Learning to swim/improving swimming

[Kathy]

One arm drills are interesting.  They ought to train a long, gliding body shape (or just panic as you sink like a rock, in my case).

My sturdy cyclist legs are far stronger than my weedy arms, so without both arms, I plough along with my nose heading towards the bottom. I hate catch-up drill for that reason: I can't use my arms for propulsion, as I'm having to use all their strength for hauling my face back up to the surface to breathe. 

Latest comment on my stroke, from overhead viewers on a gantry, was "elbows high!" - the pull is way too deep.

Me too. Apparently you should extend the arm forwards, but as you begin to pull it towards you you should crook it under your body, and then straighten it at the end of the stroke. At least, that's what I've been told.

A good drill I've found is to take a kick board (not a pull buoy) and wodge it between your thighs (this drill is also good for toning those too) so that as you swim along it looks like you have a polystyrene shark fin. Pull, but at the end of each stroke tap the base of your "fin" (just by your bum) before returning your arm. Make sure that your hards are shifting water throughour the stroke. It's a really good drill for finding power in the last few inches before your arm comes out of the water, and it made a difference to my speed. 

[Gattopardo]

Forgot all about this.

Well as a continuation, I'm getting better and more confident.  But not ventured in to the deep end.

Well also found that a shorty wet suit makes it easier to float, or maybe it gives me more confidence but thats what I'm using at the mo.

Oh and actually floated on my backwith just two floats.

Oh and my breast stroke is all arms and legs do very little.

[Kathy]

Forgot all about this.

Well as a continuation, I'm getting better and more confident. 

Well done. 

But not ventured in to the deep end.

Of course not: there might be sharks in there!

Oh and my breast stroke is all arms and legs do very little.

You really have to snap your legs together hard and fast for them to do anything, but even then it doesn't feel like they're doing much. Your legs are probably doing more than you think.

[andygates]

Half the trick with breast stroke legs is not having them stop you dead each stroke.  Still working on that one...

But hey!  The elbows thing really really worked for me!  It allows the trunk twist to sync and drive the whole motion, so after an 11:30 500m a couple of weeks ago dying on my arse, this morning was a solid and steady 10:30 without any drama.  Very happy am I!

[andygates]

Just spotted this really nifty stroke guide:

Wow, Check Out Our Amazing Swimming Animation, Mr Smooth!

Swimsmooth are a sound lot, and Mr Smooth is an animated front-crawl mannequin type effort. 

[Manotea]

Half the trick with breast stroke legs is not having them stop you dead each stroke.  Still working on that one...

But hey!  The elbows thing really really worked for me!  It allows the trunk twist to sync and drive the whole motion, so after an 11:30 500m a couple of weeks ago dying on my arse, this morning was a solid and steady 10:30 without any drama.  Very happy am I!

The best breaststroke advice I ever received was to imagine that you are swimming down a pipe, so that you keep your frontal area as small as possible and don't flail arms and legs out to the side. Sadly, this had the immediate effect of speeding up my stroke which meant that whilst I went faster I was also working a lot harder. No more leisurely pootling....

[Gattopardo]

Just spotted this really nifty stroke guide:

Wow, Check Out Our Amazing Swimming Animation, Mr Smooth!

Swimsmooth are a sound lot, and Mr Smooth is an animated front-crawl mannequin type effort. 

Wow thanks for that link

[simonp]

Went in the pool this week and I think the benefit of all the cycling training is really showing. I looked up the advanced classes but it clashes with the Monday martial arts class so I'd have to drop that.

[simonp]

I passed a milestone tonight I think.

Front crawl has always been a bit of a struggle for me.  I don't know why, but I have never been able to get into a steady rhythm with it, so I've always been limited to at most about 10-12 lengths at a time (even when being coached I never managed more than 12).

Tonight I did 33.    And it wasn't being tired that made me stop, it was the fact I said "I'll do 33 lengths tonight".  10% increase per week you see.  Once I got past the initial stage where I am still warming up and get aerobic, I felt I could go on indefinitely.  So at ln(2)/ln(1.1) I should be swimming a mile of front crawl in 7 weeks give or take.

