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?
Former Member
The most yardage since having bronchitis about 6 weeks ago. 1450. Freestyle kicking and breasstroke pulling. Did a 200 yard breastsroke at 43 and holding breastrokes 3 50's at 103 to 1:04 on the 2:00. Holding 3 50's flys at the 1:07to 1:09.this is part of the workout.
On Tuesday I felt real good and was swimming 50 yard backstroke at 1:03 doing two at the 2:00 mark. So, t55hen I did two 50 freestyle at 54 and 56 going on the 2:00. I then later on did breaststroke one at 55 and then 56 but then did the second one of the 3:00 mark since I was tried. Then I did two 50 flies at 57 and 1:00 but went the second one on the 4:00 since I was tried. I swam 800 yards that day with kicking and pulling added in. Yesterday, I did 6 100 yard I'm and 1 100 yard breaststroke. One of the Im's the last was at 2:07. I swam 1300 when kicking and pulling are added in. Some speed work.
So I have been swimming 10 months alone. I live in a small town with only one indoor pool within 70 miles. The pool is closed for a few weeks for maintenance. The out door pools are opening tomorrow. The one that offers lap swim is so murky you can’t see the bottom in the deep end. Would you wait for the indoor pool to open or swim in the dirty one or do a different activity to stay in shape? I already haven’t swam for 1 week. I usually swim3X/week.
So I have been swimming 10 months alone. I live in a small town with only one indoor pool within 70 miles. The pool is closed for a few weeks for maintenance. The out door pools are opening tomorrow. The one that offers lap swim is so murky you can’t see the bottom in the deep end. Would you wait for the indoor pool to open or swim in the dirty one or do a different activity to stay in shape? I already haven’t swam for 1 week. I usually swim3X/week.
A murky pool doesn't necessarily mean it is "dirty" and unsafe to swim in. I would ask the lifeguard or management why the pool is so murky and listen to their explanation before ruling it out.
A murky pool doesn't necessarily mean it is "dirty" and unsafe to swim in. I would ask the lifeguard or management why the pool is so murky and listen to their explanation before ruling it out.
I was under the impression any murky pool was indeed unsafe because the lifeguards have to be able to see clearly to the bottom? At least that's what I was told in Korea when our pool there had that exact problem. They gave me an explanation but I only got out of every 3 words (nice Korean lady) Shut it down for a week before I could go again :(
I was under the impression any murky pool was indeed unsafe because the lifeguards have to be able to see clearly to the bottom? At least that's what I was told in Korea when our pool there had that exact problem. They gave me an explanation but I only got out of every 3 words (nice Korean lady) Shut it down for a week before I could go again :(
Well, yes, you're right about that. I was thinking "safe" in terms of your health; however, a lifeguard MUST be able to see the bottom. Wow, it must have been EXTREMELY murky! Bummer.
Well, I had a pretty good workout for me in 100 yard swims. I did 2:07 100 yard butterfly. A 2:03 100 yard breastroke.2:03 100 yard Im. A 2:19 100 yard backstroke and not trying as hard as the other strokes. A 1:53 100 yard freestyle. I was a little rested since I did two light workouts on Saturday and Sunday. A lot of kicking.
Interesting solutions. I would have just mounted the camera on a heavy weight and set it in the pool to record. Turned the cam on later in the workout when a little fatigue sets in and bad habits develop, then just kept the parts where I am visible as I stroke past. Have you found anything helpful in the videos? If it is an asset I will give it a try.
Latwo22, who are you asking? Without you replying with a quote, we don't know which post you are replying about. Regardless, I am going to answer your question anyway by referring you to an article I wrote for Swimspire. In the article, video analysis is included:
www.swimspire.com/.../
Had forgotten about this thread. So a couple of funny ones. A lady I've now seen a couple of times. Elderly, Asian*. First time I saw her in the pool, she was doing something resembling *** stroke, but she wouldn't get her face in the water. I offered to lend her my spare goggles. She declined. So I eventually notice that she has a paper towel at the end of the pool, and every time she finished a lap, she would use it to dry off her face. Kind of weird to swim if one doesn't want to get their face wet.
Next one. Some of the water aerobic/zoomba folks. There are some new ones (ladies). They wear gym shorts and some kind of shirts in the water. No idea if there are suits under them, or just the clothes. And shower caps. You know, those big clear, thin plastic things with the elastic? Yep, those.
* Not sure how many have known many/any Asian folks who swim. From talking to a fellow parent (on my kids' team), apparently, at least in some parts of China, maybe more widespread, *** stroke is the default stroke people there learn to swim in the same way that we learn freestyle. Only mentioned that since I mentioned her swimming *** stroke, and why I didn't really think much of it other than her unwillingness to get her face wet.
