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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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  • My experience with SDK (streamline dolphin kicking) was one of ceaseless frustration. Swam as a kid 9-18 y.o. Swam recreationally most of my adult life, at varying levels of frequency and intensity. At 45 I stared to train seriously again and compete in pool competitions. One of the big changes in that 27 year gap was development of the SDK. I could see that for people who are good at it, it is a tremendous weapon. Over a period of many years I made a concerted effort to develop my SDK  skill. I tried doing repeat 25s SDK at the end of every practice. I tried adding N SDKs off every wall. I tried with fins. I did an absolutely insane amount of leg lift and core exercises. Yes, my SDKs got better, but the best I was able to do was about 3-4 seconds slower, per 100, doing SDKs than simply doing a powerful flutter kick and getting to the surface quickly. Yes, there is an oxygen penalty so that the longer you are underwater the deeper into oxygen debt you go, and I certainly do not have an impressive lung capacity, but I don't think that was the limitation. I eventually reached the conclusion that I lack the shoulder flexibility to get into a sufficiently good streamline position to make the SDK effective. My arms are not in-line with my torso but always at an angle so that I am plowing water. Yes, I worked extensively on stretching, but the difference between the shoulder mobility I was able to gain and what I would need to gain to develop a good streamline is very great. It was a pretty depressing realization that came over a period of many years. I would watch videos and see myself get destroyed on the walls by swimmers that I would outswim between the flags. LCM is definitely a step in the right direction.
    Haven't been in a pool since Feb. 2020. I miss swimming, but the realization that I'll never have a good SDK is kinda depressing because today, swimmers spend a huge fraction of their races underwater.

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  • My experience with SDK (streamline dolphin kicking) was one of ceaseless frustration. Swam as a kid 9-18 y.o. Swam recreationally most of my adult life, at varying levels of frequency and intensity. At 45 I stared to train seriously again and compete in pool competitions. One of the big changes in that 27 year gap was development of the SDK. I could see that for people who are good at it, it is a tremendous weapon. Over a period of many years I made a concerted effort to develop my SDK  skill. I tried doing repeat 25s SDK at the end of every practice. I tried adding N SDKs off every wall. I tried with fins. I did an absolutely insane amount of leg lift and core exercises. Yes, my SDKs got better, but the best I was able to do was about 3-4 seconds slower, per 100, doing SDKs than simply doing a powerful flutter kick and getting to the surface quickly. Yes, there is an oxygen penalty so that the longer you are underwater the deeper into oxygen debt you go, and I certainly do not have an impressive lung capacity, but I don't think that was the limitation. I eventually reached the conclusion that I lack the shoulder flexibility to get into a sufficiently good streamline position to make the SDK effective. My arms are not in-line with my torso but always at an angle so that I am plowing water. Yes, I worked extensively on stretching, but the difference between the shoulder mobility I was able to gain and what I would need to gain to develop a good streamline is very great. It was a pretty depressing realization that came over a period of many years. I would watch videos and see myself get destroyed on the walls by swimmers that I would outswim between the flags. LCM is definitely a step in the right direction.
    Haven't been in a pool since Feb. 2020. I miss swimming, but the realization that I'll never have a good SDK is kinda depressing because today, swimmers spend a huge fraction of their races underwater.

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