Hi! I'm a brand new swimmer, sort of. I swam on swim team for one summer in high school, and enjoyed it, but didn't continue. Here I am 21 years later, having spent most of the last 21 years at a desk sitting down, and I can't even remember HOW to do three of the strokes. I've been doing freestyle drills (to try to remember how breathing works) and what feels like billions of laps of breaststroke 5-6 days a week for about four weeks now. After the first three weeks I wanted some way to challenge myself and set goals, so I started this program:
ruthkazez.com/ZeroTo1mile.html
It assumes freestyle but I literally can only do breaststroke right now so I'm doing that.
My long term goals are pretty simple. I'd like to swim a mile ***, and a mile free, and become a competent enough swimmer to join a masters program. Not sure if I will ever want to compete, but community and a coach would be a great thing to have.
Shockingly to my previously almost entirely sedentary self, I love it. I love being in the water and I love what happens after I flail around a little at the beginning and all of a sudden I feel like I could probably just swim forever and I love how hard it is sometimes and it just feels great. I don't think there is any other sport or exercise that I could say that about. So that's pretty cool. :)
I have questions about technique, rest days, strength training, and avoiding injury. Hoping I can learn and build some community here. :)
If you are swimming more laps than you can count, the $80 Swimovate Poolmate 2 watch works fine so long as you follow the instructions. Specifically don't stop or change strokes mid lap and make sure to push off from the wall strongly. It is is a little primitive as far as swim metrics, times, interval counting etc. For that you need to upgrade to something like the $150 Garmin swim or the even pricier triathlon watches. I used the poolmate for about six months, but as I became a more experience swimmer outgrew it and wanted something more advanced that was suitable for open water and triathlon.
If you are swimming more laps than you can count, the $80 Swimovate Poolmate 2 watch works fine so long as you follow the instructions. Specifically don't stop or change strokes mid lap and make sure to push off from the wall strongly. It is is a little primitive as far as swim metrics, times, interval counting etc. For that you need to upgrade to something like the $150 Garmin swim or the even pricier triathlon watches. I used the poolmate for about six months, but as I became a more experience swimmer outgrew it and wanted something more advanced that was suitable for open water and triathlon.
