Hi Everyone,
It's not my first time posting here (had different names I can't even remember) but I still trying to find a way to be able to swim many laps without having to stop for a few minutes after a few. I have seen it all/read it all/tried it all to no avail.
I have been suspecting that it has to do with my technique/breathing/muscle endurance/or all of these. I am a technical hermit and I can say that I have pretty good technique. Have been taking 1 on 1 coaching (I want to do that again by joining a swimming club that teaches recreational swimmers like myself). I've got many compliments as to my style. I can swim all strokes. When swimming freestyle I have high elbow, good DPS, etc. I have read tons of articles, watched days of tutorial videos, bought fins, pull buoy. I am fairly athletic, broad shoulders, lean and long (6'1") body I could go on and on for pages about my past with swimming and the things I have tried, but I won't. I wrote all these down so you get the picture a little bit of my background.
The question:
I have a coworker who is a girl, short (I'd say 5'5"), a bit overweight, but the firm kind and not full fat - but she is not athletic at all just by looking at her. Although she was a member of an elite Hungarian jump-rope team. She went all over the world (World Jump Rope where they won several golds,etc.), so she is/was good at it.
So this girl started swimming just recently and she can swim 1000 meters without stopping (mainly breasts, but free/back too) whereas I swim for years now and can hardly swim 200 meters before I have to stop. Also after a little preparation she was able to run the Marathon last year. again, she is not athletic and no one would pick her out of a line to run the Marathon...
Her resting pulse is like 40. What is it that she has and I don't? What do I have to work on? I kinda know it: endurance, cardiovascular strength, but I would like others to say it.
Sorry for the words I used when talking about her, but I had to be descriptive.
Thanks
"Why do you have to stop? Are you gasping for air or are your arms/legs getting too tired?" - yes, I have to gasp for air. My legs are not that tired.
I think this very much points to poor breathing technique. If you are fit and your technique is decent, and both seem to be true, you should be able to swim almost indefinitely if you can find the right pace.
And maybe you are trying to swim too fast most of the time. You should be able to slow down without adversely affecting your technique. Yes, you will glide more. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You can't swim exactly the same way for every swim duration/distance.
"Why do you have to stop? Are you gasping for air or are your arms/legs getting too tired?" - yes, I have to gasp for air. My legs are not that tired.
I think this very much points to poor breathing technique. If you are fit and your technique is decent, and both seem to be true, you should be able to swim almost indefinitely if you can find the right pace.
And maybe you are trying to swim too fast most of the time. You should be able to slow down without adversely affecting your technique. Yes, you will glide more. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You can't swim exactly the same way for every swim duration/distance.
