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.

Hello corrigans! That makes sense about head position. I guess head looking right down when learning means that you really commit to having your head in the water. And it definitely helps with body position.

Lake swim was good this morning, first time I've properly done front crawl in open water. Managed two laps (about 450m per lap). Can't get to that session again for ages so I'm glad I did it just to prove that I can.

Skibike, we get a lot of "walker talkers "in our very small pool..sometimes 3 abreast! It's very frustrating because the swimmers always have to move to fit around them, they never move for us.

Interesting about head position I've been experimenting with what works, I struggle abit with my heavy legs dropping. I watched the you tube links thanks hissy I'm sat at pool watching my kids climbing hoping the lanes will go quieter so I can nip in for 20mins to "practice", my knee is abit sore which has never happened I think breaststroke on Thursday night has aggregated it.

chocolate I do wish the lifeguards would just enforce one abreast swimming in the lanes it would reduce the chatty swimming. I can't swim in the cafe bit so why should hey "chat" in the swimming bit 😬
Welcome corigans

Welcome corrigan!!

I've been told to let the water hold the head. It Weighs 8% of your body weight, take the weight off your shoulders and relax :)

This is total immersion technique tho, but the principle is to conserve energy and to do this you let the water do its part as you get streamlined and slip through it.

Yes to using your eyes to see slightly ahead of you, but no to lifting the face.

When you turn to breathe your head remains in place with the imaginary laser from the top of your head still lining up with the end of the pool, but you Turn your head and the arm stroke creates a bow wave which clears a gap for you to breathe in.

You'll have to trust me on this, but it does work :)

I'm afraid if there were a brace of talking swimmers in my lane I'd tell them to get out, or go to the cafe or swim in single file

then barrel up the middle of them

I'd like some advice as a new swimmer please...before I make a mistake!

If you go to the pool but get there and the lanes are all taken, do you wait by the side for your turn or do you just join a lane and work around the other swimmer?

Join the lane which seems to be about your level. I dont know any pool that lets you have a lane to yourself.
Also my pool is 4 width lane so faster ones get plenty of room to pass, whereas other pools are only 2 people wide .

kimchi just join the lane most appropriate for your speed. Leave enough space between swimmers (5 seconds is that enough proper Lane swimmers?). And just be courteous if someone is fast than you let them past or wait at the end for them to go past you.

Popping back, I think I posted once earlier in the year and got lots of good advice.

Just to say to those staring out - definitely stick with it. I could barely manage 50m FC in the spring but am now happily managing 1500m. Breathing is getting calmer all the time and am really enjoying it.

I'd like some tips on bikinis please - would like a sporty one for the summer - crop top and big bottoms! I.e. Generously cut or a short type. Anyone know a good brand? I ordered a Swetty Beatty one to try on by it was uber-expensive and to be honest the briefs were too brief.

Thank you

Try figleaves sunset they normally have some mix n match top in bra sizes & bottoms

Have looked on there but there more fashion ones than sport ones - not sure they'd hold up too well to a decent swim

Freya do a sport bikini with a choice of brief or shorts. I have a swimsuit from Freya and its really good.

I did a 2km in the dark last night at the Lido. Slightly strange experience, but a bit of fun!

How about "proswimwear" I got an excellent swim costume off there last month with good "big bust" coverage - I have a nightmare finding costumes that fit!

Which one did you get Ski? I had to throw 3 costumes out last week, and am down to 2 which I like (but may be on their way out), 2 which are OKish, and 1 that is not big enough round the bust, so need to start looking!

Thanks all for the advice on lanes!

CMOT I bought two different Aqua Sphere cossies in 42" (I'm 38G) the one I really like is this one www.wiggle.co.uk/aqua-sphere-womens-siskin-swimsuit-ss17/ I bought the blue/orange and it looks really flattering far more than the picture. The straps are really comfy but after a couple of swims I removed the adjustable bra plastic bit and just sewed the straps onto the costume as I found the length I was comfortable with. I actually just ordered another as a back up. Proswim haven't got it in stock anymore, wiggle had the black n blue version.
The other aquasphere one is ok fit but bit lower with more bust on display so I wear it more for "swimming with the kids"

Orangesunset - make sure you get ones with string in the waistband of the bottoms - otherwise it will act like a massive sail and you may have your lady garden in show - I speak from experience

Managed a whole mile today, easily, with the improved stroke, which has bedded in nicely. Quite chuffed with that.

