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how long should I flounder
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 2013-12-11 6:00 PM |
Extreme Veteran  1106   , Connecticut |  Subject: how long should I flounderI don't drown, and I managed to swim through my sprint without a break, but it was sloooooow. I have the books on swim drills and have tried the catch up, swimming on my side, kicking with both arms out - each time just taking in water and stopping. I tend to not be overly self conscious, but I have to say I feel absolutely ridiculous. Will I really ever get the drills and actually swim faster than 3:30/100? It's like I don't move forward, but somehow it is over. I do have a friend who was a swimmer in college and she has offered to help, I just feel like I'd be such a drag and she wouldn't be able to do anything with me. I'm so resisting getting back to the pool. Mitzi Edited by MuscleMomma 2013-12-11 6:01 PM |
| 2013-12-11 7:21 PM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
297 Arden, North Carolina | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Yes, you will swim faster than a 3:30/100. Don't take this the wrong way, but that's incredibly slow. The reason I say that is there are probably a billion things your friend could point out in one session that will make a big difference. She offered, so take her up on the offer. You're clearly swimming very inefficiently and it's quite difficult to self coach if you don't know anything about swimming. It's way easier to coach someone who's doing everythign wrong, than someone who's really fast and has really tiny microscopic issues to try and find. She'll probably enjoy helping you because for one it'll be easy, and two, she'll make a big difference in your swimming, which a lot of people enjoy doing. |
| 2013-12-11 7:23 PM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Master 1736 Midcoast Maine | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Just my opinion - and that's not worth much ;-) Take your friend up on her offer. Seriously. Now. If you have done the drills and aren't getting any better - chances are good that there is something fundamentally missing - she should be able to watch you swim a couple of lengths and give you some pointers. Get in the water as much as you can. I have hear folks talk about "feel for the water"...and you really can lose that "feel" if you aren't swimming enough. For instance - bcagle is posting his anticipated swim volume over the next two months which looks really high (25K a week! Holy schnikies batman) - but he has ambitious goals for swimming. My goal for swimming is between 10-12K a week which has made a significant difference in my times. At this point you will be best served with getting comfortable in the water. Really comfortable. The drills will help - as long as your basic form is okay - but 3:30 indicates that there is some room for improvement. If you are self conscious about asking your friend for help - see if there is a coach in your area that can spend 30 minutes with you once a week for a bit. It really will help. The fun thing about swimming (for me) has been making incremental tweaks and seeing the result almost immediately (keeping my elbow up, semi-catch up stroke, pulling as if I am getting out of the pool) - much faster than I am able to see improvements in cycling or running. Oh - and also - "Swim Speed Secrets" by Sheila Taormina (sp?) is really good. |
| 2013-12-11 8:26 PM in reply to: jswayland |
| 471 | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Having only recently got into tris and coming from a swimming background, I’ve been quite surprised at the poor standard of swimming amongst most triathletes. There are some very good swimmers, but also some terrible ones! You can get quicker, well it would be hard not to get quicker with 3:30/100! Lol no offence meant. Some tips: - There’s a good chance you have poor technique, get lessons and/or join a club. - Sacrifice some rides & runs to concentrate on your swim - Start doing 50s/100s/200s to improve your speed. Don’t just jump in the pool and plod up & down, lap after lap. E.g do 10 x 50s, 10 x 100s. Time everything so you know what time you need to better. |
| 2013-12-11 9:49 PM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Extreme Veteran 1704 Penticton, BC | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder I pretty much agree with the other comments already posted. You should take up your friend's offer of help but you should also get some coaching. At our local rec. centre they offer "Swim Fit" coaching which is a bit easier than masters and we swim 3 days a week. Find out if you can get into something like that or a masters group. How many strokes do you take to swim one length? If you're over 30# then someone watching you and offering advice should make considerable improvements. When you start improving and you feel yourself pulling through the water you'll find it quite exhilarating. |
| 2013-12-12 5:34 AM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Pro 5892 , New Hampshire | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Absolutely take up your friend on the offer. It's always helpful having a set of eyes looking at the technique. I'm in the same boat… I'm truly afraid of getting my head under water (to the point where I have panic attacks in the shower, yes, don't laugh!), so I breast stroke my way through the tri's, which of course won't win any speed records. Commonly one of the last, if not the last, out of the water. For most races, that means I'm not competitive, but I have managed to win a couple of races because of my bike/run…. what I'm trying to say is that you can still be a good triathlete even if you're not a great swimmer, so just continue plugging away and you will get more and more comfortable and competitive. If you're friend can only make a little progress, it's worth the time invested. Also, consider talking to a swim coach and see they would be wiling to work with you one-on-one a few times. You'd be surprised how fast you can make progress. |
| 2013-12-12 7:55 AM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Expert 1608 Grapevine, Texas | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Originally posted by MuscleMomma each time just taking in water and stopping. Definitely get some help/instruction. If you are taking in water while doing those drills, then I suspect your breathing (or not breathing), and/or learning to relax in the water are the #1 things to fix. Perhaps your friend can help, and I would definitely start by taking her up on her offer. IMO, one of the great things about swimming, and particularly learning to swim as an adult, is that you have to check your ego/vanity/etc. at the door. Looking silly is a given, but no one seems to care. Rather liberating! No, I didn't feel that way at first either. Middle aged gal in bathing suit, man the harpoon boats! Can everyone hear me coughing and gasping? Why did that 85 year old guy who is on his 50th lap just pass me like I'm standing still? But it does get better, and you will gain tremendous confidence if you see it through. |
