Swimming for fitness (part 4). Everyone welcome.

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Old thread here

Anyone interesting in swimming for fitness welcome here.
Newbies, experiences, the fast, the slow - we're all sharing, learning and most of all supporting each other.

Hello I am new to swimming, I've not swam since I was a child, I go to the pool with my kids but I don't swim. I do a lot of running and wanted to try a aquathon so I went to pool a couple of weeks back, I swam 1 mile (64 lengths of 25m) in 27 minutes, anyone know if that's any good. I was doing a mix of breast stroke and back stroke and front crawl. If I'm going to be last out of the pool I will prob just stick to running

That’s very fast salene! Think your be fine doing an aquathon.

Ok thanks my garmin said something like 1.33 / 100 yards which means absolutely nothing to me , so I had zero clue

They don't start up again till next year now so I've got some time to practise too, I had to keep swapping strikes as kinda struggled a bit with front crawl and breathing so I need practise at it

I enjoy the swimming though , so looking forward to doing it over the winter.

Thanks a lot x

Salene My calculations would give you a 5min 300m time (probably faster over a shorter distance), which would have placed you in the top 5 (out of 177) of the swim section of the Tri, and the fastest woman.

Clearly, you haven't lost it! Did you swim competitively as a child?

Corrigans I really did enjoy the sprint Tri. I wanted to enjoy, feel I'd put my best effort in w/o burning out (that was my biggest worry) and I achieved all that. I was 106/177.

Welcome Salene. That’s an epic swim, well done . My PB in for a time trial in the pool last year for a 1500m time was 24:00. I was dying afterwards. So for you to do that in a training swim is awesome.

Thanks guys, no I've never really swam before just the normal school stuff . I think I will definitely enter the aquathon then , sounds like I might actually be a better swimmer than I am a runner

Crikey that is almost three times as fast as me! I am swimming with one arm at the moment but even so, wow.

I’ve been looking back on my July& August stats as I did nearly half the running I would normally do but logged 10k of swimming in July and again Aug, which I’m really pleased about. It’s such a juggle with life fitting it all in, I’ll start ramping up the running again as the weather cools down and despite my best intentions I expect the swim pool time will suffer especially as back to school bugs start to hit. Hope to get in the pool tonight if DH back in time whilst my eldest child is at her club. Did everyone else have a good summer swimming? I did get a few sea swims in as well but the flipping barrel jelly fish curtailed my confidence a lot sea swimming this summer.

I’ve never run but have just started couch to 5k and have also started using weight in the gym. I’m doing about 1200m twice a week in the pool - I have begun to love it. The last few times I have not wanted to get out.

Hope the couch to 5k goes ok best, I did it nearly 3yrs ago never thinking for one moment I’d love it so much. It’s fantastic to run 5k and just clear your head from life’s stresses and our local ParkRun is really welcoming. I’m still not fast or remotely slim but I enjoy going for a run. Then I swim to stretch it all out the next day.

Hello, just saw the thread and would like to join in! I have recently started running and want to get back in the pool too, hoping this will inspire me.

To be fair, I probably shouldn’t have started the day before going on holiday! I may have to start again unless I can sneak out tomorrow morning.

Welcome Emma

Back into the pool today after a 6 week break as the kids were off, sure my shoulders will be killing tomorrow.
Did 50 lengths

Hissy Hey to all!

We’ve done holiday swimming and the top lane boys have organised sessions on our usual training days but in the 50m pool

It’s done us the world of good! That and starting kick arse yoga! My god does that ever make a massive difference! Both in strength and in mental attitude! The two complement each other entirely! Hurrah!

Masters sessions started back on Sunday with a killer set list, making us tumble at speed etc, Which tbh I’m not used to, but it’s what separates us from the middle lane now. We’ve caught up with them between the flags, but they lose us on the turns

There’s been a 3 line whip too for a gala in a few weeks

We’ve been assured we’re not racing the kids, but I’ve never competed before and kinda worried that I’ll look an idiot

So I had an intermediate/advanced hot yoga class this morning, and have masters training later

Oh thinks I’m insane and that I’ll float to an exhausted stop before the end of the 90mins... we’ll see!

Happy swimming everyone!! 🥰🏊🏼‍♀️

I was just going to start a 'how do I start swimming' thread when I saw this!

