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
Since we're discussing your breathing technique in particular...again recognizing your overall good technique...but since it wasn't specifically mentioned in your OP...WRT to your breathing...you are exhaling underwater, aren't you? I have encountered other swimmers with issues similar to yours who have a generally good stroke. But then discover that their shortness of breath is due to them exhaling while their face is out of water, and they don't get a sufficient inhalation...which leads to reduced endurance.
Dan
Hi again and thank you for the advice you gave me.
I just lost an hour and a half of typing to you guys, so let's do this again. :D
"Yes, slow down, concentrate on breathing and increase your distance by one single lap each week. If your muscles are aching, they are not getting enough oxygen. If you are out of breath, you are going too fast, or not filling your lungs each time you breathe in, then getting into an anaerobic state" - I understand your point and agree with it, but if I slow down (I tried it before) that would mean that I glide more. As I mentioned I try to swim as close to the "ideal" as possible: tall in the water, body rotation, head position, relaxed recovery, high elbow, early vertical forearm, no scissors, but narrow kick, using lats, hand entry, pointing feet, no glide(just a little) you name it. How do I slow down? What do I need to do slower? I already have a low stroke rate. 23-25 stroke(1 arm cycle equals 1 stroke) in a 33 meter pool. Since I do(?) most of the things the way I supposed to I go "naturally" fast. I don't mean to brag here of course. I watch others swim it with something like 30-45 with a lot sloppier style, but I bet their muscles don't ache as much as mine after a few laps though. and they can go more laps without gasping for air. It puzzles me...
I will try again today with going slower and start to build up my laps one by one. Maybe not each day I go, but each week I will try and add one more lap of freestyle. Now that I haven't go swimming as many times as I normally do (which is 3/week) I need to catch up to my previous state of condition. I always include back and *** in my swimming too as a form of relaxing and to have a balanced body - muscle wise - after a few free laps too.
" I'd hardly say that someone who was on a national jump roping team is not athletic - the aerobic capacity for jump-roping is pretty incredible. - " What I meant is that she does not have your typical fit and lean body. In no way anyone would think that she can run a Marathon. She is short, has short legs and is overweight. No offense to her. What she has is a great aerob capacity or endurance/stamina I guess.
BTW I recently went to a doctor to test my fitness level on a treadmill (Bruce protocol). My score was 17.1 METS which is athlete level so I was told by the doctor after she complimented me.
I play water polo once a week (amateur level) and I am the one who can sprint up and down the pool at the very and of each game. And we swim/fight/shoot non-stop a good 45 minutes. No pauses, substitutions. The others can barely swim..
But then again last week I was playing indoor soccer (it's been a long time since I have done it) and I was dead tired after an hour. Not an athlete level I would say...
One more thin I have a flat back (Hypokyphotic thoracic spine) and I read it somewhere that this can cause underdeveloped lungs and cardiovascular system. So maybe that is the cause of my bad performance. Who knows.
"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.
"You might want to consider posting a video of your stroke here on the forum" - I will have someone to recored my swimming and post it to you guys/gals.
" do you go to the gym for any other type of workouts? " - I don't anymore. What I do occasionally at home are burpees, jump-squats, jumping jacks, plank, streches, pushups, etc. But it is not regular.
" maybe, for now, they (i.e. you) need to just leave all the swim toys on the deck and focus on swimming longer distances " - I don't bring these toys to the pool anymore, although I was thinking of using them again. I mean even elite swimmers use them. It certainly can help me too. I just don't want that that my swimming was only about using these equipment and not swimming normal freestyle without using anything.
Thank you again. I will try to add one more lap today and go slower/more relaxed.
Will let you know :)
Thank you again, but I have suffered an accident on the weekend. I was playing indoor-soccer with family and friends. One bad move and my right calf muscle got torn bad. I cannot walk now let alone going to the swimming pool or even drive. It will take a good 4-6 weeks for this to heal as I was told. I even have to give myself 10 shot into my stomach so I won't have a blood clot. Yay! :(
Hopefully around mid/late February I can return to the pool. :)
