armed with my brand new pair of goggles, the knowledge i'd gained from this and other helpful sites, and not much more, i hit the pool for the first time just over two weeks ago.
being a runner, i expected my endurance to cross over to swimming.....man was i wrong. i was totally winded after just one lenght (25 yards). i had to rest for quite a while before i was ready to go again. all the while, there's a 76 year old pluggin away in the lane next to me. i'm thinking, how in the world does he do that?
two weeks later, i've discovered that even though the fitness gained in running doesn't cross over, the principles of endurance do. that is, large improvements can be acheived in the beginning. i can go for two laps (100 yards) non stop, and start back again without much rest.
one question. i'm breathing after each stroke cycle now(right-left-breathe). should i try to increase the strokes between breaths next or add another lap, or both?
tj
Parents
Former Member
Make sure you are stretching and getting in plenty of warmup at the beginning of your workouts. If you are getting winded before you get fully warmed up, it will ruin the rest of your workout.
There's nothing wrong with breathing every stroke cycle as a beginner. There are more important things to work on (head position, body roll, distance per stroke, relaxed arms during recovery) before you attempt to tackle alternate breathing.
The best way to learn is to either hire a personal instructor or join a masters team. If those are not viable options, the Hines book that the others have mentioned is a great place to start.
Make sure you are stretching and getting in plenty of warmup at the beginning of your workouts. If you are getting winded before you get fully warmed up, it will ruin the rest of your workout.
There's nothing wrong with breathing every stroke cycle as a beginner. There are more important things to work on (head position, body roll, distance per stroke, relaxed arms during recovery) before you attempt to tackle alternate breathing.
The best way to learn is to either hire a personal instructor or join a masters team. If those are not viable options, the Hines book that the others have mentioned is a great place to start.
