What's the best way to start?

RE: What's the best way to start?

ande — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:41:15 GMT

Swim Faster Faster I'm a retired ad guy who is making up for years behind a desk by becoming an athlete at age 64. I do a lot of water sports (surfing, stand up paddle racing/downwinding, windsurfing, OC-1 paddling, etc) and decided it was time to improve my swimming. And if I'm going to work on that I want to compete since that's the best way I find to motivate myself. We have a lap pool here in Maui, and a big ol' ocean, so I went on line, bumbled around and found the Total Immersion stuff. I've been working on it, but some other folks I met tell me it's not the best way to go. So what is?

RE: What's the best way to start?

smontanaro — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:34:50 GMT

We have a lap pool here in Maui ... Hey buddy, I'm in Chicago. No need rubbing it in. :D My wife and I vacationed in the Kihei area a couple years ago. There is a masters team that practices at the public pool there. If you're near there, that's where I would start. You can also browse the places to swim page for other groups. Welcome to the forums. We can be a boisterous bunch at times, but you'll find lots of support here as well. Skip

RE: What's the best way to start?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 06:27:39 GMT

I've been reading my way through the Swim Faster faster tips. So I guess swimming in my boardshorts is not optimal, I'll have to go shopping. I'm going to look around for a coach, I know from all the other stuff I do that it's a bad idea to practice poor form. My standup paddle stroke still suffers from the three years I went without getting coaching. Ande, I started a Master Swimming topic in my e-magazine. Do you mind if I paste some or all of your tips there? They are certainly handy in this forum, but a cleaner format and nicer typography would make them easier to read. I will of course give you credit and any link you like.

RE: What's the best way to start?

knelson — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:11:37 GMT

so I went on line, bumbled around and found the Total Immersion stuff. I've been working on it, but some other folks I met tell me it's not the best way to go. So what is? The best way would be to get private instruction. Total Immersion is certainly better than nothing, but there's no substitute for real time feedback from a coach or instructor standing over you watching you swim.