Hey, solo swimmers! :wave: Welcome to the thread for all of us who train solo. Whether you train on your own due to a lack of a Masters team in your area (or for any other reason), this is our virtual locker room. Please post training tips that you think would be helpful, or anything else you would like to share with the rest of us. Have a rant? Go ahead and vent here! :rantonoff:
I'll start with a tip:
The most frustrating thing for me training solo is not having a coach on deck to evaluate my stroke and keep me on track, so I bought a waterproof camera and enlisted the help of my husband to periodically shoot video of all four strokes. Shooting underwater video became a knee/back buster, so I bought a camera mount and attached it to PVC pipe, so my husband could stand up straight to shoot underwater video. The camera gets dunked underwater, and he twists the pipe to pan the camera as I swim by.
Today, I bought a 2-pack of 12-inch "Gear Tie" reusable rubber twist ties (available at Home Depot), so I can tie the PVC pipe to the pool ladder (located in the corner of the pool) and shoot video myself. (If I angle the camera just right and keep it on wide angle, I can video me coming and going.)
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After each video session, I upload the videos to my desktop computer and compare my stroke to my favorite Go Swim stroke videos to see what I'm doing well (or not). I also post them on the Forums for feedback.
Ok, solo swimmers, what's your tip?
I don't know if this is the proper thread to join but I am a solo swimmer holding myself accountable for time and for just SHOWING UP! I am 58 years old and I have been doing a mile in less than an hour (45 mins) but have continued to add to my workout so now I am up to 100 laps in an hour. I have a question for you.....what good does fins do for swimmers? I see some people show up with them and smoke me right out of the water with those. I have web mits but no fins. I also travel every week but have been blessed to have had 3 weeks of no travel so I joined my local rec center for a month and that's where I have been getting all the laps in at. I start traveling tomorrow and was considering joining the YMCA since I can get a nationwide membership. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Hey Nancy! Welcome aboard!
What they already said along with these observations of mine:
- fins help you work from the upper thigh, and will cut down on too much knee in your free/fly/back kicking. Just remember you need to kick on both the downbeat and upbeat. Also, don't use them all the time, as you want to maintain a feel for your true kick.
- since you are already a USMS member, you can also check out the "where to swim" link on the main site. Many Masters teams will allow you to swim with them for little of no fee if you are visiting, and you will meet some people in the event you come back around!
Keep up the good progress!
I don't know if this is the proper thread to join but I am a solo swimmer holding myself accountable for time and for just SHOWING UP! I am 58 years old and I have been doing a mile in less than an hour (45 mins) but have continued to add to my workout so now I am up to 100 laps in an hour. I have a question for you.....what good does fins do for swimmers? I see some people show up with them and smoke me right out of the water with those. I have web mits but no fins. I also travel every week but have been blessed to have had 3 weeks of no travel so I joined my local rec center for a month and that's where I have been getting all the laps in at. I start traveling tomorrow and was considering joining the YMCA since I can get a nationwide membership. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Hey Nancy! Welcome aboard!
What they already said along with these observations of mine:
- fins help you work from the upper thigh, and will cut down on too much knee in your free/fly/back kicking. Just remember you need to kick on both the downbeat and upbeat. Also, don't use them all the time, as you want to maintain a feel for your true kick.
- since you are already a USMS member, you can also check out the "where to swim" link on the main site. Many Masters teams will allow you to swim with them for little of no fee if you are visiting, and you will meet some people in the event you come back around!
Keep up the good progress!
