I would like to begin swimming again, but I am a little fearful of trying to begin again. I was a distance swimmer 30 years ago. My swimming career lasted 20 years. Since that time I have gained about 30 pounds, aged 30 years, have a prothesis for a shoulder and can not quite get my left arm out of the water to swim freestyle .... forget ever doing butterfly or backstroke again. I am afraid if I go to the local public pool and try to swim one lap I will never make it. I have no idea how to even begin the process. My four sisters are all swimming again in other parts of the country, but none are dealing with physical limitations so they don't know how to help me. Anyone have any good ideas.
thanks
Zoe
Parents
Former Member
Good suggestions here... waves101 is spot on.
The way I did it was to pick a time (45min.), and do as much as I could in that time... 5 to 6x/wk. In the beginning it was 300yds, breaststroke only, one length at a time (SCY). I don't know what my stroke count was then... probably something like 30+ (now it is 8+).
You fear is going to hinder you... get over it or move on to something else. Tough love? Maybe... but one thing I know for sure is that you gotta really want it... I mean really want it... if you are going to get past where you are now.
Use anything you need to get your confidence up, including flotation devices, coaches, etc. Be creative about it. But most of all be fearless.
In the fall of 1995 (at the tender age of 37) I could not lift my elbows above my shoulders (condition is Psoriatic Arthritis). I could not do this even floating in water, nor could I lift my arms out of the water.
It took about 9mos. before I figured out I could lift my arm out in back crawl (but still could not straighten arm over head, so entered about 45° off). It took about 1.5yrs before I could consistently swim 25yds front crawl (I'm talking 1x/workout). Butterfly? Yeah, right! Dream on!
Yet in 2000 I did prep drills for a year just so I could try it. I started training Fly in 2001. Now I get compliments on my fly all the time. Somewhere along the way I did a few 200 fly's and 400IM's at USMS sanctioned meets.
Like I said... you gotta really want it.
Was it painful, frustrating, difficult, inconvenient, full of tears, etc.? Hell yes. Was it worth the trouble? You bet.
Now I usually swim 1hr+. I've been off my development this past year, but on a good day I'll do (more-or-less) equal amounts of each of the big 4 competitive strokes, plus a few extras, and do upwards of 2K+yds.
Have Fun!
Reply
Former Member
Good suggestions here... waves101 is spot on.
The way I did it was to pick a time (45min.), and do as much as I could in that time... 5 to 6x/wk. In the beginning it was 300yds, breaststroke only, one length at a time (SCY). I don't know what my stroke count was then... probably something like 30+ (now it is 8+).
You fear is going to hinder you... get over it or move on to something else. Tough love? Maybe... but one thing I know for sure is that you gotta really want it... I mean really want it... if you are going to get past where you are now.
Use anything you need to get your confidence up, including flotation devices, coaches, etc. Be creative about it. But most of all be fearless.
In the fall of 1995 (at the tender age of 37) I could not lift my elbows above my shoulders (condition is Psoriatic Arthritis). I could not do this even floating in water, nor could I lift my arms out of the water.
It took about 9mos. before I figured out I could lift my arm out in back crawl (but still could not straighten arm over head, so entered about 45° off). It took about 1.5yrs before I could consistently swim 25yds front crawl (I'm talking 1x/workout). Butterfly? Yeah, right! Dream on!
Yet in 2000 I did prep drills for a year just so I could try it. I started training Fly in 2001. Now I get compliments on my fly all the time. Somewhere along the way I did a few 200 fly's and 400IM's at USMS sanctioned meets.
Like I said... you gotta really want it.
Was it painful, frustrating, difficult, inconvenient, full of tears, etc.? Hell yes. Was it worth the trouble? You bet.
Now I usually swim 1hr+. I've been off my development this past year, but on a good day I'll do (more-or-less) equal amounts of each of the big 4 competitive strokes, plus a few extras, and do upwards of 2K+yds.
Have Fun!
