah!

Thanks Singing, I like the sound of just ascorbic acid, will def order some. I did find the Boots one on their website after seeing it mentioned here, but it had sold out, and there wasn't any in my local (small) branch. Maybethey don't do it any more. I did get a 'swim and gym' hair and bodywash thing, but I usually get a horribly itchy, even scabby scalp if I use anything but the usual (Moogoo), so am a bit wary of ising it.
Married, re. the thrush - what a pain! I do get a bit itchy 'down there' after a swim but only externally, and I slap on a bit of moisturiser which helps. Maybe try using Vaseline beforehand as a barrier? I put a bit on my chin and inside my nostrils pre-swim!

I've just snuck out during lunch hour and went to Boots and found the 3-in-1 Sun, Swim & Gym after all (not sure why I couldn't find it on their website). It was on a 2 for £5 offer so I bought two and will see how it compares to Swim Spray (on the offer they work out around a quarter of the price of Swim Spray each). It is all chemicals, but I guess the body wash, shampoo and conditioner I currently use are too (with Swim Spray you rinse your body, then spray it all over, and then wash with your usual body wash / shampoo / conditioner).

I'd meant to say this was in the Evening Standard on Monday:
www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/want-to-tone-up-this-autumn-try-a-a-hiit-swimming-class-a3364966.html

Just checking back in.
Shotgun, Vaseline is a no go down there too! Can't even let them use KY when they do a smear, it's ridiculous
Having visions of wearing some bizarre fetish pants to seal my nether regions... A lotto win would be useful, I'd make sure I have access to a beach freshwater pool

Ah I see Married. Do you have sensitive skin generally? Just wondering if you could use your facial moisturiser, or maybe find a natural barrier cream (as per nappy rash!) that might work. Calendula maybe?
But yes, fresh water would be lovely.

I'm having serious guilt about not swimming tonight... I had good excuses, but wish I had gone now (poo).

I'm going in a bit. DS2 in bed, DS1 is great 17 yo lump so can look after himself (have recently become single parent).

Friend sent me swanky swimsuit sample. Yay. Apart from a stamp on the back saying it's a sample it's the dogs! Had to tidy my bikini line up. Wonder if it will make me swim faster/better.

Had a bone scan today, so we'll see whether they tell me I shouldn't run (god I hope not) in which case I'll be here ALOT!

Another newbie here. I started swimming twice a week in the summer as part of my triathlon training. The triathlon is done now but I want to continue swimming regularly over the winter as I'm really enjoying it.

I used to be an ok swimmer at school but had done hardly any proper swimming for years. Two lengths of front crawl was all I could manage at first, then I started alternating crawl and breaststroke, and eventually built up to the point where I could do 1.5k front crawl. I managed 2k last night, which is my longest ever.

I need to work on technique and getting faster now. At the moment I breathe every other stroke, but I'm wondering whether breathing every 3 will make me faster. When I tried it before, I felt like I was about to drown!

Love swimming though, I totally switch off after the first few lengths and go into the zone. It's great for de-stressing.

Rock up at 9.32pm.
Fast lane has 5 men chatting.
Slow lane has 3 man chatting inbetween hammering out a real fast length. Middle lane, 2 men doing loops. Wondered if I'd turned up to man night!
Went in middle lane and after 2 loops the 2 men cleared off so had lane to myself.
Did 900m before they kicked me out at 10pm.
Tired and a lot going on personally and took me till about 24 lengths in the get in the zone.

Well done rightsofwoman! Love your name! Hope the bone scan goes well, but please stay in spite of returning to your first love.
Lifesabeach welcome - blimey 2k freestyle, respect! I managed 18 lengths today - yay! Did a few lengths with a float between my legs, but I don't think I'm much slower without my legs - think I need to address a relative lower body weakness.
I do breathe every three strokes though < preens >.

Quiet here!

Just did 1400m - furthest ever! Just felt really good. Yay. Buzzy buzzy.

And in non-swimming news I was first female vet over 40 in a 5 mile running race yesterday. 4th woman overall. Chuffed, as this was my first race since my injury in June.

