Starting swimming, any advice?

I can't seem to do more than 2 lengths (Front Crawl)
i literally run out of breath when im near the end of the 2nd leg

it's not like im racing/going fast

im taking my time, getting as much air in when i turn

any ideas? tips ?

been swimming for a year now


The art of swimming eh. Usually it's to do with legs dropping and hence creating drag and breathing. Try using a pull buoy between you legs. If you find it a lot easier then it's your body position.
 
Do not worry about how you breathe just make sure your lungs are empty before your head pops up out of the water again, and your probably going to fast, so pull boy and drills. Same as running just running is not going to improve your running you need to mix it up, you can get by on 3 sessions a week easy. One long swim slow and steady, A very short interval type swim 10 x 25m sprints and you walk back (harder than it sounds after you have done 4) and a nice 30-60mins drills, long rest periods focusing on technique, Swimming is easy, swimming efficiently is hard as hell :)
 
i dont think im going too fast, im really trying to go slow and take my time, so i can withstand more laps (Base/Endurance)

my swimming teacher has said not to breath heavily
actually come to think of it, im sure she said not to empty yourself out because that means you'll be gasping for air, and over time you use more energy/harder to take breathes

i shall ask her the question :)
 
I can't seem to do more than 2 lengths (Front Crawl)
i literally run out of breath when im near the end of the 2nd leg

it's not like im racing/going fast

im taking my time, getting as much air in when i turn

any ideas? tips ?

been swimming for a year now

Are you breathing out while your face is in the water? How often are you breathing? You make it sound like you're only breathing at the turn so once during the entire 2 lengths, that's hopefully me misreading as it's nowhere near enough :) If it's not every stroke then do so. Always worth asking the lifeguards for help if the pool is quiet too, just don't expect them to help if there's more than a few people in as it'll distract from the job too much.
 
How often are you going swimming? To see real progress you need to be going 3 or 4 times a week, every week.
Also, have you practised sink downs? Tread water and then take a breath and slowly exhale and let yourself sink down to the bottom of the pool. That's the kind of controlled breathing you need to practice. https://www.triathlete.com/2014/12/training/try-it-sink-downs_67701

I haven't been in the pool in 6 weeks since I did Ironman Wales, just haven't had the urge, but I really ought to get back into it :/
 
back in the pool yet ? .. I have to go once a week .. it's zen time , in utero ..

well apart from the idiot today ... are some people blinkered in their goggles with no peripheral vision ..
guy, well women, are a lot more considerate, like I am I believe, was only passing me on his aggressive turns, and then sat next to me wandering across the lane creeping into me.
 
No, still can't bring myself to go just yet, it's going to be interesting how different it feels when I do go. The worst thing about swimming is inconsiderate or ignorant people.
 
seems to a new trend at our pool, doing the breast stroke with underwater stroke diving deep to a metre down and lasting nearly 10s, looks elegant from the
women who appear principal proponents .. would definitely demand a more disciplined breathing.

..I suppose women do do breast stroke a lot more than men anyway .. butterfly might see that once a month .... but you can't appreciate it in the pool youself
 
Stupidly found myself signed up for a half IronMan next year with the other half. Kick me back into training as she only started swimming this year and has ventured out on a roadbike once, ever, and that was 6 weeks ago... What could go wrong :D

I got her swimming, but since our little one rocked up, we can't go together at the moment, so I've got her some tri specific swim lessons starting Monday.
 
we can't go together at the moment
on my christmas swimming list (still) are those arm strengthening elastic straps you can use at home for crawl arms ...
that would be of more use to me than time to time push-ups.

.... bone conducting mp3 player, on the list, too ... too try anyway, before I realise it's not that effective and return it.
 
on my christmas swimming list (still) are those arm strengthening elastic straps you can use at home for crawl arms ...
that would be of more use to me than time to time push-ups.

.... bone conducting mp3 player, on the list, too ... too try anyway, before I realise it's not that effective and return it.
Are you after a waterproof one (for swimming) or in general? We have the the Aftershokx and they're pretty good. You get a decent enough volume, lacking bass, but that's to be expected. Good for training, but for events, it has to be closed road, or they are often not allowed.

There's a VASA swim trainer just gone up on Facebook PreLoved Tri Gear:
£1500 new to £500
https://www.facebook.com/groups/prelovedtrigroup/
 
There's a VASA swim trainer just gone up on Facebook PreLoved Tri Gear
yes - haven't really got room for one of those ... the large elastic bands (can't see my earlier post) were the cheaper option i was contemplating ...
should maybe dig out the rowing machine though too, I wonder if it has some cross-training benefit for the arms/back.

We have the the Aftershokx and they're pretty good
yes other than the couple of cheaper chinese option, I posted in other thread, the market is not large.

I checked at the weekend that my upper arm does brush the ear/face during stroke so the additional space for Afterskokz, say, is limited.
 
back in the pool yet ? .. I have to go once a week .. it's zen time , in utero ..

well apart from the idiot today ... are some people blinkered in their goggles with no peripheral vision ..
guy, well women, are a lot more considerate, like I am I believe, was only passing me on his aggressive turns, and then sat next to me wandering across the lane creeping into me.

Started this week, got myself some Speedo goggles and they’re not the sit in your eye socket type. Look larger but give decent vision. I don’t think many goggles give peripheral vision.
20minutes pure swilling time in circuits of 25m half pool lane for the ultra slow to myself :) breaststroke and backstroke. I’ll build up over time.

Cheapest pool pay-as-you-go £4.80 is actually the nicest as it’s in a sports centre rather than a leisure centre. Mrs Xmas present to me is swimming membership :)
 
i feel a bit of a plonker (sometimes anyway)

How do you do your anti fog on your goggles ? i do mine pool side, dip my goggles then put on straight away, works for me (most of the time lol)

i dont see anyone else do this, so i feel a little weird doing it :/
 
I spray mine with anti fog, lasts about two swims. When i forget it just a nit of spit on my finger.

Nothings works for ever on swimming goggles really :)
 
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