Swimming lessons

[badger]

I haven't taken them since elementary school and it shows. After embarrassing showings the previous two summers on vacation and at friends homes' pools, I've decided that off-day workouts at the gym are gonna be in the pool.

So, I want all of you swimming knowing abouting posters to give all swim tricks and tips, including the following:

1- Swimming straight lines without staring at the bottom of the pool or the ceiling.

2- Keeping eyes open under water without goggles.

3- Swimming to the bottom of the pool (without drowning)

4- Not accidentally breathing in water through mouth or nose

Help! I swim like a rock!

[Boomer.....]

Paging Howzit!

[Stitch Face]

I thought swimming was like riding a bike

[badger]

I thought swimming was like riding a bike

NP can swim. I can ride a bike. Together, we can do both. Separate, we each have something we get injured or drown a lot in.

:O

[soonerboomer93]

Keeping eyes open is just a matter of getting used to the chlorine sting (and not wearing contacts).

Um, the lines on the bottom of the pool are there to help people swim straight and also indicate when you get close to the wall while freestyle swimming. When freestyle swimming, turn your head to the side when you breath, and always to the same side, you can check your distance to the lane line that way. Just try to keep that distance constant.

Backstrokers use the lane line, or ceiling line, with the flags to indicate distance to the wall.

Swimming to the bottom is a matter of lung capacity, in high school we used to do our 25's and 50's without taking a breath, that was a real pain on the 50. Basically, just practice holding your breath.

[delhalew]

I can identify. I found that I lost all my form and technique, which is apparently VERY important.
When I was a young child I was such a good swimmer that I survived being caught in an undertow in both the Pacific and Atlantic. After not swimming for many years, I found that not only was I out of shape, but I was slow and worked way to hard for very little progress. I no longer had the muscle memory of what the hell I was supposed to be doing. I hope to rectify that while my children are learning.

[Leroy Lizard]

I haven't taken them since elementary school and it shows. After embarrassing showings the previous two summers on vacation and at friends homes' pools, I've decided that off-day workouts at the gym are gonna be in the pool.

So, I want all of you swimming knowing abouting posters to give all swim tricks and tips, including the following:

1- Swimming straight lines without staring at the bottom of the pool or the ceiling.

2- Keeping eyes open under water without goggles.

3- Swimming to the bottom of the pool (without drowning)

4- Not accidentally breathing in water through mouth or nose

Help! I swim like a rock!

I liked the helpful hint about not drowning.

But why swim? Swimming is that which you do to keep from drowning. Stay out of the water and mission accomplished!

[badger]

I can identify. I found that I lost all my form and technique, which is apparently VERY important.
When I was a young child I was such a good swimmer that I survived being caught in an undertow in both the Pacific and Atlantic. After not swimming for many years, I found that not only was I out of shape, but I was slow and worked way to hard for very little progress. I no longer had the muscle memory of what the hell I was supposed to be doing. I hope to rectify that while my children are learning.

Word. It takes enormous effort to tread water, to the point that I think I'm doing something wrong. It got to the point where I was plugging my nose just to jump in... it looks stupid, as does using the doggie paddle to stay afloat in the deep end. :(

[delhalew]

Word. It takes enormous effort to tread water, to the point that I think I'm doing something wrong. It got to the point where I was plugging my nose just to jump in... it looks stupid, as does using the doggie paddle to stay afloat in the deep end. :(

Lol. I'm not that bad off because I have a good foundation. It sounds like you should take lessons again. You are certainly not the only adult that can't swim to save their lives...literally.

[badger]

I have picked up running again (mile time, just like weight, is something you should never ask a chick, so don't!) and wanted to do something on off-days. Just getting into the pool more often has helped tremendously in not sinking to the bottom and struggling to stay afloat. Alas... still have issues with breathing, seeing, et al

[Leroy Lizard]

I have picked up running again (mile time, just like weight, is something you should never ask a chick, so don't!) and wanted to do something on off-days.

Running is that which you do to keep from getting eaten.

I'm so wise.

[GottaHavePride]

I haven't taken them since elementary school and it shows. After embarrassing showings the previous two summers on vacation and at friends homes' pools, I've decided that off-day workouts at the gym are gonna be in the pool.