Well done, 1400m is great.
I went today and was less then impressed, there were four women swimming in pairs but with a lane between them that they were chatting across. Very awkward if, like me, you are clueless about pool etiquette.

Mmm, Yeh the pool etiquette thing is a total minefield. I do wish the guards would get more involved sometimes. There's a man who is a regular in the slow lane where I go and his feet are on the floor! He us actually walking up and down! Surely he could do that in the un-laned part of the pool. Drives me nuts

In other news I've fine week 3 of my programme 3 times now but feel it's still really really tough. Im on holiday thus week so squeezed in 5 swims last week. Really pushed myself. Yesterday I felt awful. No energy, body aching, and thought I was coming down with something. Feel OK again today and think it could have just been pure fatigue as overdid things last week.

It's the same at our pool with people standing at the end of the lane chatting, and others going very slow in the medium lane. I don't dare to try the fast lane though!

I go every Sunday morning and there's a woman who swims at the same time who must absolutely douse herself in perfume before getting in to swim. I can smell and taste it the whole time I'm swimming if I'm anywhere near her - bleurgh!

I did 1km on Sunday but was really tired and it wasn't one of my better swims. Planning to go again tomorrow.

Hello everyone! Been swimming yesterday morning and this morning and managing 50 x 33m lengths in 35 mins. Don't seem to be improving on my time much but it probably doesn't matter. I've tried showering at the pool this week, hoping to save time at home. Having just switched to the Boots Sun, Swim and Gym 3-in-1 there is less to take with me! Jury is still out whether my hair is ok washed in it but I think it does make things a little quicker. Lifesabeach I know what you mean about perfume! There is a man who has started coming recently who has on really strong aftershave and it reeks! Well done on your run Rights. I haven't tried running again at all. I've had Achilles bursitis and the doctor was a bit vague about when to get back to running again (have to admit I'm enjoying the swimming though!).

Can I join? I am lucky that there’s a swimming pool at work so I swim a mile on my lunch break 4-5 times a week, usually takes me about 30 mins.

I’ve been doing it for 3 months now and love it but have had huge problems with my ear (otitis externa or swimmer’s ear). I wear a hat and have swum with this intensity many times in the past but I just can’t shake it.

Does anyone else have the same problem?

Welcome Heron. How fab to have a pool at work and you manage what I'd like to achieve – a mile in 30 mins. My ears seem to be fine – what is swimmer's ear like? An infection?

Silicone ear plugs are apparently the way to go, so the gym instructor told me.

I was on my own in my lesson today, one of us has pneumonia (again), another the flu, and the other probably up to her eyes looking after her kids.

So I had the teacher to myself.

She noticed my head position was a little odd, so we drilled with ear on stretched arm with a float. One side, then the other. Then no floats.

Then put the arms together, bilateral breaths, every three strokes, soft kick on legs and see how it feels.

It was AMAZING! I didn't even feel like I swam at all, I felt like I glided effortlessly 25m. I did another and she danced, she cheered, she got a phone and filmed me do 100m

I shaved another 5s off the hundred.

However ... Seeing myself actually swim for the first time was so emotional, I looked amazing!!

We hugged, we cried! I've become a swimmer! 🏊

I'm so totally ready for my TI course!!

Hi five Hissy that's amazing - well done! Great that she filmed you as well.
I had the whole pool to myself for the last few minutes today. The school that were due in at 9 had cancelled and the other lane swimmers had all gone by ten past. Could have stayed longer but I felt a bit self-conscious and also worried that I was keeping the lifeguard from having a chat with his mates!
Threw in a couple of backstroke lengths today, might work that in a bit more as it's fast and you can breathe more easily.
This swimming thing is great motivation for keeping me going to the gym, I'm finding; my shoulders and back feel stronger every session and the strokes, especially freestyle, are feeling more comfortable.

Very well done, Hissy (so this is before Total Immersion?) . There is an 'improve your technique' class one morning a week where I swim. Maybe I should give it a go?

Sounding really positive, Shotgun. Don't worry about keeping the lifeguard waiting. I'm sure he is paid to be there!

I gave in today and ordered more Swim Spray. The Boots stuff doesn't seem to work for me (I've been using it for a week). My hair is in a bad way … I can also try a swimming cap, perhaps.