I've been lurking here for six weeks or so. I very much appreciate the tips I've gotten here in response to questions asked by others.
A few months ago I took up swimming again after years away from it. Years ago I used to swim 1800 yards freestyle in 36 minutes, which I know isn't stellar, but still I'd like to be able to do that again, or better. When I started reading here I was swimming 1500 meters in around 50 minutes (3x a week), and then somebody posted a link to the Total Immersion site and I've incorporated "hiding my head," which has brought my feet up to the water line and overnight improved my time to 1500 in about 40 minutes, so I've added another 500 and now I'm swimming 2000 meters in just under 55 minutes. I think I could get it down a little further if my mind didn't wander so much. There's a lot of variance in individual lap times because I slip back into my old (bad) technique a lot.
I've been lurking here for six weeks or so. I very much appreciate the tips I've gotten here in response to questions asked by others.
A few months ago I took up swimming again after years away from it. Years ago I used to swim 1800 yards freestyle in 36 minutes, which I know isn't stellar, but still I'd like to be able to do that again, or better. When I started reading here I was swimming 1500 meters in around 50 minutes (3x a week), and then somebody posted a link to the Total Immersion site and I've incorporated "hiding my head," which has brought my feet up to the water line and overnight improved my time to 1500 in about 40 minutes, so I've added another 500 and now I'm swimming 2000 meters in just under 55 minutes. I think I could get it down a little further if my mind didn't wander so much. There's a lot of variance in individual lap times because I slip back into my old (bad) technique a lot.
Thanks again for sharing your expertise.
--Patti
I'm very impressed, especially with the great improvement with the TI technique. I was pleased as punch to do 1500 meters today (altough I may have done 50 yards extra, because I may have lost track of the laps at one point...) in 58 minutes, but this was after a layoff of several days and was not all crawl. August 6th I'm doing the swim leg of a triathlon, so this is all part of getting ready. I'm also hoping to lose 20-40 pounds by then, I've been losing at the rate of 1 pound per week, and even managed to lose over Thanksgive and held steady over Christmas. I find that if I swim a mile and do a 1 hour and 45 minute yoga class, my blood sugars are very good (I'm diabetic). Now if my doc could just write me a script so these would be covered by insurance, and my job would give me special daily leave time... Madelaine
I'm very impressed, especially with the great improvement with the TI technique. I was pleased as punch to do 1500 meters today (altough I may have done 50 yards extra, because I may have lost track of the laps at one point...) in 58 minutes, but this was after a layoff of several days and was not all crawl.
I lose track all the time and I'm in a 50-meter pool, so when I drop a lap it's 100 meters. Very irritating. Sometimes I give up on counting and just swim until the hour is gone. I've just bought myself one of the little finger ring lap counters but it hasn't arrived yet. I just hope I can remember to push the little button. 🙂
Quoted message said:
August 6th I'm doing the swim leg of a triathlon, so this is all part of getting ready. I'm also hoping to lose 20-40 pounds by then, I've been losing at the rate of 1 pound per week, and even managed to lose over Thanksgive and held steady over Christmas.
Well done!
Quoted message said:
I find that if I swim a mile and do a 1 hour and 45 minute yoga class, my blood sugars are very good (I'm diabetic). Now if my doc could just write me a script so these would be covered by insurance, and my job would give me special daily leave time...
Wow, that would be lovely. You must not be in the states. My husband is diabetic and has stopped exercising and regained 20 of the 45 pounds he'd lost when he was diagnosed. If they'd give him time off from work to exercise, I believe he'd do it.
I'm very impressed, especially with the great improvement with the TI technique. I was pleased as punch to do 1500 meters today (altough I may have done 50 yards extra, because I may have lost track of the laps at one point...) in 58 minutes, but this was after a layoff of several days and was not all crawl.
I lose track all the time and I'm in a 50-meter pool, so when I drop a lap it's 100 meters. Very irritating. Sometimes I give up on counting and just swim until the hour is gone. I've just bought myself one of the little finger ring lap counters but it hasn't arrived yet. I just hope I can remember to push the little button. 🙂
Quoted message said:
August 6th I'm doing the swim leg of a triathlon, so this is all part of getting ready. I'm also hoping to lose 20-40 pounds by then, I've been losing at the rate of 1 pound per week, and even managed to lose over Thanksgive and held steady over Christmas.
Well done!
Quoted message said:
I find that if I swim a mile and do a 1 hour and 45 minute yoga class, my blood sugars are very good (I'm diabetic). Now if my doc could just write me a script so these would be covered by insurance, and my job would give me special daily leave time...
Wow, that would be lovely. You must not be in the states. My husband is diabetic and has stopped exercising and regained 20 of the 45 pounds he'd lost when he was diagnosed. If they'd give him time off from work to exercise, I believe he'd do it.
--Patti
No, I am in the States, I was just fantasizing wildly. Actually, I'm lucky to be surrounded by best-quality medical facilities and to have the insurance to be able to use them. I also lost 40 pounds right after I was diagnosed, and then gained back 30! I have now lost some of that again, and am hoping to keep losing. My big downfall was that I tried to be a vegetarian and wound up feeling hungry and thinking about food 24/7. I gave it up and am doing much better now--some people can do it but I'm not one of them. It is hard to accept, but if you have diabetes (or you just don't want to get it) exercise is not optional. Madelaine
No, I am in the States, I was just fantasizing wildly. Actually, I'm lucky to be surrounded by best-quality medical facilities and to have the insurance to be able to use them. I also lost 40 pounds right after I was diagnosed, and then gained back 30! I have now lost some of that again, and am hoping to keep losing. My big downfall was that I tried to be a vegetarian and wound up feeling hungry and thinking about food 24/7. I gave it up and am doing much better now--some people can do it but I'm not one of them.
Me neither. I lost 40 pounds this year low-carbing, but in just the past two weeks I've gained back a shocking 5 pounds because I've been cheating for the holidays and my pool is closed for Christmas break. Tonight I walked 3.5 miles and I'm planning to do the same tomorrow and Monday. The pool opens Tuesday. I'm going to try to swim 20K next week to burn off some of that 5 pounds before school starts back on Jan 11.
Quoted message said:
It is hard to accept, but if you have diabetes (or you just don't want to get it) exercise is not optional.
True. And besides, it keeps me from biting people's heads off. Mostly 😉
