Swimming For Exercise

[mollyc]

I don't swim but both of my kids are year round swimmers; they swim competitively twice a week during the summers (and practice 5 days a week) and during the school year they practice twice a week and do meets a few times a year.

They do use the paddles some during practice, but because they are learning to swim for competition, it's all about speed. I'm not sure paddles would be beneficial just for lap swimming for exercise. Same with a pull buoy (which is not really short fins - a pull buoy is a figure 8 shaped foam thing that you hold between your thighs to help teach your hips to stay up in the water).

I do think that (long) fins could be beneficial for lap swimming in that that they really make you much more efficient in the water and help train your legs for kicking.

I think lap swimming is really about lung capacity and overall body conditioning and agree with the other posters who said it is very different than learning to swim fast for competitions.

 

[Huntn]

I don't swim but both of my kids are year round swimmers; they swim competitively twice a week during the summers (and practice 5 days a week) and during the school year they practice twice a week and do meets a few times a year.

They do use the paddles some during practice, but because they are learning to swim for competition, it's all about speed. I'm not sure paddles would be beneficial just for lap swimming for exercise. Same with a pull buoy (which is not really short fins - a pull buoy is a figure 8 shaped foam thing that you hold between your thighs to help teach your hips to stay up in the water).

I do think that (long) fins could be beneficial for lap swimming in that that they really make you much more efficient in the water and help train your legs for kicking.

I think lap swimming is really about lung capacity and overall body conditioning and agree with the other posters who said it is very different than learning to swim fast for competitions.

I've avoided using paddles because although you might burn more calories per time frame pushing more water, I was afraid it would make me more susceptible to injury. When I first started regular swimming earlier this year, I did have some mild shoulder, arm, elbow issues which did not appear until I hit over 60 laps and I was able to work through them. For one thing I cut back to 50 laps, but am now starting to inch back up.

 

[Huntn]

Today I learned to look down while swimming, not slightly forward, and not turn my head to breath, but turn my torso to breath. It works well for exercise swimming.

 

[A.Goldberg]

Paddles, Fins, and pool bouys can be great aids in improving technique. They help your body learn more efficient movements. That said they have to be used sparingly. People can get overly dependent on them which isn't good. Moderation is key in any setting.

@Huntn your example of the buff guy trying to swim is spot on. On a few occasions I've seen 6'4" gym rat d-bags get in the pool for the first time, but not before staring 5'10 me and everyone else in the area down. They assume they're going to be hot **** (especially wearing their non-competion style goggles). Then they try and race and quickly realize they can't keep up with even a moderate rate and in 100 yards they need a break.

Actually one time this guy fitting a similar description came up to me and literally challenged me to a 50yd sprint. Back when I competed the 50 free was one of my events. I beat him by 10+ seconds.

I miss the days of competitive swimming practice- shoving 6-8 people in a single lane. Fighting through the choppy water. So much more invigorating than a placid pool.

 

[0388631]

My oldest nephew competed when he was in school. When not doing laps in their pool or ours when they were over during the warmer months, he'd flog his brother across the head with a pool noodle. Rather interesting in that's what we, uncles/parents did to each other as kids.

I think this weekend or maybe next will be the last "warm" weekend of this rather cool summer. I'm going to attempt and do some laps before autumn arrives. I don't bother keeping the pool heated during the winter.

 

[jeremy h]

I think a tech company (which some of us on this forum might just of heard of ) has just updated their smart watch with swimming capabilities...

When its released and being used can some one report back here (from a swimming perspective) as to how well it works, my experiences with lap / stroke counting watches has been a bit mixed - and this one certainly isn't an impulse buy here in the UK. (£400 )

 

[Huntn]

In the Total Immersion Swim video I'm watching, they stress letting your breath out slowly, but they don't say why. I've been basically holding my breath between breaths.
How do you swimmers feel about holding your breath until you exhale or do you let your breath slowly bubble out while swimming until the next breath? Is there an inherent advantage to letting your breath out slowly?

I think a tech company (which some of us on this forum might just of heard of ) has just updated their smart watch with swimming capabilities...

When its released and being used can some one report back here (from a swimming perspective) as to how well it works, my experiences with lap / stroke counting watches has been a bit mixed - and this one certainly isn't an impulse buy here in the UK. (£400 )

I frequently wish I had an automatic lap counter, but my price range would be about $50.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I'm very interested in the Apple Watch SII if it can perform accurate counting and distance calculations. I'm curious to know what information is used to determine the distance. Because if it's relying on tech similar to the old swimming watches, results may not be great. If it's relying on GPS information if be concerned about the battery and moreso the fact most indoor pools are in enclosed in thick concrete/cinder block walls with poor cell/GPS signal reception.

