So I just started learning to swim. 23 years old. =)
Former Member
I didn't like the water when I was little and I've been ignoring the problem ever since.
Well, I went to Florida with my girlfriend a few weeks ago and she's quite a good swimmer -- effortless strokes. That did it. Time to learn, I told myself.
I ran into this forum searching the net, and I thought you folks wouldn't mind if I shared my experiences here. Maybe you can give me a pointer or two.
So I bought 10 hours of private lessons to start. My instructor is quite friendly and helpful.
I've had two hours of lessons so far. We've covered kicks, floats and breathing for now... no strokes yet.
On my back, without any assistance, I can swim a length of the pool just with my kicks, arms relaxed.
On my front I have no problem kicking either, but I don't have the breathing quite right -- it's been a bit frustrating.
(Swimming is hard! Can 99% of the planet really do this?)
I have several problems with the breathing:
1. I know I have to empty my lungs under water, but I blow bubbles, and more bubbles, and more bubbles... still more bubbles... and I find it hard to exhale completely. The water resists me.
2. When I turn up for air, due to the above problem, I usually haven't finished exhaling... so I finish exhaling out of the water (this would go
away if I could solve problem 1.) and then try to inhale. At this point I usually take in a bunch of water and I have to stop to catch my breath and cough up the water.
I think the major problem is actually 1. I have a feeling that if I could just empty my lungs fast enough while under water, I would probably be able to catch a very quick breath when I turn my head to breath.
Other than that, I'm also having minor problems with the front and back float. On the front float, my legs always sink. On the back float I do better, but I have trouble getting my midsection to the surface of the water, even with a really good push off the bottom to get me up there. But when my instructor physically pushes my skinny ass up there, then I can float for a bit.
I suppose my progress is pretty good for a complete beginner with a mere two hours in the water in his entire life, but it's also quite frustrating. I wasn't expecting breathing to be a big problem.
Right now I'm doing two lessons per week with my instructor. One half hour on Wed. and one full hour on Thurs. I have the time, willpower, and money to do more lessons per week... do you folks recommend this for someone at my level?
I think that's enough of my blabbing for now. =)
Parents
Former Member
Well I just got back from my lesson.
I can easily do a length of the pool with the backstroke now... and apparently my stroke is "really" good for a beginner -- angled close to the shoulders rather than spread out, and all that jazz.
I'm beginning to like backstroke because whenever I need air, I breathe in... no thinking required.
We tried treading water in the deep end today. No matter what I did, I could not stay afloat. Oh well. We'll try again. I'm going to beat eggs in my spare time.
But yes, on to breathing... everyone's tips here helped me a lot, even moreso than my instructor's. She holds her breath under water and then exhales as she comes up, which went counter to everything I"ve read online.
I tried exhaling ONLY through my nose and inhaling ONLY through my mouth, and for whatever reason, this completely solved my problem. (That and practicing in the shower.)
HOWEVER, I still have trouble physically getting my head out of the water on freestyle. We haven't added the strokes yet, but with or without a kickboard, I think I'm lifting my head a bit, causing my legs to sink, and then my head... just more practice I suppose.
The best I did was two full sets of breaths (in-out-in-out) while kicking before nearly drowning after swallowing a half-gallon of water trying to get a third breath. =)
Anyway, overall, front crawl breathing is better but I still need practice to swim a length, backstroke is amazing, can swim a length easily now, probably two, floats are a bit easier, treading water is impossible. That's where I'm at after three hours in the pool.
Well I just got back from my lesson.
I can easily do a length of the pool with the backstroke now... and apparently my stroke is "really" good for a beginner -- angled close to the shoulders rather than spread out, and all that jazz.
I'm beginning to like backstroke because whenever I need air, I breathe in... no thinking required.
We tried treading water in the deep end today. No matter what I did, I could not stay afloat. Oh well. We'll try again. I'm going to beat eggs in my spare time.
But yes, on to breathing... everyone's tips here helped me a lot, even moreso than my instructor's. She holds her breath under water and then exhales as she comes up, which went counter to everything I"ve read online.
I tried exhaling ONLY through my nose and inhaling ONLY through my mouth, and for whatever reason, this completely solved my problem. (That and practicing in the shower.)
HOWEVER, I still have trouble physically getting my head out of the water on freestyle. We haven't added the strokes yet, but with or without a kickboard, I think I'm lifting my head a bit, causing my legs to sink, and then my head... just more practice I suppose.
The best I did was two full sets of breaths (in-out-in-out) while kicking before nearly drowning after swallowing a half-gallon of water trying to get a third breath. =)
Anyway, overall, front crawl breathing is better but I still need practice to swim a length, backstroke is amazing, can swim a length easily now, probably two, floats are a bit easier, treading water is impossible. That's where I'm at after three hours in the pool.
