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.
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.
