swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

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

Btw - just in case anybody is thinking 'I'd love to swim but m eyesight is terrible' (which is what put me off for most of my life. The swimming pool just looked a big, blue scary blur), prescription goggles are VERY inexpensive. I bought the purple gators from www.prescription-swimming-googles.co.uk for about £27 and I'd highly recommend them. Cheaper models are available too if you've got a smaller budget. I can actually see the depth of the water for the first time in my life and it helps a heck of a lot!

Hi CompanyOfCats! I go swimming by myself. The first few times I felt a bit self-conscious and it did feel a little territorial. I wasn't sure which lane (slow/medium/fast/free swim/clockwise/ anticlockwise!) to go in etc. It has taken a while but there are people I look out for now, greet and sometimes have a little chat with. Just a hello is nice. I would say most people do come alone where I swim so you wouldn't look out of place!

Lj you can certainly go for lane swimming as a slower swimmer where I go (a council pool). They divide the pool up into four: a slow lane, a medium lane, a fast lane, and a free swim lane and you go where you fit best. I started in the slow lane and have moved up to the medium lane now. Plenty of people stop to catch their breath and let others past. And the etiquette where I go is that if you can feel someone close on your tail you let them get past you when you next get to the end of a length.

Thankyou, it's a big pool so I expect they have a similar set up. I'm sure at 6am they will be a few slowbies like me anyway!

Just started a month or so ago and still swimming 3 times a week.
DH just bought me a waterproof mp3 player which really helps the boredom, cos let's admit it, swimming is THE most boring form of exercise, isn't it?

Oh lane swimming! That was a whole new world of sporting etiquette for me!

Lj absolutely lane swimming would be fine for you. You can find out how many lanes there are before you go. A session with slow, medium and fast would be more preferable than one where the pool is just split into 2, one 1/2 for lessons and the other 1/2 as a public lane.

I've mucked things up a few times e.g. gone in a swim team lane [big grin] and gone round and round when the understand of the people already there was to go up and down (doable when there are only 3 or 4 people in the lane). People are generally kind if you apologise.

Ladies night does me in though. Women not using the lanes properly, chatting away. Goodness. I once had the whole pool to myself and I wanted a little sign on my back that said "I'm a runner, I'm trying my best".

I've had a couple of people give me some tips which has been nice.

@Lj: most pools have 3 speed of lanes for lanes sessions: slow, medium, fast. The slows are usually very slow. Fine as long as you basically keep moving or at least let faster people get by. The only place where I find the slows aren't that slow is sporty universities. Like, if you used the pools at Loughborough University, you're in with the people who only just failed to get into the Olympics squad! So their whole standard of 'slow' lane gets raised.

If users are ordinary members of public, slow is pretty comfortable.

I usually go by myself, but you recognise other regulars after a while. Which gives you something to think about (am I faster or slower than them today? why Do they stop so much or never stop at all, etc). I am pretty good with my own thoughts, anyway, so not too bored.

I was wondering anyone can give me advice in the best way to get back into swimming? The last time I swam was over a decade ago so I think I have forgotten how to swim 🙈

I'd like to know where I can buy a swimsuit, whether I'd need goggles and a swimming cap. Oh and where can I get swimming classes?

I remember finding it hard to see when swimming as the goggles would become foggy and the swimming cap would keep my hair fairly dry but I'd sometimes get water in my ears.

I go by myself, usually without my glasses so it's all a blur to me.

Cmot, ah you mean Droitwich and Cheltenham then? Been googling!

geeklove

I know a great place nearby for you to go wild swimming - let me know if you want the location?

funion
Best way to get back into it would be to go to a pool and swim
Maybe go on ladies night if there's one available if you feel intimidated.

Or ask at your local pool about getting some refresher lessons. I'm pretty sure you don't forget how to swim, but might need brushing up on your technique.

You can get a swim suit from pretty much any dept store or sports shop. I got mine from Sport Direct. Pools often have them as well.

I wear goggles and a hat. The hat makes the goggle wearing more comfortable and protects my hair a bit, but mainly just keeps it out of my face. For misty goggles you can either give them a lick inside beforehand, or get special spray. Make sure they are tight enough.

For water in the ears you can get special swim ear plugs from Boots.
Go for it!

I'm suddenly deaf in one ear, I think I need to look at ear plugs! I hate the thought of wearing them though.

Many pools now offer lessons for adults.
Friend will be 50 this yr & is finally learning to swim; I'm so proud of her!! :)

Funion I completely agree with everything rightsforwomen and Trout have said. Go for it! I was nervous before I started going and, to be honest, the first few sessions were a bit of a slog, but it gets easier and I can even say I enjoy it now! I wear goggles (I didn't the first time and my eyes had a sort of fog over them for a day afterwards!) but not a cap. I have shoulder length hair and tie it up in a ponytail. As mentioned above I wear a boyleg costume which I feel more comfortable in and it cuts down on bikini line maintenance! You might like to bear in mind that most of the costumes worn have a 'sporty' look to them – I don't think I'd feel comfortable in something more 'beach' wear. Mine is this one: www.proswimwear.co.uk/aqua-sphere-scarlett-womens-swimsuit-black-lime-green.html

And how are we all doing this week?

I did 1k at 7.30am yesterday and 1.1k at the same time today.

Oh also took DS2 at the weekend but that was all about flumes and jumping in!

..and FYI the 10 quid Sports Direct boy short swim suit is NOT long lasting. I did replace it with a new one, but for the flume swimming I wore the old one. It's really saggy now! Not a good look.

I've lost my Zoggs goggles in the airing cupboard (WTF!) so have been using DS1's Speedo ones. They are much better, though do leave me with rather tired looking eye sockets!

I was reading some great reviews of the fastskin elite 3 goggles, but eek, £30!!

Teen DS is going swimming with me soon. Too hot to run today, we decided!

I will run in the evening. Can't wait! Most of my runs have been in the dark recently.

I started using Swimtag this week. Quite interesting (I marvel at how it senses what stroke you are doing and it is fun to see how fast you did each length) although I can't adjust it at the moment for a 33m pool instead of 25m. Anyway, by my calculations I managed 1.3km yesterday morning and this morning in around half an hour. I'm pleased with that! Pity about your swim suit, rightsforwomen. I wonder how long my bargain swim suit will last! Enjoy your swim later trout!

Just been for my swim - in fact I ran there . Some git decided to jam his fingernail between my toes instead of waiting for me to get to the end...
I've had about 5 of the sports direct boyleg suits. I wash mine on delicates with Halo sports wash and they last pretty well imo. I tend to have 2 on the go at a time, and I do prefer the full coverage

Good afternoonio! May I join please? I swim most days unless it is really tipping it down. It's very refreshing especially on days like today when it is hot. I do circuits round the perimeter aswell as laps, just to make it more interesting

Running AND swimming CMOT (and Rights) – I'm impressed. Welcome Pesto. Very impressed too that you swim daily. An outdoor pool (since you said you don't if it it tipping it down)? The way our pool is laid out for lane swimming I couldn't swim the perimeter!

Thank you for the welcome

Yes I love swimming outdoors, not really into indoor swimming so much coz I find it stuffy. I need to get fitter though, so need to up my game and do more!