swimming for fitness

[HoppityFrogs]

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

Pesto Very jealous of you having a pool at home, I'd never be out of it if we had one.

Another 1050m today to add to the 1250m already done this month. I saw a good friend afterwards, it was so funny she said how I look really good now and then quickly said not that I didn't before, lol. So funny as she's a good friend and I know exactly what she meant :) She made me laugh.

Had a swim on saturday, really wasn't feeling it. Knew I had 400m to equal the previous week, so scrabbled to a 500m swim

Or so I thought... miscounted and swimtag surprise .... 700m 😊

Result!

Another tough day, struggling to get into pool, but did it anyway, went to quiet RAF pool in the hope I'd have more space to myself.

I had a lane to myself! Yay! Did 700m, still in week 1 of 1650 programme (3rd week) and working on intervals. Getting closer!! I'm happy with the improvement actually.

So that's Monday and 2 swims done already, got a hot date tomorrow, lesson and afters swim on Thursday, add in our usual swim on the weekend and I'll be on best part of 3k this week.

Great stuff Hissy, I'm hoping for 3k this week as well. I've done three sessions and have three more to go, I'm having to do two today as I can't go tomorrow it's addictive isn't it?

Thanks for the info avocado

I am off to a terrible start as being away for work a lot this week I can only swim on Friday. Back to twice a week next week though!

enolagayits0815 yeah it's great having it, but shortly I will have to close it for winter as it's hard to keep it warm enough when the air temperature drops. I will start going dry skiing instead once the local slope re-starts its sessions

Hideously addictive enola. I had a date tonight, cos he's busy tomorrow (but it's a non-swim day tomorrow, no decent times available in local pools) I am slightly anxious at when I can swim next.. I have my lesson on Thursday so will manage another week one day, 700, and estimate I'll do 300m in the lesson, might see if I go Friday, or go on Saturday as usual

Another week closer to my workshop.... ☺️

Oh pisser, I have an achy ear, suppose to swim tomorrow but will see.

Hissy and Enola (Trout too) – agree it is addictive! I woke up with a really sore throat this morning. It has been niggling for about 10 days but seems to mean business now. My first thought was disappointment that I might not be better for tomorrow morning's swim! Drinking lots of hot water and lemon today …

1K done at 7.22am.
29 mins - I do 4 lengths, take a small breather and off I go.
2 in the lane so could go up and down.

I have got my morning so finely tuned.
6.20am alarm goes off. Make tea. Back in bed. Snuggle with DS2. Get up 6.45 - throw on swimsuit and chuck stuff in bag.
7am - drive DS1 to bus stop then go straight to pool
7.22 - swim for 1/2hr
Shower, dressed, drive home and back at just gone 8am.

Boo, no swim for me today. Sore throat, muscle aches, everything feels an effort (but I still felt very guilty) … Hopefully will be fine for the next early morning session on Monday. Your routine is very precise Rights! I get up at 6am three times a week and am usually getting into the pool sometime between 6.20 and 6.25am and done by about 7am. Get home for about 7.15am just when the family are all getting up and ready.

Managed first day of week two today. Got through it but it was hard.

Very impressed by all the early morning swimming. it must be the way to go.

Second day of week two and it felt significantly easier. Encouraging!

Lesson on thursday was awful! Choked so badly 10mins before the end, i thought I was going to hurl.

I had to even swallow it back down. Everyone in the pool stopped and looked.

Then I had to demonstrate the whip kick to a new intermediate group, and they all asked if I was ok after the pool swallowing. Oh the humiliation!

So, having posted for advice on my zeroto1mile FB group (awesome bunch!) have decided to spend a week on technique

Focus on feet up, head down and moving legs

It was fab! I achieved a lot and felt great in the water. Even shaved 10s off my 100m time! Odd considering that I wasn't going for speed, or distance or any performance at all. A fabulous 850m if ever there were one! Think I'll spend the week doing this actually, it'll really help in the long run.

So was that because of the lesson Hissy? was it a case of being pushed to your limits that made it awful, or did you mean it was a rubbish lesson? < being nosy >
Only managed one swim last week, (yesterday), focussed on arms for a bit. I found it tricky to keep the float between my legs at first, and was doing some weird thing with myfeet sticking up out of the water. Then I twigged that you have to keep the legs straight do didn't lok quite so unhinged!
I definitely need to keepit up at least twice a week though - will have to drop the obsession with only going on days when I'd wash my hair anyway for maximum efficiency. One thing though: I'm feeling the effects of the chlorine -does that swim spray stuff really work? The itchy scalp and prickling skin could potentially put me off going, which would be a shame since I can see myself getting quite into this as a form of exercise.

Any body use any of those post swim ear drops?
I've bought swimeze but not sure about them yet.
I can't use pre swim drops as they will mess up my mp3 ear buds

Haven't been for a few days what with one thing and another. I've run though. Am planning on going this evening.

Here's a question though. Period started today. I use a Mooncup which I am generally happy with. Back up with a liner on day 1 and 2 (I think it's not leaking as such, more than removing and re-inserting means blood on the outside of the cup).
I don't think I've ever swum on day 1 or 2. It'll be OK, won't it? Or shall I resort to tampon?

It wasn't the lesson that was awful shotgun no, the experience more. It knocked my confidence a bit so I didn't stay on, but Saturday really boosted me back up again.

I'm taking it a bit easier this week, my 10k month probably won't happen now, but I'm going slow to go faster

I have been sent some guides for the workshop, so have some preparation to work on I think.

hissy, sorry your lesson was awful.
I'm on just over 7k now, I'm aiming for 16k this month. I'm doing 1k a day five days a week so it should be manageable.

Well done to Hissy for turning the negative into such a Huge positive. :)

Have done 4 days of the week 2 programme. Lesson Wednesday then will attempt week 3 on Thursday. I've asked to join the Facebook group but not been approved yet

I think by slowing down, focussing on my head position, my feet, position etc I really can make a difference.

I've been so focussed on power and performing that it became such punishing work sometimes, but the improvement of 10s from one week to another shows me to stop fighting the water and use it to glide and float and swim.

I think my head is in the right place for the total immersion method, I'm falling more in love with swimming.

Whereas it was a bit of an obsession, I've now moved to a deeper love and understanding 😍😂

One of the lovely ladies on the zero to a mile group said she shaved her time for the mile by 20mins, just by getting technique right

She said swim like you have a tennis ball under your chin, and need to hold it on your chest. By god that brings your feet up.

The other thing is to push off, glide, tense the core/pelvic muscles and get the head and feet right, then slowly add the arms in to keep the line.

Have been hesitant to come on here seeking advice but you seem a friendly bunch so here goes

I've dodged/loathed exercise all my life, I was hopeless at PE as a kid. I only had a handful of swimming lessons (can swim about a width at a push) and hate the sensation of water in my ears/head underwater after a terrifying ducking as a teen. I know it's something I need to get past as I have osteoarthritis and swimming would be kindest on my joints. Apart from those excuses, my barrier is swimwear. I get thrush every single fecking time I go in a chlorinated pool. Is there such thing as waterproof swim pants for women?!

Welcome married.
We ARE a supportive and lovely bunch here. It's late now so I will try and remember to reply properly tomorrow but I'm just popping in to report a 1K swim - lane to myself on ladies night. Lost my goggles somewhere!

Found my goggles. On the stairs