Swimming...

[MINITEE]

OK, this may seem ridiculously simple, but we (my coach and I) realized a couple of summers ago that I wasn't exhaling enough during my strokes, so my when I took my breath I would be trying to expel air and take air in at the same time.

So, I now start to exhale after my first stroke, so that by the third, all I am doing is inhaling when I my face is out of the water.

Just some food for thought.

[Wu wei]

And it helps in open-water situations so that you don't always have to breathe on the same side because of sun or waves that might be impeding you.

Yeah, but you can unilaterally breathe to the other side. I do 5-10% of my swimming breathing unilaterally to my weak side, in the case of sun or waves force it.

Unilaterally breathing is always faster in a race. You get more oxygen and swim harder. Training specificity.

For a newbie swimmer though, bilateral breathing is probably not a bad skill to learn.

[ultraslacker]

Well, as a child I had asthma (not bad enough to be diagnosed, but bad enough to cause me distress...). I've had breathing trouble ever since, and it has caused me some grief while running and hiking. So I don't doubt that it plays a role in swimming too.

I'm sure it must do in your case; 35 seconds is a relatively short time on breath holding. However, that really shouldn't be relevant in swimming - I'm sure that as you gain more confidence and develop smoother technique you will find that the breathing comes easier too. You've been swimming for what, three months? I think you've made great progress so far, keep it up!

2.5 months! :)

[ultraslacker]

OK, this may seem ridiculously simple, but we (my coach and I) realized a couple of summers ago that I wasn't exhaling enough during my strokes, so my when I took my breath I would be trying to expel air and take air in at the same time.

So, I now start to exhale after my first stroke, so that by the third, all I am doing is inhaling when I my face is out of the water.

Just some food for thought.

I don't think that's the problem, because I am definitely fully exhaled before I come up... in fact I think that I might be exhaling too hard, because sometimes I want to breathe in *before* I come up (which of course would be a problem! ). I read somewhere about just letting the air trickle out gently instead of blowing out too hard.

Breathing is so complicated.

[ultraslacker]

And it helps in open-water situations so that you don't always have to breathe on the same side because of sun or waves that might be impeding you.

Yeah, but you can unilaterally breathe to the other side. I do 5-10% of my swimming breathing unilaterally to my weak side, in the case of sun or waves force it.

Unilaterally breathing is always faster in a race. You get more oxygen and swim harder. Training specificity.

For a newbie swimmer though, bilateral breathing is probably not a bad skill to learn.

I'm practicing both, so hopefully when all is said and done I'll be able to breathe however I like! :)

[JoaniB]

I'm practicing both, so hopefully when all is said and done I'll be able to breathe however I like!

+1 and 'like'!

[Wu wei]

I'm practicing both, so hopefully when all is said and done I'll be able to breathe however I like!

And learn flip turns too.

[ultraslacker]

I'm practicing both, so hopefully when all is said and done I'll be able to breathe however I like!

And learn flip turns too.

Definitely not my priority right now!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[ultraslacker]

Just 25 *lengths* today instead of my usual 40... Just too exhausted today, though I don't know why since I slept well.

16 were drills, 11 just swimming.

Last week I only swam once... So I need to try to make it to the pool more! This week should be better.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[ultraslacker]

I did not feel like doing anything today but I had to take advantage of an extraordinarily quiet day at work and a chance to get away for awhile... So I went to the pool!

16 lengths of drills and 24 lengths of my special freestyle/drill stroke where I am still taking too much time and space to breathe. But it is getting better! At least, I think it is. I have no idea how it would look to an outsider. It feels good and I am gradually breathing better, so I'll take it!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[JoaniB]

16 lengths of drills and 24 lengths of my special freestyle/drill stroke where I am still taking too much time and space to breathe. But it is getting better! At least, I think it is. I have no idea how it would look to an outsider. It feels good and I am gradually breathing better, so I'll take it!

Am I alone in envying people who can get to the end of one length, turn around, and head right back down the next length? Does this come with fitness (I'm sure it does, but hearing 'yes' would feel so nice)?

Yay on the improving of breathing!! You're so inspiring for me, Ultra.

[ultraslacker]

16 lengths of drills and 24 lengths of my special freestyle/drill stroke where I am still taking too much time and space to breathe. But it is getting better! At least, I think it is. I have no idea how it would look to an outsider. It feels good and I am gradually breathing better, so I'll take it!

Am I alone in envying people who can get to the end of one length, turn around, and head right back down the next length? Does this come with fitness (I'm sure it does, but hearing 'yes' would feel so nice)?

I don't know how they do it.

I did 25 lengths today (just 4 were drills). I was tired from my race yesterday, but I was glad I went. On Friday Turd and I had been talking about swimming and it made me think I am kicking too much, so today I tried not to kick as much, and slowed everything down a bit. It felt good but I can't tell yet if it helps. I'm still out of breath at the end of laps. I do think I'm improving, just very, very slowly.

[turd ferguson]

16 lengths of drills and 24 lengths of my special freestyle/drill stroke where I am still taking too much time and space to breathe. But it is getting better! At least, I think it is. I have no idea how it would look to an outsider. It feels good and I am gradually breathing better, so I'll take it!

Am I alone in envying people who can get to the end of one length, turn around, and head right back down the next length? Does this come with fitness (I'm sure it does, but hearing 'yes' would feel so nice)?

I don't know how they do it.

