Swimming for fitness (part 2). Jump in!

[rightsofwomen]

We've filled up the first Swimming for fitness thread, so here is the new one.

Everyone welcome.

No problem - they are super helpful about turning complicated prescriptions into something you can see as well as possible in. All my life I'd not been able to see in a pool, and it was like a revelation!

Ooh fantastic!

I'm going to try an aqua class tomorrow. Not sure whether to keep glasses on or wear goggles. I assume it's mainly low mobility/older people so might keep glasses on and see.

Thanks for the inspiring thread. I'm joining!
I've sort of lost my swimming mojo despite loving it. Mostly into open water swimming. I train in lidos and lakes and sometimes the sea (despite living nowhere near the sea!). Never in a wetsuit. Occasionally swim in an inclusive masters club (am one of the slowest!)

So I think what I want to ask is - how do you motivate yourself? (especially early in the morning?)

Welcome cheap!

My motivation comes from only having a very small window in which to swim - between dropping DS1 on bus and work (only in days DS2 is with his dad) or late in the evening when DS2 in bed and pool closes at 10 so if not out of door by 9.15 it's too late.

Thanks rights. I'm in the same boat with the small windows of opportunity. I will go either tomorrow lunchtime or Saturday morning (possibly both). Will report back!

Welcome cheap

I'm new to open water swimming, in that I've never done it! I had a recent dip (without a wetsuit) and managed to last 5 mins after I got over the pain and the shock!

Anyway, I've registered with a fundraiser next weekend to do a 200m open water swim (at 4.30am !!!!!!!!!!!!!) as part of the 'Darkness into light' fundraiser for a charity who help those needing suicide or self-harm support. We lost a family member to suicide last year so it's veryclose to my heart. I've managed to raise nearly 800 quid so far, I'm amazed! Really dreading the swim though, having to put my face into that freezing water! Anyway it will be well worth it no doubt, those funds are desperately needed.

P.S My motivation comes from swimming actually curing a chronic hip issue I had been having for the previous 6 months. I tried everything to get rid of it and it was really starting to bug me, couldn't train properly at the gym or even go for a walk. Anyway after 1 hour in the pool the pain was almost gone. And after 2 weeks, I never felt it again. It's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Anyway I'm really enjoying it and integrate 1 or 2 sessions a week with the masters group (ahem, slow lane) and 1 or 2 gym sessions too. Now I'm trying to push myself more with some open water stuff over the summer ... will see how it goes!

That swim sounds amazing Face. You'll be hooked after something as uplifting as that. Well done on the fundraising and for such good cause.
Try and get into the sea as much as you can between now and then to acclimatise - if you can bear it. Or cold showers!

Hello cheap! My motivation has all been about this triathlon I'm doing in June. Did one last year which had a pool swim so did breaststroke. But this years is in a lake so I've been trying to master front crawl since January. Slowly getting the technique right and getting fitter! And as for what motivates me to actually get in the pool, I have very limited time slots too as I've two small children. So when I get the opportunity I have to go for it!! The bike and run side of things is much more flexible!

Had a well needed 40L in my fav outdoor pool today, I was the only one in the pool for most of my session it was heavenly lunch break from work. I think the frost this morn had put people off. I love it when it's grey & overcast as I can actually do backstroke with getting blinded by the sun.

Thanks for the wetsuit advice CMOT. I am on the cusp of ordering one from wiggle. I hired the last one from whichever company was recommended by the London triathlon. It was an Orca from memory but was years ago and pre kids.

Face that sounds great. A really good cause too. If it's any reassurance I have signed up for the Henley Club to pub. I have literally zero open water swimming experience apart from the triathlon in which the safety kayakers practically has to herd me in . I am just building up distance (at 90 lengths at the mo) and then will work on technique and wetsuit wearing in our lido when it opens. I am very, very slow and not technically good at all. The goal is to finish. If I'm last, I'm last.

My motivation is that I used to run a lot but childbirth knackered my pelvic floor. I need exercise to keep me sane so I learnt very basic front crawl after DC2. Had DC3 just over a year ago and I needed a goal to frighten me. I only manage to get to the pool once the kids are all in bed and DP is home. So usually quite late which means that the pool is quiet. I always swim in the non lane bit. I don't like the pressure of being in the lanes.

Welcome Cheapmum. I'm motivated by only having three slots a week when the pool is both lanes and 33m and that is early morning three days a week! If I don't go then I miss my chance. I got into running after my second child started school and I realised I needed to do something about getting breathless on the school run. I did that for 3 years, eventually managing 3 miles each outing, before developing an ankle injury. So, really determined not to lose my hard-won fitness, I started swimming, which I'd been fairly good at as a child. And I'm loving it. The early mornings suit me well. Yes, it is hard getting out of bed but once that is done it is fine. It is too early for breakfast or any other meal to get in the way, doesn't eat into family time (they are all asleep when I leave) and it gets my exercise over and done with for the day. I feel energised afterwards. The Swimtag has been a big incentive, trying to better myself all the time. My children like looking at the results (pretty graphs etc) with me when I get home and I like that it involves them that way. I've also started to get to know people at the pool who ask where I've been! When I was running it was solitary and nobody knew if I'd been out or not …

OOOh, I've still got running endorphins so am feeling all friendly.
Shall we have a role call - username, how often you swim, distance, stroke, make of goggles, goals, anything else?

