Getting back into swimming

[Mol1628]

So I’ve been taking my children swimming every week this summer and I’m jealous of how much fun they’ve been having and want to get back to swimming myself.
Had lessons at primary school age went through all the levels but lost confidence and I’ve hardly swum at all since my teens and I am now 33. I can’t really commit to lessons at the moment but can I just get in and give it a go and work on improving ?
First I need some goggles as have a minus 8 prescription so I really need prescription ones.
But can I just get in and give it a go? I seem ok at breaststroke in the kids pool. And I can do backstroke but I don’t really like to. I won’t be out of my depth at all at the deep end in the big pool it’s about up to my shoulders. It’s not Lane swimming if I go to the public sessions so I can just stop and start as I like right?

I am slightly overweight at 11 stone ish 5ft 4 and I want to improve fitness and stamina and I don’t like other forms of exercise. After swimming a bit with the kids I got that after exercise glow feeling that ive never experienced with other exercise ive tried in the past.

I get tired easily and I do get migraines after exercising sometimes. But ive spent many years at home as a SAHM so ive just lost all my get up and go really as all my energy has been directed at the kids. I want to do something for myself again.

Yep just get in and go. I prefer lane swimming, i plop myself into the slow lane, tune out everyone and just go up and down.

I have an Apple Watch and it counts my lengths for me, I found that the number of lengths I could do increased fairly regularly once I started going 3 times a week. I'm a breast stroke swimmer and I wear my glasses as can't see without them and hate goggles. I also have a waterproof mp3 player so just put my headset on and listen to Guns n Roses and AC/DC as I go. I find it really relaxing and it helps my achy bones and joints a lot!

I’ve just bought some prescription goggles (from Goggleyed). They arrived today and I’m really looking forward to trying them out in the water! Also, they were cheaper than I expected; I thought they’d be about £40 or more, but these were £22 inc. postage. I hope they work!

And yes, you can definitely just get in and give it a go. You’ll remember much more than you think, and being in the pool feels so brilliant. The more you keep swimming, the stronger you’ll get and the better/faster (whichever you’re trying to be!) you’ll get. Have fun - and remember that no-one is looking at you or judging you (or if they are, they’re a dick who’s not worthy of a moment of your time anyway).

Aw thanks so much for the replies this feels reassuring. I will look at those goggles thanks. I thought they’d be expensive too but it’s not too bad!
I am worried about being judged as I’m pretty rubbish!
That’s it I find it so relaxing just being in the water and swimming a bit it really seems to clear my head, even when I’m watching the kids too. My 8 year old is a brilliant swimmer he’s got so much energy he puts me to shame so I would really like to just improve my stamina.

Go for it! In the pool I swim in some people just walk up and down and don’t even swim.

Ahh that’s good to hear haha I might have to do some of that too when I get tired !!

Just go for it! I've just started again and I'm really enjoying it! I used to go a lot before work, and there were loads of people that would do a length then stand about a bit etc, there's no stress! You can just go at your own pace, it's nice and relaxing and so good for you. I really fancy trying open water swimming but thought I should try and build up stamina etc first!

Ahh thanks Mrs tea! Glad you’re enjoying it again. You’ve given me a boost im just going to go for it!! Soon as those kids go back to school I’m going!

I'm so jealous, I'd love to be swimming regularly again (I've an arm injury do can't at the mo). It's such great exercise and I find it the closest I ever get to meditation. And it's amazing for upper arm toning!

Ah I hope you can get back to it soon! Totally get what you mean about meditation. Everyone talks about how great they feel after exercise and I have only ever felt that when swimming. Everything else makes me just feel tired and stressed out. Swimming is so chilled!

Thanks, me too . Swimming is absolutely my favourite exercise. I run so I can eat cake. I swim to feel good.

(Lifting weights comes a close second though, if it floats your boat. It's not dissimilar to swimming in that it's competing against yourself and you decide the challenge each session. But not for everyone)

Oh gosh I don’t think my back and bladder could take weights !
Thanks for the advice everyone. I’ve ordered my goggles now so hopefully they’re ok and I can start once the kids are back in school!

I learned to swim at adult lessons (I was 16 and it was really scary to go amongst a crowd of mainly old people at the time). It's got a lot easier to go back and learn to fill the gaps on skills like running or swimming than it was in the past. It's worth checking if there are lessons or improvers sessions with some coaching avaliable.

Otherwise there is always you tube for tips on technique. The great thing about swimming is that you tend to remember what you once learned and it comes back very quickly.

Well I had to play in the big pool with the kids today because they closed the shallow one. Actually managed to swim a length and back whilst the children waited at the side for me. It sounds silly but it’s helped me realise I can actually swim. I just need to improve my technique and build strength up.

Can’t wait to go on my own when they’re back in school. Also my goggles should arrive this week so I don’t have to swim in my glasses !

OP on the migraines, it might be low blood sugar. I used to get these after exercise (never during, amazing how your body keeps going when it thinks it has too) and I thought it was heat, but I’m now pretty sure it’s low blood sugar. If I’m swimming in the morning, I have a banana before then make sure I have something with some carbs about 30mins after finishing.

I do my swimming in sets - get in, do a 100m warm up then various sets. Back-to-back lengths aren’t for me, doing sets I vary the speed or stroke or whatever and have a little rest every couple of minutes.

I also got a lesson with a coach after a few months, just to sharpen up my technique and lose any bad habits. Made a massive difference as my stroke became much more efficient.

Good luck!

Thanks you might be right about the migraines. Once one has started it doesn’t go away till I sleep so maybe I need to eat quicker afterwards.

After I’ve got a bit more basic confidence I might get a private lesson. Thank you !

I’ve been going twice a week or sometimes three times since this post, with about a month break when I had Covid.

I’m definitely better. I can swim breaststroke continuously now for ages without getting tired. I can also do backstroke fairly well but my legs do get tired.

My front crawl is absolutely crap. Just can’t do it at all! Always seem to run out of breath at the wrong times and have to go back to breaststroke. I also worry that I look a complete idiot against all the ‘real’ swimmers.

But other than that… it’s been really good for me!

Oh and I don’t get the migraines anymore hurrah!

Excellent that your migraines have goneMol!

Ive been going swimming but can only really do breastroke. I've decided Im going to go to the adult swimming improvers glass offered in the adult education courses by our local council.

I really want to be able to do a proper front crawl so that I can swim differently and get stronger. Adult education classes might be something to look into if you want to improve.

That’s what I want to to be able to progress and do different things!

I’ll definitely have to do that when money is better, sign on to adult improvers classes, they do them at the pool I go to.

I did learn as a child but can’t remember a lot of it. YouTube has helped me with breathing etc but proper lessons in the water will be beneficial I reckon.