Hi,
My ultimate goal is to be able to swim 3000 meter freestyle without stopping (doing flip turns). And be able to swim butterfly for a not just one lenght.
I do not have date in mind, I just wanna be able to do it sometime in the future.
I swim regulary 2-3 times a week, but not for a long time. Swimming was always a favorite for me, so I taught myself from books, articles, youtube, etc. I am a 'technical guy', when it comes to swimming. I know all the aspects of it or almost. I had a coach for a short period of time and also I was swimming with a team a for a little while.
The problem is with my endurance. My cardivascular system (lungs, heart) is weak...my legs too...
I swim 1 hour a day now and around 2000-2300 meter, doing breaststroke, backstroke, double handed backstroke ( to relax). I use fins for kicking and also using them for back, free, and a little butterfly (dolphin without the hands). So as you can see, I try to mix it. The problem is that I need to stop after 1 or 2 lap..
My question is this: which is the best approach so I can swim without stopping at the wall almost every time?
1. Should I start swimming longer time?
2. keep the 1 hour, but try to gradually increase the laps by forcing myself to go on and not to stop? Also try to do more and more freestyle and leave breaststroke?
3. If I wannna swim freestyle should I just do that and only that? 1 lap at the time, then rest and again until I can do more and more.
4. Join an adult swim training? ( there is one at the pool I go to).
Thank you for you answers.:agree:
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Former Member
Thank you for the advices.
As I said I am thinking about joining the swim team. Until that happens I will take all of your advices.
Breathing IS a problem for me. That's for sure. I know I have to inhale as soon as I merge my head back in the water after inhaling, but even if I'm fully aware of it I find myself holding my breath for a while. Oddly - or not so much maybe - but when I don't concentrate on breathing or/and other aspects of freestyle so much I can swim a length with ease and without gasping for air. In these cases I don't even need to breath for the whole 33 or maybe once. I wish I coud do that all the time...it does not happen often.
I took your advice mlabresh and swam slower (I've read it somewhere and tried it before myself). I have to continue to do that as it did help me.
I swim front-quadrant "by nature". I like the idea of long, relaxed strokes as opposed to "fast splashing". I had practiced catch-up drills, fingertip drag before and I will keep on doing them.
@Kevin in MD: dunno about the kicking (I have a weak kick and I'll try to swim with a 2 beat kick after having stronger kick). But I think you are right on with the lack of breathing. I always have to force myself to breath on every 3-4 or even5 strokes. It feels good not to breath, but as I read the CO2 will build up:
"2) When you are holding your breath you can feel that you need to breathe. The sensation you are feeling is not the lack of oxygen, it's the build up of CO2. By holding your breath you are keeping the CO2 in your blood stream and lungs - this makes you feel desperate for air."- Swim Smooth
So yes, I should exhale completely under water. Which I don't do...
I used to swim with pull buoy all the time, because it is so much easier than without it. But I also read it somewhere that while it is easier to swim with it, it will not solve the problem, which is in my case the weak legs. It further weakens my leg by not eliminating it. I tend to agree with this idea.
From my experience I can tell you that I can swim more without using my legs. Which means what exactly? Weak legs? Bad balance? Both? Would be good to know.
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Former Member
Thank you for the advices.
As I said I am thinking about joining the swim team. Until that happens I will take all of your advices.
Breathing IS a problem for me. That's for sure. I know I have to inhale as soon as I merge my head back in the water after inhaling, but even if I'm fully aware of it I find myself holding my breath for a while. Oddly - or not so much maybe - but when I don't concentrate on breathing or/and other aspects of freestyle so much I can swim a length with ease and without gasping for air. In these cases I don't even need to breath for the whole 33 or maybe once. I wish I coud do that all the time...it does not happen often.
I took your advice mlabresh and swam slower (I've read it somewhere and tried it before myself). I have to continue to do that as it did help me.
I swim front-quadrant "by nature". I like the idea of long, relaxed strokes as opposed to "fast splashing". I had practiced catch-up drills, fingertip drag before and I will keep on doing them.
@Kevin in MD: dunno about the kicking (I have a weak kick and I'll try to swim with a 2 beat kick after having stronger kick). But I think you are right on with the lack of breathing. I always have to force myself to breath on every 3-4 or even5 strokes. It feels good not to breath, but as I read the CO2 will build up:
"2) When you are holding your breath you can feel that you need to breathe. The sensation you are feeling is not the lack of oxygen, it's the build up of CO2. By holding your breath you are keeping the CO2 in your blood stream and lungs - this makes you feel desperate for air."- Swim Smooth
So yes, I should exhale completely under water. Which I don't do...
I used to swim with pull buoy all the time, because it is so much easier than without it. But I also read it somewhere that while it is easier to swim with it, it will not solve the problem, which is in my case the weak legs. It further weakens my leg by not eliminating it. I tend to agree with this idea.
From my experience I can tell you that I can swim more without using my legs. Which means what exactly? Weak legs? Bad balance? Both? Would be good to know.
