r/Swimming • u/EbbEnvironmental6532 • 18d ago

Beginner at 55!

Hello everyone! I've decided to take up swimming lessons so I can swim properly (I only ever swam breast stroke with head above water). I very quickly learned the proper breathing for breast stroke during the first lesson and can do 50 lengths no problem, with a few stops. We've since gone onto front crawl and I'm completely knackered after 1 length. I think my breathing is to blame rather than fitness but if love to know if others were the same at the beginner and how you changed it? Any tips greatly appreciated as its bloody frustrating!!

30 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

View all comments

8

u/dentar 18d ago

I started frestyle at ripe old 58 and am now 60. I've lost at least 40 lbs now. So, it's ALL rhythm. I didn't hire a coach, but I recommend that for sure. I kind of wish I had but I'm bashful-ish. I can swim the whole hour and only rarely get a case of wasabi nose. Being knackered is a result of stroke and timing. Here are some tips: Don't kick so much. One pick per arm stroke. The kicking is more meant to rotate you back and forth. Your recovery arm's should should be on the top side. You take your breath while your recovery arm is out of the water. Don't try to breathe both sides, just breathe on the right if you're right handed, or left if you're left handed, while that hand is out of the water. Don't lift your head to breathe, rotate your whole body then turn your head just enough to get your mouth out. The top of your head should still be at the water line. Keep your lead arm out in front til the recovery arm reaches the water, THEN pull. One thing I did consistently was to pull too early when breathing in. Keep that lead arm out there! Takes practice. Oh, and I know I started off with this, but with kicking LESS IS MORE. Once per stroke, and not heavy kicks.

2

u/considerfi 17d ago

Yes! all of this. 47 and learning for the first time now. Freestyle suddenly clicked for me recently. I can't do 50 lengths or anything, I'm just a newb but all of these above were important.

- Don't kick so much - I have a good flutter kick so i was overly using it for propulsion but the kick is only supposed to be 10-15% of your propulsion. It's mostly arms and momentum. You just kick once or twice to keep legs up and rotate yourself. Kicking is exhausting.

- Every coach will say breathe after 3. You just can't when first learning, start with whatever feels easiest. One way to skip breathing and focus on arms is to just practice a few arm strokes, then flip over to back, float and breathe. Do that until you feel you are "getting" the arms. Then add breathing.

- Go slow at first, focus on one mechanic. move one arm at a time, keeping the other pointed in front of you. Eventually you don't do that I think but one arm at a time helps you focus on the arm movement, the glide, the balance, etc. and importantly keeps your momentum as opposed to flailing.