All these Couch to 5Ks going around were making me feel slack, so I finally decided to stop being so lazy, and get my skinny rear back into shape. Since my knees are almost (but not quite) shot, I figured that running wasn’t for me.
I remembered that the last time I was really, really in shape was when I was swimming 20 laps a day. This past February, we joined the YMCA, so Fang could attend Day Camp this summer, and so (with the indoor pool) he could take swimming lessons before summer roles around. I no longer had an excuse.
I started at four laps (the max I could do without feeling like I would pass out/throw up), mixing breast stroke and crawl, and I have been adding one lap each week. The Y is around the corner from my work, so I go each day at lunch.
I am now up to 10 laps. I swim 2 breast, 2 crawl, 2 breast, 2 crawl, and end with 2 breast. I do have to stop to catch my breath every once in a while.
Next week, I’ll stick an additional breast lap in the middle. The week after, I’ll add a crawl lap to the first set.
Would someone who knows more than I do about fitness programs mind evaluating this?
I think what you’re doing is fine for you. Perhaps you can try throwing a couple of drills in there to mix it up?
A few that I do (freestyle swim):
Kicks only, on a board. I love this one because it’s my active recovery!
Board between the legs, arms only. This is great for upper body conditioning and learning to rotate your body properly. You should fell the board ‘slap, slap, slap’ on the water as you rotate your torso.
Catch up drills. Use the board, but do the arm strokes so that the arm reaches the board before the other arm leaves it. This helps you find the correct arm stroke.
Zipper drills. When doing your arm stroke, run your thumbs up your side, to the arm pit, and out. Another one for finding the correct arm stroke.
You can try alternating days with your laps and these drills.
I never liked drills, but I’ll give it a try this week.
Breathing: Not too bad for having quit smoking (after 16 years) six years ago. In through the mouth - out through the nose. I inhale on every left handed stroke during the crawl. I inhale on every breath on the breast stroke.
I do drills to break it up, and it makes the laps go faster. Some people, perhaps people like you, prefer to just…go. Whatever gets you through it.
I have trouble with the breathing too. I am working on comfortably breathing every three strokes, but when I’m tired out I breathe every two. I’m worried about becoming lopsided if I do that too much though.
Lo, yea so many years ago, when dinosaurs did walk this Earth, and I made use of the indoor bathing facility at college, I could comfortably breath every three.
Ah - to be young and able to walk five miles, swim twenty laps, and smoke a pack of ciggies every day.
I go swimming once a week, doing 60 lengths crawl of a 25yd pool. Last week I probably did 80+, because the big clock wasn’t working properly and I swum for a whole hour (until I got cramp).
I have (for years now) only breathed on the right, every 4th stroke. I am planning for a triathlon, so some of my swimming may be open water. Thus I am reteaching myself to breath alternately for flexibility in chop/waves - the choice is between three and five stokes. Three strokes is slower, but five gives less room for error (if you miss the fifth stroke breath cleanly, you are up to seven or eight, which is too long).
I like swimming, and am confident in the water. I do find it more draining than the running and biking equivalent workouts, though. It is a genarally good, low impact exercise, but it does (apparently) do less to reduce sub-cutaneous fat layers than other exercise types.
I went this morning and had a great swim, except my right shoulder is achy. Something in there is clicking back and forth over my shoulder joint and it’s pretty painful.
