I suck at swimming

[Gel]

Well, I can swim but my technique must be poor. My wife did 25 laps today and I can only manage 4!

I can swim just as fast as her it just seems to take me more effort. It don't think it can be the fitness level as I do so much more at the gym. (In fact she hardly ever goes)

Are there any places on the net to help me get my technique right?

Thanks,
Gel

 

[brian747478`]

i know the feeling, but feel i get a great cardio workout without joint damage from this

 

[overhead]

I swim and surf a lot and have found that swimming is sort of like lifting heavy weight. Strength and stamina are great, but unless you have good technique they cannot be used to there fullest potential. I use to have a couple of web sites that went over the different strokes and how to use them correctely, I will see if I can dig them up.

 

[erowana]

Actually , I think swimming is like cardio / HIIT once you go past the technique/strength thing. I swim 40 laps(50 m pool) twice a week but I don't get a pump in my muscles. I feel good cos of the endorphines released hence it must be cardio. Oh, and forget other techniques except freestyle cos they rock!

 

[FatRat]

I used to compete, and just recently started back training with my old team in a "masters" session. We covered 2500m's in 45 mins last week My lats seem to get hit pretty hard.

Swimming is all about technique. You have to think about efficiency through the water as well at streamlining. Often, if you are finding it tough, it will be because you have allowed your legs to drop in the water, and are relying on upper body strength. Try working on your kick to bring your legs higher. I don’t have any web sites to hand, but I have a listing of stroke drills to practise technique if you are interested?

The mistake that a lot of people seem to make is to just do laps of freestyle. I don’t know many people that would go into a gym and just do an hour of one exercise. You will obviously want to adjust this, but as an example, this is what my coach sent through for our session this week:

200 FREE, 100 BACK, 100 BREAST, 200 FREE
6X150 AS 50 BACK 50 BREAST 50 FREE
6X50 FREE KICK 25 STEADY 25 HARD
6X50 FREE 25 C/UP FLICKING FLEAS 25 FULL STROKE
8X25 FREE DIVED SPRINTS
CHOICE TURNS AND LOOSEN DOWN

 

[needsleep]

I love swimming and really just do it for fun now and don't care about any benefits from it. I just go on my own i find I don't enjoy it if i go with others as I can't concentrate on my own thing as easy.

That kicking is the hardest I find, I catch myself hardly kicking some times. I did leg day yesterday and I find swimming a day after makes my legs feel better and gives me more energy in them.

 

[Gel]

Thanks for the input everyone but I still don't know where to go on the net to learn HOW to improve.

 

[Fast Twitch Fiber]

I'm just learing how to swim now. I can swim underwater with a breast stroke but I have problems freestyle. My legs sink when I come up for air.

 

[Exodus]

im lucky........... fat people float!!!!

X

 

[FatRat]

Ill try and dig some sites out for you, unfortunately, my coach has just left on a holiday, and I’m sure he would know of some. I would advise that if you are serious about improving that you employ a swimming coach at the pool where you train. You would be surprised what a couple of hour sessions would do, it shouldn’t cost much either.

Without seeing you in action, I can give you a couple of pointers in the meantime.

Firstly, as I said before, I would place money on your legs dragging you down. To correct this you want to work on strengthening your kick, but also think about your head position. You didn’t say what stroke you are doing, but whichever, do not raise your mouth any higher than you need to to breath, and also move you head without moving the rest of your body. If you are swimming freestyle, your eye line should be just below water level for the majority of the time. Breath out with your head in this position, so that you head is to the side only to inhale, which reduces the timeout of position.

Also, if you lift, I wouldn’t be surprised if your shoulder flexibility is somewhat restricted. This causes the arms to swing round, rather than through on freestyle, and makes the swimmer “snake” through the water rather than moving in a nice forward motion. Work on keeping the elbows high and pulling the hand past that arm pit than continuing to a full stretch before pulling back. Your right arm should move in a question mark shape as it pulls back beneath your body, first using your lats and bis to pull, than your tris to push back.