[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by Fluffybums

Definately keep at it. I used to belong to a Life Saving club where one of the members, in her late 50s to early 60s at the time, had learnt to swim about 5 years before I got to know her. When I knew her she had just passed her Lifesaving Award of Merit and was working toward her Distinction, the highest award the RLSS gave at the time. So you are never too old!

Will do .

Wow, thats a fantastic achievement!

I do 40 lengths (25m pool) 3 days a week now. I'm slow as hell (ca. 30mins) but reasonably steady. Trying to convince myself to increase the lengths but I get a bit bored by the end of the session .

What I'm really trying to concentrate on now is stroke improvement. I do 20-21 per 25m but I know that's not great so I'm trying to reduce that.

[ianmc38]

I'm looking for advice as well. I've reasonably good cardio fitness and am just starting to do some swimming training. I am technically able tos wim, but my technique and everything else is terrible. I'm living ina complex that has a 25M pool so I plan on swimming every day before I start working. Can someone give me pointers on the ebst way to increase endurance/improve my stroke etc?

Thanks.

[Clseeper]

This is a tough one as we have no idea what your stroke is like? The big thing that most people could do with improving is their stroke length on frontcrawl. There are a few threads on this. Basically trying to get through the length in the least number of strokes possible. Make sure to keep your hand just below the surface as you slide forward and extend your arm as much as possible. Your whole body and even hips can rotate slightly to enable this. I sometimes even tell some of my swimmers to touch their shoulder off their chin to emphasize this.

Other than that, make sure to set targets that you can see the improvement which will help keep up the motivation.

The issue with swimming is the discontinuity between what you think you are doing and what you actually are. That's why its great to get someone to look at your strokes. Even just one lesson once in a while to give you some pointers to go off and work on and then come back for the rest.

Good Luck

[BendiBus]

Originally Posted by Clseeper

I sometimes even tell some of my swimmers to touch their shoulder off their chin to emphasize this.

I once went for several weeks wondering what disease was causing bright red marks on the front of my shoulders. I eventually realised it was beard rash from swimming

[Krusty_Clown]

Hi there, I did lessons as a child, and gave up before I ever had a chance to become a proficient swimmer. I am now taking lessons again, and hope to be able to swim competently. I have done two lessons recently, but on both occasions have suffered from calf cramps. Any suggestions on how I can avoid these? Any truth about eating within a few hours of swimming or is this a wives' tail?! I normally do a lot of running, but returning to swimming is a recent development. Thanks much!

[AngryHippie]

Stretching will help, After about 10 minutes of swimming, stop and do a full set of stretches, this will hold off the cramp for a while (hopefully long enough to finish your set, or lesson) Once you've built up some distance, try a little bit of work with fins, and some legs only work to improve your LME (local muscular endurance) this will help more in the long run. and eat a banana a few hours before, and keep hydrated.
Enjoy

[Krusty_Clown]

Thanks AngryHippie. I've been stretching the calf muscles when arriving back at the wall, for the next bit of wisdom. My calf muscles normally get a good workout as I've been doing a lot of marathon training over the last year, but I guess swimming may exert a different kind of pressure on these muscles?!

I might skip the evening meal the next time, and try a banana instead.

[Clseeper]

Krusty Clown,

I find it quite strange that you’re getting cramps in your calf considering you’re a runner. In general, running would work the calf muscles much harder than swimming.

Not sure about the wives tale or not? I never had any issue and took it as a stitch as opposed to an actual muscle cramp?

AngryHippe’s advice regarding stretching and the hydration are probably the right way to go. Make sure you are doing the correct strech for the muscle which is cramping. There are numerous muscles beside the standard calf stretch. The banana would be your potassium source, basically a salt which will aid hydration. So the water is the important one.

[Rej]

Originally Posted by Clseeper

Krusty Clown,

I find it quite strange that you’re getting cramps in your calf considering you’re a runner. In general, running would work the calf muscles much harder than swimming.

Not sure about the wives tale or not? I never had any issue and took it as a stitch as opposed to an actual muscle cramp?

