Anyone swim?
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I just started again after a very, very long time. Used to swim competitively as a tween, but haven't done very much since then. Apart from being in togs, the chlorine stink and skin that feels like ancient parchment, I'm really enjoying it. First visit did 34 lengths. Second 50 lengths. Third 60 lengths. Yesterday did 70.
So lovely being able to work everything all at once, with no impact on my decrepit joints. And even better, the muscle ache after is SO mild. I mix it up between freestyle and kicking with a flutterboard.
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Yep, I swam competively in my early years, gave that up around age 11-12.
After being a runner for most of my adult life I caught the swimming bug again a few years back when I did NZ ironman.
Swim with a group of older guys/ girls 4 times a week, usual set is 3-5km. Am building up with a goal this summer of a lake swim on the West Coast of the South Island (around 8-9km). The eventual goal is to swim Cook Strait in the next 5 years or so.
I love the fact that swimming is so technique based, and most sets are time driven, so you can see the improvements week to week. Am down to around 1.10 for 100 metres freestyke, I'd love to get close to 1 minute eventually.
If you get bored of just swimming laps (I can't imagine swimming 70 laps in a row, it would be so boring), check out mountainview masters (http://www.mvm.org). We base a lot of our sets on their workouts.
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I'm thinking I meet you in a really rebellious phase of your life SammyC ? I never could have pictured you doing much more then rolling out of bed straight onto the playstation at noon, after a heavy session!
I would love to swim better but was born with erb's palsy. Thought I don't have any paralysis in my arm or shoulder I have a really crappy range of movement. I never had a swimming instructor who was able to work with it so never got any good. As an adult it seems even harder to get instruction as I am not wanting to learn to swim but to actually have a coach to help make me better at it. Might need to shell out for a private coach.
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I met a long distance swimmer a couple of weeks ago and she was telling us about cold water swimming and the health benefits (including mental health). You may find it interesting to do a bit of googling on the subject. Some may be a bit of quackery but hey, whatever works for you and all that.
She runs an outdoor swimming club for women from abusive relationships (not saying this is relative to anyone here) to help with their physical and mental health.
Just thought the subject was interesting.
I don't swim. I'm a sinker. -
Swim? Like a brick.
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@mokey I get get more exercise drowning on my second length than you guys get by doing 50.
Having said that I hate it and would rather peel my eye balls with a rusty razor than swim for exercise.
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I love swimming, always been decent, but not competitive, did some surf life saving back in my prime too (great way to meet girls...)
Have taught both my kids how to swim, as much through going regularly as giving advice on technique and they both swim better than plenty of kids ion their classes who have had proper 'lessons'
Often when I take them I like to knock out 10-20 lengths, so your 50 is farking insane, but haven't swum for months due to my rotator cuff issue.
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@MajorRage I suspect there may be some aquatic antics near a duck pond! I'd say you could bet on a few words like (breast) stroke, moist, and maybe something about holding your breath!! but that would be fowl... I mean foul!!
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@paekakboyz Don't give up your day job, cupcake.
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Don't worry @Mokey, I'll stay in my lane:-)
Not that you were worried!
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Have locked in a date for my lake swim with a couple of mates, straight across lake Brunner (8-9km) on the 28th December.
So accordingly had the last big pool session on Saturday..... 6.5 km all up, main part of the set was 40 x 100m intervals, by far the toughest set I’ve ever done in a pool. (260 lengths for those who care)
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@sammyc said in Anyone swim?:
Have locked in a date for my lake swim with a couple of mates, straight across lake Brunner (8-9km) on the 28th December.
So accordingly had the last big pool session on Saturday..... 6.5 km all up, main part of the set was 40 x 100m intervals, by far the toughest set I’ve ever done in a pool. (260 lengths for those who care)
Out of curiosity (maybe you can't answer this yet if first big swim) is it easier to swim 'straight line' or to have to turn 260 times? I imagine there is push off that would help but that removes constant rythm?
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@hooroo said in Anyone swim?:
@sammyc said in Anyone swim?:
Have locked in a date for my lake swim with a couple of mates, straight across lake Brunner (8-9km) on the 28th December.
So accordingly had the last big pool session on Saturday..... 6.5 km all up, main part of the set was 40 x 100m intervals, by far the toughest set I’ve ever done in a pool. (260 lengths for those who care)
Out of curiosity (maybe you can't answer this yet if first big swim) is it easier to swim 'straight line' or to have to turn 260 times? I imagine there is push off that would help but that removes constant rythm?
It’s hard to answer, pool swimming there’s a lot more focus on time per length, per 100m, per 200 etc. I’d never just jump in the pool and swim 260 lengths in a row, it’s just not as productive.
As the lake swim isn’t a race, it’s at a consistent cruising pace for a few hours.
Short answer, both are pretty hard
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Lake swim was done on 28th December, final distance was a little over 9km. Took us 3hours 10minutes.
Couldn’t have asked for a better day, and handled it pretty well, the training we did was more than enough. (I’d post up photos if I could work out how).
Now to keep working towards the end goal of cook strait in a couple of years time.
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Honestly, with the struggles i am having in the pool, i am in awe of what you just did, and what you plan to do. Swimming is fucking hard.
