Hi...I feel somewhat intimidated posting here. I am late comer to swimming and a true beginner. I am a 43 year-old male who just took his first real swimming lessons at the Y (SF Bay Area) this summer. It was great. On the day I left, I swam 100y nonstop for the first time (although just barely).
Just today I had somewhat of a breakthrough at my condo lap pool (42m long). I had been swimming 8-20 laps of freestyle, one lap at a time. This evening, out of nowhere I swam 8 laps nonstop (340m). My previous best had been 2 laps. I should have pushed for 10, but I wimped out. Nevertheless, I was so excited that I joined this forum.:bliss:
Since the summer at the Y, I have been on my own without supervision. So I really am experimenting on each lap. What seemed to work was looking further back to the 7:30 position and trusting myself not to hurry with the stroke. For the first time, I did not feel as if making it across the pool was THE goal. In any event, I am sure this is like learning how to walk for you all, but I am almost to the point of being able to say "I know how to swim," something I have wanted to say and believe my entire life.
A couple of other things. I am many pounds out of shape but lost 30+ pounds this summer. And I am not very flexible at all (getting better with swimming?). My work schedule makes swimming a Wed-Monday affair, and often only Thurs-Sun.
OK..that should be enough background. My query. In lieu of finding a good teacher, what are some basic tips, online aids, links, etc. that you can recommend for an ultra beginner? I am an ex-engineer, so I like knowing what the heck I am doing (I once tried a teacher, who simply said "Don;t worry, just swim more and with less break and you'll get it--at this point I had no idea whatsoever and could only go 10m before dying). I have no one watching me, just my feel through the water and my fatigue.
Things I wish I knew more about (from my eyes) please excuse the laymen's terms..
Front Crawl
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* kicking--how much? How hard? what should I be thinking?
* arms--apparently, my arms are pretty straight. But when I try to get that bent-elbow, I feel as if I am rushing and getting far less per stroke.
* Pulling underwater, esp on the side I am not breathing. LOL! Sometimes my arms sits there like a rudder!
* body position when I am pulling on the opposite side as my breathing. Should my chest be perpendicular to the pool bottom or should by chest dip down at the left pec.
* coming down into the water and extending my arms: I have been tryign not to slap the water but knife through. But if I don;t flatten my plam after entry I feel I need to increase the speed of my stroke for fear of sinking.
Back
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I enjoyed learning backstroke at the Y, as it was easy to gauge my position and distance using the roof beams. Now I have only the open air and distant buildings. Since coming back home, I had trouble leeping water from flowing over my face and nose. I am either looking too far forward or looking to far back. In the past I would get in position to try to pull too hard, and was told to mellow that part out so as not to dip my shoulders. Any basic recommendations for how to stay focused?
In any case, I am sure the list of problems would increase by 10 fold were any of you to see me in the pool itself, but those are the six points that nag at me.
Any links, tips, etc,. would be awesome.
Sincere Thanks, LateComer
P.S. I do scan the web when I can and I will so a bunch of searches on this forum. But if there is anything that might be advice suitable to my particulars, it would be much appreciated. Cheers!:wine:
Former Member
LateComer - Welcome back to the water! You are so fortunate to reside in one of the best areas for open water swimming! I would suggest joining your area Masters swim program where you can receive coaching help with your specific concerns. This forum is very helpful too. Good luck!
Took swimming lessons at the beach for one year when I was 7. Then started swimming four years ago at age 40. It can be done.
Surround yourself with people who know how to swim and then try to keep up. Eventually you will. Join a masters group. If you can't do either of those, watch videos and then copy what they do.
It takes at least 3-4 years to really "get it".
I'm sure others will be along to give you some advice, but I'll tell you what helped me with eleminating the rushing the stroke to keep from sinking feeling and lengthing your stroke.
I bet you learned this in your swimming lessons too.
Did you do the catch up drill? You hold one hand out in front until your recovering hand 'touches' the one that you are holding out in front. When you do this slowly you will feel off balance and like you are going to sink... at least that was my sensation.
Press your chest down, lean on your armpit, it will cause your hips to float up and you won't get as much of that sinking (lol) feeling. In this position some folks describe they feel like they are swimming down hill. I don't feel like that I feel like I am pushing through the water very powerfully AND easily.
Lainey
LateComer it is very difficult to sink in the water. Just try it sometime. Take a good breath of air then try to sit on the bottom in about 4 feet of water. You will find the water pushes you to the surface.
Here is a thread to look at forums.usms.org/showthread.php
Hey Late Comer-
Great job. It is very, very hard to start swimming. I swam when I was younger for a couple years then I took 10 years off. I quit smoking 12 months ago and started swimming 10 months ago. It was one of the HARDEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE. I felt like dying everyday.
But after 7 months of training, I made my Olympic Trials cuts in two events and placed 25th in my best event at trials. Granted, I am highly athleticly oriented and only 23, but it is the best thing I have ever done for my health both physically and emotionally.
Just take it slowly and anything is possible. One year ago I thought I might be dying, I was coughing up black stuff and couldn't even jog a mile. Now, I lost to Michael Phelps by exactly 3 seconds at trials and I am already over a second faster than I was two months ago.
