The Swimming Thread

[psyang]

I wanted to add that you need to make sure you have a strong push at the end of each length - that should trigger the lap count properly. It shouldn't matter if your arms are working or not.

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by psyang

I wanted to add that you need to make sure you have a strong push at the end of each length - that should trigger the lap count properly. It shouldn't matter if your arms are working or not.

Thanks, I'll try that. So far it isnfefintirky not counting laps in which I'm not using my arms.

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[Ironhorse]

I use my Garmin Forerunner 920XT. It is pretty good at counting laps (and even identifies stroke style in Garmin Connect), but for kick drills it has a "Drill" mode where you do your drill (board, one arm, etc) and then you just enter the length of the drill when you're done. Handy if you want to keep track of your overall workout length.

[annasuave]

I took a series of lessons in Total Immersion swimming. Grant Molyneux was the coach/teacher. It was really quite eye opening. I went from thrashing around and being winded after two lengths to doing 10 lengths easily. I went from taking 30 to 40 breaths per length to about 12.

It's a really different way of swimming. It feels very slow and meditative compared to a regular front crawl. It's not so much about speed as it is about effiency and distance.

I like swimming, but I'm not a particularly athletic person. The hardest part for me was not feeling awkward around the other students. There's me in my cheapie walmart swimsuit with actual body fat on me, surrounded by neoprene-wearing triathletes who wanted to know how many Iron Mans I've been in. None. But thanks for thinking I could actually survive one.

I recommend it. Total immersion swimming, that is. Google Grant and take some lessons. If there's time, he'll even teach you how to do a tumble-turn.

[psyang]

The pool was pretty empty during my swim today, so after I was done, I tried practicing flip turns based on some of the tips in this thread. It was like night and day!

The main thing that I picked up was arm position. Just before starting the flip turn, my arms should be down at my sides, palms forward. Then the head initiates the flip turn by curling down, and the arms come up over my head. I immediately somersaulted. It had never been so effortless before.

I was then able to flip, and plant my feet on the wall while my body was facing up and push off. It was a pretty amazing feeling.

I need some more practice as I still sometimes push off line (I ended up under one of the lane ropes and in the other lane a couple times). I think my arms go crazy when I twist to face down after the push, and that makes me go astray. But I feel the hardest part of the flip turn is behind me. Much thanks!

Here's a tip I discovered about clearing the water from your ears. I've always had problems with this. I've tried banging my head to the left/right against my hand, and it never really worked. Sometimes I've gone several hours with my ears clogged up.

Then, I learned about this contraption that people wear - basically a headpiece with a twisty tube attached to it and a little ball inside. You put it on, then tilt your head to move the ball through the tube from start to finish. After, it helps clear the inner ear of crystals that cause vertigo. I found this video:

Spoiler!

That got me thinking that the ear canal is not just a horizontal tube going into the side of your head. If the ear canal is twisty, a straight left/right head shake won't allow the water to get out.

What has been pretty full proof for me now is to lie down on my back on a bed. I then lift my head up about 6-10 inches, and sort of bang it back down on the bed. But as I bring it down, I twist my head slightly in one direction (to the right to clear my right ear, or to the left for my left ear). When my head hits, my head is turned so I am looking about 45-60 degrees to the left/right. Usually after 3-4 hits, I feel the water dislodge, and I can put my finger in my ear and clear the water. Hope this helps!

[cral12]

OK, so I'll be the first to ask in this thread - any tips for an adult non-swimmer? Yep, that's right, I'm originally from an island even and have to painfully admit still cannot swim. Just never happened growing up. I'm not afraid of water or anything - I enjoy paddle-boarding; I snorkel when we're on sun vacations (unfortunately forced to stay in water not over my head at least at this point).

I've tried to figure it out on my own with friends and family giving me tips - I've made strides (but only really try when we're on vacation) but realize I'm going to need lessons, as I'd eventually like to get into other water sports. Any recommendations for this? (Go easy on me : )

[annasuave]

Originally Posted by psyang

The pool was pretty empty during my swim today, so after I was done, I tried practicing flip turns based on some of the tips in this thread. It was like night and day!

The main thing that I picked up was arm position. Just before starting the flip turn, my arms should be down at my sides, palms forward. Then the head initiates the flip turn by curling down, and the arms come up over my head. I immediately somersaulted. It had never been so effortless before.

I was then able to flip, and plant my feet on the wall while my body was facing up and push off. It was a pretty amazing feeling.

I need some more practice as I still sometimes push off line (I ended up under one of the lane ropes and in the other lane a couple times). I think my arms go crazy when I twist to face down after the push, and that makes me go astray. But I feel the hardest part of the flip turn is behind me. Much thanks!

