Hi
I would really appreciate some advice. I'm really know nothing about this stuff. I always loved the sport of swimming and wanted to get better. I've been trying to swim 4-5 x a week but I'm really bad. I pretty much only go 2-4 lengths of the pool swimming freestyle without stopping. I'm 28 and in decent shape. I can jog on the treadmill for 30+ min without stopping, lift weights and play hockey.
I'm going to try to get a swim coach, but I am really curious...
Do some of you guys swim freestyle without stopping for 45 -1 hr straight? Do you kick the whole time? Maybe I'm swimming too strenuously...I'm trying to float more, it feels like I sink in the water. I've been watching videos on youtube. How do you swim slower without sinking? It feels like my swimming is using mostly just my arms...I have an idea in my head that most swimmers can swim for like 45 minutes without stopping.
Any other recommendations. My long term goal is to be a good, everyday swimmer. Eventually I would love to learn new strokes, etc.
Compared to running, swimming is a very technical activity. Because water is ~800 times denser than air, every small technical imperfection adds considerably to the drag you are trying to overcome as you attempt to propel yourself through the water. The key to greater swimming endurance for a beginner is almost always more a matter of technique than conditioning...especially for someone like you who has a reasonable base-line of fitness coming in.
There are many things to try to perfect, but the biggest gains can often be had from getting your center of balance down closer to your hips by keeping your head down. The kick isn't a big part of the typical long distance stroke; usually it's nothing more than a single "flick" with each stroke.
google "total immersion freestyle" for some tips on improving your technique for long distance swimming. Then get video of yourself swimming. It's sometimes hard to understand what you're doing wrong without seeing it on video.
As for swimming freestyle for 45-60 minutes straight, I don't but it's not because I can't. If I were training for Ironman triathlon or long distance open water events, it would make sense. I'm training for events that only last from ~25 seconds to 6 minutes, however, so my typical session is made up of many short, high-intensity repetitions with short rest intervals in between. If the occasion called for it, however, I have an "all day pace" I could break out, something almost akin to a fast-paced walk in terms of effort.
Compared to running, swimming is a very technical activity. Because water is ~800 times denser than air, every small technical imperfection adds considerably to the drag you are trying to overcome as you attempt to propel yourself through the water. The key to greater swimming endurance for a beginner is almost always more a matter of technique than conditioning...especially for someone like you who has a reasonable base-line of fitness coming in.
There are many things to try to perfect, but the biggest gains can often be had from getting your center of balance down closer to your hips by keeping your head down. The kick isn't a big part of the typical long distance stroke; usually it's nothing more than a single "flick" with each stroke.
google "total immersion freestyle" for some tips on improving your technique for long distance swimming. Then get video of yourself swimming. It's sometimes hard to understand what you're doing wrong without seeing it on video.
As for swimming freestyle for 45-60 minutes straight, I don't but it's not because I can't. If I were training for Ironman triathlon or long distance open water events, it would make sense. I'm training for events that only last from ~25 seconds to 6 minutes, however, so my typical session is made up of many short, high-intensity repetitions with short rest intervals in between. If the occasion called for it, however, I have an "all day pace" I could break out, something almost akin to a fast-paced walk in terms of effort.
