Solo Swimmers

Great articles Elaine. Thank you for referring them. Could you explain this from the intermediate workout. 1 x 100 (25 pull / 25 kick / 25 swim) with fins I am thinking you use a pull buoy then just kick possibly holding the pull buoy, then swim, all with no break

Great articles Elaine. Thank you for referring them. Could you explain this from the intermediate workout. 1 x 100 (25 pull / 25 kick / 25 swim) with fins I am thinking you use a pull buoy then just kick possibly holding the pull buoy, then swim, all with no break Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the articles. Hmmm, something is missing from this 100 yard swim. :dunno: 25 + 25 + 25 only adds up to 75 yards! To total 100, I would make it a 50 swim. Go ahead and start with the pull buoy, and then toss it up on deck when you get to the other end to do your kick. (I prefer to do my kicking without a toy, so that I get proper body position. Make sure to keep you abs tight and your hips up at the surface, and get in a streamlined position with your arms straight out in front of you with your upper arms close to your ears.). Next, do a 50 yard swim. If somebody else out there has another idea, chime in! :agree:

Solo Swimmers, here is my latest article dedicated to YOU! :chug: www.swimspire.com/.../

Great article, ElaineK. Some very good suggestions that I can use coming out of another shoulder surgery. I'm doing PT at a facility with a pool and the therapist said I can probably start aqua therapy next week. On Monday I'll be seeing my surgeon. And as soon as he clears me to get into the pool and start some regular exercise, I'll be jumping in.

Great article, ElaineK. Some very good suggestions that I can use coming out of another shoulder surgery. I'm doing PT at a facility with a pool and the therapist said I can probably start aqua therapy next week. On Monday I'll be seeing my surgeon. And as soon as he clears me to get into the pool and start some regular exercise, I'll be jumping in. Thanks, Denise! I'm glad my article will come in handy as you make your way back to the pool. Good luck with your rehab! :cheerleader:

Hey, everybody! Who is going to join me (virtually or otherwise!) for the first 2018 USMS Fitness Challenge? For those of you who compete at meets (like I do), please don't blow this off just because it's a non-competitive fitness event. The money raised goes to a great cause: Swimming Saves Lives Foundation. I just signed up, and I plan on doing the event at my community pool, unless an event gets organized in Georgia that I can attend. If you don't have anybody to do the challenge with, be a part of our virtual "Solo Swimmers Team" here! After you complete your swim, post about your experience on this thread and let us know how it went for you. How did you do your swim (straight through, intervals, different strokes or just freestyle, etc.)? Were you happy with your swim? Did you do the swim with anybody else? Good luck and have fun! :cheerleader: Has anybody completed the 30-Minute Fitness Challenge yet? How did it go for you? Two friends joined me today for the challenge, and my husband counted laps. Since my 1650 time has been +/- 30 minutes over the years, I had him time me for a 1650 "race" while the other two did a more leisurely swim. Considering my reduction in training yardage since my hip surgery three years ago, I was happy with my results. Although I had hoped to break 30 minutes, I swam the 1650 in 30:17. No, it doesn't even make the motivational charts; however, it is not a core event for me, and I don't train to race it. The last time I raced the 1650 was at Nationals, in 2016 when my time was 28:35.

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.

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!

Thanks! :wiggle: I guess it's all relative, right? My time would rank in the +/- 75% in my age group; however, 37% of adults can't even swim the length of a pool, and most adults couldn't swim a mile if they tried! I guess it's all how you look at it. Congratulations on your big improvement in the pool! That's great! Good luck with your swim on Monday! :cheerleader: Well, I don't worry about my times as adult. There are many master swimmers that started to compete as adults and not kids that beat me. I' just surprise that I'm able to swim a 200 event near 61 years old.

I will be doing my swim on Monday. Just finished week 4 of the intermediate training which I loved. I just started back a few weeks ago after a few months off and I saw a good increase in my stamina. my yardage is up to 2200-2300 yards in an hour which only a few weeks ago seemed impossible. My time definitely wont be close to yours so although you don't think you were fast in my eyes you are a champion! I'll post my times after my Monday morning swim.