swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

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

Ah I see what you mean by the stripy straps. No, not noticed those.

I found them! "Uglies" swimwear. Who knew?
Some sense of irony lost on me in the name. I already have the truly ugliest hat & suit in the pool. It's my specialty .

my latest swimsuit came from Tesco. I have a speedo which is the most uncomfortable thing ever. I really struggle to find ones long enough.

How tall are you Best? I am 5'8" (or maybe 7", but I'll go with 8") and it can be a problem for me at times. My Sports Direct boy short one is great though.

I'm 5'10 with short legs rights

I managed 800 without stopping at all today and all but 80m were front crawl. Really pleased with that. Could have done more too but had to get back to my desk . Was a bit naughty as supposed to be doing leg work to keep my physio happy.

Well done best that's great work. I find front crawl so so hard. Today I did 400 alternate beast stroke and front crawl. Rested for 30 sec for drink. Another 400 100 front crawl then 100 breast stroke then repeated. Rested/drank 1 min 200 front crawl 200 breast stroke. Another 220 alternate. Felt really good. Hoping to get to 2k by month end and cut down breaks

Due to excellent management of my list of things to do today I ended up with longer in the pool than usual.

Felt strong and did 1.7k (furthest ever!) in 45 mins. All front crawl with no breaks. Swam until I started getting calf cramps.

Was a really good guy there and tried to copy his style. So smooth and elegant.

Rights! Well done! Make sure you drink enough (lots) before you swim, eat something salty earlier to help absorb the water, and eat a banana an hour or so before.

That should help with cramps

You did so well today!!

Wow 1.7km is amazing! I'm still trying to get to 50m!! Do all you proper front crawlers kick from the hip with a slight flex in your knee? I'm not sure if I'm doing that bit right. I spend so much time thinking about breathing and what my arms are doing that I forget to focus on my legs.

igotta the legs will come, you have a lot to focus on.

Legs wise, get a float and just do kicking drills. Front and back.

On the front, arms out straight in front, float flat on the water and head down when in the water, when you need to breathe, do so to the side, don't lift head, turn it so that one ear stays in the water/on your arm.

Then introduce one arm one side for a length, then the same with the other arm.

Then put it together. Slow legs and arms!!

It's like learning to drive, lots of things you're having to remember ow will become second nature

Thanks hissy I'll ask for a float at my next lesson. I'm only 4 or 5 weeks into it so I'm chuffed that I can actually do front crawl at all! It's just frustrating that I find it so exhausting. I guess there's no hiding place with swimming! With running/cycling you can just plod along when it gets hard.

If anyone fancies watching a film i found really inspiring about a guy with ms preparing for an ironman...

It's on Netflix and in Spanish with subtitles, and utterly brilliant.

100 meters
www.imdb.com/title/tt5089786/

wow, that looks like a great film, doesn't it? I've been trying to find a good flick to watch with DD that she hasn't already seen.

ps: I don't do much with legs, sometimes I remember to kick. It's mostly arms. I kick hugely harder from the wall than most, maybe my legs are fresher or underlying stronger.

Another load of lengths while DS2 and friends mucked about on flumes and mats. Thin lane and some dick kept just swimming into it and standing there. I gave him a hard stare more than once then told him off.

Focussed on staying flat and smooth.
Getting loads of tips from you guys, it really helps.

What a dick rights glad you told him off. Swimming into him is a good idea too. Where (TF) was the lifeguard in all this?

I'm shocking with kicking my legs, use my arms to propel me through the water, it's something I find hard to balance, TI uses an ideal of 2 beat kick to save energy to go for longer, conventional swimming for fitness wants you to use your legs

So I do a bit of both, kick drills in my lessons and minimal use in the TI sets I do to go further.

What s the 2 beat kick?

I bought this Zogg suit online during the week, I hope it fits! I also wish I had a tan as nice as that model's.

I have that 2 hour coaching clinic tomorrow, I am really looking forward to trying to get my stroke deconstructed!

Thats really pretty Face.
When your concentrating on aspects of you stroke it can feel like you lose the whole stroke, then suddenly it all comes together again

So I did my coaching session last night - we were put in the 50m pool! Never swam in one before, it was a learning curve. Water was very cold too, which took some getting used to.

Anyway, it was good to take some time out to do some drills and legwork and a bit of work on turns and gliding etc. Don't think I was told anything new, but did work on stroke length and kicking and it did stand to me alright. Very tired today though

Well done face.
How are you feeling today? Did you wear your new suit?

best you are very tall, I feel your pain. My height is in my legs so I don't struggle too much to get suits that fit.

I shall swim tomorrow morning.

I did rights :) It's a lovely suit actually, the front of it is lined too.

I did my normal Monday night session last night, though I had nothing in the tank after Sunday and did a very lazy 1600m. I'm actually thinking of skipping Wednesday's session and just doing my own pool session later in the week. All this swimming is taking it's toll and I don't want to be worn out for the swim-a-mile event next week!

hissy I should have spoken to the lifeguard at the time, but just didn't.

But I have spoken to my friend who is a manager at the leisure centre and decided just to drop it. As it was a kids' fun session the lifeguards were really keeping an eye out for them rather than the lane and it seems a bit petty to ask her to have a word with them. They may know it's me (as I go there so much) and I while I'm fine making a complaint when necessary this seems a bit OTT, especially as I could have spoken up at the time.

Hello everyone, I've been a bit quiet of late but still keeping up with swimming a mile on Mon, Tues and Thurs mornings. Getting used to the novelty of the swimming cap (someone told me I look 'professional' in it!). There were some new people in our lane today, a bit slower than me but good about letting others go past. Swimming numbers might pick up with the Spring. I find it is so much easier to get up in the morning and drive to the pool when it is light. Face you are doing so well. Good to hear of your progress and you must keep us posted on the mile event you are doing. When is your open water swimming, Hissy?