I'm unfit - I look slim so no one really believes me - but I'm untoned, easily out of breathe and little stamina (go me!). But I just moved very near to a pool and in fact have to walk past it 3 times a week after dropping the kids off. So my game plan was swimmer on first thing under clothes, drop kids and go straight there. I know from when I did couch to 5k about 5 years ago I'm easily distracted so this way there really is no excuse

But ... what do I do? Obviously i can just get in the water and start but what would be considered a reasonable amount to do? Should I just plough on or should I worry that my strokes are sloppy? Is it better to just go til I stop or more lengths but breaks to rest. I've no illusions that I'll be pretty pathetic to start, but I'd like to at least give it a shot.

Any tips for a newbie very much appreciated

I could barely do two lengths when I started but I found there is a margin number of lengths ( in my case 10) after which I can swim for ever. So I started by getting through those 10 lengths slowly whether it was breaststroke or slow crawl or just using a kickboard.
Then I gradually increased distance by a few lengths every time I went.

I also watched loads of videos. My style is still crap though.

*margin = magic.

My swimming has been a bit sporadic due to holidays. I'm really pleased that I managed my sea swim.

Today is my first day off after DS is back at school. I did 2km in the lido. It felt so good to do a proper distance again. I'm going to try to do 2km twice a week now.

I set myself a number of lengths, then gradually increased. A lot of it is trial and error and personal preference. I started with 20 lengths (500m). I don't stop it I can possibly avoid it.

I got into an altercation today at lane swimming, I was in the medium lane- a double sized lane with three blokes in it. The fast lane was a single lane with four fast blokes in it. It's a 25m pool. So I started a length with half a length in front of me clear. I swim crawl with a pool snorkel. At 3/4 to the wall I was overtaking a bloke who saw me and then swam right into me shouting at me to stay in my lane.
The lifeguard came over and told him off for shouting and suggested I move to the fast lane. I know I'm not fast enough for the fast lane. I'm stuck- the fastest in the medium lane or slowest in a more crowded narrow fast lane? What should I have done?

I stayed in the medium lane. I'm convinced some of the men in there only swim in it because it's on the same side as the male changing rooms and no matter how slow they are their pride won't let them go over to the slow lane.

I don't mind being overtaken in a wide lane but in a narrow one with folk swimming in both directions I end up on the ropes and hurt myself bashing my hands on the floating lane dividers. So I stay out of the fast lane where I know I'd be the slowest.

The lifeguard says I could hold my own in the fast lane but unless I've got faster since using the snorkel I know I'm always the slowest and in the way of the fast swimmers.

Hi all,

I'm doing swimming Race at your pace with my daughter (her choice of activity!) I've never been a good swimmer, didn't have proper lessons as a kid.

I went to the pool this week and swam 16 lengths which I was really pleased with! But very sore afterwards. I'm okay at breaststroke but can't really do front crawl at all. Backstroke seemed okay.

Can anyone recommend the best stretches to do before swimming? Or the best videos to watch for technique tips?

Thanks for the thread!

Sorry to hear about your day @flamingnoravera!

Perhaps he thought the fast lane lads would have been less dickies? Or perhaps they were due to get out?

Those blokes were wrong to shout, there are soooo many men with fragile egos, and although I’m not a particularly fast club swimmer, we’re quicker than most joe public, so have fewer issues these days, but it’s annoying when people think one thing based on the fact that I’m female, but it’s satisfying to show them up - they hate it tho!

If I were you I’d take the advise of the lifeguard - I’m glad he intervened, so few do!

Don’t let this dent your progress! I usually go half an hour after the session starts if there is much chance of the splashy lot rocking up

Sorry for spellos!

SushiGo I taught myself FC but I had spent many an hour watching my kids learn on poolside so picked up stuff from that. I also used Effortless Swimming videos on You Tube and another one which I’ll look up later if it helps. The biggest thing I found was get goggles that suit you, get really comfy with having your face in the water and breathing out. Try kicking with a float out front and practice breathing. Then try a pull buoy float between your thighs so you ignore your legs for abit and focus on arm pull and breathing. Good Luck, your never to old to learn I was mid-40s when I learnt. Also try your local pool there maybe adult improver lessons or sessions on.

Hi Tri Yes, I think I'm much better than I would be for watching the kids lessons! Thank you I'll try those videos/tips and see how I get on.

I learned to swim when I was 47, went back to very beginning and I have to say it was well worth it! A lot of centres have adult lessons, I’d start there and see what you can tap into