Swimming anyone???

[tongkualongan]

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?

look for a coach is ok , make sure the instructor has a small group , maybe best is 1 on 1 .
Most problem with adults I met are their legs sinking and dragging. ( This one will take some time and lots of practice and stretching( ankles ) to solve ) , worst is if you run alot ( Running needs ankle stability, swimming needs ankle flexibility , hehe )

Also , the 2nd thing I notice people in swimming pools are the rotation of the shoulders. Most people dont rotate their shoulders/body and an instructor can really help you on that . ( It is possible to learn rotation by yourself but ideally , a good instructor would be able to tell you straight what you should not and should be doing ) This is the biggest improvement you can see once you master it , your stroke count will decrease and that is good for your swim.

Anyway , the recent guy who broke the world record in 1500m swim. His stroke is one of the most amazing I have ever seen. ( 28 strokes per 50m average and every 100 meter 58 seconds consistent , with first 100m on 56 and last 100m amazing 54 seconds ) It has a little bit of TI element in his stroke, enabling him to sustain his swim for 1.5 km consistently.

 

[d515s23]

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

Done all that. But forever struggling

look for a coach is ok , make sure the instructor has a small group , maybe best is 1 on 1 .
Most problem with adults I met are their legs sinking and dragging. ( This one will take some time and lots of practice and stretching( ankles ) to solve ) , worst is if you run alot ( Running needs ankle stability, swimming needs ankle flexibility , hehe )

Also , the 2nd thing I notice people in swimming pools are the rotation of the shoulders. Most people dont rotate their shoulders/body and an instructor can really help you on that . ( It is possible to learn rotation by yourself but ideally , a good instructor would be able to tell you straight what you should not and should be doing ) This is the biggest improvement you can see once you master it , your stroke count will decrease and that is good for your swim.

Anyway , the recent guy who broke the world record in 1500m swim. His stroke is one of the most amazing I have ever seen. ( 28 strokes per 50m average and every 100 meter 58 seconds consistent , with first 100m on 56 and last 100m amazing 54 seconds ) It has a little bit of TI element in his stroke, enabling him to sustain his swim for 1.5 km consistently.

Leg part is my problem too. My legs will always start sinking and I will go kicking harder and more furious until I shag out. My arm movements I think is ok.

 

[foosoomin]

Self learn can already.

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

Done all that. But forever struggling

1) Don't be afraid to go to swallower pool to learn front crawl

2) Watch below Youtube for the correct stroke

3) Slowly, sure you can master it

 

[tongkualongan]

After a while you don't think at all. Its just stroke after stroke. I think about what I have to do the next day, I think about work, about the gf, about what to eat later. Its very zen-like.

Its very peaceful because when you're swimming, you're really focusing on nothing. Stroke stroke breathe and repeat. Of course, it helps that the pool I swim at is always deserted. If you're swimming at a public swimming pool and have to deal with packed pools, navigating around kids, people swimming across lanes instead of along, then of course its a different experience. Try to go at off-peak hours and you'll find it much more relaxing.

Its good to switch from running to swimming every now and then because while they're both endurance sports, they train very different muscles.

Also, it feels like heaven after a long swim to sit in a dry sauna. You feel your muscles get so loose as you get warm.

Only bad thing is that's its a bigger time commitment. You have to change, quick rinse, swim, shower, change and if you add sauna time, its going to take 1.5hrs. That's why when work is busy, swimming is the first thing to cut.

In comparison, you can hit the gym and be out in 45minutes assuming a quick 30minute fast workout or just do an insanity workout in the comfort of your bedroom or living room.

Try free diving , I discovered this sport after trying to swim underwater for 30m in 1 breath , now I can do 60m .

The zen like feel is beyond words :

 

[ketua]

Try free diving , I discovered this sport after trying to swim underwater for 30m in 1 breath , now I can do 60m .

The zen like feel is beyond words :

Yeah it's fun. I've tried the width of the pool just for fun.

Don't think can last the length.

But then FREE DIVING is a big word to use.

 

[ketua]

Done all that. But forever struggling
:
.

If you've tried all you can, then probably you'll just need a good instructor.

