I am 35 and in pretty decent shape. I ride 4-5000 miles a year and do endurance events (100 mile mt. bike races). Unfortunately, my Dr. just told me no more riding for 3 + months. I usually ride through the winter, well enough to stay in some sort of shape.
While I am not excited about droping $800 bucks to join the Y to use the pool I am kind of excited to try something new. My Dr. told me I can swim and I plan on using this to keep my cardio and tone up over the winter.
Problem is I have no idea where to start. From goggles, suit, to what to do in the pool other than swim. In cycling I always tell beginners any cycling is better than no cycling, I would guess this is true for swimming (at a beginner level).
I know how to swim and was on the swim team through grade school (yeah I know a long time ago but at least I know what its about). I have tried to read some of the posts here about training, but to be honest I just dont know the lingo.
Like most things I will probably get hooked on this and want to see what I can do with it. I would like to work up to doing 1-2 hours.
Thanks for the help.
Al
Parents
Former Member
Quick christmas update:
So I am now up to 3000+ yards a day 6 days a week. I am getting faster without trying too hard to do so which is cool.
The only intervals i do are 250's on the 5...When i first started these i would only get 5-10 seconds of rest between the sets. My fastest to date is 4:05.. I can now hold an average of 4:15 doing 10 sets... I should add that I usually do these with hand fins on.
Today after doing 3000+ with the fins on I thought it might be neat to see what I could do on a 250 without fins. I pulled a 4:06. That is only 1 second slower than my fastest time and that is after an hour of swimming with the fins on.
The 10 sets is a really hard day, my routine now (if i just dont swim for an hour straight) is 20 minutes warm up, 4-6 250's on the 5 and then swim for the rest of the hour.
Oh yeah, no flip turns and certainly not a very efficient turn either. I definitely give up 5 seconds if not more over the 250.
Anyways.Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Quick christmas update:
So I am now up to 3000+ yards a day 6 days a week. I am getting faster without trying too hard to do so which is cool.
The only intervals i do are 250's on the 5...When i first started these i would only get 5-10 seconds of rest between the sets. My fastest to date is 4:05.. I can now hold an average of 4:15 doing 10 sets... I should add that I usually do these with hand fins on.
Today after doing 3000+ with the fins on I thought it might be neat to see what I could do on a 250 without fins. I pulled a 4:06. That is only 1 second slower than my fastest time and that is after an hour of swimming with the fins on.
The 10 sets is a really hard day, my routine now (if i just dont swim for an hour straight) is 20 minutes warm up, 4-6 250's on the 5 and then swim for the rest of the hour.
Oh yeah, no flip turns and certainly not a very efficient turn either. I definitely give up 5 seconds if not more over the 250.
Anyways.Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
