swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

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

I'm not surprised you are tired, Face. You are working incredibly hard. Do you have swim membership? Mine comes with access to Swimtag. I have been tempted to look at other swim trackers / watches but can't really justify the cost when I have got something I can use already (and the only downside to Swimtag I think is that you can't see your lengths as you do them but still need to count!). My husband picked up the John Lewis Wellbeing magazine for Spring and that had a swimming page featuring Garmin vivoactive. £210 each! Does Fitbit work in water? Have a look at these: www.swimovate.com/ (you are looking at £90 for one that has a USB connection).

www.wareable.com/fitness-trackers/the-best-waterproof-fitness-trackers-796

and even more here!
www.pcadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/wearable-tech/best-swimming-trackers-2017-uk-best-waterproof-fitness-trackers-3644724/
There are lots out there …

Thanks Singing! Hmmm I was hoping to pick something up for 30 quid as opposed to 100. Maybe I'll hold out for my birthday : )

We don't have Swimtag unfortunately, I think there are actually only 2 pools in Dublin that have it!

I have a misfit ray which will track lengths (you have to pay extra for the speedo app which does this) but it doesnt do analysis, there is also a speedo misfit shine, but i think the app is only for i phone.

Sorry a bit confusing. The speedo app for misfit ray and shine do work on android, but there is another speedo app which only works on iphone

[takes iPhone in pool]
[curses bruffin]

Thanks for the front crawl tips, I tried to use them in my lesson last night. I feel much more confident with it now compared to a few weeks ago but I still find it exhausting. I have to rest for at least a minute after each length otherwise I end up stopping coughing and spluttering in the next length. I'm hoping that's just a fitness issue!! No need for me to have any kind of swimming tracking device doesn't take a genius to count one length

bee

I wasn't far off where you are just 8 weeks ago ... consistency has really paid off (2 hour long coached sessions a week), and although I still don't find it easy, it's a HELL of a lot better than I was.

Stick with it, it will pay off!

I meant to say 2 * 1 hour long sessions - I can't swim for 2 hours

Hello 🐬🐠Sorry havnt read through all of this. And all you swimmers seem very advanced. But I have a secret hope to start swimming.

Kids bit older. More flexibility in work hours etc I was a good swimmer at school. ( gazillion years ago)

Apart from finding a pool with lane swimming and I know this sounds stupid - what do I actually need to do? Really basic advice needed. Thanks in advance.

Spiney. i would think about and adult swim class first.

I have been going to an adult swim and stamina lesson for 15 years now. The class was originally a 30 minutes advance class but it got changed about 2 years ago to an hour and i improved a lot. Last summer i wanted to lose wait so i was going 4 times a week for an hour (inc class) and with a diet i lost a stone and half. I bought myself a waterproof mp3 player to listen while i swim
I like the classes because we do a lot of drills and get to use flippers occassionally and even have the odd diving or life safety bit at the end. The class structure is ie yesterdays class

6 lengths of each stroke warm up (so 18)
The concentrated on breaststroke
4 legs only breaststroke
4 on back legs
4 2 strokes to 1 kick
4 2 kicks to 1 stroke
4 trying to get the least amount of strokes in a length
8 swimming fast and doing proper bs turns
then last bit was diving in to do a proper racing start for breastroke

The class stops the bad habits and really makes you think about your stroke.

I'd love to do something structured like that. But would a straight off the street beginner like me - not claiming any sort of fitness- struggle with keeping up. How advanced do you have to be to join a class like that?

Sorry - just realised I'm being a bit wet Pun intended. Should just find a class and start shouldn't I. Thanks Bruffin

The class i got to has some complete non swimmers in one lane. Then there are some who can just manage a length or 2 and they do similar to us but only 1 or 2 lengths at a time.

When I started i was like you, i was good when i was 11 but then didnt do any swimming until i was 40 (now 54) and signed up to the intermediate class but they moved me straight up to the advanced class, but as i said they changed that particular session to a swim and stamina so we have all levels.
You are probably much better than you think you are

Spiney The class i started in Easter 2 years ago had and still has some complete beginners. I spent some time in the basic level and then went up to intermediate.

I could swim a length initially when I moved up, then 2, then 3.

I wrote something similar last night on the zero to mile group. You might find this of use:

When I was making the transition between lengths, (only been swimming 2 years) to get to that 50m I would swim a couple of 25m until I was warmed up a bit, then I would tell myself that I was going to try to swim 50m, so would push off and swim really slowly to get to the end of the pool, then I would start on the 2nd length.

Just keep that slow and steady pace and see how far you get. You should be able to make a 1/3 of a length without any effort at all.

If you struggle there, flip over on to your back and do back stroke to the end.

Recover a little and try it again. See if you can get half way there.

Then push on and do the last half.

The main thing is not to start off too fast, keep slow and steady and you will get there.

I was you 2 years ago.

A year ago I was swimming 50m chunks, 6m ago I was capable of 100m chunks if I prepared my self for it.

Today I did 1800m pretty much continuous - albeit Total Immersion, but full conventional stroke wouldnt have made that big a difference i don't feel

You absolutely can do this! If I can, you definitely can.

Please keep posting, asking and let us know how you get on, any questions etc.. we'll get you belting up and down the pool in no time!

Googling adult classes. I'm diving in. I maybe some time.

Thanks Hissy

That class sounds great bruffin, would love to find something like that in the area.

Agree, I did an improvers class 8 or 9 years ago and it was amazing for my water confidence. I've always been able to swim but would never have jumped in for example.
He had us doing all sorts including synchronised swimming. It was fab. He got us up to swimming a mile then he retired. I went on to do the swimathon but then a new job, an accident and an illness got in the way. I started swimming again after 6 years in December and though progress is slow I'm almost up to 1k.
Have been thinking about another course.

I got a Garmin Swim from Ebay for £65, it's brilliant. The guy was selling it because he wanted one of their whizzbang watches that also did his running. I could see a bit of his swimming history when I logged into my garmin account and was AMAZED in awe of his swimming ability.

Anyway posted to say I love my Garmin and wouldn't want to swim without it now . But wouldnot pay the full amount for one either. I got lucky with my bargain

I swam on Weds and just hated it - felt disengaged, tired, cross, irritated with the people... after a great swim on Monday too. Gutting when you get a day like that. Day in the garden cutting down trees instead of a swim today but back in pool (with those 3 top tips to practice!) Friday.

I was one of the few to nab a swimtag tonite, but it hasn't reported back my distance yet (hymph).

There is a type of swimsuit favoured by all (I mean ALL) the competitive fast girls+women at my pool. The suits have colourful intricate patterns but the distinct feature is thin stripey straps. Do you guys know what I'm talking about? What brand, are they something that makes you faster?

I watched the rocket swimmers tonite & came to the conclusion.. they don't have terrific technique. They are just plain much stronger than me. (Which is fine, story of my life being the Class wimp, I'm used to it).

Are they Tyr? They have thin straps but maybe not stripey

Tyr is right for colourfulness, quality & cut. but needs all the edges to be stripes (like binding on a quilt): white with black/navy stripey straps.

Hey, please don't make me actually talk to one of the fast girls.

In other news, Swimtag finally reports I swam 1925 m tonite. That is impossible. I'll round it up to 1950 because I got only about 2m from the wall sometimes (gassy sprinters).

This is similar if not same make.