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.

Is anyone finding the inability to properly shower after swimming a problem. I am finding that I get terrible excessive sneezing a few hours after swimming. I notice it is a lot worse the longer I have to wait for a proper shower.

Yesterday I could not shower for a couple of hours after swimming and I had the most excessive sneezing for about 4 hours in the evening. Very like an allergy. I took two different antihistamines- no impact. I notice on days when I can shower within 30mins sneezing is much less. Google tells me this is a thing with chlorine.

We are allowed to rinse off at the pool but not use shampoo although I have noticed some people using shampoo.

Our showers and changing rooms are open as normal.

Just thought I would say hello!
I just love the water and swim most days if I can. Year round sea swimmer.
I haven’t ventured back to the pool yet but it is open albeit with a booking system.
Anyway, hello!

jewel maybe they have increased the Cholrine dose? When it’s stronger I have to use a beconase nasal spray after swimming or it can really make me bunged up over the next 24hrs. It took me years to realise that’s what it was.
Had a good lane swim at lunchtime Sharing a lane with my 13yr old we got 1.2k done. I’m really liking knowing it’s just us in a lane. I can get there and back on my lunch break.

@TriSkiRun99 i think they might have. I did come across the suggestion of beconase via Google. I might have to try that as I have felt awful since yesterday morning when I last had a swim. I never felt this bad before lockdown. I think not having a proper shower is a problem too.

Hello swimmers, glad to find this thread as I've recently got back into swimming over the last month and done between 1.5km and 2km most days so 30-40 mins in the pool 4-5 times a week. I feel great and have lost half a stone but my skin is really suffering, particularly my face - very tight and dry from the chlorine.

I always shower beforehand and afterwards with Clarins shower gel (hotel freebies) but I notice my skin smells like chlorine for a long while afterwards. I've seen suggestions to slather up with oil/cream/vaseline before swimming (though how my goggles will stay on with stuff on my face I don't know!) and/or after swimming, references to "chlorine neutralising soap"...

Does anyone have any advice on skincare for swimmers? I'm worried I'm slowly pickling myself in chlorine at the moment.

I swim 7 days a week. I don’t put anything on my body before swimming and don’t know if that would be good for the pool water. I use Nivea blue on my body and my hair is very dry and I keep waiting for someone to recommend the perfect conditioner for swimmers! The pool I swim in doesn’t really smell that much of chlorine or maybe I can’t smell it anymore as I am there all the time not sure.

There are some shampoos and showergels that breakdown chlorine. Boots used to do one called sun and swim but I can't find it now. Think it must be discontinued. Superdrug do one too. You can also get one in Decathlon and of course there is Amazon but those sold there are a bit pricey. Apparently vitamin C breaks down chlorine so maybe try one of the many moisturizers that have vitamin C in the ingredients.

I tried the Boots one but found it even more drying on my hair

If you cover yourself in lotions before swimming it means the chlorine in the pool will react with it and generate chlorites which is what irritated skin etc.... Might protect you but will make it worse generally

Ok, sounds like I need to find some moisturiser with vitamin C, and slather up after the pool. I can see that Superdrug have a gel one for £4.99 that might be just the ticket and the same vitamin C range has a "spritz" that might be helpful to get rid of the chlorine smell on my body. Thanks guys!

In terms of hair, I have found that the Philip Kingsley elasticiser left on overnight once a week works well for me. I see that PK also does a special hair mask for hair to protect from swimming so I may try that. I also use a silicon swimming cap that goes over my ears and leaves my hair mostly dry.

@Xiaoxiong, can I ask where you found this holy grail of swimming caps?

They also say that wetting your hair before a swim means less chlorine gets in to the hair. I have been trying this lately given I can't shower properly until I get home.

Amazon! It's this one: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07X9K2DF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1]]

I've used normal swimming caps before but my hair always got wet to some extent - I thought I'd just give this one a go to see. It does ride up a tiny bit in the back and water gets in my ears if I'm swimming very vigorously, but I just pull it down again and it sticks really well (better to dry skin so I put it on before I shower). From the reviews it's not everyone's holy grail, but it works well for me - certainly better than other caps I've used in the past.

Whoops - try again with the link: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07X9K2DF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1]]

Link fail - if you search "arteesol Swimming Caps - Silicone Swim Cap Swimming Hats Anti-Slip Waterproof Bathing Cap for Long Hair Women and Men" it should give you the right one!!

@Xiaoxiong, thank you I will try this one. I just have around 20 caps now in my search for better swim-hair

Well I went and investigated at Superdrug and found a Vitamin C gel moisturiser and a "3 in 1" shampoo/conditioner/body wash that claims to remove chlorine. So we'll see whether either of them work as promised...watch this space.

Pool closed today for cleaning which is annoying - I suppose they have to increase the cleaning regime for covid these days so I'm treating it as a rest day.

Good luck MrsMc - I understand the quest for the perfect cap, hope this one works for you!

Ive swum 12.5km in the past 8 days :-)

Sessions are booked up fast (3 or 4 a day) but the waiting list system works well and I've managed to book in from the wait list for every session.

Lifeguards are improving and moving people on their own initiative, I'm also sticking to the 7.45 am sessions which seem to attract more serious swimmers than the lunchtime sessions. Still far busier than when I used to go at a similar time pre-covid

Quick 1.5k here before work. Fab way to start the day!

Ooh jealous - what a lovely snap! I'm showing up at 2pm as soon as our pool opens with all my new lotions and potions for my hair and face afterwards

I've managed to encourage a friend of mine to come along who wants to swim but would come with me for confidence. Now I am worried that she expects me to do the chatty breaststroke thing with her up and down for 30 mins when I usually try and knock out 2km freestyle as fast as I can manage. I hope she doesn't mind if I do a couple of slow lengths with her and then leave her to it.

Xiaoxiong, bloody hell you swim 1 km in 20 minutes? Out of my league, then, but I guess standard for many.

I don't react to chlorine or care if I smell like it (but then I was willing to swim in the manky river).

My local pool is NoT allowing change-cubicle use after swim. We are literally chucked out the door with clothes on over our dripping suits. My plan to get a wetsuit to pull on over dripping swimsuit in winter is looking more viable. I have to cycle 1 mile home. However, one can go use the toilet before leaving, so changing in there will no doubt become popular.

I got tired after 30 minutes swim today! This was unusual, I normally don't feel that tired at all. Need to go more often, obviously. :)

Lane discipline: I got a "Jesus Christ!" comment off of a very fast swimmer when I went in a crowded fast lane (pool without guide times) and I just couldn't see her approaching fast. Current pool says 30-45 seconds to do a length means go in the medium lane, which worked well today. I was faster than most others but not wildly. There were maybe 5-6 in each lane this morning.

Oh I do like the idea of guide time for lane. Simple but effective.

Looking forward to hearing about the effectiveness or otherwise of various lotions and potions.

Ah I'm not at 20 mins yet - though trying to get faster...According to the tracker, at the moment I'm at 23 mins for 1km, 48 mins for 2km probably because I get tired after the first 40 laps. I do almost all freestyle as well, much slower on breaststroke.

Will deffo feed back on lotion/potion effectiveness