Hey guys.
It's in the first few hours of 2009 right now, and I've resolved to join a gym and incorporate several weekly swimming workouts into my fitness regime. I bet no one has ever made that resolution before, right? I thought I would say hello to what seems like a great, knowledgeable, and supportive swimming community.
I have zero experience, myself. I know how to swim if by "knowing how to swim" means "not drowning." But after I've immersed myself in reading a few hours worth of threads to get my toes wet, so to speak, in the world of swimming, I realize how much I don't know. Like technique, form, etc. It's almost overwhelming.
Personally, I'm a male in my mid-20's, finishing up a graduate-type degree. I have a BMI around 23, and am in reasonable shape from half a year of playing tennis three times weekly. I decided that a local YMCA is probably the best bet for me. I have no desire to swim competitively (yet), only to swim for fitness.
So, a few questions:
I'm purchasing a pair of swim goggles definitely. But is it necessary to purchase a Speedo swim suit? When I join a new sport, I like to do things right. I only have board shorts (quite long ones at that). Do many male swimmers wear speedos at pools like the YMCA? It would feel kind of ridiculous to swim in all the fabric of my board shorts, but I don't want to be the only guy in spandex.
Also, in terms of pool schedules, do you have to personally sign up for a lap lane or can you just hop in a dedicated lap lane when it's available on the schedule?
What's a good resource for beginning my swimming experience?
Thanks, and I'm glad to join this community!
Former Member
Swimming in board shorts is tough, so I would strongly suggest one of the tight fitting swim suits (jammers, or traditional speedo briefs).
When I used to swim at the gym, I would sometimes wear shorts over my speedo, and leave them with my flip flops, and towel while I swam laps. It just depends if you are having a self conscience moment or not. Occasionally I would have someone do a double take when I was walking from the locker room to the pool wearing just a speedo and carrying my towel, but it was rare, and the reaction was surprise, not scorn.
A little help goes a long way to getting better as a swimmer. Join a team, take a swimming class or get some private lessons. It is one thing to read a book, another to watch a video and yet a whole different world to have someone correct your mistake while you are in the water trying to do it.
A team would be best for learning. Not only can you ask the coach for help, but other swimmers will be willing to help you, and there will be other swimmers in the same boat as you who are working to improve.
Now is a good time to join. My team is small, and in the last 3 weeks, I have seen 4 new faces show up at 4:45am. Only one of them was a previous competitive swimmer, and I don't remember any other new swimmers since starting back at masters in May.
Hi and welcome to our parlor, said the spider to the fly.
No, really welcome to the world of swimming.
I see that you have already received some welcoming rolled into advice.
One thing though, at this stage, if you go for the square legs or jammer, don't even think of Lycra and/or Spandex (like you mentioned). Think polyester.
Lycra/spandex will start being "see-through" in two or three months. Polyester will last you years.
Happy New Year and Happy Laps (or Lengths, but that's another thread.)
Happy New Year Swimsical!
Deciding to swim for fitness is probably one of the better decisions will make in your life :)
Where do you live?
The best advice I could give you is to try to locate a masters swim program near to your home. Contact the coach and ask to meet or better yet, ask if they would have time to give you an entry level evaluation/lesson.
www.usms.org/.../usmsclubs.php
Some programs offer this already with new swimmers.
Here at Nova Masters, we recently began to offer a new swimmer session called NOVA Swim 101 to teach all the basics.
We also have a coaching strategy for the first session a novice swimmer joins in a practice providing there is time and space to work with them.
If you do have to schedule and pay for an evaluation/lesson, it would be worth it. Probably save you weeks or even months of frustration trying to learn these things on your own.
I watch fitness lap swimmers who practice in the lanes next to our masters swim lanes all the time. Sometimes even a few words with them about their technique can make a huge improvement in the quality of spectating for me :)
Some really good technique advice (with video) is at www.goswim.tv
If you are by chance living in or visiting Southern California, I would be happy to help you.
www.novamasters.com
Good luck in your future of swimming!
Oh heck yeah you can swim in your board shorts. Buy goggles and show up, period. KISS. When I moved away from the beach and surfing, and started swimming again, all I wore for six months was board shorts. You have no idea if you're going fast or slow, so it doesn't matter for now.
You do need goggles. Hold them on your eyes and see if you can get them to stick more or less. Show up at any pool you like and swim. That's all that matters at this point. Try a couple of pools if you have the luxury. Here's a great list of pools worldwide
http://www.swimmersguide.com/
Do yourself a favour and don't wear long board shorts. The one time I swam in something similar, I couldn't believe how much drag it created.
Besides the Speedo brief, there are styles of swimsuit that create low drag, such as jammers (looks like cycling shorts) or the square-leg brief, which comes higher up the hip and lower on the leg. Competitive swimmers sometimes choose draggy suits on purpose, but for starting out, you want to give yourself a chance to feel momentum.
During lane swim times, you don't need to book a lane. Just look for a lane where people are swimming about your speed (start with slow lane-mates and move up if you have to) and LET THEM KNOW you are planning to join them. If there is only one other person, that person may ask you to "split" the lane, which means you each take half. If there are already two people, they'll ask you to "circle", which means up one side, back the other. Sometimes a single lane-mate will ask you to circle, if the pool is busy and they anticipate a third or fourth person joining in.
You can always ask the lifeguards for advice on anything you aren't sure of. Good luck, and have fun!
Welcome to swimming. You've gotten some great advice. The best thing is start slow and enjoy it, too. I would personally not go for the board shots (well, I'm a female, I wouldn't anyway). Try a pair of jammers or a speedo. Lycra is fine. The lycra suits I wear http://www.eqswimwear.com/ last 9+ months with no rinsing. Good luck and again, enjoy and welcome!
Happy New Year Swimsical!
I'm new to the sport myself! I've just been "swimming" and reading for about 8 weeks now. I'm 51. I've also been using a Swimmer's Snorkel. I'm pretty slow but at least I'm getting exercise.
As for the swimsuit, I've been wearing the Speedo Jammers and will probably get the Speedo Square Leg type also. That's for actually swimming in the pool. For just lounging around the pool, the regular trunk or board shorts are better.
