Hi, guys, I'm 20 years old and I've decided to take up some swimming classes for my next quarter. I have been out of athletics for a very long time (for seven years). I haven't done any consistent exercise since my sophomore year HS PE class, and that was almost five years ago. On top of that, I am a writer with all the usual cliché ambitions so I spend a lotta time on my ass. I was looking at some writers' bios recently and you know what I noticed? Very many of them have short lifespans! Haha... oh no. So I realized very quickly I needed to develop a "core exercise" for myself. Since it's a bit late to do anything that's a team sport, it obviously has to be individual. I hate running. Lifting is a bore. Golf is... not ideal. Actually, to be honest, the decision was rather quick. I chose swimming. Now this is very odd for one reason... I'm hearing impaired. How will I hear the instructor/coach? Believe it or not, I actually hear better, much better, when I'm in the water. Go figure. Obviously, not as good as when I'm out of the water with my hearing aids in, but there's something about being in a pool or a body of water that just helps me hear better. For example, I did some laps recently. When I checked in with the lifeguards, I had to ask them to repeat themselves. Then I got in a lane and struck up a conversation with a very buoyant, soft-spoken fellow next to me and not once did I say, "What?"
Maybe the soundwaves bounce against the water and, naturally, my head is in the thick of it?
But I digress...
I'm going to swim. Thankfully, I already know how. I'm sure many of the technique junkies are ready to contend this! I took swim lessons when I was a wee lad, loved it all except the springboard. Then I jumped and I loved that too. I can't dive, though... I do the, what is it, the bunny hop? My legs bend when I go into the water. Anyway, hahah, once I remember arguing with a swim instructor at a Water Babies school (and he was an Olympian) about the word "freestyle"... it was my first argument over semantics. He tells me to do some freestyle and then I start swimming backstroke (my favorite back then). I figure, "free... style", right? So I do whatever I want! How did they start calling it "freestyle" anyway?
So my swimming never really got anywhere but then along comes eighth grade and I'm figuring out what I want to do with high school. I let the family know I'm interested in swimming or water polo... something water related, you know? My brothers absolutely hated the idea. They tried to get me interested in football and wrestling, even started teaching me moves... well, of course, I hated that idea. My goal the entire time had been to distinguish myself from the rest of the family, you know? Well that did go somewhere... I ended up joining nothing at all. Not good. But on the flip side, I did write more than I would've, and that's always good.
So for most of high school and the beginning of college, I was extremely inactive. I also gorged myself on sodas and candy. Plus, I all but eliminated breakfast from my diet. I wonder if I stunted myself at all. I know for a fact I measured 6'2 without shoes in my sophomore year and then about a year ago my dad measured me and I was 6'0... oh dear God. At least I put on weight well. In senior year when the homeroom teacher asked us all for our weight, and I said 234, everyone in the classroom was audibly disbelieving. But the scale does not lie.
Now that I'm getting back into things, I've been on a diet. Quite pleased with my results so far. After losing about seven pounds last summer for my brother's wedding, I lost about another four pounds until the week of Thanksgiving last month when I eliminated soda and candy. That hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I've gone from 223 to 208 where I am now. I also measure 6'1.5 now. Naturally I've been curious about some of my bodily dimensions... I'm quite pleased to have a 6'6 armspan. I wish I had larger feet though (size 12). I don't think there's much I can do about that.
Sorry if this is all very long-winded or totally tl; dr!
I like this forum a lot. I've been lurking here for about a week and looking at threads old and new. It's awesome that you all capitalize the beginning of your sentences and end them with periods.... unlike some other places I could name.
So now... whose bums do I have to kiss? :bow:
Meh. My internet has been terrible since the New Year. Less time on my butt, I guess, though I do sorely miss YouTube.
So, I've been on a swim team for a week now. It's... not as killer as I thought it would be. Is there something wrong with this picture? I'm not dying every time I get out of the pool, not even close to it. Should I swim more? Push myself more?