I've just got back from masters session.

Endorphins about to wear off..

Session was HARD! I have no arms... wonder if I can get a driverless car to bring me home in future!

I'll play your game tho rights 😂
Hissy
Aiming to swim 3x a week: 2 x 90min club sessions and one other (gentle, technique) have not got into the routine yet tho, it's only starting now.
Sessions: club sessions are about 1800-2000 (hard, did I say hard?)) own sessions would be about 1500m - 2000, mostly front ideally, in 100s with back stroke to rest
Stroke: generally front, then back.
Goggles: aquasphere
Goal: now to crack outdoor and prepare for mile swim in July (gulp)

Bruffin
Swim 3x a week,
One class about 48 x25 concentrating on different stroke each week

Myself usually 1hour swim early morning mainly breastroke but starting to up the front crawl to 50/50. Usually around 2k.

Goggles aquasphere vista

Goal to do more front crawl

Raaaaaah

Swim 3x a week. Aiming for 100 lengths on Tuesday. Then I'm going to work on my pull. It's very lazy at the moment.

Stroke-front crawl.

Goal-pace, technique, sighting, not drowning in the Thames...the list goes on.

Any of you who have done a river swim event? There are really slow swimmers in the sporting category aren't there? My mantra is "last is fine".

I'm impressed by all the club swimmers/masters out there.

username: Singing Avocado
how often you swim: three mornings a week, early
distance: 1mile or 2km if I've enough time
stroke: alternate front crawl and backstroke
make of goggles: a Speedo pair that my husband used in his one and only triathlon
goals: doing a Swimtag challenge at the moment to swim the distance between the three local leisure centres … have only recently upped from 1mile (50 x 33m lengths) to 2km (60 x 33m lengths) so pleased with that. Be brave enough to do open water perhaps?

CMOTDibbler
3 x a week, more if I'm lucky!
At least 2km a session, trying to do one really long swim a week now of 4km
Stroke: Freestyle
Goggles: Aqua Sphere Eagle prescription
Goal: Swim Serpentine in September, turning in a good time on the swim leg of Superhero Para tri. Maybe a longer open water event too :-) and 5km in the pool

Not drowning is my mantra Raaaah 😂

My swimio app tells me that I've just hit 100,000m swum since July 😂🏊🏻

Excellent Hissy. I'm in good company. I tend to overestimate my capabilities wildly, only becoming realistic once I am committed.

Has anyone used Zoggs predator flex? My speedos are good at keeping water but get painful after a while.

I did aquaaerobics!! Felt like the youngest there and self conscious of my size amd wondering if it would do anything. But i feel I moved everything and it was fun and more movement than sat on the sofa

I did 10 lengths after but ran out of time to do more. Surprised myself how much I enjoyed the feel of gliding through water :) I'm not at all in anyone else's league here but it feels so good!!!

I really enjoy aqua Country.Ive just started going and there are a mix of ages and sizes.
I felt it the next day because we do a bit of deepend stuff with foam dumbells. On wednesday though did it before my swim class so i was nice and warmed up for my class and the adrenaline was flowing.

Username: igottastartthinkingbee

Swim approx twice a week. No idea on distance! Stop start so maybe 20-25 lengths?

Stroke: currently trying to master front crawl hence the stop start! I have managed to do two consecutive lengths without dying in the last week so I'm trying to build on that.

Goggles: zoggs. Leave me with proper panda eyes.

Goal: 400m open water swim in June, part of a triathlon. My aim is not to drown!! I'll end up doing some breaststroke but I'd like to try to do as much as possible front crawl. And after that I have more triathlons I want to compete in so I have to nail this stroke!!!!!!

cheapmum

Swimming 1-3 x per week but aim to up it to 3-5 x per week
3k per session but need to up it to at least one session of 5k per week
Usually freestyle (fairly rubbish at other strokes)
Goggles: speedo prescription
Goals: to train enough to finish the 10k swims I've entered in the summer. I did that distance last year but haven't swum very much this year so far.
Lesser goals are to improve my speed and become much better at butterfly and backstroke.

hissy - I have done a few river swims and the lovely thing about them is that usually you are going downstream so it make things much easier. Often the surroundings are really lovely so there is stuff to look at. I did the Henley Pub to Club last year and spent half the time looking at the riverside houses, etc. You'll be fine!