I started swimming in April.
I am 52 and am not a thing of beauty in the water. I am slow, I can only breathe on my right side, and usually getting kicked by other swimmers when I have to share lanes. (Which I am not sure is normal? But it does take some getting used to...)
When I cannot get to the pool I facilitate with a Schwinn Aridyne, or lifting on a Soloflex.
Growing up in the Sierra foothills I swam a lot as a kid (not anything organized), but this has been a real eye opener in terms of a "different" kind of fit. I thought I was in shape because I was piling up miles on the Airdyne, my first time in the pool I had to grab the side after the first half lap. I can freestyle for an hour now (I have no idea how many laps...).
I am thinking of getting lessons at the local university (where I swim). But all in all, it has been a great challenge for me.
Find a masters swim clinic. I've been swimming on and off for at least 30 years. Only a year ago did I get somewhat serious about it. I would get a hand collision from time to time when sharing a lane until last year. I started taking swim clinics from a Triathlon coach in Feb. 2016 and she immediately corrected my stroke. No more fist bumps since then. After several clinics, I think I now have a fairly good stroke, although my kick is next to non-existent. And I still breathe on the right only. I've tried alternating left & right but it feels awkward, so right side only is working fine and I'll leave it that way. I still can't do a flip turn, but then I want to primarily do open water swims where there's no turning anyway.
I got some good tips on here. I watch videos. After the bad incident (one in a long line) I don't think I will have a coach or masters' swim group any more. Tired of getting crapped on and shoved to the side. You really want to find out about these places before you get involved in with them.
I don't want to discourage you but rather speak the truth. What happened to me, and what I haven't said, has been quite the eye opener in terms of attitude and support from masters' groups.
But all in all, it has been a great challenge for me.
You're not alone. I think you've discovered what others who are otherwise in good physical fitness find when they come into swimming. When I was on active duty in the Navy I was frequently assigned as my unit's fitness coordinator, responsible for overseeing semi-annual fitness exams. Occasionally, folks who were otherwise in good physical condition would attempt to do the 500yd swim, instead of the 1.5 mile run, for their test -- and they'd fail. Oh sure...they were in shape, and could 'swim'...but they weren't a "swimmer" and figured they could just "muscle" their way through the 500 yards...to discover surprisingly at about 100 yards that they couldn't make it. They didn't realize the technique that really goes into it. So just keep with it, get some lessons, and it will become easier for you with time and practice. Good luck.
Dan
Every masters than I have been on has helped me nicely and pleasantly. Sorry about your bad experiences on some team or coaching matters. Yes , swimming is a real surprise to many that think they can swim any distance more than a lap or two. I coached HS girls & boys team for 34 seasons. Many a "tough guy" type of another sport was embarrassed by the "skinny or chubby kid" that kept right on swimming when they quit and hung on the side!!
I appreciate that. There are good and bad times but when it went down from 4 lanes to 2, that's when things got ugly. One guy who used to swim with me could no longer do that because we are lane 5 now and not 8, and like he said he was a bigger guy. In the end lane, I could easily accommodate any one & did. I'd always ask unless I knew if they were ok with me doing fly, IM because I know that does unnerve people. Now, when you have a larger triathlete who is trying to pass and snake thru myself and the other guy, so we both have to jerk up short (I never got a tap or any notice of passing), it just doesn't work. The bigger guy I used to swim with had to give up masters' swimming because the other fast lane, he couldn't do. He also did open turns and I flip turn. Not a problem.
I think they can swim but the reason the coach did the workout he did was to build up ability to swim farther consistently & faster. He isn't asking for negative splits but if you have more than 15 seconds between the rest periods for a hundred, slow down and save energy to pace yourself. If you are a triathlete, you have to be able to swim .6 mile in most of the tri's here. Barrelling down for a 50 or so for a few hundred yards, and then you keep needing longer and longer breaks, why do you think the coach gave the workout he did?
Maybe they needed to stop and think why the little middle aged handicapped chick is able to do the Coaches' workout on a fairly consistent time rather than trying to bust up someone elses' workout. I have done triathlons, and I know the swimming mentality but you are coming to masters' swim practice to learn. Swimming over people is what happens in a triathlon, not pool circle swimming.
Every masters than I have been on has helped me nicely and pleasantly. Sorry about your bad experiences on some team or coaching matters. Yes , swimming is a real surprise to many that think they can swim any distance more than a lap or two. I coached HS girls & boys team for 34 seasons. Many a "tough guy" type of another sport was embarrassed by the "skinny or chubby kid" that kept right on swimming when they quit and hung on the side!!
Tensolator --- how are things working out?
Things are going well thanks you. I swam a mile for the first time Wednesday. Then today I swam close to a mile again. Certainly not with speed. (It takes me an hour.) I swim at 5:00 AM. By 6:00 AM the pool starts to fill up with 2-3 people per lane. If I had space I think I could swim 90 minutes at least instead of just 60.
Again, thank you for asking.
T.