Also kind of a bummer is unless I spent a lot to get a stainless band, I'm kinda stuck with the sport band (which I don't really like) unless I buy nylon or leather and then buy a second strap for swimming. I can't see the nylon or leather holding up too well. Obviously leather and water don't mix, and chlorine ruins everything. I do like the blue magnetic strap, but I don't like the big bump it forms at the clasp and I'm not sure it's necessarily strong enough to handle the thrashing from a quick sprint or the hit from a dive from a diving block. Not that it's easy to find a pool that lets you use their diving blocks. I know a college swim coach that lets me use blocks from time to time at her pool.)

I'm really interested but I'm going to hold off until I see some real world reviews.

-----

In other news I think I'm dumping my pool/gym at the end of the billing cycle. My parents gifted me a membership to this place, it's very nice, but heinously expensive and not worth if you're primarily using the pool. If you're a tennis player then it's probably a decent deal as tennis is really their main attraction.

If I can prove I'm a resident of my current town (easy, technically I still have a CT license) and pass with my old student ID, I'll be able to get a yearly membership at a beautiful pool for like $250/yr--- that's crazy since it's at least as nice as my current pool and $250/yr is less than 2 months at my current gym. Even if they call my bluff on my student ID it's still only $400 or something for a year. Cons would be the hours of availability of the cheaper pool. I'll try it for a month and see how it goes.

There's another gym near my current gym that even with the premium membership is still 50% of my current gym and just as nice if not nicer.

 

[jeremy h]

In the Total Immersion Swim video I'm watching, they stress letting your breath out slowly, but they don't say why. I've been basically holding my breath between breaths.
How do you swimmers feel about holding your breath until you exhale or do you let your breath slowly bubble out while swimming until the next breath? Is there an inherent advantage to letting your breath out slowly?

One of things I liked about the TI approach was how breathing issues just sort of went away. Previously I would just hold my breath and windmill up the pool. (Breathing was hard - lots of head twisting - so I tried to do it as little as possible... ) Once I got my hips rotating I found a sort of natural rhythm to it - the rotation put my mouth into a position where I could just open it and breathe.

I found it comes from the normal rolling motion but I suspect I probably roll a tad more every third stroke? When I take a breath I don't think I consciously hold it any more than everyday breathing. I do though exhale slowly into the water and puff out the last bit of air as I rotate on that third stroke just before I clear the water. That means that I can take the air in as soon as I'm at the 'top' of the roll with an open mouth from the previous exhale in the water? Does that make sense?


Apple Watch - I'm certain it must use accelerometers for pool swimming, previously I had a Swimovate Pool Mate which was pretty good actually, but I often thought at the time that what it needed was a company with bottomless pockets to really iron out the wrinkles etc (Mind you I think it cost a fifth of that Apple one.) I'm not sure these watches like the TI style of swimming though. It must be very hard to get something that can cope with all the different swimming styles even in just say freestyle... It'll be interesting to start reading reviews as they come out.

 

[Huntn]

Looking for advice, maybe @A.Goldberg maybe have an opinion.

I've been swimming 50 laps for almost a year now. I seemed to be pretty stable injury wise, no sore shoulders, no sore neck. Last week I inched up to 60 laps and everything went well for 4 swim sessions over 8 day. My last swim was on Monday, but today I noticed an ache in the vicinity of my left elbow. Localized it feels sore just above my elbow on he back side of my arm. This feels swmming related possibly a repetitive injury although I spend a lot of time on the computer too. I'm wondering if I should keep trying to go 60 laps, but take it easy, or cut back to 50 and take it easy? I do have an adjustable band I can pace on my arm for support.

Maybe 50 laps is my limit... Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[A.Goldberg]

Looking for advice, maybe @A.Goldberg maybe have an opinion.

I've been swimming 50 laps for almost a year now. I seemed to be pretty stable injury wise, no sore shoulders, no sore neck. Last week I inched up to 60 laps and everything went well for 4 swim sessions over 8 day. My last swim was on Monday, but today I noticed an ache in the vicinity of my left elbow. Localized it feels sore just above my elbow on he back side of my arm. This feels swmming related possibly a repetitive injury although I spend a lot of time on the computer too. I'm wondering if I should keep trying to go 60 laps, but take it easy, or cut back to 50 and take it easy? I do have an adjustable band I can pace on my arm for support.

Maybe 50 laps is my limit... Thoughts? Thanks!

First off- Wow, Congrats @Huntn on your achievement of 50-60 laps. I'm really proud of the progress you've made, it seems like just the other day you were getting your toes wet.

I'm not a physical therapist by any means but it seems to me like it would be in your best interest to lay low until the elbow feels better- no sense in making the problem worse. Minimize strokes that exacerbate the issue, even if that means focusing on kicking for a few sessions.

