Okay - I hope I can get a little guidance here. I have been an inactive swimmwer for the last 30 years and I miss it so. I want to get back into the "swim" of things. I am 100 lbs overweight and when I get in the water I want to know what to start with and what to do. I guess it will be like starting out as a new swimmer. Does anyone have any workout suggestions? I know it is going to be hard but its time, I have dreamt of this for the last 30 years. I have my pull bouys, my kick board, my fins, my paddles, suit, goggles and cap- I just do't know how or where to start. I always had a coach when I was younger. If anyone could please point me in the right direction I would be greatly appreciative.
Thank You.:drown:
Former Member
I'm in a similar boat...back in the water after 20 years (swam competitively for 10 years and quit my freshman year of college).
Don't freak out if swimming 25 yards leaves you breathless. It did me the first time I was back in the water. I couldn't believe it...and I exercise on my lunch hour most days! But I still have about 70lbs on me I didn't have as a kid in the pool so I gave myself a break.
I started out just building endurance. I started out going 25yds. Stopping for a short few breaths and going again. Then I built up to 50yds at a time and now 100s. I'm working up now to 150s. As soon as I can do 200s I feel I'll have a good basis to start more structured workouts. I've been back in for about 6 weeks with about a 2 week break for an illness so about 4 weeks.
What I do when I get tired is keep going with the kickboard. I also change up my 100s by doing back and ***. I've done a few 100IMs but the fly leg really pushes me so I substitute free on that leg most of the time. I'm working on adding fly in more often. I'm doing pull buoy as well.
My challenge is I want to go too fast. It feels unnatural to me to go slow, so I get tuckered out quickly but that's improving.
Just pace yourself, don't get burned out and have fun!
I had not swam for fitness in almost 30 yrs (since high school). To get started I followed this workout - www.ruthkazez.com/.../ZeroTo1mile.html - and last week I finished it up.
It was perhaps too easy in the beginning, but became more challenging as I progressed. It has done wonders for me cardiovascularly, and I have lost almost 20 pounds.
Looking for some other workouts to start building on this.
