I didn't know where to post this..sorry.
I'm 18yrs old and have been told my body type is dense in water. I have great genetics besides the fact that I'm 5'4, I use to play football up until i started to wrestle in 10th and 11th grades, body build, and now I just run and do calisthenics so I have great endurance.
I'm training for AirForce CCT and I need to be a proficient swimmer before this September. I can't even swim 150m. I do 50m and am out of breathe and my muscles fatigue quickly. I have good technique I think and its most likely the breathing that does me in.
I start off breathing every 5 strokes than tire out to every 3 strokes. I read online that I might take in to much oxygen and not expell all of it which causes a Carbon Dioxide build up over time. After my breath is taken I hold it until after the count of strokes is take then on my turn I exhale all at once like a burst. Am I suppose to exhale immediately, slowly after taking a breath and not inhale more than necesarry?
I need help and my goal is to be able to 1000-2000m nonstop freestyle. I need to be able to do at least 1000m before I can leave for CCT training as Combat Diver and SCUBA school is intense.
Also in the amount of time from now until September, will I be able top go from where I am at to swimming 1000-2000m nonstop?
Swimming conditioning is unlike any other form of conditioning. Like Apollo tells Rocky -- you'll be using muscles you never knew you had. I trained as a bodybuilder for a couple of years after an injury booted me from swimming. They are pretty much opposites (short, focused bursts vs. long, smooth, coordinated bursts). Also, even really good runners often struggle in the pool without a lot of swim training.
Most important, I think, is to learn to fully relax. Look up 'streamline' and learn to do it. Take small steps. Once your body learns to relax and swim, you will make gains quickly.
They do the combat controller test where I swim. The instructors try and get the candidates to swim slowly and use all of the time they have instead of going hard. They have to make time and then run afterwards. Most of the kids are not very good swimmers, but they all end up passing eventually. If they could glide off the walls, they'd have an easier time.
As far as breathing, I would try and breathe every other stroke (each right side, for example). Slow your stroke down so that you are swimming to your natural breathing rhythm and not adapting breathing to an unnatural swimming rhythm. Once you get the rhythm, you can play with other combinations.
Being in good shape already, I'd think you could easily train to make the distance by September. Good luck.
Swimming conditioning is unlike any other form of conditioning. Like Apollo tells Rocky -- you'll be using muscles you never knew you had. I trained as a bodybuilder for a couple of years after an injury booted me from swimming. They are pretty much opposites (short, focused bursts vs. long, smooth, coordinated bursts). Also, even really good runners often struggle in the pool without a lot of swim training.
Most important, I think, is to learn to fully relax. Look up 'streamline' and learn to do it. Take small steps. Once your body learns to relax and swim, you will make gains quickly.
They do the combat controller test where I swim. The instructors try and get the candidates to swim slowly and use all of the time they have instead of going hard. They have to make time and then run afterwards. Most of the kids are not very good swimmers, but they all end up passing eventually. If they could glide off the walls, they'd have an easier time.
As far as breathing, I would try and breathe every other stroke (each right side, for example). Slow your stroke down so that you are swimming to your natural breathing rhythm and not adapting breathing to an unnatural swimming rhythm. Once you get the rhythm, you can play with other combinations.
Being in good shape already, I'd think you could easily train to make the distance by September. Good luck.
