Need advice on swimming plan

Get a book called "The Complete Book of Swimming" by Phil Whitten.

Don

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Quoted message said:

I am 70 and just starting to swim laps in a local university pool. I was a good swimmer at one
time and a WSI in my young days. I was a runner for about 30 years until I was told to stop
because of back problems. I am still reasonably fit and just need some advice on a lap swimming
program to improve my conditioning. I would like to have a good program that takes about 1/2 hr.
to 45 minutes every other day. I am willing to work hard and even do intervals, if that is what I
need. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Jack

little to no experience with this age group, however, i would suggest plenty
of long slow continuous swimming to start with, taking rest when you need
it, until you get your water-legs back. an easy mix of free, back and breast
would probably be in order too, just to keep it balanced and interesting.
good luck...i'm sure there are others with better suggestions however 🙂

steve

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am 70 and just starting to swim laps in a local university pool. I was a good swimmer at one
time and a WSI in my young days. I was a runner for about 30 years until I was told to stop
because of back problems. I am still reasonably fit and just need some advice on a lap swimming
program to improve my conditioning. I would like to have a good program that takes about 1/2 hr.
to 45 minutes every other day. I am willing to work hard and even do intervals, if that is what I
need. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Jack

visit www.totalimmersion.net for loads of free guidance.

Quoted message said:

I am 70 and just starting to swim laps in a local university pool. I was a good swimmer at one
time and a WSI in my young days. I was a runner for about 30 years until I was told to stop
because of back problems. I am still reasonably fit and just need some advice on a lap swimming
program to improve my conditioning. I would like to have a good program that takes about 1/2 hr.
to 45 minutes every other day. I am willing to work hard and even do intervals, if that is what I
need. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Jack

A woman, aged 64, who had been swimming scattered lengths and laps of no speed or quality, not
totally out of shape, thin, but with asthma, told me how much she wished she could swim a straight
mile. She came to the pool three times per week for one hour, faithfully, and had a lot of
persistence. When I told her I thought she could do it in about six weeks, but it would require
sometimes continuing when she was sure she could not, she nevertheless agreed. I suggested the
following. First I asked her how far she could swim comfortably before having to rest. 100 meters.
Sooooooo: Swim 100 meters, count 12 breaths rest. I told her she would not feel adequately rested,
but no matter, do another 100 meters, another 12 breaths rest for a total of 4x100 with 12 breaths
between 100's. Take one minute rest and do 4x50 with 10 breaths, a minute rest and 4x25 with 8
breaths rest. Then spend the rest of her hour trying other strokes and just enjoying being there. I
said to do the same thing the next time she came to the pool and when it became comfortable (usually
the third visit to the pool) swim the 4x100 with only 10 breaths rest, the 50's with 8, the 25's
with 6. It took only two more visits of this before she could reduce the 100's to 8 breaths and so
on. When the 25's became a solid hundred, we added 100's and 50's until the 100's were a solid 400
and she was doing 2/3 of her mile. About every 3 visits to the pool, she consolidated and added to
one swim and reduced rest time on the shorter efforts. In six weeks she had a solid 1600 meters.

This, of course, doesn't apply to someone who was familiar with swimming intervals years ago, but I
still think that's about the time needed to get a base before doing anything more interesting.
Several swimmers I've helped are eager to use toys. I like them for variety, myself, and I think the
kickboard is a good conditioner for old stiff ankles even if it does not promote good technique for
the whole stroke, but the pull-buoy is terminal, absolutely terrible, the worst possible thing
anyone who wants to swim for conditioning can do, and it's addictive! If you're swimming for heart
and lungs, it lessens the effort by removing any need to use the big consumers of oxygen, the big
quads. At the same time it raises those big quads effortlessly, producing a euphoric sense of
swimming high and with low heart rate. All of which does not apply to me, however, because my ankles
are barely attached to me and my pulling is 8% slower than my swimming. But by and large, the older
you are, the more you should look at that pull-buoy as the enemy of your intention for swimming at
all: to be fit, to get your heart-rate up.

I've also suggested what I myself did the first time I entered the pool, but it's probably less
efficient and certainly less sane. I was determined to swim a straight mile because someone I knew
who appeared to be in terrible shape could do it and I who appeared to be in good shape, but was
not, couldn't be outdone. I swam every stroke known to humankind, including side, elementary,
whatever, all 1600 meters at first try, getting out with sea legs, just slightly seasick. The next
day I confined myself to other strokes only every other length, soon after it was 4 lengths
freestyle, 1 length survival stroke, and so on for two weeks at most. It was fast, but I was
fanatic, gasping scarily at the ends, frightening the guards probably, exhibiting the weird
determination that got me doing the Ironman Hawaii as my fifth triathlon. But that approach to
swimming a mile did work and I was no worse for wear amd had the advantage of instant gratification,
a plus for those who, like me, Want It All, Now.

Ruth Kazez