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, it's competing at less than 15.9c

Swimming lakes are open usually when they reach above 11c I think

That was my first evening swim last night and it was far too busy. There was one guy in the slow lane and an empty fast lane. But he kept lapping me and it was really unrelaxing! Why didn't he move to the empty fast lane?

I felt I couldn't rest when I wanted to, I had to keep going to get away from him or wait longer than I wanted to so he could pass me at the end.

So I left after 20 minutes feeling cross. Grrrrr really disappointing.

My husband went out cycling so I didn't get to swim :( going to do the prescription exercise at the gym this a morning. I want to swim but I've signed up to do half and hour at the gym twice a week. Maybe I can fit in a swim tonight.

I love that I've found something I'm sad when I don't get to go, rather than obligation :)

yes, caterpillar, me too! I can't wait to swim again and that's not something I've ever experienced before when it comes to exercise.

My day has been canceled due to the Manchester stuff so I might try to swim again later today.

I guess the limits on that for competition are because of the distances involved - 3, 5, 10km so people are in the water a long time. I know Ironman water temperatures have to be a lot higher than sprint/olympic tris - and para tri is higher again.

Lanes at lunchtime for me, having been for a run last night with the dogs down by the river. River is still a bit high and fast to swim in after last weeks rain, but hoping to be there soon!

Sorry about your bad swim last night Caterpillar. Some people are really thoughtless. Could you have a word with the pool management and ask them to ask the lifeguards to sort lanes out. That's what I'm going to do. Well done on finding your exercise mojo!

That makes sense about the wetsuit rules for races Hissy and Dibbler

Knickers are you near Manchester?

Running club for me tonight. Hill apparently. Bring It On!

I really want to get into S4F - can I ask a few questions?
How do you plan your drills? And how long does it take you to do 1k?
Would also love to get into open water - any good websites you can recommend for info?
Thanks

Oh no! I wanted to try swimming for exercise (was going to go today!) but got a few posts in and now feel like I'm just going to annoy all the seasoned swimming veterans with my amateurishness I will even have to ask which lane is the slow lane.
Seems a plus point is that I won't be doing breast stroke though, as I need to look after my pregnant hips. Any tips so as not to annoy anyone? I was not considering a swimming hat or nose clip either. I will be in my hawaiian print maternity swimming costume

I've only once been in the lanes (when empty!) I usualky swim in the other half of the pool, but next to the lanes just up and back alongside the rope.... I worry I'd get it wrong!!

Hello sexy
I don't do drill, someone else will answer that.
It takes me about 24 mins to do 1K. All front crawl. This time last year I was about twice as slow (seriously) and could only do 50m of crawl in a go. I'd do 2 crawl, 1 breast and 1 just flipped on my back to recover. Regular swimming has been the absolute key for me, as well as picking up a few tips. Small things which have made a HUGE difference.

Bendy NO.....don't feel like that. The lanes should be marked at the pool when it's lane swim.

I just found this on google loneswimmer.com/2011/02/15/lane-swimming-etiquette/

Thanks rightsofwomen
Wow that's fast!
What are your top tips that made a huge difference??

Thank you. I am OK, but compared to people who race or swim in clubs I'm really not that fast. It's that I have improved so much that brings me happiness and encouragement (though I don't seem to get any faster now).

I've not had lessons (just tips from friends) so I'm going to let others answer your question about what makes a huge difference.

I swim twice a week. For me, focussing on just one thing at a time to improve has helped. A pull buoy (between my legs) helped me lie in a better position in the pool which helped me learn how to do bilateral breathing and to focus on my arms.

It's the desire to get In The Zone and get the post-exercise buzz which keeps me motivated. That and it's a super exercise to do along with my running.

Omg, those rules! I had no idea about the foot tapping and fastest person thing.

But this is another reason why I just want to find a quiet time where I can just be me with my crap swimming and not get in anyone's way. That is one thing I like about swimming, that it's just me. No comparing myself to others (because I'm always worse). Hmf.

Yes, I'm in Manchester. We heard the sirens last night but thankfully not affected. Very scary and upsetting.

Bendy There are ALL sorts of swimmer here and the swimmer you are today is the swimmer some of us were a month ago, a year ago, longer

We ALL started off the same place you did.

this time last year I had not even started swimming properly. My first month of distance measurement once I had decided I wanted to swim more seriously was 1,000m. Again, for the month.

My warm up at masters is more than this now.

