Hi there

[karlos]

Right, something slightly different to the normal introduction. I’ve had a speedo/lycra fetch for as long as I can remember, but have never actually been able to swim. Until recently where I’ve just started taking lessons at a local pool.

As about a year and half ago while at work (not a nice place to work for or at tbh) while being overworked doing a lot of heavy lifting (car wheels/tyres ranging from 20kg to 35kg each) with already sore and tied muscles. I predictably pulled the muscles in the left side of my lower back and suffered with really bad back pain and sciatica down my left leg.

After a few months of being able to do pretty much nothing, the sciatica seems to have all but disappeared thanks to some rather painful physio, providing I don’t do anything too stupid day to day.

But what it has left me with is rather weak back muscles, which now become sore and tired a lot faster than before. Witch unfortunately is currently limiting me to what I can do work wise and from day to day. I’ve also always been on the skinny side, which probably doesn’t help.

But just over a month ago I started adult swimming lessons down at a local pool, as unfortunately it seems I had no one I knew to either teach or go with. With most either being completely uninterested, too busy or couldn't swim either.

So far the lessons have gone ok so far, even if I've had the odd comment that my jammers are too revealing (I’m saving the speedos for once I can swim and I’ve tried shorts and I know which ones I prefer) and the odd issue on how the lessons are being thought. But so far so good for someone who had never been in a pool before and still way better than endless back pain and painkillers (me being me I prefer not to take them anyway) etc.

[electric2010]

Glad to hear that the swimming is helping. You must be happy that you can finally take advantage of your lycra obsession.

Welcome to the group, and hope that you post some pic's.

[karlos]

Oh yes and something I've tried to keep secret/discreet too, so to be wearing something openly is so nice. Funny you should mention pics, as before I left for the weekly lesson this evening I thought I'd take a few of my plain navy jammers, (I'm leaving the speedos till once I can properly). Although trying to not get too hard driving to the pool with the jammers on under my jeans is.... interesting.

[speedolover207]

Hey karlos, I too am swimming due to a car accident where I got severe whiplash. I am going to physical therapy which to my amazement has helped considerably. I just started swimming about a month ago and it is the only form of exercise that does not make my neck hurt. I am also swimming for just fitness so its a win-win for me.

As for your jammers being too revealing...HELL NO!...they are not! In fact, I think you should (if you want) try a pair the the Square leg style, they are like the jammers but a little shorter but not too short.

I am starting to realize as life goes on that I need to stop worrying about what I think others think of me and just live. Its hard, I know, but rewarding.

I have always loved speedos, especially brief style but I don't think I have a very "large package". This has and will often be my hang up on why I am fearful to wear them in front of anyone. But, I decided, Like I said, a month ago to just face my fear and do it...there were a few others in speedos, some not in shape, some were, but everyone in the pool, be it a man or woman, were just there to swim, do there own thing, and leave....it was so nice. Now, I comfortably wear them in the pool to swim laps and I just worked my way to brief style the other day which was great!

Don't let fear or what others might think or stupid comments inhibit what you want to do!

[Nate]

Hey Karlos, welcome to the board! I think it's awesome you're learning to swim through lessons at your pool, I hope they're going well. I enjoy watching adults learn to swim and hoping in the next year to become a fully qualified swim teacher and hope to get people like yourself enjoying the pool no matter what your abilities or ailments are.

As for the comments on your jammers being revealing - who are saying that? The teachers at my local pool would rather someone walk in with a pair of jammers on than a pair of baggy boardshorts as they don't weigh you down. You'll soon get over the thought of wearing them when you're busting out lap after lap in the pool with effort and ease and hope you get to rock the briefs soon too!

All the best on the lessons, keep us updated with how they're getting on and what you've been learning.

:)

[karlos]

Thanks, so far I've stuck with the jammers regardless of any negative comments as that are the least revealing and most comfortable. Although from going to the local pool and one slightly further away across town that a bits newer and only been open a year. The most common style of swimwear for guys of all ages seems to be board shorts or mid-thigh water shorts. Even turning up to my last lesson half an hour early to avoid the rush for the changing area/lockers, as the last lot are chucked out and to chat to the instructor at the side of the pool beforehand. Not one guy there was wearing anything other than stupid board shorts, with me sat at the side watching in my tight shorts.

The only negative comments I've had so far are from one particular young female who insists on turning up each week with her bf. With her wearing a swimsuit that clearly (hard not to notice) shows off her boobs and barely covers her bum and the overweight bf who can swim (apparently) in a pair of knee length board shorts.

But after just 4 supposedly half hour, but stretched out to a full hour as both beginner and improver lessons should technically only be half an hour each. But due to the cost and to make the lessons seam slightly less expensive both are run at the same time for the full hour.