New milestone tonight.  I've not been swimming much lately, but after Tuesday's swim and feeling a bit sore from last night's Wing Chun class, I decided to swim tonight.  I started off with the front crawl, and just got into a rhythm, and kept going (except for the odd brief pause when turning, mainly caused by coughing up stuff), and did 1600m!!!

So that's double my previous front crawl distance, out of nowhere. 

[David Martin]

Reviving a drowned thread..

Decided that it was high time to do something about my swimming and discovered that the Uni do a 'swim fit' class on a tuesday. So off I went. Another couple of people I know from other classes. One seriously fit lad in lane three who said it took him a year to get out of lane four (the slow lane).

So on with the class. Four lanes, about 4-6 people in each lane. Lane 1 is the fastest, 4 the slowest so for the various sets the distance for the slow lane is shorter than the faster lanes.

Front crawl/back crawl. then repeat with kick boards (legs only, I can do that) and pull buoys (crap at that) Front crawl for far longer than I can do. Various other bits and pieces. Over the hour I reckon I must have done nearly 1km which is a seriously massive distance for me. I was wasted by the end. I had started off as one of the faster lane 4 swimmers, but lack of condition and technique soon put paid to that.

Breathing still poor but improving as the session went on. I think this will do me some good. I will ache tomorrow and Thursday.

..d

[simonp]

I found going to coached swimming classes very helpful.  I am thinking about going to a local club that runs twice a week at a local 6th form college - though I might only be able to manage one night a week.

I have found the hundred pushups programme is making front crawl work a lot better for me as I have a lot more power in my shoulders which comes in handy.  Did 1200m tonight, took me just over half an hour.

[CrinklyLion]

I love my swimming lessons.  I promised myself a few years back, when I was swimming very regularly and clocked up between 3 and 6 miles a week of (totally rubbish, I realise with hindsight) breaststroke that once I got a proper job I'd pay for lessons and finally crack front crawl.  Crawl has the advantage, theoretically, of being quicker so you can get a mile done in less time - and of course having a range of strokes avaialble to you means that you can vary your routine and keep it a bit more interesting.

So I started in the 'Adult Improvers' just over three years ago.  And then found out that I was pregnant about 6 weeks into the term!  I kept swimming and going to the lessons, and got my first length of full stroke fly under my belt at nearly 7 months pregnant.  I took a 2 month break from 8 and a bit months, and was back in the class when the littly was just under 7 weeks old.  It took me another year to progress to making it past 2 lengths of crawl though - it's definitely my weakest stroke and is scarcely faster than my breaststroke.  I can plod along at it for 400m without feeling like I'm actually going to drown now though - which was absolutely unimaginable a year ago.  I'm now in the 'advanced' class - although I am the slowest one in there by quite some margin!  I don't get to the pool anywhere near as often as I'd like but I always get at least one swim and one aquafit class a week in.  I find swimming relaxing and invigorating and, when I had the time to do it, swimming every day whether it was a quick 20 minutes dash or a leisurely 2 hour plod was incredibly good for my physical and mental well-being.  For a start, I lost loads of weight as spending on average 9 to 10 hours a week in the water limits your cake eating opportunities!

I'd heartily recommend lessons to anyone who isn't confident, wants to brush up their technique or needs a bit of a kick up the bum to motivate them.  Plus we can get a 12 week term of 1 hour lessons for about 70 quid round here - which is unbelievably good value even without the 10 free swims they give you too!

[David Martin]

My main problem seems to be breathing with front crawl - I must breathe out more and try to relax the breathing so I don't end up gasping for breath. How to do that though...

..d

[mike]

My main problem seems to be breathing with front crawl - I must breathe out more and try to relax the breathing so I don't end up gasping for breath. How to do that though...

..d

have a look at Wow, Check Out Our Amazing Swimming Animation, Mr Smooth! - it's a brilliant site, I'm learning lots..

[David Martin]

My main problem seems to be breathing with front crawl - I must breathe out more and try to relax the breathing so I don't end up gasping for breath. How to do that though...

..d

have a look at Wow, Check Out Our Amazing Swimming Animation, Mr Smooth! - it's a brilliant site, I'm learning lots..

I have been - notes taken and will try that tomorrow evening. Breathe out more...