So, I want all of you swimming knowing abouting posters to give all swim tricks and tips, including the following:

1- Swimming straight lines without staring at the bottom of the pool or the ceiling.

If you're in a pool with lanes, that's why there's a line on the bottom of the pool. Use it. If not, pick something to swim toward and just check your direction occasionally. After a while you'll get used to matching how much you're pulling with each arm to keep yourself in a straight line.


2- Keeping eyes open under water without goggles.

Don't. Chlorine burns the **** out of your eyes. Buy some goggles. Don't buy cheap goggles. Don't buy goggles with foam "seals" - get the low-profile ones with silicone seals like the Olympic swimmers use. They're about $20.


3- Swimming to the bottom of the pool (without drowning)

4- Not accidentally breathing in water through mouth or nose

You don't breathe in through your trumpet, right? Same principle. If your head is underwater, keep your mouth shut and exhale VERY SLOWLY through your nose. Then pace your exhalation so that your lungs are empty right when you come up to breathe. (Again, just like playing a trumpet.) If air is coming OUT your nose, water can't go IN.

After that, swimming to the bottom of the pool is just a matter of developing enough arm / leg strength to get you to the bottom. That's actually tough for me, because I float well enough that treading water is seriously redundant effort. (And no I'm not a fattie.)

Treading water is also made easier by keeping your lungs inflated most of the time - makes you more buoyant.


Help! I swim like a rock!

[GottaHavePride]

When freestyle swimming, turn your head to the side when you breath, and always to the same side, you can check your distance to the lane line that way.


As a side note, if you ever attempt to swim competitively, you need to be able to breathe to either side so you can see the progress of the other swimmers. I think it's usually every 3 or 5 strokes so you're on alternating sides.

And with that said, I SUCK at breathing to the right side. I don't know why, but it throws off my whole stroke. To add to that, I hate freestyle anyway. Breaststroke is much easier for me.

[yermom]

i was in the pool with my buddy's kid the other day. i definitely can't swim like i used to, but i could see he totally needed lessons

[NormanPride]

I'll work with you when I get back. I spent my entire childhood in the pool - I love swimming! That pool is tiny, though...

[ouleaf]

Can't you learn to swim online nowadays?

[badger]

Can't you learn to swim online nowadays?

Oh, I totally tried that... the little youtube clips with the lifeguard and the little girl... I swear they spike that pool water with "no sinkie" juice or something though :mad:

:D and yes, I realize you were probably joking

[Howzit]

I agree with GHP on the no-goggles. Can't understand why in the world you'd want to.

I still swim laps at the gym I belong to. This is in Los Colinas, which apparently has a very large Indian population. And they reeeeeeeeally like to learn to swim. While I swim I kind of watch some of these beginners underwater (especially the ones with vaginas) and there are two things that make learning difficult for them.

First is learning to relax. This is not always an easy thing to do, but if you are all tensed up you are going to have a tendency to go vertical, and that is just not conducive to aquatic locomotion. You need to present as low a profile to the water as possible to reduce resistance and minimize required energy.

The second thing is realizing that using the arms involves using the arms. This sounds silly, but I don't how many of these numbskulls I see moving their arms through the motion but not really pulling. Think of it as pulling yourself on a rope, you have to displace water, not just gently move your hand through the water.

Also, gaining the coordination to comfortably breathe just take practice. It's not a movement used out of the water, and the only way to learn is through repetition, but it is key to being able to minimize required energy. Again, if you have to raise your body vertically to breathe, it not only requires more muscle exertion, it slows you down.

Good luck, and know that swimming laps is the most boring physical activity in the known universe.

[C&CDean]

Once again, we have grown-assed adults who can't do basic functional things. Less video games and more pool time would work wonders missy.

Personally, I cannot remember not knowing how to swim. Do I swim like a Howzit homo olympic wannabe? Nope. But I can do all the basic strokes, and can stay afloat pretty much indefinetly. Of course my pop tossed me in some water somewhere when I was a wee lad (that's what I was told anyhow) and I managed to figure it out.

