Swimming anyone???

[ketua]

the guy needs an instructor to teach him how to thread water lah...

just like wushu or any martial arts, some things u can't learn by watching videos: u need 1-to-1 teaching/coaching..

I believe he can self learn because he's already able to swim, not a total beginner.

 

[RabbitKing]

I need to learn how to swim freestyle..damn I wish I had a more active childhood. Learning how to cycle at 17 years old, and I'd imagine having to learn freestyle in NS..

Dammit.

Chill guys.

NS no need freestyle, breast stroke can liao..
i quite good at frogging, but once freestyle total fail.
my frog faster than my freestyle.. my freestyle machiam starfish, cannot move one..

 

[nyquist2000]

Again depends on the definition of good health.

The biggest difference between land activities and swimming is obvious: the water bears your weight so musculoskelatal problems do not reveal themselves easily.

Ok what do I mean?

Imagine an office worker with chronic lower back pain and everytime he swims his back feels better (well of course, the water bears your weight!)

However if he had gone to lift weights, he might have gotten injured. But hey an injury frequently allows us to get to the root of the problem. It maybe muscle imbalance, poor posture or even scoliosis which he never knew about. If you just swim your entire life, not only are you depriving yourself of developing strong tendons, ligaments and bones but it also does not reveal the inherent problems in your body.

Who's going to do better in old age? Debatable but do consider the points above.

Regards,
KC

Well... sometimes prevention is better than cure. If you do weight lifting the right way then is fine. I had a friend doing his weight lifting and got hurt on his lower back that causes slip disc (2nd stage) without knowing he actually got hit on the first stage. He learnt the lesson too late.

Swimming do not cause you to hurt too much on your back but help strengthen it as you will realised body posture is important in swimming. Is more beneficial for our lung and heart as we learn to breathe in and out and using most of our lung. Swimming is known to have cure asthma too for younger people. Most importantly, swimming work the muscles head to toe. Every part of your body is moving. Swimming requires alot of coordiation. You need to breathe and blow... your hand need to move, your leg need to kick.. your body need to roll... so many activities going on.
Those who want to have abs... they can even do the backward flutter kicking to and fro.... and if you notice... most swimmer that swim front crawl have abs too.
So when come to old age... you often will see old man or woman capable of standing and walking straight without any back problem.

In sports.... be it weight lifting or running or swimming or any other games. so long we do it in moderation, enjoy the process.. and stay injury free..... can be consider a blessing already.

 

[nyquist2000]

I need to learn how to swim freestyle..damn I wish I had a more active childhood. Learning how to cycle at 17 years old, and I'd imagine having to learn freestyle in NS..

Dammit.

Chill guys.

Do you have problem puting your face down completely and blow bubbles? If so... you have win half the battle and ready to begin the prone gliding exercise.

If you still have problem submerging your head to blow bubbles, I suggest you need to overcome this fear. Go to the 0.9 meter pool... do the following:
1) Breathe in with your mouth
2) Hold the air inside you
3) sink only your mouth below the water level with your nose above water level... and blow out the air. Repeat step 1.
This may look easy.. again... the coordinating work has begin when you breathe and blow with your mouth in and out of water.


Good luck and hope the tips is useful to you. Let us know your outcome.

 

[derrickgyn]

NS no need freestyle, breast stroke can liao..
i quite good at frogging, but once freestyle total fail.
my frog faster than my freestyle.. my freestyle machiam starfish, cannot move one..

That is nice to hear. Yea my froggie is kinda faster as well. The last time I tried freestyle I cramped a hamstring. Thank goodness I was at the shallow end of the deep pool (1.2m) so I could stand and curse and swear and BREATHE.

 

[JGXENX]

That is nice to hear. Yea my froggie is kinda faster as well. The last time I tried freestyle I cramped a hamstring. Thank goodness I was at the shallow end of the deep pool (1.2m) so I could stand and curse and swear and BREATHE.

Could be because you are too used to breaststroke. Freestyle is heavily reliant on your pulling, not your kicking. For me, kicking is just to keep myself buoyant to minimise water resistance. Maybe for you, your pulling is not strong and you try to kick faster instead to build speed but kicking in freestyle doesnt make u go that fast. So is almost a given if you cramp.

 

[crandfs]

Yup, I think so too, kicking too hard during freestyle will also waste a lot of your energy in churning up the water anyway, so I dun do big kicks myself, mostly fast medium kicks only.
In the total immersion swimming videos, they barely kick at all, only about one big kick for every stroke I think. I couldn't duplicate it though, think I'm too used to my fast medium strength kicking already.

