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Underwaters as you get older - How many, and can you improve on them?

67King

So I took up swimming as an adult, and I've been at it I think about 7 years, now.  COVID screwed it all up, I've not been the same since.  That point notwithstanding, I am wondering if anyone anywhere near my age is able to do underwaters well?  I'm 50.  If I'm doing more than a 50, I just can't continue to do more than 2-3 before I need to breathe.  Somewhat recently started training with a team.  One of the coaches who jsut wrapped up his collegiate career was encouraging/pushing me on some fly reps, with reduced breathing.  Was able to exceed his goal on the first rep.  Second I met it.  Then I was done.

Which has me wondering.....have I been selling myself short on 100's, 200's, etc. of free when I'm training?  I've just assumed that, given my age, there is no way to improve on underwaters.  I've tried, but just can't seem to.  So I'm wondering.....is my inability a mental block, or am I just too old to be able to do it?  The collegiate coach hasn't been around old guys, and he is a stellar athlete, so I'm not sure if his expectations are unrealistic, or I just lack teh confidence.

Anyone here able to knock out a decent number of underwaters on anything longer than a 50?  Has anyone wokred on improving them, and if you did, how did you do that?

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  • First I want to understand if by underwater you mean the number of dolphin kicks? If so, the second question is are you faster doing underwater, dolphin kicks or are you faster on the surface? If the answer is that you are faster, underwater doing dolphin kicks then you need to build it up slowly. I would suggest starting with 50s and start with three off of each turn. If that is really comfortable then do 4 off of each turn. Do not increase past the point where you’re slower underwater than on the surface. It will probably take you a couple of months to get up to six kicks  if that is your goal. Once you do 50s go to 75s and then build up 100s. But again I think the point is what is fastest for you. I don’t have a very good underwater dolphin kick and so I’m better off coming to the surface after 2 to 3 kicks.  it isn’t a matter of breath control for me as I do a lot of breaststroke pullouts in my workout, which have a significant length of time underwater. I’m just not a very fast dolphin kicker 

  • in reply to Allen Stark

    Thanks, Allen.  Whether it is number or time underwater, it is pretty much the same.  I can't hold my breath that long, and I'm trying to find out if that is a mental thing I need to learn to push through, or if it is unreasonable to think someone my age can have decent underwaters.  Sounds like I have a mental block.

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  • in reply to Allen Stark

    Thanks, Allen.  Whether it is number or time underwater, it is pretty much the same.  I can't hold my breath that long, and I'm trying to find out if that is a mental thing I need to learn to push through, or if it is unreasonable to think someone my age can have decent underwaters.  Sounds like I have a mental block.

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