stupid swimming questions

[channlluv]

I think your questions are brilliant. I just joined the Y in order to start swimming on a regular basis and I had no idea that chlorine will most likely destroy my suits and my complexion. Notes taken. Thanks!

Roxy

[HillSlugger]

For your skin problem try DermaSwim Pro. It's a cream you apply before you swim. It's completely fixed the problem I was having on my neck.

[roadie gal]

1+ on the TriSwim products to get chlorine out of your hair and off of your body.

Same goes for the polyester suits. The hold up SO much better. I like the Finis brand suits. They cost about $50-55 instead of the $70+ that Tyr and Speedo suits cost.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Second on Swimoutlet.com

[colby]

Regarding the skin, when it's really dry outside I use a moisturizing body wash AND an in-shower (or after-shower, but in-shower seems to save time) body lotion. Sometimes the moisturizing body wash is enough. At home, I use a soap-free body wash I got from bath & body works which really seems to dry out my skin less than regular soap, and I scrub my face regularly with an apricot scrub (followed by some facial lotion after I get out).

Also, shower and get your hair wet before you put your cap on, it will protect it from drying out (kind of acts as a barrier). Rinse hair with chlorine shampoo (you can find ultra swim in a lot of drugstores, but others are better), then use regular conditioner.

I think you got some good advice with the suits. Sierra Trading Post also has older model suits that I keep an eye out for (I am picky and prefer the Speedo racerback style suits).

I have avoided masters swim, so I'll be interested to see how it goes for you. It's taken me a couple of years to figure out that I won't be last out of the water, and masters swim seems to short out that connector in my brain for some reason and I go back to thinking I'll be the slowest person there.

[fatbottomedgurl]

I guess my only question about masters swim for a triathlete is why spend so much time and energy learning so many different strokes and learning to swim anaerobic?

Competition in a pool means swimming a short distance super fast and then resting until the next event- not swimming 1000 meters without stopping.

My neighbor does Masters and he is always "coaching" me to glide underwater to past the flags, swim X/yards on X/minutes, etc. I tell him training for a tri means swimming at a steady pace for a long distance and there aren't any walls in the ocean to do a kick flip and glide.

It's all about return on investment. Who has time to spend on a butterfly stroke when it has nothing to do with an open water swim?

But maybe I'm an idiot.

[NadiaMac]

I'm interested in masters swimming to get a hard workout in a group setting, hopefully with some coaching on my form. I find swimming pretty dull and think the group workout will be reinforcing. I'm not a triathlete, but I think that tri folks go for masters for some of these reasons.