I did 25 lengths today (just 4 were drills). I was tired from my race yesterday, but I was glad I went. On Friday Turd and I had been talking about swimming and it made me think I am kicking too much, so today I tried not to kick as much, and slowed everything down a bit. It felt good but I can't tell yet if it helps. I'm still out of breath at the end of laps. I do think I'm improving, just very, very slowly.

I don't know how the hell I became swim coach, but here we are.

I've become one of those people that JoaniB referred to who can just keep going forever, but I am also slow as heck - 3:00 / 100m.

In my brain, I'm thinking its like doing an LSD on the road. You wouldn't do a half marathon by sprinting faster than your body can sustain for 100m, then catching your breath, then repeating until you get to the end. You'd take your exertion down to the point where you're at a sustainable pace. For me, that was reducing the kick.

ALSO don't forget the second half of the advice from Friday, which was to get a REAL coach for a REAL lesson. A bit of free advice from a guy who taught himself to swim in a pond is worth exactly what you pay for it.

[ultraslacker]

ALSO don't forget the second half of the advice from Friday, which was to get a REAL coach for a REAL lesson. A bit of free advice from a guy who taught himself to swim in a pond is worth exactly what you pay for it.

Yeah, I haven't forgotten. A friend of mine has a good coach for his ironman training so maybe I will see if he can connect me with her for a couple of sessions.

[La]

In my brain, I'm thinking its like doing an LSD on the road. You wouldn't do a half marathon by sprinting faster than your body can sustain for 100m, then catching your breath, then repeating until you get to the end. You'd take your exertion down to the point where you're at a sustainable pace. For me, that was reducing the kick.

You are a swimming savant, Turd.

You're absolutely right - and I think it might have to do with coming from a running background, we tend to think that we have to kick like mad to propel ourselves forward. But for most of us, we just have to kick enough that our legs and hips don't sink. You'll tire yourself out pretty quickly by kicking a lot. Also, make sure you are kicking from your hips, not your knees (i.e., NOT a cycling motion with your legs). I haven't mastered it yet, but your kick should be kind of like how you whip/snap a wet towel at someone in the locker room.

The thing I like about TI is that they really focus on body position and feel for the water, so that you can move through the water, rather than fight/struggle to stay on top of it. It's also the same reason why drills to improve form are so important, because unlike running, you can't just "work harder" and log more laps with crappy form to get better.

[ultraslacker]

I can't see myself kick to see how I'm doing. I guess that's another reason to pay someone to watch me.

[La]

I can't see myself kick to see how I'm doing. I guess that's another reason to pay someone to watch me.

Even better, get someone to tape you, preferably with an under-water camera.

[Kelodie]

Am I alone in envying people who can get to the end of one length, turn around, and head right back down the next length? Does this come with fitness (I'm sure it does, but hearing 'yes' would feel so nice)?

I don't know how they do it.

I've become one of those people that JoaniB referred to who can just keep going forever, but I am also slow as heck - 3:00 / 100m.

Yes, it comes with fitness (it was the case for me anyway). I can't keep going forever, but I'm better able to swim longer distances without stopping than I was. Keep working on your breathing and you'll get there.

Turd, I'm as slow as you! I didn't think it was possible to find someone who's the same speed as me. You beat me on the bike and run, though.

[Jwolf]

Am I alone in envying people who can get to the end of one length, turn around, and head right back down the next length? Does this come with fitness (I'm sure it does, but hearing 'yes' would feel so nice)?

I don't know how they do it.

I've become one of those people that JoaniB referred to who can just keep going forever, but I am also slow as heck - 3:00 / 100m.

Yes, it comes with fitness (it was the case for me anyway). I can't keep going forever, but I'm better able to swim longer distances without stopping than I was. Keep working on your breathing and you'll get there.

Turd, I'm as slow as you! I didn't think it was possible to find someone who's the same speed as me. You beat me on the bike and run, though.

count me among the "can go forever but really slowly" folks. 3:00/100m here too.

[babysteps]

Holy carp. I thought I was the only 3:00/100 swimmer on the planet! For a while I was up to 2:40 and I thought I was freakin' Michael Phelps! (But now I can't swim any significant distance either because I haven't been going consistently in ages...)

[ultraslacker]

Given that I have to stop every 25m to catch a few breaths, I'm guaranteed to be slower than ALL of you. So no worries. :)

[Kelodie]

I was thinking of you yesterday during my swim. I tried to pay attention to how I exhale in the water. I noticed that I don't start exhaling as soon as I put my head back in the water. It takes me between 1-2 seconds before I start to exhale and then I do it gently through the mouth at first and then through the mouth and nose. I also don't exhale non-stop - it's more like "pulse" exhaling, if that makes sense to you.

I have no idea if my observations can help in any way, but I thought I'd share, just in case.

[ultraslacker]

k, next question: choosing a swim cap. Does it matter what I buy? I still haven't gotten around to buying one.

[La]

Whichever is most comfortable for you. I prefer silicone because it lasts longer and doesn't pinch as much as latex. But they're more expensive. Plus, you can get some really cute ones with patterns on them.

I couldn't swim without a cap - can't stand hair in my face.

[Wu wei]

You wouldn't do a half marathon by sprinting faster than your body can sustain for 100m, then catching your breath, then repeating until you get to the end. You'd take your exertion down to the point where you're at a sustainable pace.

Can you clarify this... I'm not sure I understand. Are you making an analogy to training for, or racing a half?

There is a reason for interval training... it's to practice at a higher pace than one can sustain for a longer effort, in order to train the body to eventually be able to sustain that pace.