Still Not Loving Swimming

[Becky]

I've been swimming for about a year and a half. I've been able to bilateral breathe that whole time, but I struggled with the whole "out of breath" thing for awhile. I also mentally struggled with the idea that all of my cycling fitness just didn't translate to swimming fitness. For me, it was simply getting enough time in the pool. Drill and stroke tweaks helped a little, but mostly it boiled down to practice and becoming more comfortable in the water.

A year ago, I wouldn't have believed that I could do a 2000-yard workout and not die. Keep at it, it does get easier.

[Dogmama]

For me, it was simply getting enough time in the pool. Drill and stroke tweaks helped a little, but mostly it boiled down to practice and becoming more comfortable in the water.

A year ago, I wouldn't have believed that I could do a 2000-yard workout and not die. Keep at it, it does get easier.

I think you're right. I swam today and it was better. It's completely in my head. I thought I couldn't swim 50 yards, so I couldn't. Today I realized that I'm not THAT out of breath at 25 yards, so I turned around & calmly swam at the midpoints. When I thought I could do it - I was fine! When I started thinking that I was struggling...guess what happened?

[Tri Girl]

It's completely in my head... When I thought I could do it - I was fine! When I started thinking that I was struggling...guess what happened?

Then that's a relatively easy fix. You just have to tell your brain to SHUT IT!
Glad today was easier.
I swam an hour and a half today. My mantra was "graceful like a manatee" as I was rolling side to side. Manatees are quite graceful swimmers (and at times, I think I resemble one rolling around in the pool).

Keep at it, and sign up for that race! You KNOW you're going to be ready by then!!

[colby]

I think you're right. I swam today and it was better. It's completely in my head. I thought I couldn't swim 50 yards, so I couldn't. Today I realized that I'm not THAT out of breath at 25 yards, so I turned around & calmly swam at the midpoints. When I thought I could do it - I was fine! When I started thinking that I was struggling...guess what happened?

Awesome!!

Yeah, I think I experienced the same thing with running. "I'm not a runner, ugh, this is hard, this is hard" until... it wasn't. "Oh, wait. I can do this!"

One lap at a time!

[Becky]

I think you're right. I swam today and it was better. It's completely in my head. I thought I couldn't swim 50 yards, so I couldn't. Today I realized that I'm not THAT out of breath at 25 yards, so I turned around & calmly swam at the midpoints. When I thought I could do it - I was fine! When I started thinking that I was struggling...guess what happened?

I'm glad to hear this You can do this, no matter what your brain says!

I get that struggling thing sometimes, where I just feel out of sync (last night's swim!). It helps me to focus on the breathing, and let the rest of it fall back into place, like yoga or meditation.

[colby]

I try to separate my "thinking workouts" from my "not thinking workouts" similarly to the other 2 sports in triathlon. Sometimes when I run, I focus on form, sometimes when I bike, I focus on cadence, sometimes when I swim, I focus on form. The other times, just focus on the workout. If you're a thinker, sometimes it helps to have workouts that keep you busy like intervals, or to focus on ONE thing (like your kick but ignore your arms).

Swim lessons helped me quiet my stroke and even my kick so I wasn't sinking in the water, but all the instructor's effort to change my stroke or kick cadence couldn't undo 25 years of swimming.

For me, running was like this, though. I feel like it took me a while at miserable pace to get past 3 miles.