Some how, self-learn approach may not be suitable for everyone for every activity.

No point repeating the same path stubbornly.

 

[theflamer]

For anyone trying to learn front-crawl - the reason a lot of you will be finding it hard is because your legs will be dragging in the water to far below your front-half - it gets to a point when you will feel like you´re pulling dead weight! (and you will be EXHAUSTED)

My advice is simple and I know this from taking on a triathlon a few years ago. I was like you, struggling with front crawl, but I had no choice but to persevere as I needed speed in my race. A good friend of mine who was a swimmer suggested I put a flotation device between my legs. This kept my lower body higher in the water and all of a sudden I found that my speed increased rapidly and I wasn´t as tired. After this I just worked on my breathing - taking it easy and not pushing too hard. Then it just all starts to click.

If you persevere with this it will come and you will really begin to enjoy swimming front crawl and fast!!

Good luck.

 

[tongkualongan]

For anyone trying to learn front-crawl - the reason a lot of you will be finding it hard is because your legs will be dragging in the water to far below your front-half - it gets to a point when you will feel like you´re pulling dead weight! (and you will be EXHAUSTED)

My advice is simple and I know this from taking on a triathlon a few years ago. I was like you, struggling with front crawl, but I had no choice but to persevere as I needed speed in my race. A good friend of mine who was a swimmer suggested I put a flotation device between my legs. This kept my lower body higher in the water and all of a sudden I found that my speed increased rapidly and I wasn´t as tired. After this I just worked on my breathing - taking it easy and not pushing too hard. Then it just all starts to click.

If you persevere with this it will come and you will really begin to enjoy swimming front crawl and fast!!

Good luck.

Hello , I did coach a few triathletes before(few years back) and I have to say putting a pulling buoy is almost like a quick fix, but it is not exactly fixing the core problem if your aim is to do triathlon .

It will help a lot in your normal training swim , but once you pull out that buoy, you are helpless once again.

To fix the real issue, it really takes a lot of stretching (plantar flex) and getting the kick rite; it is not exactly a kick as I always tell my students back then , it is a whip .. you whip and then you relax. If you kick up and down (uses energy), your leg will end up very stiff, coupled with the stiff ankle which result in not catching enough water, your legs will sink .

now when your leg sink, the effect is two fold. first it creates drag, secondly, you are not propelling yourself forward. . So once you fix this, your speed increase tremendously.

Also , another reason your leg might be sinking is because the breathing. Natural reaction for beginners are to lift the head up and breathe.
When you lift your head up , your leg will sink ( physics )
So , a good instructor should be able to help you /teach you breath the rite way. Well in fact , first lesson should be breathing , just water bobbing exercises. You wont know how important is this first lesson

as for breathing, contrary to popular believe , it is not turning your head , it is rotating your body so that you can steal a breath ( almost un noticed )

look at the TI video posted by someone here and you will know what i mean

Anyway , I am transitioning from my competitive swim style to TI swim now, it is harder than I thought , I have to unlearn and relearn everything. Swimming it not easy at all, it is actually very technical , so technical that it is almost an art to master it.

 

[tongkualongan]

Yeah it's fun. I've tried the width of the pool just for fun.

Don't think can last the length.

But then FREE DIVING is a big word to use.

try some breathing yoga technique,6 secs/24 secs/12 secs ( breath in/hold/breath out)
it will slow down your heartbeat and improve you diaphragm muscles

lol , yeah freediving consist of lots of other stuffs (go as deep as you can , hold breath and stay as long as possible),
I guess mine is Dynamic Apnea No fins hehehe



THis was the world record holder , >200 m , one breath of air.. watching this is so hard...

 

[crandfs]

Last time my friend jio me take up freediving course with him. I chickened out because I just have a horrible phobia of running out of air underwater, especially deep deep underwater.... *shudders*

 

[ketua]

Last time my friend jio me take up freediving course with him. I chickened out because I just have a horrible phobia of running out of air underwater, especially deep deep underwater.... *shudders*
]

I can understand the feeling.

Not free diving but scuba.
Out-of-air and executed emergency-ascend, twice in a day. Phew!

 

[cowed77]

Wats ti swimming?

