Learning to swim in your late 30's

FWIW I swam competitively for 16 years and have coached for almost 18 years. I have taught high schoolers to swim but never adults but the principles of learning to swim are still the same. You can't beat the water you have to work with it and understand hydrodynamics. I always start with kicking and drill work because if you do not have proper technique you a) will cause shoulder damage and b) won't get very far without getting overly tired. The dvd you have is pretty good at explaining the drills. Here is what I would do to start.
I have swimmers get used to kicking a 25 with their left hand on the board stretched ahead of them and their right arm at their side. The swimmer puts their face in the water and breathes to the right side. I have them reverse this on the way back. 10 x25's with 30 sec rest between. After that I have them do zipper and catch-up drill 25's with the same rest.
The zipper drill works on rotation and elbow/arm position. Imagine your thumb is the tab on a zipper and pull it up your side from your hip to your arm pit and then place your hand in the water at approximately a 45 degree angle with the body rolling to the other side so that you are pulling the water with your hand flat. Incorrect hand position is a common mistake that results in shoulder damage because the tendon will get pinched because the hand is trying to pull the water at an angle.
When doing zipper drills breathe every three strokes e.g. right arm up face to the right and breathe (stroke stroke) left arm up face the left breath etc...
Catch up is similar to the one arm board drill except you wait until one hand "catches up" to the other. This drill can be done with or without a board and helps with distance per stroke.
Having someone who understands swimming watch you and address your stroke mechanics is probably the best way to improve your stroke quickly. I'm sure what I have described sounds odd and you may have trouble following my descriptions without images. If you google "zipper drill swimming" the youtube link and excel tri link have videos. I would suggest finding a United States Swimming (USS) masters program near you and contact them. UTA's program is pretty intense but don't let that scare you. From what I understand Longhorn Swimming welcomes ALL levels and abilities. Give them a call. There are also several good books by Mark Schubert, Doc Counsilman, Ernie Maglisho, and Cecil Colwin available online.
P.M. if you want more info/ want to talk about specifics.
Good Luck and have fun!

 

Good luck in the Rookie, Jack and Adam's puts on great races!

 

It's great that you have decided to take up swimming, even at a later age. I am a lifetime fitness and competitive swimmer and I feel it is one sport than you can enjoy from birth until the grave. I have swum with ex-Olympians, 90 year olds and infants, and all enjoy swimming at whatever level they are currently at.

I can't emphasize enough how important technique is. If you practice swimming incorrectly, you will wind up beating yourself to death and it will be more of an exercise in frustration than exercise. The suggestions above for drills are very good. I would also suggest doing little bits at a time. (A little kick, then rest, then a little kick, then rest, for example.) You are developing a whole new set of muscles and they need time.

It would also be valuable to get some teaching and coaching. Having someone who knows how to develop your strokes and conditioning will move you forward far quicker than you learning yourself by trial and error. Also check out the US Masters website for more information on swimming in general and swimming in your area.

Lastly, don't be intimidated by the fast, excellent swimmers in your pool. Unless you are Michael Phelps, there's always going to be someone faster than you. Instead, observe how they swim and get to know them. You will find that they will be happy to offer tips and suggestions. (Make sure you don't interrupt their workout however.) Good luck on your new found endeavor. I hope you continue to enjoy it and join the ranks of us life long swimmers.

david

 

I love swimming!! Great to hear you have taken it up in your late 30's!

I am going to put a pool in at my place so I can teach my kids to swim, errrrr when I have kids that is.

 

Everything David mentioned is EXCELLENT advice....can't really add more.

The one thing I've noticed is that people have a very hard time changing bad habits, so proper technique and form is critical, and at first it may seem very uncomfortable or odd.

I would defer to David, but I'd suggest learning and adapting bilateral breathing as soon as possible...water is about 800x denser then air and moving through it in a most efficient manner is really critical. I've seen a lot of people beating-up the water and expending a great deal more energy then necessary. Observe good swimmers, many are also very eager and anxious to help you out as well.

In other areas, I'd suggest getting the larger goggles that fit over more of the bone then into the eye sockets. TYR makes a really nice goggle with large soft silicone rims. Also, I love swimming with my underwater iPod player, you just drop your ipod into a waterproof case, get the earphones and not only will you avoid getting watrer in your ear, but you get to listen to music! Some chlorine removal shampoo also helps.

I've met boxing instructors who'll tell you that weight-training is a waste. I've met aerobics instructors who've dissed kick-boxing....my point is that each discipline will generally favor or knock another, but the most consistent thing you'll likely find is that they all generally tell you that swimming is your best all-around low-impact activity; nobody seems to knock it. It uses almost allthe muscles of your body too.

I only have one rule: never swim in an environment where you are anything less then the top of the food chain.

FWIW, I'm 46 and I swim a mile 2x per week. Freestyle, Butterfly, Backstroke...love it. Be patient and don't hesitate, if you have the means, to get a trainer to help you really get into form.

