Topic: Swimming

[gpw11]

Does anyone here swim laps? 

I'm trying to get into it since it beats the fuck out of running in the rain/snow during the winter (I get sick a lot because of it).  While I'm an alright swimmer and know how to swim, I've never swam laps in a community pool and am rusty as hell with actual swimming technique (like, it's probably been ten years minimum since I've done a formal stroke or anything other than sloppy freestyle to get into a boat). 

Swimmers are also dicks.  Is there anything I need to know before I get into a community pool and have motherfuckers tapping my foot like crazy?  Also, gay as it is, I'm thinking about taking an adult swim course in order to get the correct form down for strokes and shit.  No point in doing it if you're doing it kind of wrong.

[Cobra951]

I've swum my fair share of laps.  It's a good idea to take lessons in the formal swimming styles.  Butterfly is a lost art for me but I can still do backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle pretty well.  Of these, freestyle is the most demanding.  Your face is in the water much of the time.  Good goggles work wonders for your eyes here.  You need to get the rhythmic breathing down, without having to lift your head out of the water,

I was swimming regularly last year at an indoor high-school pool in Lawrenceburg.  (That has unfortunately not been possible so far this year.)  I had to work my way back to freestyle over a few weeks.  I would do mostly backstroke and breaststroke, switching at each end of the pool.  I substituted in more freestyle laps as my condition improved, but even after months, I still couldn't maintain freestyle exclusively.  Damn, I hate getting old.

Since real swimming pools are such a scarce resource, you will have to deal with costs, politics and playing nice with others.  I can't say if there's anything more to it than that.

[gpw11]

Man, I wish my parents still had a pool.  It'd be way easier to just swim there.  I am a member at a rec centre here with a really nice ozonated pool. I pay for the gym and court access, but access to the aquatic center is included - I just never use it really, so cost shouldn't be an issue. For me I think it'll be more about finding a time to go when I can have unrestricted access to my own lane and possibly buying some goggles so I can watch the line.

I think I may take the advice on the lessons...although it'll probably feel weird going back to swimming lessons. I wonder if I can do like a single day option.  But reading your post, I've always found the breast stroke to be the most awkward, so I must be doing something wrong.

But yeah, politics is probably my main concern.

[gpw11]

Oh yeah, and my other concern was what is a good swimming workout length?  When I run I usually aim for 6km, or roughly 3 miles minimum....although I lot of times I do have to cut that short due to variables like time, frequency, and having to run right after working out (in which case you want to cut it shorter).  If I'm swimming 25m lengths, that's a lot of fucking lengths.  I don't think it directly translates does it?

With cardio, they say you redzone after 20 min. and you don't want to go any shorter than that, but it seems like you'd redzone quicker with swimming and would have to adjust accordingly.

[Cobra951]

No comparison at all.  You're in water, and propelling yourself through it in a way you weren't designed for.  Go by time.  See how far you can get in 30 minutes for starters.  Stretch that to 45 min or an hour eventually.  A mile is 1760 yards, so if you can get up to about 35 50-yard laps, or 70 25-yard laps, you have one hell of an energy-draining workout.

[gpw11]

I'll probably go tonight because a.) it should be pretty empty, and b.) it will keep me from going out and drinking (probably). I'll aim for 30 min but won't be surprised if I don't hit 20.  I worked out the legs today and went for a run so I might be pretty drained but I'll mainly be going to get a feel for it.  If all goes well I may try to go tomorrow morning as well.

[Cobra951]

20 min, break, 20 min works too.  Good luck!  It's hard to get started.

[gpw11]

Yeah, I'm not going to hit it up tonight. My legs are dead and it's probably not a good idea.  When I go to the gym tomorrow morning I'll see how busy it is and try to get a lane if I can.  It just kind of seems like a bad idea to stack cardio for the first time in the pool.

[gpw11]

Okay, scratch that....I can't freestyle anymore.  My front crawl has diminished drastically.  Actually, my entire swimming ability has.  I looked in the fast lane, thought "they aren't going that fast and I'm not going for that long, I can pace it and kill it in there".  Wrong. I did two laps, got out, and went in the slow lane.

My entire performance was sub par.  I couldn't maintain freestyle at all. It wasn't so much that my body was getting tired, but my lung capacity isn't there anymore and my breathing pattern was all off....and my stroke is a bit more like a flail all of a sudden.  Fuck, even the breast stroke was exhausting because of the breathing. All in all, I probably got 10 min of actual swimming in over 20 min.  It could be because I shouldn't swim after working out, but I'm chalking it up to just being very rusty and more out of shape than I thought.

The difference compared to running was staggering.  I can maintain a paced 7 min. mile for 5 miles and not be tired to the point I have to stop, but I can literally only swim 50 meters (55 yards?) before I think it's a good idea to catch my breath. I guess improvement is a goal to strive for.  Goggles worked out great though - thanks for that suggestion.

I did look into adult lessons and there are free drop in lessons for adults at the rec center I go to for members, which is great...except they are literally middle of the day during weekdays...for adults that seems pretty fucked. I may have to look into paying for a private lesson every few months or something once I can actually swim a bit.  It'd probably end up being cheaper than missing the work.