I think if you work hard at swimming and do at least a little more and go little harder everyday, you will soon find yourself highly accomplished at it. Have confidence, and in regards to your stroke just do what feels right. Don't overthink it. I sure don't, and I think it has worked well(What I really mean is I can't explain how to swim, I just mimic what I see others doing). Good luck!
Oh, and I train at Stanford. They have a great master's program. I don't swim with them but Tim Edmonds is a great guy/coach that runs a huge master's program. I sometimes see maybe 50 swimmers or more there on any given morning at 5AM. If you live near there give it a thought.
Front Crawl
-----------
* kicking--how much? How hard? what should I be thinking?
Look for Ande's "Swim Faster Faster Thread". He explains this much better than I could.
* arms--apparently, my arms are pretty straight. But when I try to get that bent-elbow, I feel as if I am rushing and getting far less per stroke.
* Pulling underwater, esp on the side I am not breathing. LOL! Sometimes my arms sits there like a rudder!
* body position when I am pulling on the opposite side as my breathing. Should my chest be perpendicular to the pool bottom or should by chest dip down at the left pec.
* coming down into the water and extending my arms: I have been tryign not to slap the water but knife through. But if I don;t flatten my plam after entry I feel I need to increase the speed of my stroke for fear of sinking.
It sounds like most of your problems start with your head position. Make sure that you are not raising your head, especially when you breathe. You should be looking at the bottom of the pool with your head in line with your spine. I don't think this can be overemphasized since you can think of your body as a lever with the fulcrum at chest level due to the air in your lungs. A VERY small change in head position can make your hips sink. Likewise, pressing down with straight arms will lift your upper body causing your hips to sink. If you are doing this to prevent the feeling of your upper body sinking into the water, you are fighting a losing battle.
Your breathing should be a natural extension of shoulder roll.
A long, long time ago a coach instructed me to imagine that I was reaching over a barrel to get the proper "catch" position at the front of my stroke.
I think there are a couple of concepts that will help you immensely:
1. Neutral head position.
2. Front Quadrant Swimming (FQS)
3. Swimming "downhill"
Here are a couple of links:
www.usms.org/.../articledisplay.phpwww.students.stedwards.edu/.../freestyle.htm
I'm sure you can find more and there are tons of videos on YouTube. I will caution you that there is some garbage online too. There are many knowlegeable (more than me!) people on this forum, so keep posting any questions you have.
Good luck,
Mike
Advice to a beginner.
1. Don't try to do too much at once.
2. And streamline. Streamlining is what makes you go through the water with lss effort, and makes effort give you more.
3. Practice, practice, practice.
Swim where good swimmers swim. Watch what they do and try to copy it.( I'm not too good at that and need someone to help me)
Take movies of your swimming and compare your stroke to good swimmers.
Most of all---Have Fun!
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your support and advice. After I posted, the market meltdown drove me 5.5 feet under and my swimming was set aside. But, I will try to absorb all these things and try them in the pool. Also I will look at all the URL links. Thank you.
Nevertheless, some good news to report. I went out two days ago and swam 1000 meters nonstop! 24@42m. It was wild. For the first time, I could actually relax and think of things other than swimming.
Today, I swam 6x4@42m, 1x2@42m as fast as I could, and then 2x8@42m. Over a mile. It was never difficult. I know I am a real beginner, but it really feels great to be able to swim without fear and without thinking just about surviving. So I am really game on trying to truly learn how to do things right.
I will spend the week working on a few things including flip turns and try to swim a mile nonstop. Let's see!!
LC
mjgold-thanks I will do the same!
norascats--I agree on all fronts and will do my best.
alphadog-thanks! I will try to see whether this is what I am doing. LOL!! It is funny how little I actually know about what I am doing. It does not help that we have no camcorder.
peeterdeeter--that is incredible! A generation ago I would have described myself in the same way, but making the Trials? Awesome! I wish I could be at Stanford no...although I am from the area, I actually reside overseas in Singapore...was at the Y to get my "first steps"
laineybug--I am admittedly terrible at practising. I just swim. I need to work in drills. I did do the cathc up drill, but have not done so for a while. I will try that and gain a similar sensation! Thx!
rtodd--I will do my best. When I was a runner, I loved running with peers. Never felt like a workout. I need to find someone in our building willing to go the same route.
lynnwa--Hopefully...I can find a Singaporean proxy for Stanford.
geochuck--much is in my head, I know. Here is what I was noticing, when I breathe to the left, my right arm inside of being out in front gliding (as I imagine it to be), drops down to 45% (pointing down and front). Why can't I keep my right arm in front of me? When I am not breathing and the arms are reversed I can more easily glide. I will try the things in the posts...
Hi NKFrench,
Sorry, I am not used to the syntax.
My workout today (in a 42m pool) was:
Morning:
3 sets of 10x42m free (untimed)
Night:
1 set of 20x42m free
All open turns.
Tonight for the first time, my daughter timed how long it took each length: 77-87 seconds. with the majority between 80-84 seconds, which I am imagine to be absolutely glacial... :snore:
In the morning, I tried counting the number of breaths per length. It was roughly 27 to 32.
I feel more and more comfortable but I do not feel long...nor do I feel comfortable as to how to use my arms underwater.
Right now I have no plan. I am just enjoying this first week of swimming what is for me to be long distances. So I am swimming without much of a plan...actually none other than to swim lots of lengths.
All comments/suggestions are welcome!
Thanks,
LC
