Cr@p Swimmers R Us

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  • I have my first leson tomorrow...fingers crossed that these work...I'm getting a little desperate and worried...
  • Just sticking my head in here to wish you all a happy new year, I haven't been for a splash around for a few weeks and I now have the lurgy but hopefully next week I will make an effort to go at least twice a week.
  • Dan Dan,

    I'm afraid I've not got 'round to treading water yet, if I'm totally honest (no excuses) it's 'cause I'm still too scared about venturing out of my depth at the moment!

    On a more positive note, I can now swim 16 20 metre lengths in approx. 20 - 25 mins.(not non-stop though), which isn't great I know. But, when I consider my history & that my starting point was only last summer; then that's seems like some progress to me anyway.

    Question: Are there any tips or techniques I can try that'll enable me to swim further than 20 metres in one go before tiring? I appreciate that this probably the $64,000 question, but any advice would be gratefully put to use, as I seem to have reached a bit of a plateau with the progress at the moment.

    Sorry for the lateness in responding to your enquiry. I've just begun my FLM '05 training schedule this week. I will still be trying to keep the swimming improvement going though.

    Regards,

    TTT.
  • dan dandan dan ✭✭✭
    TTT, keep going, you're doing great!

    Try one of the following to help out.

    Swim as per usual, aiming at two lengths to start with.Assume you get to one length and head out on the second for only 3 or 4 metres before feeling exhausted.Roll immediately onto your back, arms by side, sculling.You will move very very slowly, but it will give you chance to get your breath back and once you are ready to go again, roll back onto your front.You'll be in shallow enough water by now if you need to out your feet down.

    Alternatively, use a kickboard, holding it in one hand and work, say, left arms only, holding with right hand. This should enable you to keep going longer also.One day, you 'll just keep going over and beyond two, three , four lengths and will never look back.


    I imagine you are kicking your legs like crazy which is often the single most -overdone- elemet of the stroke.You only NEED a very, very slow kick to keep you moving.

    As we have said before, less is more.Slow it right down till you think you are going to stop.

    Then, one magic day it'll all just fall into place.Once this happens, then you can concentrate on improving breathing techniques which in turn will improve your swim greatly.

    Oh and by the way, good luck with the FLM preparation.

    Keep us informed on both!

    Dan.
  • Dan Dan,

    Thanks for all the advice & encouragement, I'll certainly give it go & get back to you with a progress report too.

    TTT.
  • TTT,
    sounds like you are starting from a similar position to me. This time last year I decided to learn how to swim in order to do a Triathlon. Before that couldn't swim one length.

    What made the big difference to me was lessons. I did mine at a Tri training camp. Learning the right technique cuts down hugely on the amount of effort you are having to make.

    In May last year I managed 200m in my first Tri with a mixture of crawl and breast stroke and with 5 second stops at each end.

    Have made reasonable progress since then, and therefore would urge you to get some technique lessons if you can.

    Keep it going and good luck with the FLM.....going to have to do it one year...


    FFM
  • GavoGavo ✭✭✭
    Had 1st lesson tonight but I think I was in with the beginners (as in those who need help to float) so didn't learn too much. The proper instructor was off sick though so we should start properly next week.

    My self-training has made some improvements though. Even did some crawl relatively easily.
  • GobiGobi ✭✭✭
    I have done 3 half ironmans but last October I wrapped myself round a tree coming off my motor bike

    swan this evening HORRID will be a long road back
  • dan dandan dan ✭✭✭
    Good luck to you, Gobi.
  • FFM,

    Thanks for your advice & supportive comments. I have been having swimming lessons since last March, & have already made, what I consider to be significant progress. It's my swimming instructor who has given me the confidence to get this far.

    If you read my very first posting on this thread (page 3), you'll see that there's some history to my relationship with swimming pools!

    Up until 12 months ago I wouldn't go anywhere near one - let alone get in it.
    I also have a big psychological problem to overcome regarding deep water too.

    My biggest problem at the moment though, is mastering the breathing technique. I reckon that is probably the main reason why I can only swim approx. 30 metres before needing to rest. However, I shall keep practising, I've no intention of giving up - not after having come this far.

    TTT.
  • Aha, just read your mad story. I always thought that was an old wives tale....

    what exactly is the problem with your breathing?
  • FFM,

    I wish it had been an 'old wives tale', I can still vividly remember being flat on my back at the bottom of about eight feet of water & these two people coming to my rescue. Then, being laid face down at the the side of the pool & having the pool water massaged out of my lungs until finally I vomited.

    The breathing issue is to do with not taking in sufficient air with each breath to be able to maintain swimming more than 30 metres at present. Probably 'cause I still sometimes panic a bit.

    TTT.
  • TTT may be as simple as mastering breathing out and being at the right point to breath in each time

    something i'm now coming to turns with is if i don't expel enough air between breaths i can't inhale enough to keep going.