Once you feel better maybe ease back to 50 or at least slow your progression fronts 50 to 60 laps in smaller incriments over a period time.

I believe in quality over quantity. With swimming, there is a tendency where exhaustion leads to degradation of form which leads to injury. Just something to be aware of.

I hope you fee better soon. If the pain persists you should probably get it checked out.

 

[Huntn]

First off- Wow, Congrats @Huntn on your achievement of 50-60 laps. I'm really proud of the progress you've made, it seems like just the other day you were getting your toes wet.

I'm not a physical therapist by any means but it seems to me like it would be in your best interest to lay low until the elbow feels better- no sense in making the problem worse. Minimize strokes that exacerbate the issue, even if that means focusing on kicking for a few sessions.

Once you feel better maybe ease back to 50 or at least slow your progression fronts 50 to 60 laps in smaller incriments over a period time.

I believe in quality over quantity. With swimming, there is a tendency where exhaustion leads to degradation of form which leads to injury. Just something to be aware of.

I hope you fee better soon. If the pain persists you should probably get it checked out.

Thanks! I've also got to watch extensive kicking, have sensitive knees.

 

[SoggyCheese]

One of the subjects I bore people senseless about

When I first started swimming a lot again after turning 40, and having been inspired by the 2012 Olympics, I watched some YouTube videos on technique and realised how the stroke I'd always done before was completely wrong. It took a few weeks of sessions down the pool to completely break my bad habits, but after doing that it was amazing just how much easier swimming became.

I typically swim four or five times a week now, never less than 1500m a session, sometimes double that. It's my main form of exercise. I don't use any training aids such as paddles, fins etc. like some of the people I share a pool with, but then it's all about the distance for me rather than the speed. If I can get into a rhythm quickly and the pool isn't too busy I can normally make a good time even without that stuff. The swim shorts you wear can also make a huge difference. Nothing baggy, that just saps your energy.

It really is great exercise to do. It actually makes you walk taller, makes stretching up or bending to reach anything much easier, helps your sitting posture if like me you have a desk job, and improves your balance.

Anyway, sorry for butting in. Can't recommend it enough, that's all.

 

[Huntn]

@A.Goldberg. I decided to take 3 days off, the tenderness seems to be in upper arm to elbow and is persisting. I'll jump back in on Friday with an upper arm strap and see how it goes.

One of the subjects I bore people senseless about

When I first started swimming a lot again after turning 40, and having been inspired by the 2012 Olympics, I watched some YouTube videos on technique and realised how the stroke I'd always done before was completely wrong. It took a few weeks of sessions down the pool to completely break my bad habits, but after doing that it was amazing just how much easier swimming became.

I typically swim four or five times a week now, never less than 1500m a session, sometimes double that. It's my main form of exercise. I don't use any training aids such as paddles, fins etc. like some of the people I share a pool with, but then it's all about the distance for me rather than the speed. If I can get into a rhythm quickly and the pool isn't too busy I can normally make a good time even without that stuff. The swim shorts you wear can also make a huge difference. Nothing baggy, that just saps your energy.

It really is great exercise to do. It actually makes you walk taller, makes stretching up or bending to reach anything much easier, helps your sitting posture if like me you have a desk job, and improves your balance.

Anyway, sorry for butting in. Can't recommend it enough, that's all.

This is what this thread is about.

 

[A.Goldberg]

@A.Goldberg. I decided to take 3 days off, the tenderness seems to be in upper arm to elbow and is persisting. I'll jump back in on Friday with an upper arm strap and see how it goes.



This is what this thread is about.

Sorry to hear the pain is persisting. I know how much it sucks to take a few days off.

As my friend Erica a PT would say, "ERICA" (an alteration of R.I.C.E)
Elevate
Rest
Ice
Compress
Anti-Inflamitory (ibuprofens probably your best bet)

 

[SoggyCheese]

Did a 2km session in the pool this lunchtime. Just back from the Med yesterday where I've been swimming in the sea, although the water's a bit parky there still (more peanut smuggler than budgie if you know what I'm saying ). As a result been reminded just how different swimming technique has to be between fresh and salt water. First 15-20 lengths of the pool today I was utterly rubbish. Nearly every turn resulted in legs coming out the water as I straightened out, and my stomach muscles just weren't working properly with the rest of my body. I must have looked a right mess to anyone watching from poolside.

Happy to report that the second km was easier than the first, so the old muscle memory had definitely kicked in. I feel much better for having done it too. Not so much to see underwater in a pool, but swimming in fresh water always feels more of a workout to me.

I do a fair bit of scuba diving and the only real lesson for swimming from that is that if you want to do anything underwater fast then slow right down. Really, really slow down. Its easier said than done and its counter intuitive but it works. I found to 'get' this way of swimming I had to do it all pretty slowly to start with.

