Swimming/breathing tips

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Going to get back into swimming again. Probably start Thursday of this week as Oztag finishes up on Tuesday night so I'll give myself a day to get over the niggling injuries that I'll undoubtedly sustain. Then I usually swim about every second night with one exception, i.e. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Anyway, usually when I swim, I work my way up to 20 laps. Usually takes me about a week (three swims) to get there mixing strokes. Then I try to get to a point where I can do all 20 freestyle. Then non stop and once there I just try to get faster over the 20 each swim. After 20 I usually warm down with a few laps of breaststroke.

This time, I've bought some flippers so I'm going to mix it up a bit. Not really trained much in flippers before. What is the best method? Half laps with flippers, half without? Flippers first and then no flippers last or other way around?

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[abpanther]

I've just starting getting into swimming, trying to go really slowly to get the technique right and last for 30 laps (25m pool).

I do find that as I tire my technique gets sloppy and I get heaps of water in my mouth, I also find that my feet are nowhere near the surface at times, is that poor technique or muscle fatigue? How can I address that?

 

[Twizzle]

2 things

1. Firstly dont try and do 30 laps first up you may need to start of with say 10 then work up to 30 then 50 etc over a few months, you're loosing your technique due to fatigue, you dont go into the gym and start bench pressing 100 kgs fist up.

2. Your feet are sinking because you aint kicking hard enough. Kicking is hard work and that's what's causing your fatigue. Kicking uses muscles from your abs right down to your feet.

 

[abpanther]

2 things

1. Firstly dont try and do 30 laps first up you may need to start of with say 10 then work up to 30 then 50 etc over a few months, you're loosing your technique due to fatigue, you dont go into the gym and start bench pressing 100 kgs fist up.

2. Your feet are sinking because you aint kicking hard enough. Kicking is hard work and that's what's causing your fatigue. Kicking uses muscles from your abs right down to your feet.

Firstly, thanks for the feedback.

I only did 30 laps because my aim was to swim for at least 40mins for the cardio/weight loss, I figured I would just do as many laps as I could in that time, turned out to be 30 (that was on my second go, first day I only did 15 or so). I'm not obsessed with doing any specific number of laps, moreso just swimming for an extended period to get the cardio benefits.

Ah ok that makes sense, i saw everyone else posts here about doing things slowly and trying to get into a rhythm, does that only apply to the upper body? Do you think I should maybe spend 15 mins everytime on the buoy just to get better at the kicking?

 

[Frailty]

If you want to work your kicking... Get a kick board.

A Pull Buoy works your upper body.

When I use to swim in squads, what I would always do - particularly for longer swims - is get a song in your head and use that rhythm to keep you going.

In terms of breathing, it should only be a slight turn - so much that all of your face isn't out of the water. This reduces drag and maintains moment.

Another important issue with swimming is making sure you do a full stroke. Extend your arms as far as you can forward, and bringing your arms down the centre of your body (and close). This helps propel you in the water more efficiently.

 

[abpanther]

Thanks for the tips

 

[Twizzle]

The kicking will sort itself out eventually.

Try using flippers, I usually do the second half of my swim with flippers it works your legs bum and abs harder than without flippers.

I find about 100 laps is a good work out (25 metre indoor pool), normally takes around 40 minutes.

 

[Jimbo]

I heard a good line the other day - 'you can't breathe through your goggles, so leave them in the water'

Point being, you should be breathing by rolling your head to the side rather than looking up

Lifting your head up while swimming will cause your legs to sink, causing drag which will slow you down

Three tips:

- Bend your elbows and keep them as high as possible when you're bringing your hands back forward for another stroke (recovery)

- As mentioned before (by Frailty I think), try to reach out as far forward as you can. This will also keep your body straight and streamlined

- Don't lift your head - rotate it

If you're serious about technique, get a copy of Ian Thorpe's DVD and notice what he does. As with most things, a good way of improving is to try and copy the best...

 

[abpanther]

Hey guys,

Been swimming for 2 months or so now, going okay, but still having issues where my feet are sinking once I fatigue, whats the best way to deal with this, use a kickboard or flippers? I was thinking of getting flippers and just swimming normally to my legs get fatigues, then whacking on the flippers and pumping out another 10-20 laps, thoughts?

I know everyone has posted here that you should try to keep your goggles in the water when you turn and breath but man I struggle with that, I end up getting water in my mouth and it kills my lap.

