Hi Fellow Master's Swimmers!
I'm a fairly new swimmer and started to regularly swim since the March of this year. I've been slowly working on improving my freestyle technique and my endurance. I have to say that I have seen slow improvements in my technique. focusing mainly on my balance -- keeping my head down and engaging my core to keep me balanced. I'm working on my breathing but I still have some breathlessness after swimming 25 yards. At the beginning of my swimming adventure, I was sucking air after completing a length. Today, I am winded, but not as much. Nonetheless, I still have some breathlessness. My endurance has improved as I was able to swim 200 yards total, but now swim to 600-700 yards. And my rest intervals after each length have shortened to seconds. So, I am happy about the improvements. However, I am having this mental/psychological block of continually swim with no rest. I know I can do it and I have the endurance, but I just have this barrier or maybe a fear of continually swim. What am I afraid of? And I'm not sure how to break through this mental barrier. Any suggestions?
I am currently swimming 2-3 times a week. Each session is about a hour and about 600-700 yards. Most of my workout is drills on improving my balance mixed with drills to improve my pull/catch, rotations. And kicking drills too. I did take a few private lessons and was fortunate to find a great Master's team that was able to practice with and the coach has been great with giving me guidance on my technical improvement.
Anyway, I've enjoyed my swimming adventure. I actually like working out and look forward to my swimming workouts!
Cheers!
Josene - It sounds to me like you are working hard. Maybe too hard. Perhaps you could think more about gliding through the water, taking large, regular breaths, and not kicking too hard.
When I let myself get out of shape (all too often) and I'm coming back, the first week or two, I use "relax" as my mantra. Every other stroke. "relax (breathe) "relax" (breathe) "relax" breath.
It matters very much that I swim three time a week or more. Speed and intensity are mainly important as a hazard. If I swim, I'll get in shape. If I wear myself out, it will just make me feel bad after the workout.
After you can easily swim half a mile or more, then, yeah, push yourself. Until then, IMO, the best you can do for yourself is to feel good in the water.
You might consider a lesson or two. A little technique can ease your flow through the water - and a lesson is often a pretty good workout in itself.
Josene - It sounds to me like you are working hard. Maybe too hard. Perhaps you could think more about gliding through the water, taking large, regular breaths, and not kicking too hard.
When I let myself get out of shape (all too often) and I'm coming back, the first week or two, I use "relax" as my mantra. Every other stroke. "relax (breathe) "relax" (breathe) "relax" breath.
It matters very much that I swim three time a week or more. Speed and intensity are mainly important as a hazard. If I swim, I'll get in shape. If I wear myself out, it will just make me feel bad after the workout.
After you can easily swim half a mile or more, then, yeah, push yourself. Until then, IMO, the best you can do for yourself is to feel good in the water.
You might consider a lesson or two. A little technique can ease your flow through the water - and a lesson is often a pretty good workout in itself.