| 2013-12-12 7:56 AM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Extreme Veteran 1986 Cypress, TX | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Originally posted by MuscleMomma I don't drown, and I managed to swim through my sprint without a break, but it was sloooooow. I have the books on swim drills and have tried the catch up, swimming on my side, kicking with both arms out - each time just taking in water and stopping. I tend to not be overly self conscious, but I have to say I feel absolutely ridiculous. Will I really ever get the drills and actually swim faster than 3:30/100? It's like I don't move forward, but somehow it is over. I do have a friend who was a swimmer in college and she has offered to help, I just feel like I'd be such a drag and she wouldn't be able to do anything with me. I'm so resisting getting back to the pool. Mitzi Don't worry about drills. A 3:30/100 pace (I'm assuming that's yards which would make it 3:50/100m) is painfully slow. I'm also assuming that 3:30/100 is best case speed over a short duration in a pool and not in open water during an triathlon where the number would probably be 4:00/100 or worse. I'm not saying that to sound mean, just really emphasizing that you have some serious flaws in your stroke and body mechanics. Drills will basically do nothing for you until you learn how to swim at a much better level than you're at currently. Take your friend up on her offer. She'll be able to quickly point out the flaws. Whether or not she's able to coach you to get better is another topic entirely. You may need to seek swim coaching help. My advice to you is to find a coach who specializes in teaching young children and learn like a 6 year old would. Masters swim coaches don't tend to be very good at teaching adult onset swimmers how to swim. They're good at prescribing workouts and all that but teaching someone how to swim at the basic level is not their cup of tea. |
| 2013-12-12 8:00 AM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Expert 1121 Menomonee Falls, WI | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Take her up on her offer. There is no doubt she will improve your efficiency and you'll improve. If you keep at it, you will definitely improve - DON'T GIVE UP! |
| 2013-12-12 3:03 PM in reply to: 0 |
Coach 9167 Stairway to Seven | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Originally posted by MuscleMomma I don't drown, and I managed to swim through my sprint without a break, but it was sloooooow. I have the books on swim drills and have tried the catch up, swimming on my side, kicking with both arms out - each time just taking in water and stopping. I tend to not be overly self conscious, but I have to say I feel absolutely ridiculous. Will I really ever get the drills and actually swim faster than 3:30/100? It's like I don't move forward, but somehow it is over. I do have a friend who was a swimmer in college and she has offered to help, I just feel like I'd be such a drag and she wouldn't be able to do anything with me. I'm so resisting getting back to the pool. Mitzi Flounder no longer! You need to first earn how to relax and just float. Swimming is floating forward. If you can relax and float...moving forward at 3:30/100 or faster will be easy. You are probabaly trying too hard to make forward progress and fighting the water. Also, just get in the pool and play. Find an 8 year old to go with. If it's not fun no matter what you won't enjoy swimming ever. Find a way to have fun in the water. Go to a water park. Dive for torpedos, throw hoops, do somersaults, make cannonballs, etc. Edited by AdventureBear 2013-12-12 3:10 PM |
| 2013-12-12 3:07 PM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Originally posted by MuscleMomma I don't drown, and I managed to swim through my sprint without a break, but it was sloooooow. I have the books on swim drills and have tried the catch up, swimming on my side, kicking with both arms out - each time just taking in water and stopping. I tend to not be overly self conscious, but I have to say I feel absolutely ridiculous. Will I really ever get the drills and actually swim faster than 3:30/100? It's like I don't move forward, but somehow it is over. I do have a friend who was a swimmer in college and she has offered to help, I just feel like I'd be such a drag and she wouldn't be able to do anything with me. I'm so resisting getting back to the pool. Mitzi Let your friend help you. She wants to help! When I offer help to people it is because I truly want to help them! Hey, the worst that happens is that you don't improve, right? Honestly, if you are swimming 3:30 per 100, you have some stroke flaws that need to be worked on. Once you work on those, you can easily get below 3:00 per 100, with consistent pool time. But more pool time with a stroke that needs work, just means you are ingraining bad form into your muscle memory.
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| 2013-12-13 11:40 AM in reply to: KSH |
Extreme Veteran 1106 , Connecticut | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder Thank you everyone! Just to clarify, please don't think I was bragging about my time - I am painfully aware that my times are practically staying in place. During the sprint I was amazed that no matter how much time passed I was no closer to the buoy - though mercifully it did eventually end  |
| 2013-12-13 12:17 PM in reply to: MuscleMomma |
Regular 253 | Subject: RE: how long should I flounder 3:30/100 is pretty slow, but it also shows you have loads determination and discipline! +1000 on taking your friend up on her offer to help. I love to help people, and if I offer my help to them, I mean it. I genuinely enjoy watching the person learn a new skill. She will quickly identify areas you can improve on. Believe it or not, getting from 3:30 to around 2:15-2:30/100 will come quicker than you think! And I agree that you should improve your stroke first rather than just keep practicing an inferior technique. You'll be faster, less prone to injury, and enjoy it a whole lot more! |
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