Catch a wave...Or the swimming thread

[kelownagirl]

Whoo hoo, I swam 100m without stopping today! I felt tired after 30 minutes but rested for a bit and then went back in and did better! Suddenly I seemed to get into a rhythm and felt less tired. Overall I did about 1100m or more and swam for 40 minutes - 250m of kicking with the board, 250m with the fins, and the rest regular freestyle. I could have gone longer but DH came to pick me up.

Today I counted my strokes per 25m length and I seem to do about 24 strokes at 30 seconds per length. Can someone give me some feedback on that? I have no idea what to work toward. I am not trying to swim faster, I just want to work on technique and swimming smoothly. I think I read that you want to try to do fewer strokes though, right? So what would be a reasonable goal?

[Wahine]

You're doing really well KG. The biggest thing for you will be swimming longer, getting the endurance to swim 500m straight eventually.

To give you some feedback; I swim about 18 to 20 strokes per length at tempo, I can get that down to 15 if I really slow down and stretch out. I'll swim 25 in 25 sec at a comfortable pace. But really 30 sec is very good and you should focus on endurance. It's amazing that you're doing so well since you just started with it all.

[kelownagirl]

Thanks Wahine and you have NO idea how amazing it is. Most people cannot believe I'm even willing to go in the water. I've always been known as the girl you do NOT push off the air mattress or she cries.... I am feeling really good about my swimming although I know I have lots to learn and a long way to go. I am actually starting to enjoy it too.

[HillSlugger]

What do you count as a stroke, every arm or every one side?

[kelownagirl]

I was counting every stroke, left or right.

[HillSlugger]

I haven't paid attention recently, but last I did, counting every arm stroke I do about the same as you.

[alpinerabbit]

In a 25m Pool I can do between 20 and 15 strokes depending on speed. 1:45 on 100, or 45sec on 50 is my sprint speed (I've been at it for a year).

So KG, you are progressing really fast. In addition to being perfectionist on those isolation exercises, just concentrate on the glide phase - after your hand has entered the water, and the push - before it exits.