swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

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

My DD has the fastskin goggles but she swims competitively.
I did 180 lengths last week, so far I've done 52 this week.

Hello can I join? I've always been a keen swimmer, but sometimes during my life the keen-ness had waned a bit. This year I've decided to loose weight and get fitter and swimming has been part of that. I swim twice a week (as well as Zumba twice, Latino fit, walk dogs and trying to run, yuck). I breaststroke for 30-45 minutes and do up to 70 lengths of a full sized pool. I'm definitely getting fitter but disappointingly my arms are still flabby and my stomach is still wobbly (although I have lost 2 and 1/2 stone so far).
I prefer to go on my own so I don't get distracted by chatting. I hate swimming caps!!

Welcome Lolimax and congratulations on your amazing weight loss. I can't do breast stroke very well so stick to front crawl and backstroke. I also dislike swimming caps!

Thank you singing! For those of you who swim outside...we are down our caravan this week by the coast. Once it stops raining I'd love to swim in the sea but it looks so bloody cold! Is it do-able without a wetsuit? Is there a knack? Obviously I'd be safe but I more mean doing it without catching hypothermia!

I swim in the sea periodically - south Devon typically and will generally chance it from late May to September. I don't wear a wetsuit. I do wear a t shirt over my costume though which impacts your stroke but gives a layer of insulation. My h wears a wetsuit and my mum will switch between t shirt and wetsuit. Get shoulders under as soon as you can, keep moving and don't push it if you start to feel cold would be my advice.

I used to swim for fitness so am very jealous. I can't justify the membership costs for the gym as I'd only use it to swim and whilst there are a couple of reasonable council pools the opening hours are such that I can't get there and get to work on time in the morning and they are shut for clubs and lessons after 6 until 9 which is just too late to go. Weekends are heaving unless I go before 8. Tis v annoying.

I love swimming, but can only do breast stroke and back stroke.

Would love to learn front crawl, but wonder how hard it would be to learn a completely new stroke at 45

Have enquired about swimming lessons at local pool, but feel a bit nervous about it (like going back in time and a swim coach shouting at me whilst I flounder in the unheated outdoor pool in October during the weekly school-swim... )

I'll come with you baby (am also 45).
I can do front crawl but know my technique is very poor. I'd love lessons. The silver lining is that my swim is a very good workout as I'm so inefficient!

Haha, hadn't taught of that!

Thought

I decided I wanted to swim 1000m in my session tonight.

So I wrote out chunks of 100 (4/4/2 and 4/4/4/2 and 4/4/4 in sharpie on my arm

Worked beatifully, rubs off when you want it. I miscounted and threw in a couple of fast laps to round it off. SwimTag says 1200m #Result

Anyone interested in a total immersion course? I'm signed up for the one in Petersfield in October, there's about half a dozen places left

What's a total immersion course?

Teaches you to swim with much less effort, amazing style

Apparently helps you double your distance

Ah right! I've seen that before, didn't know that's what it was called.

Beautiful.

Just back from 1K swim.

Went in my cossie, forgot any form of underwear so am currently commando. I can easily get away with no bra, especially when it's warm so nips are not perky (!) but no pants...well...it's just not very ladylike...snort.

You made me laugh rights – I worry about forgetting my undies! Just looked at the total immersion YouTube link Hissy and that is intriguing. It looks like he barely moves his legs at all. The pool doesn't open early today so I had a bit of a lie-in before the craziness of getting everyone ready for school! Back to it tomorrow morning. I e-mailed SwimTag about being unable to alter the pool length and I got an e-mail back saying they had changed it manually but were onto it. I was able to change yesterday's swim without hassle.

rights been there, done that. Not at work tho 😱

I'm not blessed with the ability to go bra less.. I'd trip myself up! 😂

I did forget DS change of clothes once... poor thing! Had to come home in his trunks and rash top! Wrapped up in a towel with a bemused look on his face! 😂😂

Why would I even want to swim more efficiently... I'm still going to swim for an hour, however inefficiently. There was a chap who went on a bit at me & teen DS about how we could be more efficient. He meant well. I explained my injuries that make my swimming style weird. DS just wants an upper body workout so paid no attention.

Today in the pool was a techno-sprinter: he kept blasting up and down ... occasionally, when his watch told him to. Doing Fly sometimes. Pretty much ran over the other swimmers. Then a mate of his friend turned up... she was considerate but also a sporadic sprinter. Naturally they spent as much time chatting as they did sprinting.

I may sound sulky but actually the other swimmers are what keeps me entertained. And a Good thing about sprinters is they don't spend much time crowding up the lanes.

That total immersion video looks good. I got told today that one leg goes up and one goes down when I do breaststroke, presumably that's why I get lower back ache when swimming.
I'll have a look for a video tomorrow and post it

Must take knickers.
Must take knickers.
Must take knickers.

Another week suckers! Who's off for a swim!! ME! Maybe I shall do 4 extra (25m) lengths so I can come and brag here to a bunch of strangers on the Internet

Are you all still asleep?!
Did 1.1K - the 0.1K is the extra 4 lengths. 33 mins. Nearly empty pool.

On with the week then!

I did a swim this morning as well - 1.5k, 45 mins according to Swimtag. The pool was a bit busy though - need to get up earlier.

I went yesterday afternoon. Week one, day one of my ZeroToAMile programme.

I already swam 1200m (with stops) last time out, 1000 prior to that with a couple of smash and grab sessions between.

The 700m wasn't the issue, it's the breaths between the sets! You're not quite as recovered as you'd like, but you have a limited number of breaths until you go again.

I think the work I'd done in class to kick (in general) and higher and harder didn't help the distance.

Back in the pool tomorrow I think for another 700m and sharpie on my arm to help me focus on sets and breaths.

Well done on the knickers rights 😂

Good going on the 1100m! Was that continuous? That's a good interval time for a mile. Only 400m short!

I went this morning … was in the pool for 6.25am (yawn!). It was really quiet and the fast lane had nobody in it so I ended up doing my full swim there (40 lengths x 33m). It was great having it all to myself and I wouldn't usually dare go in the fast lane! Managed it in 30 mins again. Tomorrow morning again …

Please can I join?

I used to swim 1km twice a week, but since an illness a few months ago have become very unfit. I got into the habit of 40 lengths of front crawl, having a rest after each 10, but I could probably vary this and push myself a bit more to get extra benefit, and make it a bit more interesting as well. My neighbour (retired swim teacher) has offered to come with me for technique tips and also to make that 1km reap more benefits.

I used to live near a fab cheap pool but now my closest pools all cost a lot more, so I'm thinking once a week will have to do, with a little running and cycling alongside.

I have a tankini similar to this: Speedo and it's lasted a couple of years so far without perishing. I do wash it properly after each wear though. It's not particularly flattering or glamorous but it saves on bikini line maintenance and is comfortable. I can't find one pieces that fit as I have a very long body, so I don't really have much choice.

yeah my pool sessions are increasingly quiet, it's a pre Christmas thing, I reckon.

DD tried to teach me how to do better arms for front crawl... seems to involve narrow entry then twist hand to stretch palm out and maximise the paddle shape force. After a while I had pains in my thumbs so I may have to just do that part time. I also attempted a tumble turn & got water up my nose for the effort! Wish I was braver about diving.