Swimming laps

[Kram]

...with less chlorine fumes to breathe.

I actually like the smell of chlorine, weird I know..

 

[Black Diamond]

Each summer I get in the pool 3-4 times a week. I tap out 1-1.5 km. Problem is I can't tumble turn so while each lap is at a good tempo it doesn't flow as I'd like.

I did a 1km ocean swim down the coast a few months ago. It was great to give it a go and hopefully I can do the 2km event when it rolls around next year. They work just like fun runs so I certainly recommend it.

Swimming is also great for the back.

 

[Kram]

Most outdoor pool's are heated to 26 degrees during winter.

They aren't out here in the country.. only open in summer. Got an exercise bike and will have to settle for a few careful jogs/runs until then.

 

[estibador]

I actually like the smell of chlorine, weird I know..

Me too, I think it's just the nostalgia from my swimming days.

Walking into to a place like Challenge Stadium and smelling the chlorine in the air used to give me the same competitive buzz as the smell of deep heat in a footy change room.

 

[vonn]

Love swimming it's by far my favorite exercise.
When I use to train we did something like 20 laps each of freestyle and backstroke. We often alternated between butterfly and breaststroke and did less of them. It wasn't a 50m pool though so can't really remember the distance. I think they renovated too. When I'm in a 50m just swim for as long as i get tired. No use pushing.
Butterfly was my favorite stroke, so tiring but so beautiful when done correctly!

The advice I learnt breaststroke by (for beginners) was get a book, flip it open, bring it to you then close it. Obviously it sounds stupid without actions but I have to say it was quite effective in teaching the details of it.
As for butterfly the hardest thing for me at first was to find the right coordination. If you're just learning it get flippers to start off with, they give you the feel for when your body curves enough to push up. Another thing we did was single arm x2, breathe, swap arms breathe, then together x 2 repeat. I don't know why or what benefit it had but it was more tiring than butterfly IIRC. Practice makes perfect it's actually an easy stroke to master, just tiring. Ah this is so nostalgic!

 

[lincsPJ]

Finally got onto the waterproof iPod. Geez it makes my 45min staring at a black line more tolerable!

 

[sabre_ac]

I've started doing laps again as part of my exercise routine. Mainly because

1. I'm getting more niggling injuries lifting weights more than 3 times a week
2. I'm spending too much time at the gym, 40 minutes weights plus 40 minutes run is too long

Ideally if I can swim twice a week and do weights twice I'm doing well.

Is it possible to listen to your ipod in the water? (Waterproof case & earphones etc). I find cardio far easier with some pumping tunes.

 

[nicky]

Yes there are water proof ipods.

 

[Kram]

I just can't imagine swimming with headphones on..

 

[Silent Alarm]

This is preposterous! Swimming... with... electronics?! Get out. Back in my days we had Mars bars at the bottom of the pool for entertainment. None of this iPod s**t.

 

[nicky]

I'm with you guys as well. I listen to music all the time and quite enjoy the break I get from it when swimming.

 

[lincsPJ]

I just can't imagine swimming with headphones on..

i was skeptical how it would go. but it works just fine. ipod shuffle strapped to the back of the goggle strap. phones only run a few inches from the back of your head to your ear and are fitted like cheapie rubber noise reduction sets.

 

[Kram]

Had a great swim today, 40 degrees and pretty much had the whole 50M pool to myself the entire time

 

[Holy Foley!]

Started swimming laps for the first time today to improve fitness etc. I managed 3 x 50m laps (2 freestyle, 1 backstroke) at about 1:20 each, which I assume is really slow. Gotta start somewhere I guess, but I do feel better afterwards which is good. Is there any way to stop myself from swallowing water when I breath? I'm probably doing something wrong.

 

[chargers 09]

Started swimming laps for the first time today to improve fitness etc. I managed 3 x 50m laps (2 freestyle, 1 backstroke) at about 1:20 each, which I assume is really slow. Gotta start somewhere I guess, but I do feel better afterwards which is good. Is there any way to stop myself from swallowing water when I breath? I'm probably doing something wrong.

Ear on your shoulder when your breathing.

 

[Holy Foley!]

Thanks I'll start doing that. I also get a bit of the water that splashes up when my arm comes over, is this just bad technique?

 

[Kram]

Been having a bit of a go at breathing bilaterally this week, surprisingly getting the hang of it, need to rest more though because you get less air swimming I guess.

 

[lincsPJ]

Been having a bit of a go at breathing bilaterally this week, surprisingly getting the hang of it, need to rest more though because you get less air swimming I guess.

get used to it. bilateral breathing is a necessity if you're going to do regular swimming. i'd probably do a couple hundred meters breathing every 4th stroke, then cruise on bilateral breathing for about half hour, then i get tired and start breathing every 2nd or 3rd.

then i'm knackered after 40-45min.. unless a good song comes on.. then i'll push out a couple more

 

[estibador]

I coached a junior squad (8-12yo) a few years ago and the first thing I did was make them switch to bilateral breathing at training. So much better for developing a balanced technique.

 

[iDon]

Swim teacher here. We teach everyone from babies to teenagers and beginner adults to breathe every 3 strokes. Great to start with and gives you great rhythm.

 

[chargers 09]

Thanks I'll start doing that. I also get a bit of the water that splashes up when my arm comes over, is this just bad technique?

I disagree with the other posters. Don't breathe bialaterally until you've got the hang of breathing every second stroke. You should be blowing bubbles by the time your elbow is pointing towards the roof, so I'd say your breathing too long. it will help if you make sure you keep one eye in the water when you are breathing as well.

 

[chargers 09]

Swim teacher here. We teach everyone from babies to teenagers and beginner adults to breathe every 3 strokes. Great to start with and gives you great rhythm.

I don't get them breathing bilaterally until there comfortable breathing every 2 strokes.

 

[Freakie]

I was (still am from my one race this year) one of the better a/g swimmers in triathlon and still only ever breath to my right.... I also run a 2 beat kick...

 

[chargers 09]

I was (still am from my one race this year) one of the better a/g swimmers in triathlon and still only ever breath to my right.... I also run a 2 beat kick...

Swimming in open water requires a different to technique to swimming in pools though.

 

[vonn]

I would recommend only going through the arm motions and syncing that with breathing and finding that pattern. As stupid as it sounds to just stand there blowing bubbles and moving your arm it really does help. Do what you feel comfortable with, that said though training always taught us bilateral.