I’m a 46 year old female and I was never, ever a swimmer. In fact, I was terrified of putting my face in the water. I took an adult swim class from December until January (8 classes). Since the classes ended, I’ve been swimming 3 times a week for 1 hour each time. I’ve improved a lot over these last 10 weeks, but I was using swim fins. The minute I swim without the fins, everything goes completely haywire and I can’t even make it across the pool without have to stop to catch my breath. I’ve started practicing one lap with fins (to work on mechanics) and then one lap without fins. I know I need to wean myself off the fins completely.
Realistically speaking, how long does it take to start seeing SOME improvement in swimming endurance? Should I focus on fine tuning my technique only for now, and then work on the endurance later? I’ve come to realize that technique is the key to efficient swimming. I have 2 triathlons in August and they are both 1/4 mile ocean swims. I’m terrified that at this rate I’m going to drown.
I’m a 46 year old female and I was never, ever a swimmer. In fact, I was terrified of putting my face in the water. I took an adult swim class from December until January (8 classes). Since the classes ended, I’ve been swimming 3 times a week for 1 hour each time. I’ve improved a lot over these last 10 weeks, but I was using swim fins. The minute I swim without the fins, everything goes completely haywire and I can’t even make it across the pool without have to stop to catch my breath. I’ve started practicing one lap with fins (to work on mechanics) and then one lap without fins. I know I need to wean myself off the fins completely.
Realistically speaking, how long does it take to start seeing SOME improvement in swimming endurance? Should I focus on fine tuning my technique only for now, and then work on the endurance later? I’ve come to realize that technique is the key to efficient swimming. I have 2 triathlons in August and they are both 1/4 mile ocean swims. I’m terrified that at this rate I’m going to drown.
Getting faster with fins doesn’t help my actual swimming very much either. If I were you, I’d ditch the fins, and keep doing your 3 hours a week.
You will improve a thousand percent quicker and be more comfortable with more time in the water and you can still do three hours a week if that is all you have time for. Just break it up to four 30 minute sessions and one 1 hour session a week. Technique and feel for the water with paramount. The best way to build both is swim swim swim.
Will the ocean water be cool enough to be wet suit legal? If so you should get a wet suit. While its generally to warm to swim in a indoor pool with a wet suit, you can swim in warm water with a pull buoy. The point to this is that with out fins but with a pull buoy your legs will float higher (currently you are relying on the fins to get your legs up). When you swim in the ocean with a wet suit you will float higher and go faster. What this will do for you is to allow you to swim more laps. Also if you can’t make it through one lap due to heavy breathing then you are probably trying to go to fast. Slow down. Also it would be a good idea to look around your local area for more adult swim classes to give you more guidance. Best of luck in your tri purists, Tim
Im not a swim expert…I am someone who has recently been in your shoes. Im still a poor swimmer but getting much better.
+1 on one of the above posts about just swimming more often.
if you can afford it…get a coach…atleast for a little while. or swim analysis.
3)Youre on the right track of alternating with and without fins…do the same with a pull bouy to practice on your pull. Since my coach improved my catch and pull…things have really started to come together. Im still terrible but compared to myself just a few months ago…Mike Phelps! The improved pull has given me enough speed to easily breath…in the past I had to work hard to breath because I was too low in the water and there was no “pocket” of air created from my head pushing water out of the way…when that pocket is created…its so much easier to breath instead of hyperventilate.
I bet you tense up and hold your breath without the fins. Probably sinky legs too. This makes breathing hard, leads to a dropped lead arm which leads to even more sinky legs and even harder to get that breath.
I think you need to relax, push your face down into the water real deep (watch the pros) and trust the bow wave air pocket. work on a tight snappy kick, you cant kick as if you had fins on.
And ofc: swim as much as possible and learn to love it. It is great!
Thank you everyone for your words of advice and encouragement! I don’t feel like a freak of nature as much considering that what I’m going through seems to be normal for beginner swimmers.
My fins are short length swim fins. I’m going to do what was suggested about getting out to practice more days per week because I feel as though I reset over the weekend when I don’t practice. I’m also scheduled to have 4 private lessons with a swim coach in 2 weeks. I’m hopeful he can watch me and set me straight. I swam today one lap with fins than one lap without fins and I didn’t feel as awkward today without them. And am I tensing up? Yes, absolutely but I’m trying not to. There’s so much to think about when you swim. My future swim coach says “the only way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice”.
Thank you all again! I really do appreciate your feedback!
First of all as late bloomer to the swimming scene myself I can completely relate to your current situation. Its very natural to use the fins to overcome a deficiency in your technique namely high head position, dropping legs and subsequent difficulty in maintaining a correct breathing cycle which then goes to becoming a dependency both in terms of physical and psychological/confidence.
The fins should be used as a means of learning correct body position and kick drills to help increase ankle flexibility but don’t use them for your main set. The most important thing to consider is to find your “comfort” zone, relax and get your “feel” for the water as a beginner and there are a number of drills to learn this.
The mantra is “don’t practice struggle”, you need to find that “sweet spot” where throwing the arms over and breathing is not simply a struggle to get your next breath. Popov drills for example are excellent in letting you understand and learn your natural buoyancy and positioning in the water.
There are far more learned and experienced dolphins on this forum who can provide you with the finer details on technique but I can offer you encouragement and certainty that with practice you will get better and faster and you’ll go through “light bulb” moments where it all starts to click together as your technique improves. I’ve gone from a 2:40 per 100 thrasher/drowner to 1:35 per 100 swimmer in about a year of swimming with a coach and weekly Masters Swim Squad, slow by ST standards but its gotten me into my “happy place”.
Good luck with your journey and remember that good technique builds confidence and confidence will let you achieve your goals.
Edit: One more thing, please ensure you practice OW swimming as part of your program as swimming in the pool DOES NOT relate in any way you are familiar with once you hit the ocean, wetsuit constriction/breathing, sighting issues, temperature, choppy water, salt in your mouth, other arms and legs thrashing around, its quite common to have a “freak out” situation for first timers, you can reduce this likelihood with getting familiar sooner rather than later
Realistically, your first task is to get comfortable in the water, strokes be damned. That means getting comfortable in open water, ie lake or ocean, and just play around for a few hours. Dive under and try to get to the bottom, see how long you can hold your breath. Get a water polo ball or rubber volleyball and pass it around while treading water. Play sharks and minnows. Anything that will get you wet, in deep water.
Don’t worry about strokes yet. You can always do your first swim breaststroke if you need to (just try not to kick anyone in the face).
Always swim with a buddy in open water. Always.
Edit, you may not be able to get in a lake just yet (we had snow today!) but the idea is the same whether it’s during public swim free for all or in a lake. You just need to get comfortable with having your body in all different orientations in the water, on your back, upside down, etc. it’s a safety issue.