Too embarrased to go swimming

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  • bpdai
    bpdai Posts: 46 Member
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    While I will make jokes about going to sleep on the beach and waking up to some Save the Whales folks trying to roll me back in the water - I really love to swim. I spent a lot of time growing up in the water, and it is still my most favorite way to exercise. I have a horrible body image, but will not let that keep me away from the only exercise I REALLY ENJOY doing. My problem is more of availabiltiy that attitude. Don't let anything stop you. ENJOY!
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
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    Does anyone do laps in the pool even though they can't swim properly? I'm terribly uncoordinated and though I can swim alright I"ve never been able to put my head in the water and then bring it up to breath as I'm swimming. Tried again a few weeks ago and just ended up sucking in water and choking.lol

    I'm very uncoordinated. I swim laps. It's the only way I can guarantee I don't bump into anyone. I can barely see a thing without my glasses on, but at least in the swimming lanes everyone is going in the same direction, so I'm not going to swim into someone who's swimming towards me. (Incidentally, it's amazing how people don't move out the way - I'll be inches from them before I see them and then I am the one who has to swim rapidly to the side to avoid a collision! You'd think people would use their common sense and get out of the way if someone is swimming towards them with no apparent awareness of their presence!)

    This is because when you swim... at least freestyle you are looking down at the bottom of the pool not up. Looking up creates an arch in your back and forces your legs down creating drag.
    If you are swimming properly in the lane there should never be an instance when you have someone coming at you. If you are sharing 2 people to a lane then you should be splitting the lane, 3 or more you should be circle swimming.
  • sleepyjean88
    sleepyjean88 Posts: 180 Member
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    I know exactly how you feel when I was a teenager done nothing but swim, and the I put all the weight on I got back into the pool Jan/Feb of this year and I love it, just take a deep breath and get it over with you'll feel so much better when you do, the worst part is walking from the locker to the pool, once you're in the water you're gold! Good luck!!
  • WCSU1987
    WCSU1987 Posts: 15
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    I feel that way with the extra pounds. Also unsure how my stroke would look compared to others.
  • jpe71
    jpe71 Posts: 50 Member
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    I'm 100 lb overweight and recovering from shoulder surgery. This means right now (and for the last two months) I can't shave my armpits, wear a bra, or swim anything like a proper stroke, run an elliptical machine, or do any normal weight work. I can also barely shave my legs. This large, hirsute, ungainly female puts on the swimsuit, and hits the pool as often as humanly possible. There, I swim one-armed strokes that surely look as ridiculous as they feel, as long as I feel able, before heading for the changing room to change or striding through the entire gym wearing my swimsuit, pants, flip-flops...and a big towel wrapped around my shoulders.

    The gym is the one place I let myself figuratively give the world the finger - by demonstrating a profound lack of interest in what others think of me. Everywhere else, I'm pretty meek, frankly, and doing my best to either melt into the woodwork or hide. So far, nobody who doesn't like it has said anything in earshot, and I'm too busy doing what I do to catch any disapproving glances.

    The first times were the hardest, but once you get in there and get in the zone, it's easy to forget what others may think in favor of getting the job done.
  • tammyclair
    tammyclair Posts: 38
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    I love this thread. I love swimming laps. I have an indoor pool in my building and so I swim every morning before work. and before anyone else is in there. I always think I am swimming like an olympian until my kids swim with me and then they just laugh and laugh. i always try to race them. i think i am so good - because i swim 70+ 25 yard lengths every morning. hahaha they just blow me out of the water and then i feel like a super geek. but i don't care. it feels so good to swim.
  • redscylla
    redscylla Posts: 211 Member
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    Go swim, you'll make somebody's day. Of course, it might be the day of some pervy older woman like me who really loves big men, but think of that! You can go and give somebody a cheap thrill while you porpoise about and burn calories. I'd go swimming more often if I were guaranteed a glimpse of a big guy in his swim trunks...
  • helyg
    helyg Posts: 675 Member
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    For those of you saying that you are uncoordinated when swimming - why don't you take some swimming lessons? I have just started going to Adult Improver lessons to learn the strokes properly. It is hard work! But hopefully by the end of the 12 week course I will be able to swim efficiently enough to do lengths of the pool.
  • forthemoney
    forthemoney Posts: 24 Member
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    I can totally relate to the horror of being seen in public in a bathing suit. My daughter is 5 and has started swimming herself, though, and that's done two things to help me get over it. First, I see the swimming instructors at her swim school: they are all shapes and sizes, including a couple who are significantly bigger than me. Second, I figured I don't have a choice but to go in the water with her (well, I suppose I could just keep my kid out of the water, but what kind of parenting would that be?), so I bit the bullet. And it wasn't so bad. Nobody stared, nobody commented, nobody cared but me. My husband (who is 3X or 4X in shirts to give you an idea of his size) is a hairy guy like you say you are, and he goes in the water too. He wears a swim shirt, that seems to help him feel more comfortable and confident. The only exercise he ever does is in the pool. And nobody gives him a second look either. I hope this helps you gain the confidence to get past feeling embarrassed and get in the water!
  • SirKelsalot
    SirKelsalot Posts: 62
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    I'm planning on making swimming a weekly thing since last Saturday I burned off a heroic amount of calories doing it, plus the 60 min walk to and from the leisure centre. I'm not all that self conscious when it comes to wearing a swimming costume - though admittedly I am a bit tall for it - my problem is that I'm a horrendous swimmer. My form is horrible, I don't trust the water to support me while swimming (even though I can comfortably float while stationary) and - well - I just suck at swimming. I held on to the side for the whole time last time I went. There were 4yo kiddies swimming better than me!

    I'm still gonna go though. Hopefully as time goes by I'll get better at it. Besides, apparently the worse you are at swimming, the more calories you burn! :P
  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
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    pool here is closed for now..repainting.. but i go first thing in the morning during there adult only time..when hardly any one there.
  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
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    No one's looking at you, people are so focused on themselves and their own workout, so it's good to focus on your own workout and health, and soon you'll reap the benefits. Love swimming and aqua jogging, a great calorie burner and fun too.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    Whoah, a thread from 2012. Nicely done! :drinker:

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