I'm 64, slightly asthmatic, in decent shape from years of bicycling, and swim in a pool disinfected with chlorine and ozone. I have a decent freestyle, but can't swim more than 25 yds. without gasping for breath.
My three theories are: 1) my heart muscle just doesn't have the strength to send the blood to my muscles, 2) my wind passages are closing up as an allergic reaction to the ozone, and 3) my stroke technique prevents me from getting a good breath of air. As to No. 2, if you google "ozone allergies", you'll see articles talking about how ozone triggers an asthmatic attack in asthma sufferers.
Does anyone have any theories about why I can't swim more than 25 yds.?
As someone who is asthmatic and began swimming a little older in life (in my 20s), here are my suggestions:
* take a hit of your inhaler just before getting in the pool
* bring your inhaler with you and have it on deck
* do whatever you can do swim a 25, get to the end.
* if you need to, then stop for a while. then swim a 25 back to your starting end.
* if needed, take another hit of the inhaler
When I first started swimming, I felt the same way. I read some books/magazine articles (the Internet isn't nearly what it is today back then). I made it a goal to swim a 25, then a 50...and kept going.
Occasionally I'll still encounter issues. Generally when my allergies are really bad, I'm swimming inside (with poor ventilation), I haven't been getting enough sleep, etc. But those times are very limited.
As someone who is asthmatic and began swimming a little older in life (in my 20s), here are my suggestions:
* take a hit of your inhaler just before getting in the pool
* bring your inhaler with you and have it on deck
* do whatever you can do swim a 25, get to the end.
* if you need to, then stop for a while. then swim a 25 back to your starting end.
* if needed, take another hit of the inhaler
When I first started swimming, I felt the same way. I read some books/magazine articles (the Internet isn't nearly what it is today back then). I made it a goal to swim a 25, then a 50...and kept going.
Occasionally I'll still encounter issues. Generally when my allergies are really bad, I'm swimming inside (with poor ventilation), I haven't been getting enough sleep, etc. But those times are very limited.