So far for someone who had never been in or around a pool for a good 15 odd years I've gone from being nervous at just being in the pool, to being perfectly happy being in and under the water. I'd happily stay under for as long as I can if it wasn't for the fact I seam to float straight back up and the prescription googles (although expensive) have been a big help.

I can also float on my front and back, although on my back I’m finding it slightly harder in that I have to kick my legs slightly just to keep them up, even with my head as far back and looking a little further behind, rather than directly up.

I started off with kicking a few widths with a kickboard and then with my arms straight out in front of me hands on top of each other face in or on top of the water the whole time, as I just find it a whole lot easier. And as of the last lesson I was doing what I think you’d call the beginner stroke with head in the water, arms out in front doing a long slow doggie paddle and flutter kick with my legs.

Whereas the one female making all the fuss and the complaints/comments still can’t even put her head under yet and even turns with a pair of googles (I don’t have much choice in wearing mine) that stay firmly stuck to the top of her head, even when In the pool.

So probably to make herself feel a whole lot better than to pick on the one mid 20’s something guy wearing the tight trunks and is progress so much quicker than herself, but then I’m there to learn not to show off or look good. As apparently they are too tight, show too much (I don’t have much of a bulge when soft anyways and frankly if it was any smaller I wouldn’t have one at all) show too much of my bum, being skinny somehow makes me gay (I have no idea on that one), I'm always looking/perving at her (pretty hard when you're either looking up at the celling or the floor of the pool) and because I’ve picked up things much quicker, I’m somehow putting her off.

Still until she decided to turn up in a less revealing, more appropriate swimsuit, then she can complain about what others are or not wearing. I personally prefer a nicely fitted swimsuit over a bikini or fashion swimsuit anyways.

I do already have a few square cut and speedos, so who knows maybe in time I’ll switch to those instead.

[Snowbrief]

Welcome to our group, Karlos! You have joined of what is appearing to become a growing number of those from England and the UK, so you buddy, are not alone in speedos there.

May I add, you look very appropriate for a swim in your jammers, and do believe you could do well in a brief...doubt you will find anyone on this board to say otherwise; jammers are NOT revealing in our eyes!

Just ignore any negative comments, and keep up with the lessons, and the physical therapy, both will only make things better.

Keep speedoing, Snow

[electric2010]

You do look great in your jammers. I'm sure that wearing them is making it much easier for you to learn to swim. Just ignore the girl & keep up the good work. You have loads of friends on this site who will give you moral support!

[spear]

Don't worry about being revealing. You see women swimming, at the beach or wherever they can wear their bikinis. Talk about revealing. They reveal anything and everything they can. So why do we not do the same?

[karlos]

Or in the case of one particular childish female who insists of wearing a slightly too revealing swimsuit and then complains if others might look. But, oh well, it's only the one negative comment so far anyways.

Still upon leaving the lesson last Thursday I ended up chatting to some of the other females taking lessons and didn't get any comments about what I'd been choosing to wear. In fact I'd even got one compliment from at least two who both thought and assumed that I could actuary already swim or at the very least had, had more than just the 5 lessons, so I must be doing something right.

[karlos]

Well next lesson later this evening, hopefully I'll be a little bit more coordinated with my arms and my ankles won't be as stiff. Although I've had no chance in between lessons to practice as I'm still stuck with going on my own.

I've also got another pair of jammers that the same size, aren't as tight, but are an inch and half shorter in the leg. One of the slight problems with being a skinny enough mid 20's adult to still be stuck in between kid/teens and adults sizes.



One problem I don't have in either of these.

[dhs]

Right, something slightly different to the normal introduction. I’ve had a speedo/lycra fetch for as long as I can remember, but have never actually been able to swim. Until recently where I’ve just started taking lessons at a local pool.

As about a year and half ago while at work (not a nice place to work for or at tbh) while being overworked doing a lot of heavy lifting (car wheels/tyres ranging from 20kg to 35kg each) with already sore and tied muscles. I predictably pulled the muscles in the left side of my lower back and suffered with really bad back pain and sciatica down my left leg.

After a few months of being able to do pretty much nothing, the sciatica seems to have all but disappeared thanks to some rather painful physio, providing I don’t do anything too stupid day to day.

But what it has left me with is rather weak back muscles, which now become sore and tired a lot faster than before. Witch unfortunately is currently limiting me to what I can do work wise and from day to day. I’ve also always been on the skinny side, which probably doesn’t help.

But just over a month ago I started adult swimming lessons down at a local pool, as unfortunately it seems I had no one I knew to either teach or go with. With most either being completely uninterested, too busy or couldn't swim either.

So far the lessons have gone ok so far, even if I've had the odd comment that my jammers are too revealing (I’m saving the speedos for once I can swim and I’ve tried shorts and I know which ones I prefer) and the odd issue on how the lessons are being thought. But so far so good for someone who had never been in a pool before and still way better than endless back pain and painkillers (me being me I prefer not to take them anyway) etc.