We don't forget where we come from Bendy, so please dive in and ask whatever you need? We want to hear about your progress

Bendy please don't be put off. Everyone has to start somewhere and swimming is great pregnancy exercise. Every session you will make progress. I hadn't a clue when I turned up at the pool and went over and asked the teenage lifeguard, who was sitting there looking bored, to explain all the lanes. I started in the slow lane but am now very comfortable in the medium lane and can hold my own in the fast lane if I have to (sometimes the medium lane gets slow).

Sexy I don't do drills either. I just alternate front crawl and backstroke (I can't really do breast stroke and certainly can't do butterfly). I can now do a km in 20mins but it has taken me at least 9 months to get here!

No swimming for me yesterday or today as my husband is away for work (in Manchester … the awards event he was at last night got put into lock down as it was part of the police exclusion zone or something and they weren't allowed to leave until 4am – he was still hearing helicopters this morning, all so utterly dreadful). Should be back in on Thursday and then maybe Monday before heading off for 4 nights camping for half term.

The rules are sadly known by those often well behaved enough not to need them, it's the pricks proving a point or getting pissed off cos some middle aged female just swam past them, or loads machine gun the bloody idiots that WALK IN LANES...

I'm in a club, not fast at all but have noticed an improvement in my time, although that then buggers up the ability to go for much more than 75m at a time without going blue. I am getting there. i am. i am. i am

We do drills with kick boards, they are evil, but my legs are getting stronger and it's just a balance on getting to use them without depleting too much oxygen.

I have flippers arriving at some point this week.. Although I am slightly concerned that the coach said to one girl that she had fins on so could swim in 100s and us without could swim in 50s.... I dont really want to have to double my work at this stage...

That said, the coaches are really nice, and they are saying for me to do what I can do, and that they can see a difference in my swim in just 3 weeks.

I have 2 masters sessions a week, and try to swim another couple of times a week on top, but it's hard because if I get it wrong it knackers me for masters, and that's hard enough without me overcooking a light training session the day before.

Am going for a potter in a lake with boyf tomorrow, which hopefully will go well, if I can just potter about and not have a panic attack, that will be an improvement.

sexy if you are looking for a plan, you could look at giving yourself a goal

I did this:

ruthkazez.com/Zeroto1milePreamble/pre-zero.html

then

ruthkazez.com/swimming/ZeroTo1mile.html

NOTE - these ARE hard to do. and it doesn't have to take 6 weeks, its better to take it at your pace, otherwise you could injure yourself or lose heart.

I know I definitely suffer crises of confidence on a regular basis, as I am pushing myself onwards

I have an app called Swimio, they have challenges etc too

Alas I let the side down and didn't swim last night had nasty head and there were some odd folks in the lanes, so I just watched DD. Hoping to go to my fav outdoor pool tom instead

I did watch fab lady swimming in the sea this morning on her own but she had a bright orange buoy tagged to her which I thought was gd idea for safety. It looked very peaceful swimming but tad foamiee which is unusual for that bit of coastline

I did 1k today! Took over 40 min, but I don't feel too bad now.
Also very pleased with managing to be both assertive and friendly - bloke was faffing with floats in the slow Lane, only doing 1/3 of a length, and a woman in the crowded medium Lane mentioned to me he shouldn't be there if he wasn't swimming. At which point he came back so I asked if he was doing lengths, he said no, he couldn't swim, so I said please could you go to the half of the pool for practising in as that's a lane for lengths only. He was most apologetic and then we saw the sign had been kicked over so I said not his fault as the sign for the slow Lane wasn't there, he pootled over to the general area, we wished him good luck, and all the swimmers spread out nicely and lived happily after.

citrus we just need Biff and Chip and you have the makings of an excellent book there!!

I managed to go in an evening!!( huge achievement for me, evenings tend to be spent hiding in bed) and it feels amazing.

I had half an hour before aqua so managed 30 lengths (600 meters). Ive already improved since I started here 4-5 weeks ago!!! I then managed the aqua class!

Feeling so happy :) I think this is doing my mental health the world of good :)

I'm thinking I ought to start recording for myself in a diary or something so I can see improvement.

at biff n chip novel I could have added a couple of characters from last nights lanes too! I admire anyone swimming but when your doing two handed backstroke down the middle of the lane at 1mph hmmm wonder why no one else can swim in the lane with you...

Catepillar Do you have a Strava account? I log my swims there. I don't have a swim watch or anything so I add them manually, but it works out your speed so you can easily track improvement.

Happy to help if you don't know what I'm talking about.

I am still high from post-run endorphins. Exercise is GOOD folks! It should be the first line in treatment for depressive issues IMO. I feel blessed that I love exercise as it's helped me no end.