Will try to keep short....
53 year old geezer in good physical shape. currently completed one of two (stroke lessons) as I've not had a swim lesson in 40plus years.
I've been in the pool working out for about 6 weeks now....here's where I am:
- have recently treaded water for 30 mins,
- can do 2 mins hands above water tread,
- swam a mile continuous (little wall push) earlier this week via ***/side/free/back stroke sets (each 50 yards) for 1750 yards. super casual pace and felt good at end - not completely fatigued.
- today's swim: 250yds *** 7 mins, rest 2 mins, 250yds side 6 mins, rest 2 mins, 205 yards free 5 mins.
I'm not getting muscle fatigue in the 250 free...but finish winded - other strokes I could have gone farther. I continually exhale when face down, but am only good breathing (inhale) on right side...I tried to bilateral breath today - crazy difficult for me. and I'm trying to continuously exhale whenever face down.
My goal is to be able to swim continuously for a mile or so (freestyle stroke) without stopping....I think my biggest problem is breathing rhythm(??) Any thoughts/exercises to try? When I practice breathing to left I can't barely do a 50!
Thanks
All: A bit surprised no one has responded given two days since I posted my question.....I'm guessing because this is my first post(??)
If I need to provide more info or background on my swim ability I'd be more than happy too....
Thanks in Advance,
When starting out, swimming is more a technical activity (proper form, streamline, position, etc). Once the basics are met and your swimming efficiently it becomes more a conditioning activity.
... am only good breathing (inhale) on right side...I tried to bilateral breath today - crazy difficult for me ... When I practice breathing to left I can't barely do a 50!
Stop trying to breathe to the left. I've been swimming 47 years & have never once taken a breath to the left. IMHO, bilateral breathing is overrated (until you get to fairly high levels of the sport).
I'd recommend you join a coached masters program if you really want to see improvement. It sounds like you could use some more instruction to make breathing easier and the best way to improve your endurance would probably be to do some structured interval work outs. Just my 2 cents... :)
Re bilateral breathing... I'm in my 60s--started masters swimming 10 years ago. Have good endurance, no speed but can swim for a long time (5+ mile open water swim in Aug. for instance).
A few years before starting masters swimming, I decided to try an open water mile swim--I was an injured runner, swimming while rehabbing, so I gradually developed more endurance and gradually replaced my very slow breaststroke with less slow freestyle so I could finish the race before the officials took up the finish line and went home. :) That went okay--I didn't even finish last (second to last, but not last).
After a few years of letting swimming slide, I joined a masters' group out of curiosity. The coach kept pushing me to learn to bilateral breathe--it was VERY hard for quite a while. I typically breathed to the left side, and attempts to breathe to the right resulted in a lot of sputtering and choking. But now it's such second-nature to bilateral breathe that I don't even think about it.
While viewpoints differ on the value of bilateral breathing, I'm glad I do it easily now b/c it helps in open water--it allows me to get a view on both sides and recover quickly if a wave smacks me while I'm breathing to one side or another. But that's me--YMMV.
Good luck and enjoy!
In the beginning, I had trouble breathing to my left as well. In my case, I had less range of motion with turning my head to the left. After a few months of stretching, my left was as good as my right. Once, I got the hang of body rotation, I didn't have to turn my head very far at all. I'm glad that I worked on bilateral breathing, because it made me address some assymmetry issues. Good luck!
If you exhale only through your nose you can't exhale as fast to get a complete exhalation.If you exhale only through your mouth you tend to get water in your nose.
I was exhaling just thru my month when I started a month or so ago....then I started exhaling thru both nose and mouth. Lately it seems I'm primarily exhaling thru nose although I think I'll doing both (nose and month) if I feel I need to exhale a little more right before rotating to breathe. I know my instructor told me to just exhale thru my nose.
ElaineK: curious as to your reco'd "both" comment...can you expand as to why?
Thanks!
I've intrigued with the comment about joining a Maters swim team......aren't these guys/gals who have a loooong history of swimming and very accomplished? I envision they jump in the pool and swim 500 and 1000's like nobodies business. I'm concerned my current endurance as laid out in my orig post isn't quite enough(???)
The term "Masters" isn't meant to mean anything more than 18 and over. This forum is composed of masters swimmers of all backgrounds and ability levels. I coach a team in Houston with a wide variety of swimmers. We have fitness swimmers (like yourself) who have no formal swimming background and are just learning how to correctly do their strokes and how to train. Working with a coach and teammates is probably the best way to improve your strokes and your endurance. I don't know where you live, but you can look on the USMS site for a team near you to get more information :)
