I am in love with swimming!
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Thank you so much! I read through your posts to Holly and you have a lot of great advice! I had a great morning and swam a solid 50 minutes, so I was pretty pleased with that. I just love being back in the water.
What's your opinion on fins? I use them when I use the board and take them off for freestyle swimming. Any thoughts?0 -
They are very good for building strength in your legs, however, you DO need to be careful because they can change your kicking motion for freestyle. They are tough to try to flutter kick from the hips properly, so the kick tends to become longer - where the entire leg is moving much further up & down as opposed to getting the feet to work in that fast flutter. I think as long as you're aware of that & either do some kicking laps without them or hold onto the wall stretched out to kick while concentrating on the form you should be OK. I see swimmers at my gym use them even when they are swimming the full freestyle (not just kick sets) & I see what it's done to their kicking form (assuming they had a good kick beforehand). I don't use them, but I don't do kick sets because I do a lot of walking also & I fight off leg cramps when I swim. I know what my cramps are attributable to, & they've gotten better since I've been getting treatments for the underlying condition, but I'm not going to push the points with my legs - at least not just yet.....
The big thing is you're in the water again, which is a GREAT thing, build your strength & endurance & then work on the form. If you keep the kick form in the back of your mind I think it'll keep you from getting out of whack......0 -
BTW - GREAT job getting a good swim like that in!!!!!!!0
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Great job getting back in the pool! Really, that's the hardest part (jumping in). Once you're there, everything is usually better!
I usually do 1000 m warmup and then do sprints for a few hundred meters and then cool down 200m. I only swim freestlye, because I like it a lot and it's pretty natural for me. I usually spend anywhere from 45-60 minutes on a regular swim workout. I'll also try to get in a longer swim when I have time, like a nice pace for two miles. I absolutely cannot wait for it to get nicer out so I can sign up at an outdoor pool and see some sunshine! Until then, my gym will do just fine at filling my constant need to be in the water. I love that you are both so enthusiastic! It really helps motivate me. I swam competitively from age 4 thru 18, but over the years, I just wasn't able to swim daily. I recently moved to a new city and my gym is right across the street (literally - I walk to the gym every morning!) I have just started back into a daily swimming routine and I love it! I need to re-learn how to pace myself, though. I'm 45 now and I still try to beat everyone in the pool, lol. I'm swimming between 40 -60 minutes every day and I am so sore! Every muscle n my body feels it, but in a good way. If you have any tips on goals and such, I would be glad tohear them. Right now I'm doing 4-6 laps of various strokes (each) for a warm up and then using my fins and paddle board for 20 minutes, then just swimming freestyle for the last 20 minutes. Any advice or suggestions would be welcome!
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."0 -
Thank you so much, that really helps! I went to water aerobics tonight to try to change things up a bit, but plan to be back in the lap pool tomorrow. Im trying to use a wide variety of strokes, kicks (which explains the fins) and speeds. I'm really wanting to build strength, while also burning calories for weight loss. I'm also looking for a long distance swim here in Missouri to give me something to work towards. It's amazing how much stronger I feel already and I'm sleeping better, too, so it's a win-win! Thanks again for the great advice.I bet you're an amazing coach! I had some great ones over the years... 0
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The endurance will build exponentially in that you won't add say 1 lap each time you increase, it'll be 1 lap this time, 4 laps the next, 9 the next, etc. & before you know it you'll be doing the distances you want.....0
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Hi Holly, I have swam in the Great London Swim which is an open water mile. My time last year was 41min 46secs. The website says the average swimmer should do it in around 40 mins. I am 54. I am hoping to do it in under 40 mins this year....I don't mind what time as long as it is under 39mins 59 secs!0
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Hi Holly, I have swam in the Great London Swim which is an open water mile. My time last year was 41min 46secs. The website says the average swimmer should do it in around 40 mins. I am 54. I am hoping to do it in under 40 mins this year....I don't mind what time as long as it is under 39mins 59 secs!
That is awesome.
I haven't done open water.
Not particularly safe in my area. Way too much boat traffic on the lakes. And I tend to think i am too slow for competitive events.
We'll cheering for you from this side of the pond though 0 -
Linda - I have no doubt you'll make your goal time, you were so close last year & now know what to expect.....
fishgutzy - NOBODY is too slow to compete because, in swimming, the other swimmers do not matter. You're competing against the clock, trying to keep posting your best time. That's all that matters, it's you vs. you.....0 -
I can totally relate. I used to be a swim star when I was a kid, and wish I stuck with it. I'm now much older and jumped in the pool yesterday and that love for the water just poured right back into me, and had that same feeling of energy and happiness when I got out.
24 hours later I've been looking to get involved with a swim club to compete again, and watching tutorials on technique. I'm also glad there is a swim group!0 -
Dear Linda_Jacques,
I wanted to ask you where you train? In a pool? If so, what do you do about turning at the walls in prep for an OW swim. I'm trying a few things and the one I like best is a one hand touch to help me turn. I do not stop and I try to keep my rhythm in breathing the same. My time is about 5 min. more than yours for 1600M or the mile.0