 

[Stranger]

I know a lot of people suggest the egg-beater is best for treading water, but I personally find that to be one of the most draining as you are continually using all of your legs/arms at the same time and none are ever resting. I'm a believer in alternating constantly between arms and legs to keep you afloat and personally think that if you were required to stay afloat for an hour (or longer), this would be about your only chance.

You would only really do egg-beater if you were playing waterpolo or doing an activity that requires you to get your chest and arms out of the water.

When i was a state swimmer also playing waterpolo i could hold myself out of the water to my belly button for 15 odd seconds... The primary benefit of course was that i had unrestricted motion with my arms to throw the ball.

The whole 2 or 3 stroke breathing debate is one on personal belief (as far as i know). Some of my swim coaches believed in 2 because you form a much better rhythm much faster (not over 50 because realistically if you are sprinting 50 you only need 2-5 breaths at max (pros may take 0-1 because every breath slows you down). However the rule i used to go by was to take 3 on the basis that you want to work the muscles on both sides of your body. By just breathing every 2 you don't get that.

A drill that may help you guys/girls increase lung capacity (or effeciency), was one that i did as a youngen called the Pyramid. First you breathe after 1 stroke, then after 3 strokes and breathe, then after 5 strokes and breathe, then 7 up to 9 or sometimes 13, then work your way backwards. So if you went to 9, next go to 7, then 5 then 3. The tip with this is to RELAX. You should be confident that you can last 8 seconds without a breath.


If your feet are sinking, try creating a beat in your mind to kick too. If your kicking hard obviously your feet aren't going to sink. But this also requires stronger stomach muscles to keep your legs floating ontop of the water.

When breathing you should only breathe out of the corner of your mouth. I was never a nose breather because i was afraid of water going up, however before you turn your head push all the air out through your nose.
For beginners/learners, when doing freestyle use the chin on the chest method, it teaches you to keep your head down.

 

[gorilla]

Stranger, Jimbo and Frailty had the gist of it.

I was a state swimmer at age, water polo player and coach, and took a few squads. I taught thousands of people: kids and adults, had my own swim school (little $$$$ earner that's all)

Firstly, learn to float - seriously. Push off the wall under water, arms ahead and just see how far you go. learn to relax and understand you are not keeping yourself afloat or stroking/thrashing to lift yourself.

You should not look down at the bottom but somewhere (you'll find the point) about 45 degrees ahead. This keeps your shoulders up.

Kicking is overrated. You can spend a lot of time disrupting your rhythm and flow by being stiff in the hips from neurotically worrying about kicking - I had a sh*t kick and I later learnt to power kick for water polo but (I was a sprinter) I never really needed to concentrate on the kick. Keep you hips flexible when kicking without fishtailing all over the place. Just don't get stiff.

Stiff things sink, relaxed things float (being fat helps but ...)

In freestyle, keep your elbow (of the arm out of the water) higher than your wrist. If you extend too far ahead you lose power - its all fulcrums and levers really. A straight lever has no power, only when it fulcrums does it work. Try pushing something down flat armed and try again with you elbow up: more power.

Float - use your stroke and kick to propell you and stroke through the line of your body.

I breathed both every stroke, then bi-lateral (each side every three strokes) but would sometimes not breath for strokes and strokes when sprinting, well at the swim-off to start the water polo game (about 12 - 15 metres (whatever).

Because you head is inclined (remember the 45 degrees), you rotate, not lift your head. I used to get people to put their mouth (well chin actually) toward their shoulder to teach them to rotate/twist. The mouth just clears the water and if you're relaxed and floating and swimming, you'll learn to keep you mouth at the edge. I would find sometimes my mouth was only half out of the water and I'd breath in over the water.

Breath out all your air underwater (or as much as possible - if you have extra air to get rid of, slow down a bit and take another two strokes - don't worry about breathing bilateral at first concentrate on getting the out and in zen going). This way you don't waste incoming breathing time expelling air. Pretty soon you'll run out of breath, so blow hard. It helps create a rhythm and you can sing too !

Take as much time to get the flow and rhythm going. Learn to float, learn to look ahead, learn to rotate your head. Worry more about your stroke than your kick (it's effin freestyle, not b'fly or breaststroke).

 

[Hadwin]

I can not hold my breathe for too long ...
Thats why i always breathe when i pull my right arm while swimming...