OK, we've dealt with running questions. How about swimming? I'm still rehabbing my knee and need some more cardio. I know I've heard swimming is the best overall exercise. Pacing? Distance to shoot for? Goggles? Time? Input ....
I swim up to 5 miles a day during the summer ... not very fast mind you. As far as the best exercise, it is excellent exercise with few injuries if you can keep going long enough to get the benefit you are looking for. But you can do damage to shoulders, lower back and your neck with improper form. My advice to people who ask is to begin with a swimmer's snorkel(and nose plug) as you build endurance and proper form. Most people believe they are going to just dive in and start swimming for an hour a day but the reality is most don't make it over 2 minutes without stopping at the wall and most are doing well to make 500 yards at first. It takes time to build up distance. But it is great exercise. Every time I get in the water... I reach a point around 200 yards where my body begins starving for air and my muscles begin telling my brain to stop. I have heard this referred to as the swimmers paradox. You have to train your brain to tell your muscles what to do when everything is screaming "STOP." Even though you think you are going to die... you gradually start regaining air and soon will be on the other side of that imaginary wall... similar to the runner's high. Have another swimmer or coach watch your form to help correct your form. A swim bungee is also a great way to start where you can swim in one spot for extended periods in a small pool. I usually take one with me when I stay in hotels.
Muzzy....Are you positive you swim 5 miles? It would take you hours, by that I mean good quality swimmers do that in about 1.5-2 hours for a workout and they're exhausted at that point. I dont think you're doing your conversion correctly. As for goggles, I enjoy the TYR Velocity Goggles, Speedo has their same kind of goggle and so does Nike. All the same but fit slightly different. I dont know how far you're from a actual swim store, but a good test for suction is to try on the goggle and give a good squeeze, if one eye stays on, it's pretty good for your face, you may have to adjust the nosebridge though. But goggles are face dependent, I think they sell those goggles at big sporting goods stores too. As uncomfortable as you might be, I wouldnt wear trunks, I wear a dragsuit, basically like a girls short short. If you wear trunks, it puts alot of stress on your shoulders and it'll be harder for you to swim well because you won't be able to maximize your core. For pacing, not really any pacing, id get swimming back and forth down as much as you can, then just like running integrate sprints and different strokes. Technique is key in swimming long and well. Wish I lived near you I could give you lessons. Also for your suit, make sure you get polyester. Polyester lasts 100x longer or more than lycra/cotton. Your seams will give out before your polyester, this drag suit I own? Over 8 years old along with my goggles.
Good info so far. So what should I shoot for distance wise? Is there a comparison....like a 500m swim is the equivalent of a 3 mile run? Probably apples to oranges but just curious.
I usually say 3:1 or 4:1 ratio in terms of energy expended. I forgot how I came up with it, but all the years I swam it seemed to be the right ratio. Distance? Id say if you plan on doing it for a workout, id start out at 500, 1000, then 3000. If youre doing 5000 you gotta either have alot of time or be a better swimmer. It will take you a while to get to 3000 though, when I swam in senior year of college after I hadnt swam in like 5 years, my workouts started at 1400 then 2800 then eventually 5kish. My workouts in high school were alot longer, but thats because it was a more serious swim team and we would do 5000-8000 + 1-1.5 hours in the gym or running 5-6 miles beforehand and had daily doubles tuesday thursday with saturday morning practice followed by a run and bike. Man I was in shape. So I guess 1000-2000 would be good for you, just try and get someone who knows how to swim decently, its all about the core, and dont neglect your legs.
Swimming. Ive heard many people say, mostly "non-swimmers" that they dont really kick or use a pullbuoy to get bigger shoulders. Sure it'll get you that, but its also because theyre too weak and dont have a strong core to use the legs. If youve ever tried to kick as well as you stroke, swimming gets real hard real fast. However, when you go long distances, you won't be kicking as hard, you basically do this weird 12 or 123 kick that keeps your legs afloat and gives you good push. Kind of hard to describe. Kicking in itself is a technique that is hard to master, you can't just kick with your calf/shin, its the bigger kick you have to do. Again really hard to describe, its best if you watch someone and if you can see a video of yourself. I once knew this guy back when I was 12 or 13, he could kick 50 yards with a kickboard in 28 seconds. Most people can't do that swimming at that age, we may have been 14. I dont know, but I do know his parents were olympians from russia. Im pretty sure swimming is the reason why I have big calves/thighs while many of my non swimmer friends have chicken feet.
