Learning to swim/improving swimming

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

There was a woman in the pool today who has the smoothest front crawl I have ever seen. She was absolutely splashless. She's like a swimming ninja.

[SteveC]

I knew a woman who's butterfly was like that.  Totally graceful.  And amazing.  But she was either at or very close to national level.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

3050m today. That's my biggest ever swim.

[essexian]

1 300m this morning before work (bit of a mistake that as I am knackered now), my longest swim since the 1980's.

[citoyen]

My shortcomings in the pool were brutally exposed in the triathlon I did on Sunday. I haven't swum since before Christmas, which is pretty poor preparation for a race, but I thought I would be fit enough to get by...

I went off quick enough, but my arms very soon started to ache and feel heavy and I was noticeably slowing down towards the end. Also, I lost a lot of time at the end of each length through not being able to tumble-turn. I even stopped a couple of times to catch my breath.

I lost four minutes to the fastest competitors on the swim - and I lost less than that to some of them on the 25km bike leg!

Really need to work on my technique before the London Tri in July, which has a 1.5km swim... 

[LEE]

There was a woman in the pool today who has the smoothest front crawl I have ever seen. She was absolutely splashless. She's like a swimming ninja.

I used to do early morning lane swimming.  Once a week one lane was used by the local swimming club for training.  Watching them glide past me, effortlessly, made me feel about as graceful as a drowning Giraffe.

[Christophe]

I've been swimming since just before Christmas, going at lunch times to get out of the office and do a bit of exercise other than just cycling. Faffed about with floats and different exercises a bit but have recelntly just decided to do just straight forward swimming and swimming a bit further which I've felt has been giving me a better workout. Managed my first mile today in 38 minutes so am well chuffed. I have no idea if that's any good but am feeling it right now!

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

My leg burns are still dressed and bandaged so I haven't been able to swim since the end of May. I am missing it so much.

[Gattopardo]

I bobbed in the serpentine today.  At 6am.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

*points to ticker*
I am determined to make it to 150km this week.

[Redjeep!]

If you can't do the (apparently) effortless front crawl thing, then take some lessons as its not that hard. But its not actually effortless, its kind of like how a duck looks from above. Its all about technique. Try Googling or YouTubing 'Total Immersion'. Most Master or Tri swim clubs will be able to teach you something similar.

[LEE]

Started going swimming again after about 5 years break.

On holiday I always use the pool and it reminds me how much I like swimming so I finally got round to buying some "Early bird" tickets and started going before work.
I'm lucky that our small town has a great pool and leisure centre (obviously an admin error somewhere in local government).

What I notice is that it's so warm.  Swimming on holiday is always an opportunity to cool down but I have to say it's a bit too warm in our local pool.
I always feel great afterwards but I need to stand around outside to cool down.  I'm a "nesh sod" but even I can just walk into the pool without flinching.  I think it should always make you gasp slightly, as you take your first plunge.

I hear that competition pools are extremely warm

Anyway, I spent a couple of mornings trying to teach myself to breathe on both sides of my front-crawl.  Eventually I gave up as it was attracting the attention of the lifeguards.

Back to Breast-stroke and right-sided breathing on front-crawl.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

The pool was unpleasant tonight. For some reason they'd put in an extra lane for the club swimmers and made room for it by getting rid of the "open water" area which was then labelled as the slow lane. So all the people who don't usually do lane swimming were in the slow lane - the women who want to swim side by side, yakking, with perfectly dry heads, the people who think front crawl means lifting your entire upper body out of the water and flailing your arms around while you twist from side to side at the waist and never get your face wet, the people who want to cling to the sides and the ends in a group of 6... I'd already been to pilates so I just did 10 lengths and then got out.

[The_Mikey]

So all the people who don't usually do lane swimming were in the slow lane - the women who want to swim side by side, yakking, with perfectly dry heads, the people who think front crawl means lifting your entire upper body out of the water and flailing your arms around while you twist from side to side at the waist and never get your face wet, the people who want to cling to the sides and the ends in a group of 6...

That happened to me on thursday,  although the attendants did get the message when there were at least four people trying to do front crawl between the people who were there to chat and those who don't really swim,  we got our lane back!

[essexian]

Went for the first time in three months on Monday: well it was either that or go shopping at Telford Town Centre with my lovely wife and the Mum in law... no choice really. 

While I knocked out 600m and could have done more, my arms are still sore. I really should learn to use my legs.

Talking about temperature, while the pool (Wellington Shropshire, not been there before) was fine (if a little dark, there is no natural light!) the changing room was freezing! I spoke to the attendent afterwards who said the heating wouldn't be turned on until the end of the month!

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I've just done a kilometer. There was a man behind me at the end of every length and I asked him if he wanted to go ahead, and he said no, I was his pacesetter! I'm nobody's idea of a fast swimmer, averaging 85-90 seconds per 50m length, so that surprised and amused me in equal measure. And then I was overcome by badness, sped right up to achieve a 78 second length, dropped him, and then couldn't speak for the next minute while I regained my breath. 

[JJ]

I just tried 50m front crawl and nearly drowned twice.  I need to see the swimming coach, I think.

My-oh-my Gallumbits!  How things change!

 

[Ham]

My-oh-my Gallumbits!  How things change!

 

Is it just me that can't help hearing that to the tune of Delilah?

earworm now firmly planted with everyone. Hah.

[essexian]

Did my 25th swim of the year yesterday which took me over 10 miles in total, or an average of 704 yards per swim.

Not bad for a fat bloke who hadn't been swimming for early 10 years back in March.

Now, need to work on my speed as I am still being overtaken my non swimmers. 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I've just signed up for a stroke development class which starts at the end of the month.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

First learnt to swim in the sea - no swimming pools available - when I went to school and had to use a pool with fresh water I just sank!

I had to regain my confidence all over again although I did have a bit more than total newbies.  I am a strong swimmer now.

For those who sink, I find inflating my lungs is a big help.  When you get fit you can keep a fair of air in whilst continuing to breathe and swim.

[LEE]

I've just signed up for a stroke development class which starts at the end of the month.

I may do the same.  I'd really like to develop a good freestyle stroke.

[essexian]

Well its only taken 35 visits to the pool (well Stafford, Cannock, Wellington and Corby pools) but finally I have made it to 1 500m in one swim. The secret behind my "success"... a Timex Ironman watch.

To explain, using the watch I am now able to time my intervals with an aim to beating 9mins 40 per 200m (yes, I know that's slow but a month ago I was still above 10mins 20 for such a distance). Its interesting to note (for me that is) that over my last three swims, I have been with 5 seconds for each 200m segment up to 1km.

Feeling a little sore in my left calf and in my neck, but pleased I have made it to 1.5km. On to 2km or should I work on speed next?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Stroke development class started again tonight. Swimming with hand paddles is a good way to realise how puny your arm muscles are.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

When I go to the pool and swim a kilometre of 50 metre lengths, at a comfortable steady pace, I average between 82 and 87 seconds per length. Tonight at stroke development class, we had to swim as fast as we could for a 25 metre length. We did it four times, and the fastest I managed was 27 seconds, which is much much faster than my steady comfortable pace. Tired now.