 

I just thought of one other aspect of swimming that many people take for granted, but it is not often known by the beginner. There is a set of rules of etiquette that are worth observing. It will stand you in good stead to know and respect these rules. A lot of them are just courtesy, but they also are for water safety. Here is a short list of pool etiquette. http://www.usms.org/fitness/content/pooletiquette

Here is a link to a good site with many helpful articles about swimming at all levels. http://www.h2oustonswims.org/

Read the tab called Rookie Mistakes. There is a series of articles on just about everything you would need to know. There are many swimmers who will tolerate a few rookie mistakes, but there are some militant swimmers who don't mind running you over or blasting a flip turn right in your face because you held them up.

Also, I'm sure you have seen this warning, but if you have any health issues or concerns, you should check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. I was reminded of this yesterday, when a woman who I am training mentioned a particular health problem. I had been doing a drill with her that was specifically not good for her particular ailment. Needless to say, we won't be doing that any more, but she hadn't mentioned it to me and I hadn't asked. So remember it is better to be safe than sorry.

One more comment. Regarding the bilateral breathing as mentioned above. I feel that it is a personal choice and comfort level. I use bilateral breathing, but I definitely have a weak side. Some people can handle the bilateral breathing and other people prefer to use one side. Some people breathe every stroke on one side and some people breathe every four strokes. It kind of depends how much air you need and how well your coordination works on each side. Do whatever gives you the best result. At this point, the last thing you want is to be gasping for breath. You can always refine and develop later.

 

I would again defer to David as the expert here...

The only reason I mention the bilateral breathing was due to the strong recommendation I had from a doctor who explained how the constant breathing on one side can lead to issues. The bilateral breathing offers a more balalnced approach. For me and others, it feels very odd at first to breath on the side you're not used to...but it's amazing how quickly that feeling is overcome and it soon (for me at least) feels very natural & comfortable. It basically means you are breathing every 3rd stroke and on alternate sides. My laps times are faster using this technique. Also, it would seem the demand to hold your breath that long induces your lungs and body to condition and hence increase your VO2-max......but I concur with David in that it's perhaps more of an intermediate/advanced thing. I just prefer to address these things early-on instead of having to change a habit later.

But yeah, safety first and I'd encourage you to never swim alone. Stay in your comfort zone and enjoy. Drowning aside, the worst day in the pool is still better then the best day on the couch.

 

I'm no expert, just experienced. I agree with all of Steve's comments above. Especially about developing good habits rather than having to change bad habits later.

And yes, it is wise to never swim alone for safety reasons. But also when you swim with others you tend to get better than if you just are left to your own devices...

Very funny to be talking swimming on a car site. Maybe I will go to a swimming site and talk about cars now...

 

Let me add... I haver serious back problems. My doctor recommended swimming.

My back had been great ever since.

Thanks,
Uzy

 

Keep at it. Swimming is the single best exercise. It is efficent because you exercise all of your body at the same time. It's no-impact,so you can do it for the rest of your life. Learn all the different strokes and use them;the variety makes it less likely that you will lose interest and provides an even more complete workout. And you don't even have to shower afterward.

 

I have very sensitive skin. I never had a problem with chlorine,but I had a big problem with itching and rashes after the environmental zealots forced the country to switch to chloramine a few years back. The solution for me is Huggies and Eucerin. Wipe the sensitive areas at home with a Huggies towelette to remove the chloramine,then use Eucerin as needed. Hope this helps somebody.

 

Wow, congratulations on your first tri! I've never done one. I did the swim on a relay once and that was pretty fun. Especially because after the swim, I was done while all those other guys had a whole bunch of biking and running to do. Looked like a tough event when you do the whole thing.

Amateur tri guys tend to not be swimmers for the most part, they just get it out of the way so they can get on with the bike and the run. So if you develop your swimming, you will pick up some places. Great to hear your progress.

david

 

OK..resurrecting an old thread.

Teach your kids to swim.

In the last few days 4 kids (that I know of - three in the same family) have drowned in pools/streams (not huge rippy ocean swells). Although details aren't all in, it's sounding like none of the kids were "comfortable" in the water.

So...please, teach your kids to be comfortable (aka drown proof) in the water. I'm not talking develop Michael Phelps level stuff...I'm talking basic water safety...how to float, how to put your face in the water (and not freak the eff out) tread water...learning a few crawl strokes while at it.

Randy @Schatten how did your experience go?

 

Nicely stated. When I was young, we would swim every day at the public pool. I am a pretty good swimmer but I don't swim much except for snorkeling and scuba. BUT, being a strong swimmer has helped me on more than one occasion.

 

Every year in spring we lose at least one person in a lake or a river. Cold water and inexperience is a killer. It drives me crazy.

I took a performance driving course a while ago. The instructor said, "There are no accidents. I prefer to call them avoidables." I think the same could be said about a lot of drownings.

 

Learning how to swim should be mandatory in school.
It is over here so hardly anyone at any age drowns.
Such a tragedy when kids/anyone drowns when they shouldn't have.....