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?
Former Member
I think that to be able to swim that far, starting with zero experience, you need to realize that strength is only part of it. Technique will be important so you maximize your efficiency and psychology is part of it.
While you seem to be in good shape now you'll still have to develop muscles that have not been conditioned. I suggest you google some youtube videos and maybe watch some proficient swimmers at your pool to learn how to swim correctly. The biggest mistakes you might be making are
1) Not kicking (believe it or not people focus too much on their arms and forget to kick)
2) Not swimming in a hydrodynamic fashion (keep your head down, facing the bottom of the pool, both your hands should enter the water in front of you, not way off to the sides, strokes should maximize surface area pulling on the water)
3) Swimming flat (your body should rotate on an axis going down the middle of your body)
Mentally, you also just need to be comfortable in the water. A lot of people get in the water and swim as hard and fast as they can and are stressed out. You need to relax, go easy, and work your way up from there. If you can feel relaxed when you swim you'll go further.
Best of Luck!!
This might help you on getting your distance up(0-1650 yards training)
ruthkazez.com/ZeroTo1mile.html
Ignore my post right before this. Today I had an intense lower body workout and afterwords swimming.
My swimming workout was:
200m warmup
500m combat sidestroke (CSS)
500m CSS w/fins
200m cooldown
I completed every single swim without pausing once during one of those swims. The break time I took in between the sets was 20-30secs. And this is not a lie. I promise you that. I am very excited and being optimistic when it came to the water wasn't on my list but I'm pretty sure with much practice the goal will be achieved.
I need to thank all of you who have given me tips and replied to my posts. I felt at home in the water for the first time. Not only did I do the 500CSS without fins but I did it in less than 8min and yes I timed it. I felt like a Mako Shark moving through the water. It felt as though my body was made to streamline and move through the water with no drag.
On my last 25m in the cooldown my muscles started to fatigue, but barely.
Thank you all. After practicing by myself for a whiule and doing the research and you all giving me tips I was able to bring my pieces together.
From the swimming I was able to do today, by September I hope to do much more than what my previous goal was. Now I have Running, PT, and Swimming.
I will continue to practice and continue looking through these forums for more tips.
1) Not kicking (believe it or not people focus too much on their arms and forget to kick)
2) Not swimming in a hydrodynamic fashion (keep your head down, facing the bottom of the pool, both your hands should enter the water in front of you, not way off to the sides, strokes should maximize surface area pulling on the water)
3) Swimming flat (your body should rotate on an axis going down the middle of your body)
I do kick and and then streamline a little so I don't use much energy. And actually doing this rather than kicking nonstop gets me across the water a little quicker (timed) and I'm not as tired.
I look at the bottom of the pool. I've hit my head the first couple of times lol.
Swimming flat? Idk what that feels like. I mean I'm pretty comfortable but like I mentioned I tire out quickly. And yes I'm still taking this all into consideration so thanks again for the replies.
