Any swimmers out there?!?!

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Beckapedia4514
Beckapedia4514 Posts: 19 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have started swimming indoors 3 time a week. (I was in an accident when I was 12 that really messed up my knee so I love/need the low/no impact) However I find myself getting bored with just laps. Any advice on how to vamp it up?
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Replies

  • Beckapedia4514
    Beckapedia4514 Posts: 19 Member
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    Also feel free to add me if you want. I am always looking for positive encouragement and someone with similar fitness goals
  • OlderGuru
    OlderGuru Posts: 4 Member
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    I was in the same spot 7 years ago.
    After 3-4 months of swimming alone I found a swim group in my area that was meeting 3 times a week for a morning swim. One of the swimmers used to come with a white board listing 3 levels of workout for us to pick from. About a year into this, we all moved to a local Swim Master Program which is run by a professional swim coach.

    Joining the swim master program was one of the best moves I made and I highly recommend this if available in your area.

    Hope this helps.
  • bug1114
    bug1114 Posts: 268 Member
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    Does the pool that your at have a big clock on the deck? If so, you can do sprint intervals. You could really do them however you want - Sixty 50's on the minute, Ten 100's on the 2 minutes, etc. It will make you push yourself to give yourself the longest rest possible before you have to go again. You could also add do kick drills or paddle drills if your pool has the equiptment available.
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
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    Vamp it up? Long red fingernails. Dye the hair black and straighten it... Low cut top...

    Oh... RAMP it up! (*LOL* Typos can be unintentionally hilarious, can't they?)

    Seriously? What are your swimming goals? @Bug1114 mentions intervals and drills, and they can be good.

    Switching up the stroke, speed and distance goals are all good things.

    Masters isn't bad if you're into the team thing (I'm totally not). Distance swimming isn't a bad thing to train for and keep your interest. Have you thought about training for an open water swim? That'll keep you focused!
  • _nikkiwolf_
    _nikkiwolf_ Posts: 1,380 Member
    edited January 2015
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    If you aren't training for anything particular, and just want to do different routines from time to time, have a look here:
    http://100swimmingworkouts.com/
    You might have to write down the day's workout on a piece of paper and keep it handy when heading to the pool, but I imagine going through the entire list from top to bottom will keep the boredom away for a bit. :)
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    we get into some pretty competitive pool volleyball games and relay races in our backyard that leave me panting!! Not sure if that's possible where you're doing laps? is it your pool or public? If public maybe they have aerobics classes or races?
  • Beckapedia4514
    Beckapedia4514 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thanks for everyone's advice! @_nikkiwolf_ Thanks for the link! Really what I was looking for!
  • valerieuk1708
    valerieuk1708 Posts: 90 Member
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    You can try aqua aerobics. They are fun and a bit different from your usual laps. I do one every now and then and it's quite an intense workout but low impact same time (I had my knee ligament torn few years ago, still bothers me to this day), aqua aerobics is gentle on your knees
  • SconnieCat
    SconnieCat Posts: 770 Member
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    Hey swimmer-sister! I'm currently training for an open water 5k and every time you get in the pool, it will get a bit easier.

    I've used www.swimming.org in the past and love it as a resource. I'm going to send a FR shortly!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
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    I mostly do backstroke, but once every ten lengths, I switch to kickboard or do a different stroke.

    I don't get bored swimming laps for some reason. It's good thinking time I guess.

    I've been sidelined due to a broken hand for several months...but my PT cleared me to swim again just today! Woo-hoo!
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
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    SconnieCat wrote: »
    Hey swimmer-sister! I'm currently training for an open water 5k and every time you get in the pool, it will get a bit easier.

    I've used www.swimming.org in the past and love it as a resource. I'm going to send a FR shortly!

    Wow! I'm also in training for a couple of open water swims. Gonna do it with or without wetsuit?
  • isa474
    isa474 Posts: 47 Member
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    I love to swim
  • itzjulz
    itzjulz Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm about to get back into it since I'm going to start training for a sprint triathlon taking place in July.

    I was a (mediocre) swimmer in high school, but I've got a lot more upper body strength than I had back then, so I'm excited to see how things go when I get back in the pool.

    Does anyone else swim with a waterproof MP3 player? I tend to get bored when swimming laps, so it was a great investment for me!
  • martie1123
    martie1123 Posts: 14 Member
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    I am on my second swim 3 Rd swim sound headset. First was by speedo and I loved I - lasted 3 years. Nexi was by Oregon scientific agd was more $$ an lasted a bit over 3 years.now o have a real cheep

    y radio only that is very very goon and over 2 years in. All have gotten too reception and sound in my YMCA pool.I can hardly force myself to swim without music,radio,or meditations in my ears
    -
  • shoeburt65
    shoeburt65 Posts: 1 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I was captain of my swim team in high school. You can try sprints or long distance, you can use a paddle board for just legs, or you can squeeze foam between your legs and just do your arms. There are plastic boards you can put on your hands for greater resistance, wearing a baggy suit over a tighter suit can create resistance for more of a workout. You can try breast stroke, butterfly, backstroke or do a medley of all, pretend you are at a swim meet! Checking your time on the pool clock is good, it gives you incentive to beat your lowest time and go faster. Also, to pass the time, I made up songs in my head to remember the lap I was on. My
    Go to song was "the ants go marching 1 by one" and I would make
    Up funny rhymes. Good luck!
  • Tamois
    Tamois Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm fairly new back to swimming and have started using a Swimtag to log the swim, you still have to count laps manually but it all ends up on the computer later. I have a knee problem that's going to need a replacement sometime soon so swimming was recommended to me by the Dr. I'm now doing 30 minutes or so 4 or 5 times a week. Like the people above have said, try changing strokes, join a club, train for a 5k swim, etc. Good luck!
  • Beckapedia4514
    Beckapedia4514 Posts: 19 Member
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    itzjulz wrote: »
    I'm about to get back into it since I'm going to start training for a sprint triathlon taking place in July.

    I was a (mediocre) swimmer in high school, but I've got a lot more upper body strength than I had back then, so I'm excited to see how things go when I get back in the pool.

    Does anyone else swim with a waterproof MP3 player? I tend to get bored when swimming laps, so it was a great investment for me!

    I have a waterproof headset from amazon. Its good if I am not digging the music my indoor plays. Its hard to find ear pieces that seal well in my opinion.
  • Beckapedia4514
    Beckapedia4514 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thanks for all the great advice. Unfortunately "Tiny Town" Texas doesn't have and open water or swimming competitions or swim teams past the high school or college level. But I will definitely be mixing up my work out with all of your suggestions
  • jadumz
    jadumz Posts: 80 Member
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    I love swimming! I'm usually motivated by other people in the pool. I tend to just race everyone! Even the old ladies, I'll try to overlap them every three lengths or so. If I'm lucky there's another strong swimmer in and we usually end up on a bit of a race and push eachother on. I also use the clock a lot - Currently trying to improve my sprint distance from 50m to 100m keeping the same speed. Need to cut another five seconds off
  • Tamois
    Tamois Posts: 64 Member
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    Oh wow Jadumz, you're a lot more advance than me. Although I too get a lot of enjoyment lapping the old ladies and gents!! Tell me about timings then. The pool I swim in is only 25m and with a couple of rests I manage 40 lengths in about 30 minutes. So about 50 seconds a length. I only do breast stroke at the moment. Is this well slow? I've only been swimming 2 weeks!

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