Hi all, i have just joined this forum. I am a 24 yr old female, who competive swam for 5 years from 1993-98. I am now getting back into the water again and have totally lost my lung capacity. .I had excercise induced asthma when i swam back in the day, but it was not a problem. now i am finding that i have to stop my workouts becuase i feel like i cannot get enough air. . i have started using an inhaler, but i still need to build my lungs up again. . .can anyone give any advice, exercises i could do to slowly bring me up again? i am breathing every 3 strokes about 90% of my workouts - which by the way are on my own - uncoached. but i am gasping for air coming out of my flip turns. . .any advice would be great! thanks a lot!
janelle
Parents
Former Member
Janelle -- I also have to do an inhaler. Today I forgot to take a blast before going out for my workout. I consdered getting out of the pool and going back to my locker for a puff, but the pool was filling up fast and I decided to gut it out rather than risk losing a lane.
Big mistake, today. :(
Listen to your body. Pull back a bit when your lungs are yelling at you and when your limbs seem to weigh a ton. Shorten your stroke a bit so that you get one extra breath each length. (meaning, you take some extra strokes each length.) Take longer recovery rests between sets. Do shorter sets. I managed to finish my planned distance today, but certainly not at the quality or time I was expecting when I left the house.
You will have stronger days. Revel in them. Just be sure not to push yourself beyond what your body can handle right now.
Reply
Former Member
Janelle -- I also have to do an inhaler. Today I forgot to take a blast before going out for my workout. I consdered getting out of the pool and going back to my locker for a puff, but the pool was filling up fast and I decided to gut it out rather than risk losing a lane.
Big mistake, today. :(
Listen to your body. Pull back a bit when your lungs are yelling at you and when your limbs seem to weigh a ton. Shorten your stroke a bit so that you get one extra breath each length. (meaning, you take some extra strokes each length.) Take longer recovery rests between sets. Do shorter sets. I managed to finish my planned distance today, but certainly not at the quality or time I was expecting when I left the house.
You will have stronger days. Revel in them. Just be sure not to push yourself beyond what your body can handle right now.