I have no perspective here. :confused:
Earlier I tried my hand for the first time at flipturns. I've got the somersault down, now I just have to time them right for optimal blast-off. :) And this morning I think I did my first semi-successful dolphin kick... but I ended up in like... the middle of the pool before I hit the surface.
Question about exhalation: isn't there some kind of trick swimmers use to exhale nice and easy underwater so they can inhale real quick? Every time I exhale, nose or mouth, huge bubbles clobber my face and obviously slow me down.
I don't think you should be dead after every practice or session in the pool. There is a comfortable medium you will generally find when doing a swim workout. On the same hand, the body can take quite a bit more punishment then you might initially think you are capable of - build the endurance by adding on a few yards/meters when you have the time and the opportunity.
A note on turns - I find you should swim in rather close to get optimal power off the wall. I take my final arm stroke at the "T" on the bottom of the lane, and then roll the rest of the way in. Personally, I like my knees bent at a 45 to get solid pushing power but not be too "balled up" on the way.
Former Member
lainey, yeah, we got the whole hearing (or lack of it) thing squared away. The funny thing is, it actually gets me more attention than I would if I were a hearing person. At least enough to compensate, anyway. :)
As for waterproof cases, etc... hmm, I don't know, but I doubt it. I am seeing my audiologist soon. I will ask him about it. There's actually a new hearing aid called Lyrica that's worn deep in the ear canal and you don't take out for like eight months at a time... doesn't come out for showers, pool, nothing. Those are a small fortune, though, I bet.
q, I want to work on all the strokes! I'm a renaissance man. My levels of competency: 1.) free, 2.) back, 3.) ***, and way far down... 4.) fly. I'm thinking I should do a lot of butterfly all the time so everything else is way easy by default. At the end of two laps of that stroke, I am the RMS Titanic. :drown:
Thanks for the advice! I'm actually quite good at the whole "head in neutral" thing... I think that has something to do with a built-in tolerance for looking at monotonous, bland things all day (like blank white pages). I didn't literally mean the bubbles were getting in my face, but they were still huge bubbles, you know? I'm trying to get, you know, lots of tiny streamlined bubbles when I exhale.... I probably just have to go faster... :sad:
slom, aren't you afraid you're gonna crack your head open? That's my primary fear with flipturns right now.
For the first time today, I think I went reasonably fast. It was during the "2 easy 1 fast 1 easy 2 fast repeat" drill... of course, like an idiot, I never looked at the clocks to time myself. Meh, I was probably going slow. But it felt fast!
Confession: I still don't know how to dive.
Former Member
I want to work on all the strokes! I'm a renaissance man.
Good! I was recommending working on technique before you start worrying about yardage and times. I did it wrong, 3 times :)
My levels of competency: 1.) free, 2.) back, 3.) ***, and way far down... 4.) fly.
We have that in common. Way far down...
I'm thinking I should do a lot of butterfly all the time so everything else is way easy by default.
I think you are nuts! I am pretty sure breaststroke is only easy until you get good at it. Then in becomes hard. So, you plan probably won't workout quite as planned.
I didn't literally mean the bubbles were getting in my face, but they were still huge bubbles, you know? I'm trying to get, you know, lots of tiny streamlined bubbles when I exhale.... I probably just have to go faster... :sad:
All my bubbles look like mini dolphins, and actually speed me to safety. I was originally blowing sailfish, which were faster than the dolphins, but I was worried I would lose an eye on the flip turns.
Former Member
Taking a leaf out of one of ande's threads, I think I have identified my first nemesis. So I am, like, the tallest person on my team (and I'm "only" 6'2). The second-tallest comes up to my eyeballs (don't ask) and we're all around the same age (18-20). Anyway, that was before today. Some guy who apparently is a reaaaalllly goooooood swimmer came to practice for the first time today (how good would he be if came to practice every day?) and when we all got out of the water at the end, I noticed something funny.... he is at least as tall as I am. :censor: And apparently he's one frakking fast swimmer (though I didn't see for myself... I'm on the on other end of the pool normally).