    I know the panic feeling - but mines a shark thing so a bit less in pools - still not completely gone though
  • GobiGobi ✭✭✭
    dan dan

    I always look on the bright side my running and cycling are going well
  • TTT after struggling with front crawl since last summer, and especially the breathing thing, things have suddenly started to click. On Jan the 2nd I made it to 50m, 2 days later 100m and then 2 days after did my first 400m followed by the same again. Went swimming tonight and did 400 again, so it will come with patience.

    My problem now is speed, as my breast stroke is still faster than my front crawl. But I am determined not to be doing breast stroke in a tri this year.
  • Well, I seem to be getting back into it OK. Managed 2 x 400m today, the first of those without a break (well, just touching the end of the pool after each length). Have given myself a goal by sending off the form for a "Triathlon Swimming Masterclass" in mid-Feb (the one someone (XFR?) recommended on this thread a long while ago, in Walsall).
  • Well done quimby. Sounds like an interesting course.
  • Quimby. I've done the Master class too (with XFR). It's well worth it
  • Thanks, Fat Squirrel & Fastest Fat Man. It does sound jolly interesting, and luckily quite local for me. I assume the pool in Walsall is a 50m one; it'll be interesting to swim in a big pool - haven't done so since I was at school.
  • Hi all :O)

    Just found this thread hope you don't mind me joining in

    I am a really carp swimmer (can almost manage two lengths) but have decided that I want to try a triathlon preferably this year - but probably next year.

    I cant join a swimming class due to my working hours - is there any kind of schedule or training program anyone knows of that I could follow?

    P.S. what is TI?
  • PieNapper

    TI is a method described as fishlike swimming, and concentrates on being slippery in the water for maximum efficiency.

    I had been doing it since July, but by January I still hadn't managed more than 50metres. However, I now go on my own twice a week and did my first 1K last night. So, I would say, TI may not be suitable for beginners.

    I would suggest getting 1 to 1 lessons at a local pool to get the basics right and then its just practice.

    TI is available in book form and on Video/DVD so you can self teach to a certain extent.
  • Did I say it stands for Total immersion??!!
  • Just looking for some feedback here...

    I have had about 3 or 4 lessons now and intend to have more...but...I've been doing some drills in my lessons with a float...basically you hold the float out in front and then, using fc you swap the board from one hand to another...i.e. right arm makes stroke and comes to front grabs float, left arm makes stroke and comes to front and takes the float and so on...well that's all fine but now I find I'm sort of swimming that way without the float and it feels very wierd...has anybody done this? Is it the right way to go on or will my stroke get back to what I figured was 'normal'??

    I hope the above makes sense...
  • PieNapper (really weird nickname that..)

    I had the same ambition and less swimming talent last January. I managed three Tri's last year. My biggest improvement in swimming came from attending Triathlon training days.

    I live in the midlands and the West Mids BTA do beginners training days which are great.

    If you check out the BTA website ( www.britishtriathlon.org )there are quite a few novice sprint races every year that have a 200m swim. I started at Stratford last year which is a big race, but good fun. There are plenty of people in the pool who take 6mins plus to swim 200m.

    Go on, you know you want to.......
  • Wise words FFM. I did 4 sprint triathlons with 400m swims last year by doing breaststroke, and my humble 12 minutes was by no means the slowest.
  • GavoGavo ✭✭✭
    RB, I was doing something similar but with backstroke. I think he was trying to slow down my stroke but it made no sense & he gave no feedback. So I'm on to a different trainer now. That's why I think it might be anyway.

  • Gavo,

    I went to the pool again today and I can't seem to get out of the habit unless I try to swim faster, then all technique goes out the window...I'll persever as I think she knows what she's doing. In fact I saw her today in passing at the pool and mentioned it to her. She is confident that everything is going according to plan....whatever the plan is....

    Tri Club tonight and even more swimbling...I think I'm getting waterlogged...
  • GavoGavo ✭✭✭
    RB, there's no need to go faster at the moment is there? I had a couple of lessons in the summer where the trainer just made me concentrate on my kick so they might be breaking down your stroke into the basics and then once you've got it mastered you can speed up.

    And once you're sorted I'll let you coach me.
  • WaboWabo ✭✭✭
    Hi all. I lost this thread!
    I went swimming for the 1st time in ages this week. My daughter came with me (she is a lovely swimmer) and corrected me totally!
    Told me where I am going wrong (still breastroke) and after spluttering a bit I was off! Going to see if she could maybe teach me front crawl but tbh I am not that bothered about triathlons this year as I am studying, doing flm and got too much on!
    Hope everybody is doing well.
    FS your time is same as mine.
    possunt quia posse videntur - we can because we know we can 
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