 

[JGXENX]

I need to learn how to swim freestyle..damn I wish I had a more active childhood. Learning how to cycle at 17 years old, and I'd imagine having to learn freestyle in NS..

Dammit.

Chill guys.

Another thing, keep swimming freestyle to get better at it. You will build essential arm and back muscles over time if you swim freestyle regularly say twice a week and maybe 20 laps each session for starters. Remember your arms must be synchronised. Your legs dont need to kick so forcefully, a suitable amount of strength is sufficient if it keeps u afloat. Your arms right, when one arm pulls, the other prepare to enter the water then repeat it with the other arms. Treat both arms as if they are antagonistic, they do opposite stuffs and they hate each other. Remember since you are a beginner, dont need to pull so fast. Do it slow, with good form. Ask any ah pek or other swimmers help u check ur strokes(of course make sure they swim well and that they dun secretly beo ur kkj).

Catch the flow of the water when you are pulling. Can buy pull buoy and the hand paddles to specifically train your pulling.

Cheers

 

[vurtomatic]

A lot of times mastering a different stroke is simply repetition and practice as the muscles are already there but your body is not used to triggering and moving them in a new way. Similar to weight lifting, you need that mind-muscle connection.

 

[ketua]

A lot of times mastering a different stroke is simply repetition and practice as the muscles are already there but your body is not used to triggering and moving them in a new way. Similar to weight lifting, you need that mind-muscle connection.

Relating to this, last time I read an article that says, even if one does MENTAL practices / rehearsal of the moves (can be like a basket-ball turn and shoot, or a soccer dribble pass, or a martial art counter attack), will still have crossover benefit when actually executing the moves physically.

 

[blackdove212]

I think it's always best to learn swimming via an instructor/coach or a swim class. Swimming is a highly technique-oriented sport. As a beginner, you cannot improve by just "powering" your body into the motions because you'll struggle, fight the water and sink. Swimming isn't like running or cycling, and I don't mean to put down the 2 sports. It's also very easy to pick up bad habits which are difficult to shake off.

My advise is to take lessons, do the drills and learn the techniques. But then practice the correct techniques outside of the lessons as well. This is what most beginners omit. Two weeks of swim lessons isn't enough. Plenty of pool time is necessary to put all that into muscle memory.

 

[GaaraOfTheSand]

I'm an adult and would like to learn swimming as a sport (I can't swim at all). Due to my busy schedule, I can't go for group lessons. Only private lessons are viable.

The problem is, there are two many swimming schools/instructors to choose from via google search, but hardly any comparison or recommendation for them. So which one should I choose?

 

[blackdove212]

I'm an adult and would like to learn swimming as a sport (I can't swim at all). Due to my busy schedule, I can't go for group lessons. Only private lessons are viable.

The problem is, there are two many swimming schools/instructors to choose from via google search, but hardly any comparison or recommendation for them. So which one should I choose?

No problem with age. Swimming is a lifetime sport. You can swim, well into your 60's or 70's even. Can't say the same for other sports. Years ago, I was an adult learner as well and took beginner group lessons for adults at age 39.

Private lessons are okay. Like all other worthy endeavors, you just have to find time for it. Talk to swim coaches in schools or colleges, they might offer private lessons in their spare time. Good luck.

 

[ketua]

I'm an adult and would like to learn swimming as a sport (I can't swim at all). Due to my busy schedule, I can't go for group lessons. Only private lessons are viable.

The problem is, there are two many swimming schools/instructors to choose from via google search, but hardly any comparison or recommendation for them. So which one should I choose?

On Sat or Sun, go to any public pool near you.
There'll be many classes going on in the pools. You can even go into the pool and get close to observe.

Base on your observations, choose one that you like the teaching style and attitude. Approach them between their classes to arrange for your own 'tuition'.

 

[foosoomin]

Better video of learning butterfly stroke.......

 

[crandfs]

Her stroke looks pretty nice, so supple and sleek...

 

[quirkyhill]

anyone knows of any good adult swimming lessons???

 

[foosoomin]

My butterfly stroke is about the same as the top swimmer in the video, need to practice more

 

[d515s23]

I know how to swim breaststroke, and can swim quite well. But front crawl totally **** me up. Should I continue to persevere and self learn or look for coach?

 

[foosoomin]

But front crawl totally **** me up. Should I continue to persevere and self learn or look for coach?

Self learn can already. I have a friend also self learn (we swim together almost every weekend) until he can swim quite good with front crawl stroke now

Go YouTube & watch some of the front crawl stroke, learn from there. Slowly you'll master it