[Ghandi]

Take lessons if your form is bad. If you have good form, you don't need lessons - you just need to start swimming weekly (bi weekly really). Lung capacity will come back and stamina will increase.

[gpw11]

I'll see how the form improves with practice.  Like I said previously, I used to be a pretty avid swimmer, although nothing competitive. It's not so much like riding a bike though - I've gotten really sloppy through laziness.

I'll probably keep going for a few months and look into taking some lessons on form if necessary at that point. 

[Ghandi]

You may want to scope out some classes, see how the women are. Could be a win-win.

[gpw11]

Hmmmm.....I like the way you think

[Ghandi]

That's assuming you look good with your shirt off. I'm a little too white to be comfortable in that situation.

[gpw11]

Bitches love me with my shirt off. More so a year ago though....I'll have to wait.

[iPPi]

Stop drinking alcohol if you are serious about getting into shape (which it sounds like you are).

[gpw11]

ahahahah.  I'm also serious about fun.  I'm not in poor shape really...apart from the swimming aspect, but I'd like to get back into playing rugby next fall and I don't think I can cut it in a first div team at the moment.  But yes, alcohol is a great thing to cut if you really want to get into shape (or at least only drink everclear).

[Cobra951]

Okay, scratch that....I can't freestyle anymore.  My front crawl has diminished drastically.  Actually, my entire swimming ability has.  I looked in the fast lane, thought "they aren't going that fast and I'm not going for that long, I can pace it and kill it in there".  Wrong. I did two laps, got out, and went in the slow lane.

My entire performance was sub par.  I couldn't maintain freestyle at all. It wasn't so much that my body was getting tired, but my lung capacity isn't there anymore and my breathing pattern was all off....and my stroke is a bit more like a flail all of a sudden.  Fuck, even the breast stroke was exhausting because of the breathing. All in all, I probably got 10 min of actual swimming in over 20 min.  It could be because I shouldn't swim after working out, but I'm chalking it up to just being very rusty and more out of shape than I thought.

The difference compared to running was staggering.  I can maintain a paced 7 min. mile for 5 miles and not be tired to the point I have to stop, but I can literally only swim 50 meters (55 yards?) before I think it's a good idea to catch my breath. I guess improvement is a goal to strive for.  Goggles worked out great though - thanks for that suggestion.

I can't say I'm surprised.  It's all about what you're used to.  You're way out of swimming condition, even if you're in great running condition.  Just work your way back up slowly.  I think there's no better whole-body exercise than swimming.  It works everything with no impact stress at all, and keeps you cool regardless of exertion.  I wish I could join you.

[Quemaqua]

I've been thinking about joining a gym just for the opportunity to use a pool again.  Would be awfully nice.

[gpw11]

I can't say I'm surprised.  It's all about what you're used to.  You're way out of swimming condition, even if you're in great running condition.  Just work your way back up slowly.  I think there's no better whole-body exercise than swimming.  It works everything with no impact stress at all, and keeps you cool regardless of exertion.  I wish I could join you.

Yeah, I went back this morning before the gym and it was a lot better (but still by no means good at all).  My schedule is retarded but I'll probably go in the mornings before work.  It works to wake you up and doesn't leave you as hot as the gym or running in the morning.  It's just the matter of getting over doing something I totally suck at.

[gpw11]

Okay...I can totally sustain breast stroke for pretty reasonable distances now. Obviously, still a lot of room for improvement, but not nearly as bad as a week ago.  Still slow as fuck, but whatever.  Also, still can't do the front crawl for more than a lap...if even.  I imagine a lot of that is breathing and form.  Watching people do it, a lot seem to be keeping their head out of the water completely, which I refuse to do. I think maybe if I try freestyle when I first start I could possibly squeeze out a couple laps.  Either way, I'm totally comfortable taking it slow.  When this semester is over I'm going to see if there's night time adult lessons (drop in preferably) anywhere.  That or find someone I know who is a good swimmer to teach me some shit.

Anyways, totally finding it great and a refreshing change from the constant gym/run/gym/run routine I have.  Just kinda wish I had more time to spread them all out.

[gpw11]

Also, I've been kicking wrong for breaststroke for years.

[Cobra951]

Also, still can't do the front crawl for more than a lap...if even.  I imagine a lot of that is breathing and form.  Watching people do it, a lot seem to be keeping their head out of the water completely, which I refuse to do.

Good, because that's completely wrong.  Yes, freestyle is the toughest of the 3 sane swimming styles, and doing 1 whole lap when starting out is pretty good.  Breaststroke is like a nice jog while freestyle feels more like a sprint at first.

[gpw11]

I'd say sprint uphill even.  I also take it you're referring to the butterfly as the insane style?

[Cobra951]

Heheh, yeah.  I did learn it in high school, but I never liked it.  Too much work.  I have seen experts look and move like fish with it, though.

[gpw11]

Oh, it's insane how some people can do it.  Super fast, but I don't think even expert swimmers can sustain it for a reasonable period of time.  Could possibly be one of the most energy depleting forms of exercise out there.