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?
Elaine, I think we are in the same age group as in will be 58 in April. I have been swimming off and on for 3 or 4 years with no prior experience, am 80 pounds overweight, and really happy with my times. I will be up there in the top 25% one day as this is my goal.
Yep, I'm 56! Before joining USMS in 2010, my only other swimming experience was in high school. I was a volleyball player and joined the swim team to keep in shape in the off season. My coach was a P.E. teacher who didn't know how to swim and got stuck with the swim team, so I learned by watching the only other breaststroker on the team. We shared a lane, so I followed her and copied what she did.
At my best, I ranked 35% in 50 breaststroke and in the 40-50% range for the 100 and 200 breaststroke. I was ranked lower than that in other events. My goal, too, was to crack the top 25%; however, it has never happened. Since I dropped by training yardage and intensity back (following a hip surgery and some non-swimming-related injuries), I don't see that as a realistic goal for me anymore. I'm trying to learn how to NOT be so time driven as I was as a newbie!
Elaine, I think we are in the same age group as in will be 58 in April. I have been swimming off and on for 3 or 4 years with no prior experience, am 80 pounds overweight, and really happy with my times. I will be up there in the top 25% one day as this is my goal.
Yep, I'm 56! Before joining USMS in 2010, my only other swimming experience was in high school. I was a volleyball player and joined the swim team to keep in shape in the off season. My coach was a P.E. teacher who didn't know how to swim and got stuck with the swim team, so I learned by watching the only other breaststroker on the team. We shared a lane, so I followed her and copied what she did.
At my best, I ranked 35% in 50 breaststroke and in the 40-50% range for the 100 and 200 breaststroke. I was ranked lower than that in other events. My goal, too, was to crack the top 25%; however, it has never happened. Since I dropped by training yardage and intensity back (following a hip surgery and some non-swimming-related injuries), I don't see that as a realistic goal for me anymore. I'm trying to learn how to NOT be so time driven as I was as a newbie!
