Health & Fitness
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Swimmers - Tips for breathing
I am trying to add more cross training into my schedule so i swam laps yesterday for maybe the first time ever. I grew up spending lots of time in the pool but swimming laps felt weird. Each time I made it to the end of the lap I would need to stop and catch my breath. I have been running 8-10 mile long runs all summer so I think I just need to work on technique. Any advice would be appreciated.
Re: Swimmers - Tips for breathing
It might be your breathing, but also, swimming is just HARD. I have a solid running base of 20-25 mpw (with a 10+ mi long run on the weekends), and I just started swimming laps recently -- I go about once a week, so I've only been 3 times now. Each time I've ended up going just over 1000 yards total, but most of it is swim 50 or 75 and then stop and rest for 30 seconds. It's exhausting!
But the plus side is that I feel like I can get a fantastic workout in a short amount of time.
#PerfectStrangers
2012 Races:
1/28 - Planet Adventure night trail 1/4-marathon - 1:25:47
3/24 - Sam Costa half marathon - 2:02:47
4/14 - Hoosier 10 miler - 1:25:21 (8:32) PR!
7/8 - XTERRA Freedom Fest Hawaii 10K
9/1 - Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon
10/20 - Indianapolis Marathon Relay
11/4 - Monumental Marathon (full marathon #2)
11/22 - Drumstick Dash 4.5mi
Running fitness is NOT equal to swimming fitness and vice versa. It just isn't. First, with running, you can take a deep breath any time you want - there is no shortage of air. With swimming, you can't breathe whenever you want, and take an ill-timed breath can really f*ck things up in a race.
Anyway, I agree with the others, you need to work on technique, especially for breathing. Are you actually breathing? And I mean this seriously - some people swim with their face down, not turning their head to take a breath and so they think they have to swim the entire length of the pool with their face down. Once you get comfortable breathing correctly, then can you start focusing on the workout in general.
When I was a wee wee one, my coach told it was "bubbles, breathe" - depending on which side you turn your face, as your opposite hand enters the water, you turn your face to breathe. So as my LEFT hand enters the water and I extend through the stroke, my head turns RIGHT to take a breath. (Likewise, if you breathe on the left, you turn your face left as your right hand enters and pulls through).
Swimming can be, and generally is, a very technical activity.
Thanks for the tips ladies - I never expected to be able to go out and swim for two hours, I just added that bit in there to let folks know that I am pretty active and didn't decide to hit the gym for the first time in five years.
The question about actually breathing is really a good one. I have no idea if I am actually breathing or at what frequency I am attempting to breathe, I know that I only breathe to the right. I think next time I try the pool I will slow down and pay attention to what I am doing when I breathe.
I definitely recommend taking a technique class, I took one that my local tri shop offered and it really helped with my stroke & my endurance levels.
Also, try to breathe equally on both sides, because it's really hard to switch when you get used to only breathing on one side. It's not vital for laps, but its a good skill to have if you ever decide to do a tri.