Swimming Thread

Ilovehappyendings said:
Anyone know any recommended swim coaches in Manchester. Id love to improve my technique
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Just my opinion but the best way to improve your technique is go regularly and eventually you’ll find the stroke and breathing that suits you most. I’ve swam pretty much every day for last twenty five years. Took me a couple months but I eventually settled in front crawl, breathe every four strokes and always to the left. Where and when possible I always swim in a lane next to the wall. Always wear goggles. 99% of my propulsion is through arms; I use very little foot kick. I average 45-50 mins per 64 lengths 1 mile).
Outdoor swimming is great but increasingly fraught with the danger of picking up a bug - can of flat coke if you’re swimming somewhere like Sale Water Park.
My gym allows me to swim outdoors any time between 6am and 11pm. It’s expensive (£180 per month) but I go every day, without fail. So get my money’s worth. I love it. And it’s the best mental exercise you can get.
My advice: swim, swim and keep swimming!!!
 
staffsblue said:
Depends on your age, fitness and weight.
I'm a retired slightly overweight bloke and can do 2km (80 x 25m lengths) in just under an hour. For a mile (64 lengths), that would take me around 48 minutes.
I'm not particularly fast, take a rest to let faster swimmers overtake me, and usually reside in the "medium" speed lane.
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Same. I'm in my early 50's. Slightly overweight.
Started swimming 10 years ago, mainly breastroke. Helped with injuries after years of football and cycling.
I couldn't do more than 2 lengths freestyle.
But another swimmer last year told me to stop kicking flat out. Use a 2 beat kick rather than 8.
Now I'm up to a mile in around 35 minutes.
Was swimming about 4 miles per week but just started back in the gym so 50/50 now.

Could probably swim in the fast lane but happier in the medium lane with the blue rinse brigade. Lol
 
staffsblue said:
Depends on your age, fitness and weight.
I'm a retired slightly overweight bloke and can do 2km (80 x 25m lengths) in just under an hour. For a mile (64 lengths), that would take me around 48 minutes.
I'm not particularly fast, take a rest to let faster swimmers overtake me, and usually reside in the "medium" speed lane.
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I'm on about 70 x 25m in an hour. Hope to push it to 80 if austerity and extortionate energy costs dosn't force the pool to close.
 
johnnytapia said:
Just my opinion but the best way to improve your technique is go regularly and eventually you’ll find the stroke and breathing that suits you most. I’ve swam pretty much every day for last twenty five years. Took me a couple months but I eventually settled in front crawl, breathe every four strokes and always to the left. Where and when possible I always swim in a lane next to the wall. Always wear goggles. 99% of my propulsion is through arms; I use very little foot kick. I average 45-50 mins per 64 lengths 1 mile).
Outdoor swimming is great but increasingly fraught with the danger of picking up a bug - can of flat coke if you’re swimming somewhere like Sale Water Park.
My gym allows me to swim outdoors any time between 6am and 11pm. It’s expensive (£180 per month) but I go every day, without fail. So get my money’s worth. I love it. And it’s the best mental exercise you can get.
My advice: swim, swim and keep swimming!!!
Click to expand...
Thanks. I agree. The more I swam the better I got.
Taught myself to swim bilaterally 3+3.
I just seemed to have levelled out and would be fascinated to see what improvements I could make with a good swim coach. YouTube videos are slightly overwhelming with the technical aspect of swimming
 
staffsblue said:
Depends on your age, fitness and weight.
I'm a retired slightly overweight bloke and can do 2km (80 x 25m lengths) in just under an hour. For a mile (64 lengths), that would take me around 48 minutes.
I'm not particularly fast, take a rest to let faster swimmers overtake me, and usually reside in the "medium" speed lane.
Click to expand...
Thanks mate. I’m in my 50s, fat (BMI obese) and did it today in 44 mins with 3 x 1 min breaks every 1/4 mile so happy!
 
Anyone got any recommendations for ear plugs or something I tend to get an infection in one ear after swimming and length of time under water, would a cap sort it?
 