Well Done, thats great FatGirlwithChocolate!

Thanks SkiBike, I'll look at those. I'm a 3OFF, and some non bra sized costumes end up worryingly skimpy round the bust coverage

Can I ask your opinion on this? There was a big, powerful (think rugby) guy in swimming today..swam beside him many times before and been kicked by him a good few times too..not always his fault I am sure. But, today the pool had two lanes up, the rest free swimming. He was swimming by the lane rope (but not in the lane)..I was next to him, everyone piling in next to me..he's swimming towards me (he's faster, so always ahead of me)..I'm swimming towards him..It's VERY tight..but..He has a huge space between him and the lane rope. Literally enough to fit another swimmer in. But, he would not move an inch..wouldn't swerve even a little to accommodate us passing smoothly..I had to move every single time (and I'm already dealing with all the people at the other side of me - at one point there must have been a good 20+ people trying to swim lengths in what's left of a 12.5m side pool after you put two lanes up.)... he's big, he's fast, he's powerful, and he's not moving for anyone, least of all me. Would that annoy you? I was really annoyed today. If it's busy and I am swimming next to the lane rope then I am as close to it as I can be. So much so that sometimes I am almost half under it (providing the lane is not at all busy, and it's not disturbing anyone).

Sounds like a arse, FG. You could ask the lifeguard to have words with him about using the space more sensibly.

One of the pools I can go to nominally says "share lanes" but often (quiet sessions) you get a long 2 person wide lane to self.

I had to duck some guy's dodgy round house stroke once! Every time we passed. Bless him, he did try to avoid Hitting me....

I wouldn't mind, but I'd moved into that lane (he joined me after) when I'd accidentally had a thumb jabbed into my hand's pressure point by another bloke in the previous lane.

That bloody hurt for weeks!

Hello! I've found this thread v inspiring whilst I've got myself back into swimming this summer, so thought I'd post to say hi. I've always been able to plough up and down in breaststroke and after almost a year of sitting on my arse (laziness, demanding job, lack of confidence to exercise and tendonitis in foot making walking and running no go) I was pleased to find I could still do a mile in a 25 m pool recently.

Since restarting two weeks ago I've had another go at crawl which I used to find too hard after one or two lengths and would always revert to breaststroke. But I've followed some of the links posted on here and read around a bit and I'm gradually training myself to do bilateral breathing and not to waste energy thrashing about so much. I'm concentrating on turning my body from side to side in the water.

I'm very lucky to be in France at the mo with access to a beautiful municipal outdoor pool that I usually only have to share with one or two people because it has been cool and cloudy. But I'm determined to just keep swimming (like Dory) when I go home as there's a public pool opposite my work.

Yesterday I did my 64 lengths in just under 38 mins doing a couple of lengths of FC every few minutes to break up the breaststroke. I've never had swimming lessons (though I think I must have been taught proper breaststroke at some point) but have booked myself onto Steven Shaw whole day front crawl workshop in London in October- very excited.

Your pool sounds lovely fanny and some great swimming.
I did a 40min mostlynon-stop session Monday night but for the first time ever my shoulder started hurting I think I'm lifting my arm out wrong on FC arrh just when it was starting to come together I've over thought it and being too pointy with the elbow I think..I've been watching the swimming world championships on the TV with my swimming mad DD and we've been checking out their technique

skibike I've only caught a weeny bit of the swimming championships but Adam Peaty is something else isn't he!! Awesome!! My extremely tenuous link to him is that I used to swim at his local pool....about 25 years ago so before he was even born. But hey it's my lame claim to fame and I'm sticking with it!