Probably information overload along with vague descriptions, best thing is to get out there and start kicking and pulling. Also someone once told me the proper way to swim was to use the "ketchup" or "catch-up" method where you stroke and have one arm out front, then you keep kicking until your other hand touches the one out front, then you keep doing it. That is a drill, and if you learn to swim like that, well you'll be a beast, but you sure won't get much yardage out of it because you'll die real fast. By die, I mean lactic acid anaerobic pain.
Great info, thanks. I'm not a completely beginner swimmer, when I was a life guard we had to swim X distance every morning before shift. (Thats been a few years ago.) I know I keel asking basically the same thing...but say I jump in the pool tomorrow ....do I want to shoot for 1000 or just go?
1000 is probably a good goal on the first day, then run right after, or right before. Your body like your back and triceps will burn out, but your legs should be good to go. Id say shoot for 1000, that way you dont just quit at 500, I know that if I set a distance in mind or a goal in mind, im apt to do more than if I said screw it, im just going to do as much as I can. Dang I need to swim and run.
Seriously? Yes I am quite sure. 2, sometimes 3 swims that range from 3500 to 5000 yards each... ... but it takes me a bit longer than 1.5 to 2 hours, more like 3-4 hours combined. As I stated I am not very fast.
Yea I was serious, ive never met someone who lap swims who swims that much in a day. But thats awesome if you do, I dont know how you dont lose your mind.
I get time during the day to workout and I choose to spend my time swimming plus I go either before or after work as well. As far as losing my mind... that's a separate issue...
Did you know that the chlorine smell you smell on your skin is actually not chlorine, but the binding of chlorine to organic compounds in the water? ie, bodily fluids, mucous, sweat, poop, pee, etc.
Chop... who'd you swim for in college? My son swims for the Auburn club team... but the time standards for the University team are pretty tough. His coach thinks he has a shot but he only has one more year before college. He is only 16 (6'4") but started school earlier than most kids so he is kind of behind most other juniors in age. Sorry OP
I quit when I was 15. At that time I doubt my times would have gotten me scholarships at Auburn or UT or stanford, but any school slightly below the big super swim teams I probably would have gotten in though I don't know if would've gotten a scholarship. My friend actually went to Auburn and went to Olympic trials this last time. Anyways senior year of college I tried to swim for my school but they had no men's swimming just women. So I looked around joined a nearby community college swim team. Grossmont community college. 6 4 is far larger to my 5 7 has he hit puberty yet? ; ) Just make sure if he does go to college that he gets a good degree unless he wants to be living near poverty swimming or coaching. I had a friend get into the Vanderbilt tennis team maybe swimming then quit after his first year. I think he used it as a stepping stone to get into a good school since admissions are more lenient on their athletes. Good tactic and something I should have utilized. He got some hospitality management degree and is making tons of money now. Your son should look into that, no sense in being a fish in an ocean when he can be the star in a pond. Tell him to get into a good school with a swim team that he would be competitive in. I forget ncaa rules but d3 you can't get a scholarship. D2 you might get some kind. If I were him I'd look into top tier schools with D2 swim teams and talk to those coaches. I have possibly one year of ncaa competitive left and I've been emailing coaches at good schools for my masters degree I can swim for. If your son doesn't get a scholarship then can do rotc to have that pay for his tuition. That's the route I would take had I known. If anything swimming is 80% mental 20% physical. Really that's any kind of sport and I strongly believe in it.
He attends one of the top schools in the country academically. LAMP (Loveless Academic Magnet Program) He is taking mostly AP classes with something like a 3.8 GPA and a 31 ACT (first try he has retaken it and waiting on a new score). He is planning to become a veterinarian or some kind of animal biologist. UK and Tennessee are both very interested in him already as is Auburn though they have to be careful as he swims there currently... so they can't talk to him yet. A couple D2 schools are waiting for July to contact him also so he has some options. Several of the schools he would consider have women's only swim teams. (Vanderbilt) He understands swimming for the sake of swimming in college is a waste if he gets a useless degree. I hope you get to swim while in Grad school... good luck and thanks for the info.
