rubbish at swimming - any tips?

[RobM77]

Sorry if this thread is diverting from TVR Man's thread, but I'm about to take three months off work so I thought I'd rejoin a local gym that I used to be a member of. They have a fantastic swimming pool there that I'd like to use for fitness, but I am truly rubbish at swimming and wondered if anyone had any ideas.

I'm limited to front crawl because of a back problem. My technique seems to be ok; I've videoed myself and compared it to other videos and it looks like I'm doing ok, but obviously could improve. My main issue is the breathing. I can manage about 25m before I am completely and utterly out of breath and need a rest for a minute. I'm a reasonable runner and cyclist, so generally reasonably fit.

I posted a similar thread a few years ago and after some advice I did 30 minutes before and after work Mon-Fri, as well as using a breath trainer device. I did improve marginally, but at my peak I was swimming about 45-50 metres before having to stop for a breather. I tried lots of different speeds. That amount of training in other sports would have a huge effect (been there, done that!). 50 metres is truly pathetic for a fit 31 year old that did an hour a day.

Any ideas?

[mattviatura]

Buy a boat

[BliarOut]

Bilateral breathing. Swim with your head down and exhale underwater just before you bring your head up into the void created by your shoulder where you take a big intake of breath. Breathe every third stroke and SLOW DOWN while you're learning how to do it.

[grumbledoak]

Lessons/club. You won't learn technique without some form of training.

[RobM77]

BliarOut said:

Bilateral breathing. Swim with your head down and exhale underwater just before you bring your head up into the void created by your shoulder where you take a big intake of breath. Breathe every third stroke and SLOW DOWN while you're learning how to do it.

isn't that the standard way of breathing during the front crawl? I've tried that and unilateral. Unilateral is much easier because I get to breath more often, but I don't like the feel of it as it feels unbalanced.

Incidentally, I've tried a front crawl breathing rhythm when I'm out running (out for a few strides, then in quickly, then out again). Funnily enough I last about 25m before stopping utterly exhausted

[BliarOut]

Breathing out under water helps. That way you use the whole time your head is above water to breathe in

[RobM77]

BliarOut said:

Breathing out under water helps. That way you use the whole time your head is above water to breathe in

Yes, I do that too. I steadily breathe out all the time during the stroke and then just turn my head to the side to breathe in.

By the way, I can swim for absolutely ages on my back - probably until I got bored. I hate backstroke though because you can't see where you're going and it's not as nice to do generally.

[cs02rm0]

I find going slowly is key assuming you're breathing correctly, it'll give you longer to breathe and reduce the need for oxygen at the same time. And as ever, keep at it regularly.

If you're finding it really that bad it might be worth considering doing as much as you can, then do an extra bit with your head held out of the water to try and push your body that little bit further until you can resume normal swimming. I suspect swimming coaches will probably wince at the thought of abandoning technique, but it might help.

[RobM77]

cs02rm0 said:

I find going slowly is key assuming you're breathing correctly, it'll give you longer to breathe and reduce the need for oxygen at the same time. And as ever, keep at it regularly.

If you're finding it really that bad it might be worth considering doing as much as you can, then do an extra bit with your head held out of the water to try and push your body that little bit further until you can resume normal swimming. I suspect swimming coaches will probably wince at the thought of abandoning technique, but it might help.

Thanks.

I've found that swimming slowly makes it worse because I'm spending longer underwater. I'll try persisting with it though, it may be the way to start to work forwards.

Lifting my head out of the water isn't an option because of my back, but I can roll onto my back for a few strokes to catch my breath.

[Tiggsy]

Get some lessons. My mother was a swim coach (now retired) and use to do as many adult classes as kids....many of them where good swimmers/ish but wanted to get better. I used to join in and do the demos and stuff (when i was about 10!)

Very hard to learn good technique -total submersion/bilateral breathing/etc from the net.

or...just swim bad, much better for your fitness!

