Hi Everyone, I just registered today in hopes of getting some good information from experienced swimmers.
Me: I'm 39 years old, 6' 5", 225 pounds. I'm in good shape, I've played sports and been active my whole life. I'm a good runner (again) and a good cyclist. Because of my lack of swimming, I've only done team competitions or duathlons. I'm currently training for my first real triathlon (sprint distance .25 mi swim in San Pablo Bay, wetsuits allowed).
My Swimming: ...Is horrible. I took lessons when I was 8 and nothing since then. I've never been afraid of the water and I've always enjoyed playing in the water, surfing, snorkeling, etc. I took a few lessons last summer and finally learned to swim with my face in the water and rotate to breathe. Still, I cannot swim farther than 25 meters without stopping to catch my breath even if just for 15-20 seconds. I can easily do this for 20+ plus lengths. Unfortunately, there are no walls in triathlon and the water depth is usually greater than 3 feet! I've always envied good swimmers and though I've always been a good athlete, it is the one thing that has eluded me. I started taking lessons again with a different coach (this past Saturday).
Needless to say, I have a lot of questions and I'm hoping that you guys can help me out here. The more I try to study the skill of swimming, the more confused I get. Maybe I'm reading and thinking about it TOO much? I appreciate any feedback or advice.
Head Position: TI teaches head low in the water, eyes looking at the bottom of pool. My coach last summer taught the same thing. My new coach says head is way too low and making my breathing a lot harder than it should be. New coach says look at the opposite end of the pool. Which one is right? Some people say look at the floor 6 feet ahead. Is there a right and a wrong?
Kick: How do I develop a strong kick and do I need one? TI says no kickboard and to develop a non-overt kick. Both of my coaches said my kick stinks and put me on kickboards. When kicking, should the feet stay close together (i.e., pigeon toed)?
Breathing: Here's a good one.:wiggle: TI doesn't focus on breathing a lot in any of the materials that I've read or seen. My new coach says breathe out through nose and in through mouth. She also says breathe all air out before taking a breath. If I don't do this (except during extreme physical exertion on land) why would I do it while swimming the first event in a 3 event race? She also recommends NOT breathing every 2nd stroke but every 3rd (bilateral) or even 4th. As it stands now, I need to catch my breath after every 25 meters so I'm not doing something right. Am I breathing too much or not enough? Am I hyperventilating?
I'm starting to get frustrated and have doubts but I'm trying to keep a positive attitude but that little voice in my head keeps telling me "Other people are swimmers but YOU are NOT". I'm not ready to give up yet though. I dreamed of doing triathlons in the mid 80s and never did. I would like to accomplish this before my 40th birthday!
Sorry the length of the post, any help is greatly appreciated!!!!!!!
Former Member
:shakeshead: Im really having a hard time doing the dolpin kick when i do my butter so how can i fix that problem i will be doing my first swim meet in june i have been praticeing for the last month and it seems that im still not ready. i think that i just dont want to look like a fool in front of everyone
any advice please help:frustrated:
Hi there,
Until you feel comfortable with the dolphin kick - just skip it. Just do a regular flutter kick - it works just fine until you master the dolphin.
Holding your breath when you swim is sometimes good. But do not let it make you suffer later in the race. There are more important things to focus on, especially if you are new. The less you breathe the easier you will become tired, unless you have trained a lot at it. How many breaths you should take depends on your technique - how smooth your breathing is. There was a German swimmer who won the 50m free in the European Championships in the 80's who did breathe on every 2 strokes! I recommend that in the 50 free you try to breathe only a few times. But if you swim longer than that you will probably enjoy all the air you can get!
Hi Everyone:
I just wanted to close the loop with everyone who offered up advice. It helped a lot throughout this entire process.
My first triathlon was yesterday, and yes, I FINISHED! I actually finished the race AND I wasn't last. Can you believe I actually swam 1/4 mile in San Pablo Bay? It was surreal to say the least. 10 months ago I was just learning to blow bubbles in my hot tub and I have to be honest, with a job, a new baby and other responsibilities I almost gave up a couple of times. I just wasn't getting it. Until March, I could only swim about 25 meters at a time. One day something clicked with my timing and my breathing and everything seemed a lot easier.
I didn't swim as well as I wanted to in the race (a few things happened that threw me off) but I made it out and went on to feel pretty good on the bike and run.
Guys, I've been wanted to do triathlons since I was 15, and now just short of my 40th birthday, I finally did it! I'm already eyeing my next race :)
As an unexpected bonus to this whole journey, I've discovered a new sport that I'm just crazy about. I really love to swim now for the sake of swimming. I want to continue to get better, keep working, and keep swimming.
:weightlifter:
This is very inspiring to beginners! So is the "True Beginner" thread by LateComer (thanks to George who linked this thread in that one)! Obviously I need to set goals in my practice like Jeffy and LateComer. :D Salute to all who give so much valuable advice! :D
I've shared this same advice with others looking for help. As a beginner, it's so easy to get frustrated. This thread has helped me more than you can imagine!