What's funny, is I pretty much did the same thing with all my kids - except that I blew into their face before I dropped them in the water. It's amazing, those little ****s would be bobbing down there 5-6 feet looking around. I'd let them stay down maybe 5-6 seconds then I'd bring them up. By the time the kids were maybe 3 or 4 they were jumping off cliffs at the lake, diving boards at the pool, etc. I've asked them, and they too cannot remember ever not knowing how to swim.

So, when you have children, get their little butts into the water ASAP. I was dunking the boys when they were less than a week old. Hell, they came out of a fluid environment, and they'll hold their breath reflexively when dropped into one. As far as adults who can't swim? Either get out there and get after it, or stay outta the water.

[badger]

True story - I tried doing a Michael Phelps lap flip just to by going through the motions I saw much better swimmers do in the Olympics and on Youtube learning videos... lungs by way of nose fill with strongly chlorinated water. Sit on pool stairs for a few minutes feeling dizzy, like I was actually drowning for a few seconds or something.

The rest of the night, everything tastes like chlorinated water... and the taste is awful. Good thing it was just healthy stuff that I was eating. If I was using a cheat-day for dinner with tons of calories, I'd feel cheated :P

[C&CDean]

You blow out of your nose when you flip or jump into the water. Just a quick blast and you never get water up there.

[C&CDean]

And one other thing. Find a saltwater pool. We have the largest salt water pool in the state of OK at work. No chlorine, no burny.

[badger]

You blow out of your nose when you flip or jump into the water. Just a quick blast and you never get water up there.

See, everyone says that and makes it sound so easy... I thought I was doing that, it didn't work.

As for laying off the vidya, I have been... in favor of house cleanin' since the in-laws are coming to town later this week :eek:

[Howzit]

But I can do all the basic strokes,



I'll vouch for that.

[GottaHavePride]

Howzit, I freakin' LOVE that avatar. Flippin' hilarious.

[AlbqSooner]

TO get you back into swimming, get a kick board. You can even use the lid from one of those cheap styrofoam ice chests. Grip each side with your hands and let your forearms, not your elbows, rest on it. Kick only through several laps. While you are doing this, practice breathing to one side. A few days of this will get you used to exhaling slowly through your nose while your fac is in the water and inhaling through your mouth when you turn your head to the side. That will help you to relax enough that after a while you can then swim with both your legs AND arms and not feel like you are in a fight against drowing. You might call the local Red Cross and ask if they have adult swim classes. They are often free or really inexpensive.

[colleyvillesooner]

3 most important notes for this thread

1. I love me some Howzit. I wish you would post more, but I know why you don't...This place blows now. ;) Mainly for lack of Dallas lunch threads.

2. Dean needs his own TV show. Seriously. Makes us all rich.

3. It is embarrassing how short I can hold my breath now. Ridiculous.

[NormanPride]

No kidding on the lung capacity. I used to be able to swim the length of an olympic pool underwater, but now I could barely do the width of one. :O

[badger]

So I dropped another pound thing morning... swimming-related because ever since I started this swimming one day, running the other day pattern, combined with lean cuisine frozen dinners, I've been repeatedly losing weight.

Oh, and garden tomatoes. I just sliced up a few for breakfast. Yum!

[Stitch Face]

You know who really can't swim, right? LIBERALS!

[soonerboomer93]

As a side note, if you ever attempt to swim competitively, you need to be able to breathe to either side so you can see the progress of the other swimmers. I think it's usually every 3 or 5 strokes so you're on alternating sides.

And with that said, I SUCK at breathing to the right side. I don't know why, but it throws off my whole stroke. To add to that, I hate freestyle anyway. Breaststroke is much easier for me.

I always did 4 stroke breath to the left for freestyle. I did distance, so there were other ways for me to find out, like looking on flip turns, signals form whoever had the lap counter.

When I did butterfly we could just look on the breath.

[soonerboomer93]

True story - I tried doing a Michael Phelps lap flip just to by going through the motions I saw much better swimmers do in the Olympics and on Youtube learning videos... lungs by way of nose fill with strongly chlorinated water. Sit on pool stairs for a few minutes feeling dizzy, like I was actually drowning for a few seconds or something.