[Targarama]

Rob - you're not alone, I can only swim 50 metres or so front crawl before being completely zonked from lack of oxygen. I can swim all day on my back and I'm pretty fit these days. Must be my technique, but I also don't like putting my head right under the water due to an ear operation (and this means backstrokes are not good any more either).

[RobM77]

I did have some lessons a few years ago, but I don't think the coach was much good. I started reading books on swimming and watching videos on the web and what she was saying went against what I was hearing elsewhere. I might try again; maybe when I join the gym someone there can help me.

Maybe one day I can do a triathlon! that would be my ultimate aim, being a lover of running and cycling.

[RobM77]

Targarama said:

Rob - you're not alone, I can only swim 50 metres or so front crawl before being completely zonked from lack of oxygen. I can swim all day on my back and I'm pretty fit these days. Must be my technique, but I also don't like putting my head right under the water due to an ear operation (and this means backstrokes are not good any more either).

Thanks - sounds similar to me. I'm quite fit in other respects, but swimming completely nackers me.

[grumbledoak]

RobM77 said:

Thanks - sounds similar to me. I'm quite fit in other respects, but swimming completely nackers me.

It's technique, dude, both for speed and efficiency. I don't think I swam at all last year, and have been pretty lax for the previous few years too. But I don't doubt I could hop in a pool and swim 2km, even if I needed a fag break halfway.

Lessons...

[RobM77]

grumbledoak said:

RobM77 said:

Thanks - sounds similar to me. I'm quite fit in other respects, but swimming completely nackers me.

It's technique, dude, both for speed and efficiency. I don't think I swam at all last year, and have been pretty lax for the previous few years too. But I don't doubt I could hop in a pool and swim 2km, even if I needed a fag break halfway.

Lessons...

Thanks, I'll see if this new gym do any.

[dave_s13]

Rob, I'm the same. I can, and have, run a half marathon and my usual running route is about 6 miles (in 45-50mins). I also used to be really into muay thai, fought and everything!

I can't swim for $heeit.

I used to go every now and then with my misses who does the keep your hair dry breast stroke. She used to overtake me and could do twice the distance without breaking a sweat. I would be a mess after about 15 lengths.

I'm really god at skipping though....not so useful in a life or death swimming situation that though.

[RobM77]

dave_s13 said:

Rob, I'm the same. I can, and have, run a half marathon and my usual running route is about 6 miles (in 45-50mins). I also used to be really into muay thai, fought and everything!

I can't swim for $heeit.

I used to go every now and then with my misses who does the keep your hair dry breast stroke. She used to overtake me and could do twice the distance without breaking a sweat. I would be a mess after about 15 lengths.

I'm really god at skipping though....not so useful in a life or death swimming situation that though.

(at the skipping comment)

That's interesting. Before my knee packed up I was the same as you - regular 45 min runs and half marathons etc, but obviously I was still rubbish at swimming. Nice to know I'm not the only one!

I've no issue with speed actually (I'm no competition winner, but I can shoot along at a fair old rate), but no matter how fast or how slow I go one length is my bursting point breath wise. It's a double edged thing, cause if I swim really really fast I get to breath much more often, which is better but obviously it wears me out, whereas if I swim slow my lungs nearly fall apart so I don't last very long at all doing that either! In fact because of the frequency of breathing, I go the furthest by swimming as fast as possible, which sounds strange, but there you go

[RobM77]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

How do you know when you're at the end of the pool? When I swim backstroke I'm paranoid about nutting the end of the pool at high speed!

[grumbledoak]

RobM77 said:

How do you know when you're at the end of the pool?

That <clonk> and the sinking sensation are normally enough! Proper pools have visible markers a few meters short, or wires overhead. If not, you'll just have to get used to the pool you are in and use the corners of your eyes.

[ewenm]

grumbledoak said:

Lessons/club. You won't learn technique without some form of training.

This - get some coaching.