AngryHippe’s advice regarding stretching and the hydration are probably the right way to go. Make sure you are doing the correct strech for the muscle which is cramping. There are numerous muscles beside the standard calf stretch. The banana would be your potassium source, basically a salt which will aid hydration. So the water is the important one.

Im getting a similar problem.. Whenever i do the backstroke I get a cramp in my right calf.. When i took swimming lessons, I was inclined to swim diagonally, cos my left leg is stronger. Since then I have concentrated on working my right leg to try and swim straight.. But this results in cramps.. I have tried stretching before swimming, but it doesnt make any difference.

[Gold16]

Originally Posted by Moonbaby

Cleeper I'm starting off completely from scratch at an advanced age.
Is it likely I'll be boyant at the end of 10 weeks?
How long does it usually take to learn?

I learned to swim 2 years ago. It took me a while to get the hang of it. It pays to take it slow and not put too much pressure on yourself or set a time limit in which to learn. After a while it all just comes together. Even after 10 weeks I think you will notice a big improvement. Well done for starting to learn.

[speedo]

Just a few thoughts on learning. There is no age limit on learning to swim, equally there is no age limit on retiring. There are quite a few open sea swimmers taking part in the races who are in their sixties and indeed even a couple in their seventies. I know quite a few swimmers who did not learn to swim in their youth and are quite useful now.
Do not measure your performance against others when starting to swim, everybody is different, the important thing is to stick with it and dont give up.
For the front crawl most beginners think moving the arms as fast as possible is the way to go...It is not. A relaxed long stroke is what's needed. Breathing has to be worked into the stroke, it takes time to get it right but its worth it as most learners tire quickly because they are holding their breath. The body must be streamlined to make good progress; which means the hips and legs should be high in the water. If the feet lying deep in the water the body will be offering too much resistance to the water. Kicking on the bar or using a float helps to get the hips and legs up. There are plenty of good books available which have underwater photos demonstrating technique. The web site www.totalimmersion.co.uk is a good site for swimmers.

[lester76]

This is a cool thread, i have lived by the sea my whole life an to my total shame i cant swim my 15yr old lad is like a fish in the water and id love to be able to join him in the pool on hols etc. Anyone know of a good instructor in waterford?? Maybe i should post it in the waterford forum

[thesmurph]

Originally Posted by bananamansgay

heya folks....

im learning to swim 'proberly' as im doing a triathlon at the end of July. I have to swim 750 meters in under 20mins and at the moment i cant do more than 300 meters (its my breathing - either too much or too little air!)

anyways, im a manber of the westwood club in clontarf and iv found a coach who will give me a couple of lessons.

is this allowed does anyone know? can i bring in a guy to the pool area and have him coach me? i need a card to get into the place....

Hey i know a coach who is willing to do 1-2-1 sessions and is a member of westwood (Clontarf) also. I can get you in contact with him if you like? He can coach you from the deck as he is a 'member' after all. He's an incredible coach. Helped so many beginners. He's actually an ex-olympian and also coached some of the fastest Irish swimmers in his time. He's incredible for stroke technique, fitness/endurance etc.

[AngryHippie]

Originally Posted by Rej

Im getting a similar problem.. Whenever i do the backstroke I get a cramp in my right calf.. When i took swimming lessons, I was inclined to swim diagonally, cos my left leg is stronger. Since then I have concentrated on working my right leg to try and swim straight.. But this results in cramps.. I have tried stretching before swimming, but it doesnt make any difference.

The 3rd way, its a bit painfull in the short term, but the long term benefits are worth it, because your calf muscles won't cause you problems in the pool for a good while, Buy a small set of pool fins, use them for 10-15 minutes during your normal swim, get on a bicycle or excercise bike for an hour a week and stretch gently after both of these. give it a few weeks, they will be tight, and tender for a while, stretch them when warm from excercise, no cold stretching. maybe 6 or 8 weeks later, you'll find the problem diminishing. It worked on mine over the course of 3 months, a few years back, I reckon it sort of balanced out the muscles and strenghtened them while the swimming kept them supple. Well worth it.

[K09]

Hi,
I took 6 weeks group lessons a year ago and while I can manage the breaststroke I cannot for the life of it get the front stroke.
I cannot time the breathing right and find it difficult to coordinate everything.

Any advice?

Thanks