Swimming for fitness (part 2). Jump in!

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

Everyone welcome.

Slow down to go faster sexy. Start off knowing you are going for distance so go REALLY easy on the first few lengths and then you will get into a rhythm

1K done early doors. There was an extra swim lane put in for a lesson so the fast lane was really skinny. Luckily just me and another lass took it over!

I forgot my hair brush and bra so my post swim trip to Aldi may have been a bit alarming for some! nb I have no small boobs

I forgot my bra, knicker and swim hat on sunday rights
Then swam for an hour and my misfit didnt record so no idea how many laps i did

Thanks hissy
Does a misfit just count laps?

Its a general fitness tracker that is waterproof and if you buy the speedo android app it counts laps. I have the misfit ray and dd has the misfit shine 2.
I was looking at one that does more analysis but i got a real bargain on the ray and its more stylish than other trackers.

I put my back out on Saturday, although it didn't register until a couple of hours before masters on Sunday. so I had to stay home. Poncing about in Wembley yesterday did not help at all, although I am now medicated and feel about 95% there.

Will rest till Thursday session and hopefully I will be OK by then.

I am doing another open water swim tomorrow! A lake this time. It's a drop in coached session. I'm going with the girls (well, one is a man, but he's one of the girls really).
I can't wait!

Having a better day today. Hoorah!

Bruffin did you just skip home in your swimsuit then?!
Hissy take it easy with your back.

its a 10 minute walk home, had a lose top and jeans so thankfully, dont think anyone noticed.

I did it 1k well, 1320 (didn't realise the pool was 33m!) - took me an hour. So a way to go before I am as fast as some of you ladies.
Thanks for the advice re: slowing down hissy it really helped 🏊🏽🏊🏽🏊🏽

I have to not use my legs hardly at all in front crawl (that's what it feels like) slowing it down but my breathing and arm alignment is looking good (said my DD who was giving me hints n tips ). Once I've nailed that and add my legs back I'm hoping I'll be flying along as my legs are the strongest bit of me.

Just off to the lake now, and will have to walk quickly past the demo wetsuit night so am not tempted!

Any tips on where to look to improve on stroke?

sexy I've read articles online and in magazines to understand front crawl more. But the main thing is to have lessons. There's nothing like another pair of eyes to pick up where you're going wrong!

Second having lessons.

Having lessons, even infrequently is the way to go. Watching videos online and reading articles will help you think about your stroke and what you are aiming to do, but you really need someone to watch you and tell you what you are doing wrong.
I do 1:1 sessions in an endless pool every few months (must book an open water one soon) and it makes a massive difference. Some coaches do group sessions on a particular thing which are obv cheaper but not so personal.

Lessons it is then

CMOT I just had to google 'endless pool' never even heard of them before! Where do you go for that?

I would love to try an endless pool

I've been to one coach who has one in his garage, and the one I go to now is at a physio practice

Wow it would be so cool to have an endless pool in your garage.

I did 1k today in the 50m lido - so much easier in a bigger pool

Lake swim done! It was so much fun.
Four of us went.
There was about 40 or so in the drop in coached session. Lots of serious looking guys and the rest of us just regular, keen swimmers. Only about 2 people w/o wet suits.

There was about a dozen of us who had never swum in open water before so we had a pre-swim talk and then piled in.

We did a warm up around some buoys, then some sighting practise and then some start practice. The newbies had shorter distances and were advised where to start for the start practice so we didn't get kicked in the face!

Really good and I learnt lots of new things and really got a feel for how my race will be.

The water was 20C and the evening was beautiful. Everyone was really friendly. The lake was quite weedy (it's been weeded this w/e) and visibility was so so (tbh I don't know what's good or bad for a lake).

Unfortunately when we did the sprint start practice I got rotten calf craps and had to call the boat as there was nowhere to stretch it out! It eased and I tried again, but then it went right up my leg so I was obviously just tired, getting chilled and dehydrated at that point, but it was near the end of the session so it was OK. Calf is quite sore now though.

And then we went to the pub and I had a G&T!

Sounds amazing rights I'd love to have the confidence to do it but just get too freaked putting my face in murky water.
I watch two fab ladies swimming in the sea in bright pink hats where I live, I run past regularly and one was doing synchro leg pointing up thing the other day and got round of applause from a couple of the runners

Rights that sounds great, apart from the cramp obviously. What's their recommended technique for sighting? I've been told 3 different ways to do it but can't figure out which is best.

ski the water in the lake I swam in the other day was very weedy but the water itself was actually really clear. Don't let the thought of murky water put you off.

Lake swim sounds amazing :).

My turns are getting very quick (preen). I shared a pool lane with 3 teenage boys tonite. They were all faster swimmers than me but mostly stood & just watched. I will never stop being baffled by people who do that.

I had to be brave and push into the lane with two speed boys tonight. I got the evils from one most of the time but the other got out after couple lengths so it was just me and speed boy he was lapping me easily but I wasn't hindering his swim as there was only two of us in the lane, the other 4lanes were swim club so there was only 1 public lane tonight. I got nice 40L in, I really needed it after couple of long half term days with the kids.