Did you swim today?
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Five miles this past week.0
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I've been lurking, just reading the posts here, as I've been aware my year out of swimming has left me woefully behind you guys in terms of distance (and speed, but that was always an issue! ;-) )
One of the speed issues was my inability to swim front crawl, so on my return I've been really working on it but it's always been, well, hard work! Until today. After 25 mins of hard swimming I had an extraordinary moment of just feeling like I was floating (yeah, I know how stupid that sounds). But my breathing settled, my arms and legs just glided through the pool. I felt like I was going slowly, but seemed to keep the same distance or less between me and the other swimmers in my lane. It was so deliciously lovely that I was tempted to swim for the whole 45 mins our pool allots each session, but I'm aware I've only just worked up to 35 mins this week and didn't want to push it too hard.
Anyways, just thought I'd share in the hopes there are other lurkers out there...!1 -
Swim slower relaxed and you will be faster.1
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So it seems! I went for my first front crawl throughout swim yesterday. A chap asked whether he could offer some advice - which I accepted, tried and then researched when i got home.
His advice:
1) stop rocking my hips from side to side. Staying flat throughout the stroke apparently improves the kick...
2) As soon as my hand enters the water, I should be pulling back, not stretching out and gliding for a moment...
3) I should stop breathing every 2nd stroke in favour of every 3rd, or even every 5th...
(I can see that last one, at least every 3rd - but thought I'd try and improve just one thing at a time - I.e swim for a full 35 mins none stop fc)
What's your thoughts on my new 'coach'?0 -
skinnyrev2b wrote: »I've been lurking, just reading the posts here, as I've been aware my year out of swimming has left me woefully behind you guys in terms of distance (and speed, but that was always an issue! ;-) )
One of the speed issues was my inability to swim front crawl, so on my return I've been really working on it but it's always been, well, hard work! Until today. After 25 mins of hard swimming I had an extraordinary moment of just feeling like I was floating (yeah, I know how stupid that sounds). But my breathing settled, my arms and legs just glided through the pool. I felt like I was going slowly, but seemed to keep the same distance or less between me and the other swimmers in my lane. It was so deliciously lovely that I was tempted to swim for the whole 45 mins our pool allots each session, but I'm aware I've only just worked up to 35 mins this week and didn't want to push it too hard.
Anyways, just thought I'd share in the hopes there are other lurkers out there...!
Fantastic! Way to go!!!0 -
skinnyrev2b wrote: »So it seems! I went for my first front crawl throughout swim yesterday. A chap asked whether he could offer some advice - which I accepted, tried and then researched when i got home.
His advice:
1) stop rocking my hips from side to side. Staying flat throughout the stroke apparently improves the kick...
2) As soon as my hand enters the water, I should be pulling back, not stretching out and gliding for a moment...
3) I should stop breathing every 2nd stroke in favour of every 3rd, or even every 5th...
(I can see that last one, at least every 3rd - but thought I'd try and improve just one thing at a time - I.e swim for a full 35 mins none stop fc)
What's your thoughts on my new 'coach'?
I'd agree with most save the issue of rotation. Whereas overrotation is a bad thing, but rotation is a good thing and enables you to effectively engage your core etc when applying power through the pull!
On stroke rate, pull, etc it is a balance between gliding and thus an innefectual stroke, and a hurried and innefficient stroke.
You need to find the sweet spot between the two extremes! I once did some personal experiments on this and posted about it here some years ago, of my personal experiences with some adjustments. Will find it and "bump" the thread!
Im no expert, just my own personal thoughts from what ive read, seen and experimented with.
There are more proficient swimmers who can chime in...3 -
Last week: 12,000 meters in 4 daily swims!1
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Thanks AQ :-)
Tried both rocking and trying not to rock and realised what he was saying is I was over egging the movement. 52 lengths in 40 mins today. :-)1 -
1200km in 40 mins today. Feeling very tired before I even got in, then was too fast for the medium lanes, but too slow for the fast! Decided to cut my losses with a medium fc, followed by my normal bs, which meant I was around about same speed as the chap in front, and we both swam around the other two in our lane.0
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Past week: 10,000 meters in 3 swims.
For the second swim I was fatigued even before Instarted and couldn't finish and called it quits at 2km.
3rd swim was a 5km swim in 2 hours.
I used to do long swims in December. A 5km swim in December 2013 and a 10km swim in December 2014. Then kind of dropped off the wagon.
So being back on the program thought I'd try a long swim this week.
So managed a 5 km swim. Surprisingly, I guess due due to Keto adaptation (and/or maybe because my weekly mileage is longer than it used to be), I wasn't tired nor hungry after the swim and didn't eat till evening.
Could have kept on swimming but ran out of time and needed to do some other stuff!