I want to beat him. Bad.
But that's a secret between me and all of you fine swimmers out there, for now. I'm just going to work hard, smart, and swim what remains of my once fat little ass off... and maybe.... maaaaaaaybeee... someday... I will actually do it.
We will be covering dives soon. At last. I was wondering if I was going to have to enlist the services of my godfather's backyard pool to self-learn them... the first meet is coming up quick.
Former Member
See the dives in the video of the first post in this thread. A lesson in what not to do. Seems we've evolved...:D
We will be covering dives soon. At last. I was wondering if I was going to have to enlist the services of my godfather's backyard pool to self-learn them... the first meet is coming up quick.
Congrats on deciding to join a great sport. Sorry I am late in entering the conversation.
My recommendation on the dives is to wait. Get comfortable in the water first. If you have met someone one your team that you trust, then ask them to explain the dive thing to you. It is much easier demonstrated than written. I taught swim lessons for a while and I have seen most people do well if they have some really deep water to dive into first.
As a female, I can't advise you on the proper swimwear to avoid wardrobe malfunctions. It is all what you feel comfortable in. If you are modest you can get a speedo and wear it under your board shorts during practice, in case of future wardrobe issues.
Good luck. I look forward to hearing about your progress!
Former Member
oh my god... that's not diving, that's belly flopping... :confused:
I finally did some dives today. I was actually pretty okay... which is very odd, because I've attempted to learn dives at three other times in my life... 8, 12, and 15, and I sucked horribly after countless tries. I'm much relieved that something about a dedication to swimming and/or being on a team is making my learning of such crucial things much, much faster.
Twice when doing some 100s, I had uh... "wardrobe malfunctions" when pushing off the wall. I'm still wearing wearing an old pair of board shorts (newer pair were too large). Any day now I will not have enough hip to hold those shorts in place... and I got them in freakin' puberty! I will not say anymore on that subject.
Things are going swimmingly.
...
You guys have probably heard that one a lot.
Former Member
I'm still wearing wearing an old pair of board shorts
Dear Couroboros, you are a swimmer now. Quit being a pansy, and go get yourself a real swimsuit. Something like jammers will work great for you. No matter how hard you push off the wall, they will stay up.
Since you are an incredible shrinking machine right now, you might want to get a normal lycra suit, instead of a chlorine resistant practice suit. The lycra suits are stretchier, but won't last very long. Once you stop shrinking, a clorine resistant suit will last almost forever, but with its high polyester %, it is not a very forgiving suit, so you pretty much need to get the exact right size.
I am confused about how much dolphin kicking I'm going to be allowed to do in actual competition, however. Enlighten me?
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GO 15 METERS UNDER WATER. THIS = ABOUT 16.5 YARDS, OR 66 PERCENT OF A SHORT COURSE YARDS POOL
But their legs are so much smaller! :( The legs really eat up my oxygen.
THE MUSCLE MASS IN LEGS IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE REST OF THE BODY, SO THE KICK IS NATURALLY GOING TO USE UP MORE OXYGEN AND NUTRIENTS. THAT SAID, YOU CAN GET A MORE EFFICIENT KICK. ASK YOUR COACH. YOU MAY BE WASTING ENERGY HERE BY OVER-KICKING. KEEP YOUR LEGS FROM FLAILING OR BENDING TO GREATLY AT THE KNEES
Is there just still a lot of fat in my legs or what? I'm 195 now, with 18.5% body fat. They're still hella jiggly in a lot of areas. That is fat, right?
NOT SURE THE TECHNICAL NAME FOR JIGGLY, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR BMI IS GETTING PRETTY GOOD. 18.5 PERCENT BODY FAT IS NOT HORRIBLE BY ANY MEANS
Which brings me to another thing... even after diving and reaching the other side of the pool really fast, I was panting like a wind-up. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but I can tell my endurance is crap.
