Swimming tips and tricks?

[Rmas]

Hey guys,

I'm doing the 6 week challenge, and one of the parts is swimming. I then remembered, I sucked at swimming in high school. Any tips from swimmers?

[Corbab]

I haven't been swimming in ages, so I'm no help personally. However, I recall there being a section in Tim Ferriss' The Four Hour Body about improving your swimming with some simple technique changes, so that might provide some insight.

[eco2pia]

I also have swimming as part of my goals...but I am at the "learn to swim" stage, so i am no help. I think with all the boating I want to do it would be good not to rely on the life vest, huh?

[Anivair]

Best tip: do laps. Head down, breath to the side and do freestyle till you get it. Flip turn and swim more. Do it till you can't go anymore. then, wait about three minutes and do it again. You'll learn.

If you want a proper structure, in the learning phase, you're looking at about an 800 warm up (as slow as you like) and them some sets. I'd go 3x200 (with decent rest). 10x50 (with only about a minute between) and then something longer. 2x500. Close with a 1000 cool down. Doesn't need to be more than that to start with and it'll get you built up (that was one of my freshman year workouts as I recall it, but it's been a while). Don't be afraid to go slow on the long distance stuff.

[cianalas]

I like the side stroke. For me, it's a far more efficient stroke than freestyle.

or a slightly more advanced version that I do when I remember to grab goggles.

[Rmas]

Thanks guys, think I'm going to go for my first swim in a while tomorrow. either that or a run haha.

[wave1080]

I'm a swim instructor. Best tips ...head down, breath to the side-do not lift head up!,finger tips enter at 10 and 2, kick under surface of the water and remember that the body rolls from side to side with each stroke. Start out slow, rest when needed-you don't want to cramp up. Try to focus on one or two of the above at a time. Then add some structure of speed and distance.

[Bean]

If you want a proper structure, in the learning phase, you're looking at about an 800 warm up (as slow as you like) and them some sets. I'd go 3x200 (with decent rest). 10x50 (with only about a minute between) and then something longer. 2x500. Close with a 1000 cool down. Doesn't need to be more than that to start with and it'll get you built up (that was one of my freshman year workouts as I recall it, but it's been a while). Don't be afraid to go slow on the long distance stuff.

That is a pretty serious swim. For someone inexperienced, you probably want to start a little slower with a shorter distance. There are a number of pretty good sites around which will help you with a progression to be able to swim a mile (64 laps of a standard length pool). Here is a link to one such site which takes you from zero to a mile in six weeks - quite useful for a 6 week challenge :-) http://www.ruthkazez.com/SwimWorkouts/ZeroTo1mile.html

[Zorch]

Swimming is about 80% form, and the rest is largely adaptation as opposed to raw strength. There are some people far less fit than me that can smoke me in the pool, and conversely, there are some people who are absolutely ripped that I can glide by with little effort. If you can find someone who knows what they're doing to teach/give a little feedback on your technique, it can go a long way.

Wave1080's advice is pretty sound. I know when I swim "harder" I don't go much faster, but I tire much more quickly due to the breakdown in form. Work on being smooth and efficient first, the rest can come later.

[Anivair]

That is a pretty serious swim. For someone inexperienced, you probably want to start a little slower with a shorter distance. There are a number of pretty good sites around which will help you with a progression to be able to swim a mile (64 laps of a standard length pool). Here is a link to one such site which takes you from zero to a mile in six weeks - quite useful for a 6 week challenge :-) http://www.ruthkazez.com/SwimWorkouts/ZeroTo1mile.html

I haven't done any swimming since my old swim team days, but I recall that being a pretty light day. i think it's not as terrible as you think, though obviously if you have trouble finishing a 200 or a 500 (even slowly) then you'll need to build up the motor endurance a bit. Later on in my swimming career (which was brief) the practices were easily double that if not more.

[AprilMay]

From my old swim team days, this is what I remember.

Take your strokes slowly if you aren't in a race. Just try to make them smooth. Don't concentrate on speed, there is enough effort in swimming to tire you out without trying to race the clock. Once you are comfortable with your movement and breathing, then add some speed. For a slow swim, I usually did three strokes, then turn your head to the side and breath, face back down, 3 strokes, turn your head to the other side and breath. If that is too long between breaths, switch it to every 2 stokes, without switching side of course.

Try to keep your feet under the water when you kick. Kicking halfway into the air will not push you forward.

Also, goggles are your friend.

I'm in Vancouver for another 2 weeks or so, if you want some pointers. There's also a decent Y in surrey with dedicated adult swimming lanes, which makes it far easier to do some laps. You don't have to fight the kids in the pool or worry about classes.

[wave1080]

Form is the key. It's helpful to have someone watch you. Have them look for the things I mentioned above. Remember to go slow in the beginning. The more you correct the more efficient you will be. Try using a pull buoy. Its a foam piece that goes between your legs. It will put your body in proper alignment in the water. Do not kick! Just focus on your stroke. Kicking is the easy part. Ask me any questions you want. I have been a certified instructor for 8 years. Currently I am training people for the Ironman swim 2.5 miles.

[theFrog]

My main daily workout is swimming - I absolutely LOVE it and it has so far proved to be the one exercise I actually look forward to doing. As other posters have said, form form form! Start slow and build up from there. Keep your belly sucked in and allow your body to roll to each side with your stoke. Try to glide in the water gently rather than barrel through in huge splashes.

However, the one tip I haven't seen so far and the #1 thing that got me REALLY bad when I first started was the breathing. Here's what I've learned...

One of the main things that beginning swimmers do is panic when they can't breathe in as quickly as they feel they need to - it causes them to lift their heads up out of the water instead of tilting to the side. That completely ruins form and leads to some pretty sloppy swimming, swallowed water and possible injuries. Keep your head down as long as possible - your body naturally conserves oxygen when your face is down in the water. Then, when you need to take a breath, gently tilt your face to the side, sip in some air and tilt your face back down into the water. Think of yourself as one of those synchronized swimmers and try to make the move as fluidly and gracefully as possible (I know, not very manly for you men out there, but it DOES help). Then comes the tricky part: it's really tempting to blow all of that air out as soon as your face is back in the water. Don't do that! Instead, let your breath out slowly and evenly over the course of a few strokes letting the very last bit out right before you tilt back for another breath in.

Doing that has REALLY helped me keep my breathing steady, which has allowed me to increase my speed without feeling that panic about not being able to breathe unrestrictedly.

Of course, you can always use a snorkel and focus only on your stroke if you're not training for a race. Just keep in mind that you will be handicapping yourself because you will need to re-learn everything you know about swimming once you try it without the snorkel (again, speaking from experience here! hehe).

Good luck and happy swimming

[eco2pia]

This is the. best. thread. ever.