..d

[saturn]

have a look at Wow, Check Out Our Amazing Swimming Animation, Mr Smooth! - it's a brilliant site, I'm learning lots..

Indeed. I noted the tip about the long exhale and asked my daughter who does a lot of swimming training (for synchro not speed) if she does that and she admitted she doesn't. Maybe she'll give it a try in tonight's training session.

[David Martin]

Session 2. My core strength isn't. Good tips on backstroke technique (stop thugging it and feel the water properly) though the exercise with arms vertically in the air/by your side for 5 s alternating was interesting. Backstroke while looking up at the surface of the water.

Rather weary now.. I think I put in a good bit of effort there.

[simonp]

I've been to swimming club two weeks in a row now.

I found last week very hard.  Lots to take in meant I was struggling to coordinate it all.

Tonight went really well despite the sore legs from Tuesday's rowing & treadmill efforts and the 3.5 pints from the pub last night.  I got some advice about how to swim more relaxed and it really clicked and though I wasn't setting the world on fire I did find I was able to swim more comfortably.  Got some positive feedback from one of the other swimmers, which was nice.  7 miles misty cycle home across Cambridge after we went to the pub after swimming.  Really enjoyed myself tonight.  Think this will be a regular thing.

[David Martin]

Legs cramped again tonight. I can't do a breast stroke kick - I go backwards. Butterfly is the worlds most stupid stroke. Core fitness isn't. But >1km in under 40 mins (at which point I had to leave) is a new record for me.

I will know about it tomorrow.

[GraemeMcC]

Forgive me if this isn't already somewhere in pages 2 - 6, but you really need to read "Total Immersion - freestyle made easy" by Terry Laughlin.

www.totalimmersion.co.uk

www.totalimmersion.net

He teaches front crawl in a staged technique whereby you assemble an efficient stroke, bit by bit. Swimming is 70% technique and 30% strength. Without any technique, everyone struggles.

Read the book, look at the videos. As a cyclist-turned-triathlete who completed IronMan in 2008 from scratch, it works.

In Terry's words, "don't practice bad technique." You'll never escape.

Also, do try a club - tri clubs are good. The standard is from good to appalling (a bit like triathletes cycling skills, really)

[Manotea]

Forgive me if this isn't already somewhere in pages 2 - 6, but you really need to read "Total Immersion - freestyle made easy" by Terry Laughlin.

www.totalimmersion.co.uk

www.totalimmersion.net

He teaches front crawl in a staged technique whereby you assemble an efficient stroke, bit by bit. Swimming is 70% technique and 30% strength. Without any technique, everyone struggles.

Read the book, look at the videos. As a cyclist-turned-triathlete who completed IronMan in 2008 from scratch, it works.

In Terry's words, "don't practice bad technique." You'll never escape.

Also, do try a club - tri clubs are good. The standard is from good to appalling (a bit like triathletes cycling skills, really)

The last local workshop (Hampton) was last weekend. Bother. The next one isn't till February. Bother.

[simonp]

Last week went a lot better for me. I did some butterfly (turns out I'm not the worst). Back stroke as well; I found that much easier that I remembered. Yay for fitness. The front crawl pull buoy drill is best not mentioned: my legs sank. They are too heavy. I need to either kick or use two buoys.

[David Martin]

Better tonight. Technique is improving, though I am still single side breathing in crawl.
I cannot do a breast stroke kick. And am still slower than a slow thing in treacle. But the core strength is getting to a point where I can work on technique even when being shouted at by the coach.

..d

[cometworm]

We had a session with Swim for Tri last weekend in their endless pool - and I really can't recommend them too highly, it's an awesome way to learn. He also showed us some footage from the 10k open water swim in the olympics, and it's striking how little they kick! Just a tiny little flutter now and then - so if you're preparing for tri, and worrying about your kicking, or kicking so much you cramp - don't. Your body position is mostly about core strength and the front part of the stroke, not the kick.

[simonp]

I swam 1000m last night in 27-28 minutes. It would have been around 25 if the pool had not been quite so busy and I also hadn't had to stop to retighten the useless wrist strap holding the locker key (twice). So it seems I'm a bit faster than I was.

Failed a bit on the hundred push ups afterwards though. Club again tonight.