That's another subject I love to bore everyone senseless about . I got blown out of diving off Catalunya last weekend by bad vis, but will be heading to Wraysbury tomorrow for a quick couple of bimbles around the lake. First drysuit dive of this year

</threadhijack>

 

[scrumpyjack]

I'm watching the Olympics 400M Freestyle Swim event and I tell you am shocked, not only are the swimmers not alternating their breathing (both sides) to avoid repetitive neck injuries, they are gulping air with each stroke! And here I was thinking I needed to go 4 strokes or more between breaths to look professional!

I like the way they turn around. I've watched lap after lap and still never got the hang of that.

 

[Huntn]

I like the way they turn around. I've watched lap after lap and still never got the hang of that.

Flip Turn? I assume if not wearing a nose plug,they breath out through their nose so it does not fill with water while they are briefly upside down. I've found this hard to do, and keep enough air.

 

[mollyc]

You have to be a lot closer to the wall than you would expect to do a flip turn. And yes, you breathe out while flipping.

 

[jaduff46]

Got into TI when I was working in NYC before retiring in 2014. Never did any freestyle growing up, but joined the Y and started. Could barely do 400 yards when I started, but then found TI and just kept getting in the pool at 530AM,encouraged by others, and eventually got it up to 2,000 yards every day. Had to relearn flip turns too as I ways always a breaststroker.

Fortunate to see the post to inspire me to get back into it!

John

 

[A.Goldberg]

Flipturns require a bit of practice but not too difficult once you get the hang of it. Ideally you should only be just over an arms length away from the end of the pool... the smaller you crouch into a ball the faster you turn. A lot of people make the mistake of turning on the wall while also flipping, which I think helps promote getting water in the nose and ears. Obviously breathing out slowly and strategically while flipping and the final body rotation back onto your stomach will prevent this from happening.

One of the best ways to practice flip turns is in a backyard swimming pool (ex 18x36' or better yet a 20x40'). You'll probably only end up taking a few strokes between effective turns.

They also make insertsble bulkheads that attach to the lane lines to shorten the distance of lap pools... but they cost like $2000.

 

[Huntn]

Flipturns require a bit of practice but not too difficult once you get the hang of it. Ideally you should only be just over an arms length away from the end of the pool... the smaller you crouch into a ball the faster you turn. A lot of people make the mistake of turning on the wall while also flipping, which I think helps promote getting water in the nose and ears. Obviously breathing out slowly and strategically while flipping and the final body rotation back onto your stomach will prevent this from happening.

One of the best ways to practice flip turns is in a backyard swimming pool (ex 18x36' or better yet a 20x40'). You'll probably only end up taking a few strokes between effective turns.

They also make insertsble bulkheads that attach to the lane lines to shorten the distance of lap pools... but they cost like $2000.

As I'm swimming for exercise vs competition, other than status, I think my dip spin has served me, although I admit at times I want the status of flip turn swimmer.

 

[A.Goldberg]

As I'm swimming for exercise vs competition, other than status, I think my dip spin has served me, although I admit at times I want the status of flip turn swimmer.

Hey, you can always challenge yourself just for the sake of challenging yourself.

 

[jaduff46]

Agree it's just getting comfortable with flipping. When I was doing 2,000 a day I could do about 1,500 with flip turns. Swam in the lane next a bunch of former college swimmers and just watched them underwater to pick it up initially.

Up to about 800 now but not flipping yet.

 

[960design]

I've been talking frequently about swimming in another thread on Exercise. I thought I'd have a dedicated thread for swimming.

Anyone use paddles? When I first saw them, I thought of them as cheating. But I understand they are good for developing strength. However, I'm also concerned about injury, and I read in an article they should not be used for more than 25% of your routine. Looking for advice on this.

As far as crawl, and common mistakes, I found this video to be very helpful. Will post more as I find them.

Competitive swimmer as a teen, water survival in military ( along with water combat - pretty awesome ), bi and triathlon swimming as well as a weekend swimmer as an adult. So I've been in the water my whole life, heck it pretty much surrounds me right now.

I used paddles to perfect my stroke as a teen, but as mentioned we only used them for about 15 minutes of a 2 hour workout, near the end we would use kick boards for about 15 minutes. I haven't used a paddle at all for years and years, but most of my swimming now is recreational.

It really comes down to just practice. The human machine is extraordinarily efficient. Put the time in and you will become an amazing swimmer. Time is key... 15 minutes a day will not cut it. I swam two hours (hard) for 6 days a week for 7 years.
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I don't either. I'm 52 now. I live in Colorado and I've never been skiing either.

What!? You only live once! Get out there this weekend ( or maybe next year )!