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
I had similar hesitation about joining a masters swim group when I saw that one was forming at my Y. At first, I figured it would be young studs who had been at it since 6 years old. But I figured it would do no harm to call the coach and present my situation (yes, I knew how to swim, having learned as a child, but hadn't done any competitive swimming except for the aforementioned mile open water swim). I have a running background, so I'm fit from that. But I wasn't sure whether that would be enough.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the coach was--sure, he said, come join us--you'll be fine! And while I was definitely not fast, he was wonderful with everyone, working with newbies like me as well as the advanced people, encouraging, pushing, teaching.... I learned a lot from him. After a while he had to drop the masters group b/c of starting grad school in physical therapy, but he definitely got me started and helped build confidence.
I was in other masters' groups on and off, some a better fit for me than others, but mostly good groups each in their own way. My current group is great and the two coaches have a similar enthusiasm and willingness to work with newcomers and slower swimmers that I experienced in my first group. They've definitely rekindled my ambitions (both of them have marathon swimming experience, and have gotten me excited to try some longer swims).
So my thought is, if the first group you find isn't a fit, try others. Each group has its own dynamic, but don't give up if if the first one you try isn't what you're looking for. And if you find a coach like my first one--or like the two I have now--stay with them and learn all you can from them.
Another thing I realized: not to go too much by a coach's age. The first coach I had was maybe a year out of college. And he was AWESOME! He told me he'd started coaching when he was in high school, and he had a gift for it.
It sounds as if you got some good instruction and should be ready to try the masters' team. And as my first coach used to say, "Do the best you can--don't worry about what the others are doing." I sometimes forget this, so I have to keep reminding myself of it.
I had similar hesitation about joining a masters swim group when I saw that one was forming at my Y. At first, I figured it would be young studs who had been at it since 6 years old. But I figured it would do no harm to call the coach and present my situation (yes, I knew how to swim, having learned as a child, but hadn't done any competitive swimming except for the aforementioned mile open water swim). I have a running background, so I'm fit from that. But I wasn't sure whether that would be enough.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the coach was--sure, he said, come join us--you'll be fine! And while I was definitely not fast, he was wonderful with everyone, working with newbies like me as well as the advanced people, encouraging, pushing, teaching.... I learned a lot from him. After a while he had to drop the masters group b/c of starting grad school in physical therapy, but he definitely got me started and helped build confidence.
I was in other masters' groups on and off, some a better fit for me than others, but mostly good groups each in their own way. My current group is great and the two coaches have a similar enthusiasm and willingness to work with newcomers and slower swimmers that I experienced in my first group. They've definitely rekindled my ambitions (both of them have marathon swimming experience, and have gotten me excited to try some longer swims).
So my thought is, if the first group you find isn't a fit, try others. Each group has its own dynamic, but don't give up if if the first one you try isn't what you're looking for. And if you find a coach like my first one--or like the two I have now--stay with them and learn all you can from them.
Another thing I realized: not to go too much by a coach's age. The first coach I had was maybe a year out of college. And he was AWESOME! He told me he'd started coaching when he was in high school, and he had a gift for it.
It sounds as if you got some good instruction and should be ready to try the masters' team. And as my first coach used to say, "Do the best you can--don't worry about what the others are doing." I sometimes forget this, so I have to keep reminding myself of it.