Something that I've worked into my exercise routine the last 6 months after picking up a knee injury running. I use swimming as a rest day.

Try to do blocks of 400m at roughly 2min/100m pace, anywhere from 2-4 blocks depending on how the body is feeling.
 
Blue Maverick said:
Anyone got any recommendations for ear plugs or something I tend to get an infection in one ear after swimming and length of time under water, would a cap sort it?
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I use ear plugs, kept getting water in one of my ears and due to consistent tonsillitis I'm prone to infection via the ear canal so I wanted to limit that.

I use some ear plugs from Bollsen:
bollsen.co.uk

#1 Earplugs for Swimming in 2024 | BOLLSEN Watersafe+

Earplugs for swimming, diving, bathing, surfing ✔️ Stay in your ears ✔️ Test winner for best ear plugs for swimming ✔️ Money back guarantee:
bollsen.co.uk bollsen.co.uk

They had good reviews and after about 10 uses so far they've done the job!
 
Blue Maverick said:
Anyone got any recommendations for ear plugs or something I tend to get an infection in one ear after swimming and length of time under water, would a cap sort it?
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My son swims 5/6 times a week for the last 7 years and only recently has started to suffer with constant water blockage and ear infections. Took him to the doctors again last week for another bout of anti biotics and they gave me a number for the hospital where for 20 quid they will make him a custon moulded ear plug. Apparently they put a foam of some sort into your ear that they then turn into an ear plug.
 
willipp said:
My son swims 5/6 times a week for the last 7 years and only recently has started to suffer with constant water blockage and ear infections. Took him to the doctors again last week for another bout of anti biotics and they gave me a number for the hospital where for 20 quid they will make him a custon moulded ear plug. Apparently they put a foam of some sort into your ear that they then turn into an ear plug.
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Any chance I could get that number?
 
I managed 80 x 25m in just over 35 minutes at the weekend, i breathe every second stroke to my right and use very little leg kick, but do try and get a good push off at the end of each length. I find the apple watch really useful for analysing the swim as it records each lengths time, i vary from 22 seconds per length to 29, with an average of 27.
 
Ilovehappyendings said:
Thanks. I agree. The more I swam the better I got.
Taught myself to swim bilaterally 3+3.
I just seemed to have levelled out and would be fascinated to see what improvements I could make with a good swim coach. YouTube videos are slightly overwhelming with the technical aspect of swimmin
Click to expand...

Blue Maverick said:
Any chance I could get that number?
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My friend has a pair following a similar story . Bespoke silicone ear plugs . Never had a problem since and she swims five times a week . I think she got them made privately though
 
Was back at Manchester Aquatics Centre this morning and managed a steady 50 x 50m lengths.
The fire alarm went off as I was completing my final length, so had the fun of standing in the car park in my budgie smugglers for a few minutes. Was actually quite refreshing after an intense workout!
 
Returned to London Fields Lido today. Was really slowed down by my current man flu so my 50 x 50m lengths took about 85 minutes to complete
The relatively cool water definitely helped with the fever in my head, ears and face though!
 

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I've been back to Oasis Sports Centre in Covent Garden again today for a swim in the outdoor pool. Lovely sunny day for it and perfect outdoor swimming conditions.
However, why are there so many weird swimmers in London? Was in the medium lane swimming at a medium speed, and half the other people were being passive aggressive, even though the fast lane was empty, and the other half were swimming really slowly, even though there was plenty of room in the slow lane. Must just be a "lack of spatial awareness" London thing.
 
A relaxing steady 3km swum at Hough End this morning.
The only trouble was that the parent and babies session was taking place at the adjacent learner pool so I now have "Incey Wincey Spider" as an earworm. AAAAAAAGH!
 
Just been for my final swim of the year at Hough End where I completed a slow but steady 100 lengths.
My final distance total for 2024 was 284.05956km (which is 176.506 miles).
I achieved my target for the year, which, in the spirit of constant personal improvement, was slightly further than last year!
In 2025 I'm going to be swimming more frequently, but reducing the number of lengths per visit.
 
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