Swimmin'

[Monsieur Remings]

Well, I like to cycle and despite having a tendency to overcook it too soon, I also like a good run so that leaves swimming...

I'm going to have a go at a few duathlons this year but I'd very much like to be able to tri tryathlon, and having been bought a year's membership at the local gym (with pool) by my finer half, it seems a shame not to have a go despite the fact I'm pretty piss poor.

I've gradually upped my distances going up from 20 to 40 to 50 lengths (1km) but not all in one go. Last night was the first time I managed 1km but I had to rely in large part on breast-stroke due to the intensity of front crawl but this is the problem. Although I'm certain I could do - with a bit more training - anything up to a mile or so with breast-stroke I have dodgy knees and although pain would be a slight exaggeration on what they feel like today, I have vowed not to do breast stroke again being bad as it is for knees. I've suffered a few minor injuries with running but they haven't affected my ability to be able to cycle being impact related, but I'm not prepared to risk buggering up my knees (and hence my cycling) for swimming full-stop. SO, that leaves front crawl and despite my technique needing work I'm here to ask whether any folks can help with proper breathing technique.

As a bit of background I didn't swim for years and then I was told I wasn't able to swim for a few more years when perhaps I would have done due to having hearing issues (water in the ears wasn't good) so I have a feeling of complete estrangement being underwater. Today I bought some goggles and in recent weeks I've read much on breathing technique so I had a go. Coupled with this I had a go at exhaling underwater which felt totally unnatural at first but I soon got the hang...sort of. Problem is I can only manage at most 2 lengths before I once again feel that anxiety that is brought on through oxygen debt.

So, have you or did you as a triathlete, perhaps a late triathlete like me (I'm 41 this month) go through something similar and how did you manage to relax, and get your breathing in order and your underwater exhalations into some sort of rhythm that works for you?

Any advice on breathing and rhythm would be most appreciated.

 

[screenman]

Join a tri club and join the swimming sessions, they will have a coach there who will help, I only started back in July as a nearly non swimmer, 80+ lenghts or more per session now.

Also buy the Swim Smooth book, next to your trunks and goggles it will be the best spend you can do.

 

[Tommy2]

Slow down, don't push to hard at this stage.
breathe as many strokes as you need to. Technique and rhythm is everything in swimming.

It will come in time it is a matter if getting used to having to breathe at a specific time as opposed to when you want. Swimming is all about repetition.

Join a tri club or get a coach you will progress so much quicker than going alone.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Nice one Screenman and Tommy, good advice methinks.

Thanks.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

[QUOTE 2887051, member: 45"]We were on the sea front at Clevedon a few months ago. Horrible weather, cold and blustery. A group of pensioners appeared in swimming gear, wandered down the jetty and swam off into the distance.

Brave people.[/quote]

Yes, New Year's Day is an annual fixture for Clevedonian pensioners to battle the currents. Like you say, brave people. I paddled a canoe to Lady Bay around 5 years ago and the current was insane- it took nearly an hour to get there and about 30 seconds to get back.

 

[Tommy2]

[QUOTE 2887051, member: 45"]We were on the sea front at Clevedon a few months ago. Horrible weather, cold and blustery. A group of pensioners appeared in swimming gear, wandered down the jetty and swam off into the distance.

Brave people.[/quote]
Did they come back?

 

[screenman]

My morning swim sessions feels a bit like being in the film Cocoon, there are a few 70 and even one 82 year old that get in do their 40 or 60 lengths each day at a good pace, then they get out and go and get on with a busy day.

Then there are the one's who struggle to do a length at a time, but you can really see them improve week on week.

For me swimming gives me another 3 hours per week of quality exercise, which is not affected by the weather and it takes very little out of my week. Two session at 7.30am and one at 7.30 pm, I wish I had started years ago. I am looking forward to the open water swims, in warmer times that is.

 

[DCLane]

Last year I did 2 triathlons (Sprint & Olympic) - a tri coach was great for the swimming. Practice and get some coaching. It's made a great difference and I thought I could swim beforehand. Try to breathe both sides, exhale underwater and keep the strokes per length low. It's about getting a 'full stroke' rather than short ones.

I still do one session a week, which is a mile in about 35-40 minutes. Compared to when I started out, it's about 2-3 times faster than a year ago.

 

[thom]

If you are prepared to take a step back and try to start from scratch, the book "Total Immersion" is what I used when I did a few triathlons a while back. I could do the breaststroke all day but couldn't do the front crawl. The book really helped me get some kind of technique and I like the emphasis on efficiency as opposed to feeling like you're ploughing through water.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Some great advice here, thanks folks.

 

[bathtub]

Lots of good info on this swimsmooth website.
http://www.swimsmooth.com/
also worth downloading the Mr smooth stroke demo

Have Fun

 

[screenman]

The book I advised the OP to get earlier is also a great read and good for going back to. I have gone so far to have Swim Smooth lessons once a month on a one to one basis.

 

[VamP]

And once you get your freestyle resolved, make sure you get a wetsuit and some open water sessions in. It's a whole different ball game to pool swimming, and you don't really want to be trying it out for the first time on race day.

 

[Tin Pot]

Last year I did 2 triathlons (Sprint & Olympic) - a tri coach was great for the swimming. Practice and get some coaching. It's made a great difference and I thought I could swim beforehand. Try to breathe both sides, exhale underwater and keep the strokes per length low. It's about getting a 'full stroke' rather than short ones.

I still do one session a week, which is a mile in about 35-40 minutes. Compared to when I started out, it's about 2-3 times faster than a year ago.

I wouldn't agree with this at all.

Swimsmooth is good and getting a swim coach is good, but you are training for open water, not the pool. No one gives a fark about a "full" stroke, rather than a short one, and the number of strokes per length is scientifically irrelevant.

Anyway, on breathing specifically - don't get in to do a long distance. Get in do a few two/four lengths hard to warm up. You're not used to being underwater, and your body is panicking a bit, so get going and stop. Then, if you must, do your long swim. I would advise Breathing every second stroke until you feel that you don't need to - there is no need to force it.

Off topic - Far better than a long swim in the pool are pyramid sets and using the pull buoy (promotes faster shorter strokes - see my original objection). You will not be kicking in your Tri, this section is about arms, rhythm and balance. You legs are for the bike and run.

 

[Tommy2]

Full stroke is more efficient so use it, the tricep extension phase at the end of the stroke is where a lot of the power is produced. Don't swim like a hamster whether in the pool or open water.

The ability to breathe Bi lateraly is almost essential in race conditions if somebody is swimming on your preferred breathing side.

Don't jump in the pool and go hard from the start you won't have full mobility in your shoulders resulting in poor stroke or at worst an injury, warm up with back stroke and breast stroke.

You will kick in a tri swim, but get a coach to show you what an efficient kick is so as not to waste energy (don't bend at the knee).

A mix of pull bouy and kick board work is best to isolate upper and lower to focus on technique.

Warm up set, 5 sets at just above race pace with 15 seconds rest between, swim down set.

In short, get a coach.