"right things" for beginner ?

Hi Vu, I'm sure others may have other (and better) things to say, but here are a few thoughts
from me...

Quoted message said:

2. After one lap, I feel pretty tired although I can run about 20-30 minutes every morning. I
think I do something wrong in my arm and leg movements. I try to do it slower, and feel a
little better but am still tired. What is a ( relatively ) good timing for arm and leg
movements ?

I teach beginner adults, and I think slow is good! Even if you're comfortable running, you're using
different muscles here, and you may still be getting used to being in the water. I think a good
pace is three kicks to each arm stroke... count three kicks (one leg = one kick) for each "reach"
of an arm.

You also may be getting tired if your breathing pace is not right. Breathing too quickly can cause
you to hyperventilate. Use a slow stroke, and don't breath on every stroke.

Quoted message said:

3. Is there any common advice for the skinny swimmers ?

With less body fat, you may not float as high, so it's important to practice your kick and your
body/head position to ensure that your body is relatively flat and at the surface. I think kicking
exercises (with a kickboard, or just with your arms streamlined above your head) are good to develop
your body position. Make sure your face is generally pointed down, looking at the bottom of the
pool, or just slightly forward of that.

Congratulations on your new fitness hobby, and I hope you continue to love swimming!

(vp) said:

I am a swimmer newbie and I love it. I am 37 and pretty thin ( 5"10 with around 150 pounds ). I
took a swimming class and read some swimming books, but there are some questions ( about freestyle
) that I need your advice.

I'm a fairly recent convert to regular swimming. I enjoy it very much and the fitness results have
been most gratifying.

Quoted message said:

1. Most of the books that I read say about the techniques of the strokes, not the kicks. For me, I
can breath more easily if I kick more widely ( I mean the distance between my foot ) . Is it ok
to continue that way or is it better to change to another more appropriate way ?

Kick as little as you want to begin with. Just use your legs to keep your balance in the water and
don't waste energy trying to kick too much. I taught myself to swim freestyle a couple of years ago
and this bit of advice from a coach was the breakthrough point for me. Don't try a six-beat kick
until you are fairly proficient.

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

Quoted message said:

(vp) said:

I am a swimmer newbie and I love it. I am 37 and pretty thin ( 5"10 with around 150 pounds ). I
took a swimming class and read some swimming books, but there are some questions ( about
freestyle ) that I need your advice.

I'm a fairly recent convert to regular swimming. I enjoy it very much and the fitness results have
been most gratifying.

Quoted message said:

1. Most of the books that I read say about the techniques of the strokes, not the kicks. For me,
I can breath more easily if I kick more widely ( I mean the distance between my foot ) . Is it
ok to continue that way or is it better to change to another more appropriate way ?

Kick as little as you want to begin with. Just use your legs to keep your balance in the water and
don't waste energy trying to kick too much. I taught myself to swim freestyle a couple of years
ago and this bit of advice from a coach was the breakthrough point for me. Don't try a six-beat
kick until you are fairly proficient.

Thanks for your advice. If I "flutter" it seems that I will sink - my nose is not above the water
long enough for inhaling when I turn my head- , but if I kick slowly and widely, it helps me a lot.

Vu

[email hidden] (Shannon) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi Vu, I'm sure others may have other (and better) things to say, but here are a few thoughts
from me...

Quoted message said:

2. After one lap, I feel pretty tired although I can run about 20-30 minutes every morning. I
think I do something wrong in my arm and leg movements. I try to do it slower, and feel a
little better but am still tired. What is a ( relatively ) good timing for arm and leg
movements ?

I teach beginner adults, and I think slow is good! Even if you're comfortable running, you're
using different muscles here, and you may still be getting used to being in the water. I think a
good pace is three kicks to each arm stroke... count three kicks (one leg = one kick) for each
"reach" of an arm.

You also may be getting tired if your breathing pace is not right. Breathing too quickly can cause
you to hyperventilate. Use a slow stroke, and don't breath on every stroke.

Quoted message said:

3. Is there any common advice for the skinny swimmers ?

With less body fat, you may not float as high, so it's important to practice your kick and your
body/head position to ensure that your body is relatively flat and at the surface. I think kicking
exercises (with a kickboard, or just with your arms streamlined above your head) are good to
develop your body position. Make sure your face is generally pointed down, looking at the bottom
of the pool, or just slightly forward of that.

Congratulations on your new fitness hobby, and I hope you continue to love swimming!

Thanks for your advice. When I keep my head "streamlined" with my body, sometimes ( not always ), I
sink very quickly just like I am diving. What can cause this ? Is it because I look down too much ?

Vu