 

[ketua]

Total immersion. The drag is less.

But in competition there is a limited on how far one can TI after the jump or flip, in case some smart Alex TI all the way.

 

[crandfs]

I can understand the feeling.

Not free diving but scuba.
Out-of-air and executed emergency-ascend, twice in a day. Phew!

Panicky right Was it because you were taking photo until you lost track?

Last time I was in maldives, I was still very inexperienced, only about 20 dives, then came a big current, got separated, panicked and tried swimming/crawling sideways against current to find people, ended up with 30bars and still at 20m before the divemaster found me, then used up all my air while ascending and had to complete my safety stop using divemaster's air, Phew!
On the bright side, we saw several sailfish swimming past us during our safety stop! None of the rest saw any sailfish
Later on in the market at Male though, we saw rows of dead sailfish

 

[ketua]

Panicky right Was it because you were taking photo until you lost track?

Last time I was in maldives, I was still very inexperienced, only about 20 dives, then came a big current, got separated, panicked and tried swimming/crawling sideways against current to find people, ended up with 30bars and still at 20m before the divemaster found me, then used up all my air while ascending and had to complete my safety stop using divemaster's air, Phew!
On the bright side, we saw several sailfish swimming past us during our safety stop! None of the rest saw any sailfish
Later on in the market at Male though, we saw rows of dead sailfish

No, not because of taking photo.

1st time was helping a weaker girl against head-on current until forgot to regulate own breathing.
2nd time was equipment fault.

Both E-ascends were without safety stop. All the way to the surface while breathing out the very last bit of air from lunge.

 

[ketua]

:
Anyway , I am transitioning from my competitive swim style to TI swim now, it is harder than I thought , I have to unlearn and relearn everything. Swimming it not easy at all, it is actually very technical , so technical that it is almost an art to master it.

for knowledge purpose, what are the differences between competitive swimming Vs leisure swimming?

Like e.g. Breast stroke need to have shoulders above water.
(that's about all I know)

 

[cowed77]

Watever u know is abt however much u know more than me lol

 

[tongkualongan]

No, not because of taking photo.

1st time was helping a weaker girl against head-on current until forgot to regulate own breathing.
2nd time was equipment fault.

Both E-ascends were without safety stop. All the way to the surface while breathing out the very last bit of air from lunge.

wow , E ascend . what was the depth ? I heard of special forces training for that , you need to open up your airway all the while, is that rite? I am a newbie in diving, but the experience is out of the world. love it!

btw, was the girl hot ?

 

[ketua]

wow , E ascend . what was the depth ? I heard of special forces training for that , you need to open up your airway all the while, is that rite? I am a newbie in diving, but the experience is out of the world. love it!

btw, was the girl hot ?

Then you should be fresh as basic course got teach mah...
Anyway:
I arm point up like superman (arm surface first in case boat above)
Look up (check what's on top and also open airway)
Shout "ah............" (clear all air in lunge while ascending)
Rotate/spiral body while ascending (check surrounding)

That's according to PADI's doctrine. Others should be same.


No the girl was just teenage ang-mo. Un-flappabke yet.

 

[tongkualongan]

for knowledge purpose, what are the differences between competitive swimming Vs leisure swimming?

Like e.g. Breast stroke need to have shoulders above water.
(that's about all I know)

Well. since I swam competitively from a young age , I cant really on first hand differentiate competitive swimming vs leisure swimming.
But I do remember some transitioning from sub par stroke technique to a acceptable competition level ( that was when I first started training 6 days a week , some mornings and all afternoons , coach was fierce )

freestlye ( front crawl )
from a normal pull to early vertical forearm catch ( EVF ) , this improve my timing tremendously from 32s to 29s for 50m .

breaststroke
you got it rite, my shoulders are above water after realizing its my back muscles and not my arm muscles that allows me to stay above water during arm recovery.

backstroke
don't really know how to explain this in words but will try my best. arm propulsion used to be straight scoop , but transition to the backstroke 'early vertical forearm '

fly
use to pull once follow by two kicks ( like most beginners do in public pools ) , transitioning to the proper light kick during arm entry phase , heavy kick during arm propulsion phase.


hope that helps