The rest of the night, everything tastes like chlorinated water... and the taste is awful. Good thing it was just healthy stuff that I was eating. If I was using a cheat-day for dinner with tons of calories, I'd feel cheated :P

Um, you should breath your nose out during the flip turn. It also take some practice to make sure you find the correct distance from the wall at which to start the turn.

[oumartin]

So I dropped another pound thing morning... swimming-related because ever since I started this swimming one day, running the other day pattern, combined with lean cuisine frozen dinners, I've been repeatedly losing weight.

Oh, and garden tomatoes. I just sliced up a few for breakfast. Yum!


Your weight will fluctuate 3-5 pounds any given day.

Some days I wake up and weigh 175, others i weigh around 180.


If you don't eat enough calories and carbs you will never last in a pool.

[badger]

That's the funny thing - I am not cutting carbs. I still snack on Frosted Mini-Wheats, still drink soda, don't skip meals... I'm just melting away, it seems. However, I leave the gym tired every day and sore the next morning, so I'm pretty sure it's a result of the workout and not because I have some evil deathly illness or something.

[Stitch Face]

I've seen the same thing a coupla times.

Both cases? Deathly illness.

[badger]

I've seen the same thing a coupla times.

Both cases? Deathly illness.

I'm not dead yet!

[oumartin]

That's the funny thing - I am not cutting carbs. I still snack on Frosted Mini-Wheats, still drink soda, don't skip meals... I'm just melting away, it seems. However, I leave the gym tired every day and sore the next morning, so I'm pretty sure it's a result of the workout and not because I have some evil deathly illness or something.

I'm not even gonna bother going down the sugary cereals and soft drink road.

[NormanPride]

She always eats my cereal.

[Stitch Face]

She always eats my cereal.

That sounds like...nevermind.

[yermom]

You know who really can't swim, right? LIBERALS!

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o228/jokir420/thats_racist.gif

[Stitch Face]

How is that KFC bucket just floating there?

[badger]

She always eats my cereal.

Nyuh uh. You've been outta town since Friday and I purhcased more cereal... wait a sec... aren't we married? Isn't everything OURs and not yours or mine, dear?

[NormanPride]

No, that cereal was mine. You ate it. I cried a little.

[Stitch Face]

Nyuh uh. You've been outta town since Friday and I purhcased more cereal... wait a sec... aren't we married? Isn't everything OURs and not yours or mine, dear?

If he ever cheats you can get half of that cereal.

[Leroy Lizard]

If I rat him out, can I keep the prize?

[badger]

No, that cereal was mine. You ate it. I cried a little.

Well I was gonna surprise you, but I replaced your cereal as I promised I would. A full, unopened box of it is where your box used to be before I found it. Mkay?

I got myself my own box... they are like blueberry flavored miniwheats or something...

Oh... weren't we talking about swimming? If you flight plans get weird I'm going tonight. If you're still stressed there's a hot tub next door :D

[soonerboomer93]

Nyuh uh. You've been outta town since Friday and I purhcased more cereal... wait a sec... aren't we married? Isn't everything mine, dear?

FIFY

[soonerboomer93]

So I dropped another pound thing morning... swimming-related because ever since I started this swimming one day, running the other day pattern, combined with lean cuisine frozen dinners, I've been repeatedly losing weight.

Oh, and garden tomatoes. I just sliced up a few for breakfast. Yum!

It's not necessarily the swimming as much as it is muscle confusion. Basically if you always do the same thing (which I'm way guilding of when I do my lifting) your body adapts. Personally I swap between the treadmill, eliptical and another machine. I also had to change from 20 minute cardio at the beginning to a 10 minute warm up, weights, then 20 minutes of cardio. Between that and adding variety to the cardio machines, I broke through the wall I had hit again.

Stop eating that frozen food crap for dinner also ;) Grill or bake some chicken, fish or occasional steak, make a salad with green in it. Cheaper, healthier for you. Baking it means you can just toss it in the oven and come back in 15 minutes or so.

Like Martin said, your weight will vary daily. Mine varies by about 5 lbs in a day, sometimes a bit more if I had excess carbs. My low point is always in the morning, when I'm the least hydrated. Always weigh yourself during the same time frame just to account for the fluctuations (I.E. I weigh before my morning shower).