Pool is closed for the rest of the year except the 27th and 28th.
Thinking of attempting a 10km swim on one of those two days (and reliving 2014 lol) but will play it by ear.
A belated merry christmas to everyone!!! Blessings!
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skinnyrev2b wrote: »1200km in 40 mins today. Feeling very tired before I even got in, then was too fast for the medium lanes, but too slow for the fast! Decided to cut my losses with a medium fc, followed by my normal bs, which meant I was around about same speed as the chap in front, and we both swam around the other two in our lane.
Had the same experience at some point this week. It happens some times. No idea why. Could be lack of sleep, diet, etc1 -
62 lengths in 42 mins today. Was so excited thinking I'd done my first mile since getting back in to the pool, only to discover I'd mis-counted - 2 lengths to go!!!1
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Crazy busy in the pool probably due to potential Lockdown/tier 4. So a mixed mode swim for 29 mins including my very first attempts at learning to flip turn - forward roll mid water and one approach and roll. Getting some toys later today so will be able to do some drills and more practice tomorrow- just in time for some time off probably!0
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Yup. Now in Tier 4 Lockdown - no indoor sports facilities to open. So. Any exercise advice?0
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Sorry to hear that @skinnyrev2b
My pool and gym have been closed since mid-March. I have tried to keep up my activity level, but it's only led to stress/overuse injuries. Too much walking or running and my knees act up. Too much rowing, and my form is crummy, so my back acts up. I started my body weight app in March and crashed onto a wooden chair because I was getting tired. I cannot put into words how much I miss my swimming. I've lost so much, not the least of which was core strength, pelvic floor, in particular 
I have no idea when they will open up again. Summer at the earliest is my guess. In the meantime, I'm back to losing the 10 pounds of Covid weight, but with very few calories/day because of my inability to get much cardio in... 2 -
Oh no @girlwithcurls2 . That sounds so rubbish.
I'm thinking I'll try to resurrect my daily yoga practice that I let slip at the same time as my swimming, and I'm *thinking* about digging out my 3ml wetsuit and trying OW swimming- it turns out there's a whole watersports lake complex about 25mins from my house, which is also within the same borough so no problems with the UK covid restrictions. However not sure if I'm brave enough... it was reportedly 7 degrees day before yesterday (so... possible) but 3.5 today (yikes!).0 -
My totals for 2020
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skinnyrev2b wrote: »So it seems! I went for my first front crawl throughout swim yesterday. A chap asked whether he could offer some advice - which I accepted, tried and then researched when i got home.
His advice:
1) stop rocking my hips from side to side. Staying flat throughout the stroke apparently improves the kick...
2) As soon as my hand enters the water, I should be pulling back, not stretching out and gliding for a moment...
3) I should stop breathing every 2nd stroke in favour of every 3rd, or even every 5th...
(I can see that last one, at least every 3rd - but thought I'd try and improve just one thing at a time - I.e swim for a full 35 mins none stop fc)
What's your thoughts on my new 'coach'?
I agree on 1) you don't want to wiggle unless you're swimming butterfly. And keep your kick narrow, as if you're going through a tube. The smaller the tube, the better you swim.
On 2) it *is* ok to stay long and glide. If you're sprinting, the glide time shortens in favor of a higher stroke rate. Otherwise, go for a smoother stroke and streamline as much as you can. You get far more speed by reducing your resistance through the water than by working harder. YouTube is full of great channels for learning a more enjoyable time in the water.
On 3): if you watch the longer distance races, most competitors breathe every 2nd stroke. You need oxygen to fuel your effort. You should also learn to breathe with one eye in the water to maintain your hydrodynamics. The more you raise your head, the more your legs drop. Again: swim in The tube.
Cheers!1 -
skinnyrev2b wrote: »Oh no @girlwithcurls2 . That sounds so rubbish.
I'm thinking I'll try to resurrect my daily yoga practice that I let slip at the same time as my swimming, and I'm *thinking* about digging out my 3ml wetsuit and trying OW swimming- it turns out there's a whole watersports lake complex about 25mins from my house, which is also within the same borough so no problems with the UK covid restrictions. However not sure if I'm brave enough... it was reportedly 7 degrees day before yesterday (so... possible) but 3.5 today (yikes!).
(red-faced) Regrets. I responded to your Dec 21 post before reading more recent posts. sorry about shutdown of your pool. Here in western Washington, they've shut down everything in the Y except the pools, food for kids and childcare.
I'm guessing that 7 degrees is air temperature (3.5 degrees is a large change over 2 days in a body of water ) . That sounds like an adventure! Good luck if you go there! (make some calls for advice. People want to see you succeed and you will)
Cheers!1 -
Thanks @kayak4water - both for the advice, which I'll put into practice next time I'm in the pool
, and for the encouragement. 
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