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.

Get to pool at 9.25pm last night after pretty stressful evening only to be told it was closed due to an 'incident' (bleugh). Came home and went for a night run instead.

I shall go at lunch time. Can only go at the beginning of the session which is usually a bit busy so I shall prepare myself for not being able to lose myself.

I have now actually entered the open water swim on 8th July! 750m.
We're going to a coached session in a lake at the end of this month where I hope to Learn New Skills. I am loving this new challenge. With running I am very competitive and always setting goals, hoping to PB, getting very nervous before races etc. This is entirely different as I enter the race with no expectations at all. I would like to finish and I would like to not come last, but mainly I want to enjoy it and feel proud of my achievement. The laughs on the way I brilliant as well.

Welcome highway, I'm just getting started too :)

Hello. Such great achievements from everyone. Big welcome to Highway. This is the perfect thread for you. Congratulations on putting yourself way out of your comfort zone and your 25 lengths – an amazing result. Keep us posted on your next visit to the pool! Lots of people finding open water … well done. That is something that makes me a bit scared …

Lots going on here now! I'm sat looking a bit vague at wetsuit hire!! Don't really know what I'm doing and torn between hiring a junior suit (cause I'm a shortie) and a women's (because I don't have a teenagers hips anymore!). I fit the weight/height parameters for the junior, just worried I won't get it on!!

First open water swim training on Sunday - eeeeekkkkk!!!!!!!!

Is there nobody to advise you there, Bee? Do they do a petite woman's wetsuit like they do for some clothes. Good luck in your open water training.

Have been feeling terrible thanks to joint problems for the last few days, but figured today I'd give swimming a go as then at least I'd be lying down taking my weight off knees and all, and then at least I'd have managed a shower after.
So got the bus to the pool after dropping kids off, found the ticket machine doesn't recognise the fact that my swimming is included in membership (staff member: "yeah, the machines don't know anything. Don't worry."), and did 24 lengths.

I tried putting my goggles and nose clip on before I even had my pre-swim shower, and the clip stayed on perfectly, so that was good. After a few lengths I felt better and might have done a few extras but an aqua-choir turned up. They might have sounded OK without the echo and without cutting out each time I went under water...

Had leisurely shower and got bus home. Certainly feeling better than before. May have a nap anyway...

Aqua-choir! [off to google]

Google comes up with nothing. My goodness, I have never heard of such a thing. How funny.

Well done Citrus

A lot going on with life stress was feeling crappy but made myself go for a swim whilst DD training and it was heavenly. Under the water the world melted away and for 30mins I didn't think about much except breathing and moving. Perfect tonic as had lane to self for half session, and only one other rest of time. Thanks to the encouragement on this thread it is helping motivate me to swim and thus cope better with life plus the 42L worked off the cake

Laughing at aqua choir

I want to try Aqua Choir

1K done at lunch time. Not too many annoying people in the pool of course I am sure I am NEVER annoying
Mate was there who pointed a couple of things out to me, which I appreciate.

I realised I forgot to add this, I've forgotten how to swim on my front. I flapped around and sank...

Fine on my back though. I'll probably go back, not sure if I'll cope with adults only (men) and the women only are only Monday and Tuesday.

Everything aches.

What about lessons Highway?
Ive been going to lessons for 15 years

Highway what do you mean about adults only being just men. That it's a mixed session but only men go?
I will bet you a bag of Giant Chocolate Buttons that you have not forgotten how to swim on your front, but that you need to relax a bit , start with a really low goal and have confidence in yourself (sorry, if that sounds really patronising).

Ello! New here but have a gym membership which includes swimming, and it's one of the few exercises I actually enjoy. I haven't been in a while though and just wondering whether anyone can recommend the best swimming exercise regime to get me started (if there is such a thing)!

Welcome MissBax

I have no idea about regimes. The only thing I sometimes see keen swimmers do before they jump in, is stand by the side windmilling their arms so if you're prepared to look like a right twat you could do that

MissBax
I do a class called swim and stamina, todays class was

warm up of
6 x frontcrawl
6 x backstroke
6 x breaststroke

the concentrated on back stroke
4 back stroke straight arm pull
4 legs only
4 left arm only
4 right arm only
4 catch up
4 full back stroke
2 any stroke to cool down
The only problem with drills etc is that it is not easy to do them in a busy pool.
I sometimes do some breastroke ones when it is quiet ie 2arm pulls to 1 legs or 1 arm pull to 2 legs

Thank you! rightsofwomen I think I'll pass on that myself too 😉 how often do you tend to train? Has it helped with weightloss?

My New Year resolution was to swim twice a week (1K) and so far I've pretty much managed that.
I don't swim for weight loss.

rights - well done for keeping it up! Is that 50 lengths?

Thanks! I'm chuffed as I'm a runner really.
Pool is 25m so 40 lengths.

Welcome MissBax. I moved to swimming from running nearly a year ago I've always alternated front crawl with backstroke and have just built up distance over time. I don't doing anything more complicated than that. I usually swim in the medium lane but sometimes (like today) move to the fast lane if the medium lane is particularly sluggish. I find the people in the fast lane tend to have more of a plan and check lists or watches and do sprints! I go three mornings a week and can manage 2km now in 40mins. No weight loss that I've noticed but my aim was fitness.

Avocado You are FAST! Wow, I do 1K in about 24 mins. That's always fast lane speed in my pool. You must have a higher class of swimmer where you go.

My arms have become really toned from swimming. I love them actually.

Swam today, as it does seem to be helping hold my pelvis together! 30 lengths in about 33 minutes, which is slow but steady improvement. Hard to believe I used to do 70 in 45...

Citrus We need to know the length of the pool, otherwise we can't update the spreadsheet

Seriously, great that you had a good swim.

I updated my Will today (not related to my upcoming open water swim!) and the guy is some super master, highly competitive swimming ninja. Will have to stalk later.

He really looked like a good swimmer - tall, big and strong handsome
I do not look like a swimmer - apart from being tall.