Here's a tip I discovered about clearing the water from your ears. I've always had problems with this. I've tried banging my head to the left/right against my hand, and it never really worked. Sometimes I've gone several hours with my ears clogged up.

Then, I learned about this contraption that people wear - basically a headpiece with a twisty tube attached to it and a little ball inside. You put it on, then tilt your head to move the ball through the tube from start to finish. After, it helps clear the inner ear of crystals that cause vertigo. I found this video:

Spoiler!

That got me thinking that the ear canal is not just a horizontal tube going into the side of your head. If the ear canal is twisty, a straight left/right head shake won't allow the water to get out.

What has been pretty full proof for me now is to lie down on my back on a bed. I then lift my head up about 6-10 inches, and sort of bang it back down on the bed. But as I bring it down, I twist my head slightly in one direction (to the right to clear my right ear, or to the left for my left ear). When my head hits, my head is turned so I am looking about 45-60 degrees to the left/right. Usually after 3-4 hits, I feel the water dislodge, and I can put my finger in my ear and clear the water. Hope this helps!

The technique that works for me is (while still in the pool) grasp the earlobe of affected eat with your thumb and forefinger. Pull down (gently) toward your shoulder. Stand on one leg (the same side as the ear you're holding) and lean over/roll your upper body around until you feel the water run out.

You can also try a couple of drops of isopropanol in the affected ear to displace the water.

[Simon96Taco]

Swam 1700m in one hour on Thursday night - thats my personal best so far.

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[activeStick]

Do they still give these out? Brings back good memories

[psyang]

When I was a kid, I think the levels were pre-beginner, beginner, survival, junior, then bronze/silver/gold medallion. I think it took me 3-4 tries to pass pre-beginner. It was a traumatic time and I hated the water.

Miraculously, I quickly attained beginner and survival the next two years. Once I got to survival and was able to swim a length without drowning, I never took another swimming lesson again.

Soon after that, they switched to the colored badges above. I think survival was roughly equivalent to maroon. I remember being pretty upset - I worked so hard to get to Survival, and now the badge was obsolete.

Though these badges do strike a sense of nostalgia, it also brought up a lot of latent anxiety. It reminds me of how I feel when I hear the phrase "Canada Fitness Test", particularly the sit-up and flexed arm hang events. Shudder.

[Simon96Taco]

My watch says I swam 1875m tonight, but I'm not about to claim that as a PR yet because:

a) I forgot to turn it off again until I got to the shower so I know there is probably some excess count in there, and

b) our instructor had us wear a belt with a bungee attached, hook it onto the lane divider cable, and swim sprints front crawl against it - 15s intervals, 30s etc. It was draining.....and I'm not sure how my watch counted it as laps.

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[Ironhorse]

You have a conditioning class with Linda? My condolences...

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

You have a conditioning class with Linda? My condolences...

Have you done the belts?
Or did you get the buckets?

[Ironhorse]

I've done the buckets.

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

Hahaha!!! I was the guard that was laughing at you all when Linda pulled out the belts!!! You'll have to introduce yourself next Tuesday. That resistance training is awesome. It's a shame you didn't get to do it for longer. You guys were puffing the hardest I've seen you.

Depending on your watch, will depend on if the lane rope count is accurate. Some watches count laps when you turn. Others count strokes. Not sure which one you have.

Hahaha well I'm glad you enjoyed our suffering! I think there were only two dudes in the class tonight, me being one of them... The one who may have looked like I was drowning during that, but maybe that was everyone in the class!

It was actually good to be honest - when we unhooked and did a few laps of crawl at our own pace it felt absolutely effortless!

I think the worst (not most tiring but my worst) part of the class was doing a couple lengths of armless (torpedo?) whip kicks. I am absolutely USELESS with the whip kicks, and this drill really points that out to me.

I'll have to read up exactly how my watch calculates, I was pretty sure it was based on laps (as it asks you to enter the length of the pool that you are swimming into the settings) but I could be wrong.

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[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

I've done the buckets.

Me too. The buckets also suck.

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[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by Angelamc

As I get older I get more and more icked out by the thought of public pools. Haven't been in ages and don't know that I can get around the thoughts.

With proper chemical balance and filtration the risk of disease or infection is negligible. My advice would be to avoid hotel pools like the plague. If you are truly paranoid about the quality of the water find which pool your local swim club uses. Dedicated swimmers tend to be very sensitive to imbalances in the water quality and tend to gravitate to better maintained facilities.

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