THE BODY ADAPTS TO THE STRESS IT HAS TO COPE WITH ON A CHRONIC BASIC. YOUR MUSCLES ARE EVEN NOW ADDING A GREATER CAPACITY TO UPTAKE OXYGEN AND NUTRIENTS FROM YOUR BLOOD STREAM. JUST KEEP AT IT AND YOUR ENDURANCE WILL IMPROVE. HAND IN HAND WITH THIS, YOUR STROKE WILL BECOME MORE FLUID AND ECONOMICAL. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO UPTAKE AND USE MORE OX AND NUTRIENTS, AND YOUR TECHNIQUE WILL ALLOW YOU TO FOCUS THESE FUELS TO GO FASTER AND LONGER. BE PATIENT BUT KEEP AT IT.
And, no, I have not shaved yet. Neither have I abandoned the board shorts. I will do both of those things for my first meet. I want that "magnet on the other side of the pool" feeling for my first race.
WHOLE BODY BRAZILIAN. ACTUALLY, A LOT EASIER JUST TO GET A BODY SUIT! AS FOR SWIMMING WITH BOARD TRUNKS, THE SOONER YOU GET RID OF THESE, THE BETTER. SURE, THE EXTRA DRAG MAKES YOU WORK HARDER, AND THAT'S A BENEFIT. BUT YOU ARE GETTING USED TO SWIMMING WITH A MONKEY ON YOUR BACK. WHEN YOU GET RID OF THE MONKEY, YOUR STROKE WILL NEED TO ADJUST TO MONKEY-LESS SWIMMING. I SAY: GET SOME TYR DURAFAST JAMMERS TODAY!
Oh yeah- the other day I did a dive and I nearly got Swimmer's Nose. Couroboros thinking to himself during rapid, near-vertical descent: "PULL UP! PULL UP!" The pool is almost seven feet deep. Is that the normal depth for these racing pools?
BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. SOME POOLS HAVE DANGEROUSLY SHALLOW DIVING DEPTHS. WE HAD A LOCAL Y MEET WHERE THE SHALLOW END WAS 2 1/2 FEET DEEP. FORTUNATELY, WE GOT TO DIVE FROM THE OTHER END. THAT WAS PROBABLY 5-6 FEET.
FINAL NOTE: COUROBOROS! YOUR COMMITMENT IS AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL!
Former Member
Did a bunch more dives today. The assistant coach says I'm learning dives much faster than the rest of the people in my end of the pool. :) I also got a sense of just how much time the dive cuts away from a 25. I did some dolphin kick before surfacing and it hardly felt like I'd done half a dozen strokes before hitting the wall. I am confused about how much dolphin kicking I'm going to be allowed to do in actual competition, however. Enlighten me?
In using the pull buoys today, I discovered I have really good reach and pull. Finished well ahead of everyone else. On the other hand, there's usually 1 or 2 people who finish kickboarding a little ahead of me. But their legs are so much smaller! :( The legs really eat up my oxygen. Like when I was using the pull buoy, I could keep my head underwater for the whole 25y in the middle of say, a set of eight or ten. But with kickboarding or no pull buoy... Is there just still a lot of fat in my legs or what? I'm 195 now, with 18.5% body fat. They're still hella jiggly in a lot of areas. That is fat, right?
Which brings me to another thing... even after diving and reaching the other side of the pool really fast, I was panting like a wind-up. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but I can tell my endurance is crap. I can do one flipturn before I revert to regular turns. Well, okay, I can still do flipturns after the first, but I'm no Sonic the Hedgehog.
And, no, I have not shaved yet. Neither have I abandoned the board shorts. I will do both of those things for my first meet. I want that "magnet on the other side of the pool" feeling for my first race.
Oh yeah- the other day I did a dive and I nearly got Swimmer's Nose. Couroboros thinking to himself during rapid, near-vertical descent: "PULL UP! PULL UP!" The pool is almost seven feet deep. Is that the normal depth for these racing pools?