I know how u feel I know a lot of people so I wouldn't wear my speedo around friends or who knew me but an oleo an friend(she died of cancer 2 yrs ago)
She said if nobody knows u & most don't here in Palm Springs
Just wear them & I do all my bright colors so I have fun ask am festive & I am bi!

[markuswolf09]

Hey karlos,

Just wanted to say that I feel a one piece suit on a woman is often more sexy than a too tiny bikini. I've also come to like the look and feel of jammers too. Keep up the swim lessons!

[electric2010]

You look great in all of your suits. Keep up the goo work.

[karlos]

Thanks, well last evening I manged a few widths front crawl with a few less successful attempts.

Although I only have 4 lessons left and the new company that have taken over running the pool are now only doing lessons if you pay the monthly membership, plus the increased cost of the lessons on top. So for me it's just far to expensive and I'm back to looking for a pool that does adult and not just kids lessons.

[karlos]

Well as it’s been well over 7 months, I thought it might be long overdue an update.

I’ve still kept up with the weekly lessons, although I have since switched pools. As the attitude and teaching (or lack of) of the first one tended to be to just jump in and get on with it, constantly being told ONLY what I was doing wrong, but not how to correct it. That and having a completely different instructor each week didn’t help. Plus since it was taken over the average age of the lifeguards dropped to 16, who spent most of the time standing around talking to each other as if they had nothing to do. Despite the pool area and changing areas being a mess and on more than one occasion full of sweets/rubbish. I even had a conversation with one instructor while waiting at the side of the pool, that over the summer they would prefer it if the pool full of kids didn’t stay in longer than 20mins, as they wouldn’t be making any money.

But as, I say I’ve since found a much nicer pool, were all the staff are happy to stop and open chat and a really good instructor. The only things that’s holding me back now is my lack of confidence of the deep end. And finding the time/someone (so it doesn’t get boring) to go off down the pool.

As one group of people I used to know, seemed to assume a guy in his late 20’s was something of a joke wanting to learn, let alone swim. Thinking quite wrongly that only kids need to or learn to swim incise they ever fell in a river or a lake etc. And that somehow me going swimming made me a pedo as only kids swim and a pervert for being ‘undressed’ in public. Although none of them had the decency to make any of the false accusations direct to my face.

I did also have one mate I was going to the pool with most weeks. Witch was fine to begin with as I chose to wear a pair of water shorts and my mate wearing a pair of knee length board shorts. That was until I got so fed up with the shorts, that on the next visit to the pool I switched back to a pair of jammers. Witch then just started the old ‘gay’ and ‘too revealing’ comments and general sniggering. But that’s despite my ‘mate’ complaining about how his shorts were also annoying and that my jammers didn’t show anything, but were borderline/revealing.

But apart from all that and still not tencicaly being able to do a full length of the pool (I just need to get over my fear of the deeper parts of the pool) I’ve gained 8 pounds in weight/muscle witch for me is actually a very good thing and my backs improved massively. It’s just finding the time and someone to go with that's proving the difficult bit.

Oh and more importantly, I’ve still yet to openly wear a pair of speedos in the pool. As wearing a pair under my water shorts doesn’t count.

[cape boy]

Best of luck with the swimming I've been swimming every day now for years and I've never felt better in my life. At my age I'm in the best shape of my life and I meet fun and interesting people at the pool. And dump the jammers and go right to the speedo's no one well look at you strange when she starts swim strong. Again best of luck

[Snowbrief]

This is an inspriation for anyone reading this blog thinking about learning to swim, and sticking with it.

I too was afraid of the water most of my life and didn't really learn to swim until my 30's. I signed up for an afternoon class and other then the one lady who dropped out half-way through (she wanted to stay, but couldn't because her baby sitter changed majors and couldn't look after her kids anymore, I hope she signed back up the next year?), the class/pool was filled with kids 12 & under.

The class only lasted about three months, but I learned how to swim, especially since I had a personal trainer for the most part. I remember the one night when the kids where all leaving, leaving me with a pool to myself, and I my instructor (which was a very cute college lady) challenged me to swim the entire length of the pool. I took a big breath, and started off, with a group of instructors, both guys and girls, cheering me one! It felt so great when I hit the end of the pool with head, I headed back to the shallow end, and completed two full lengths! (Only a 25 yard pool, but the achievement of my life!)

I wanted to do it again, but they needed to get going, because, even though I made it to the end, it still took me what probably seemed to them, an hour....I was slow! The next week, she "made" me dive off the diving board in the 14 foot deep end. So for next hour, she demonstrated how to dive and corrected what I was doing wrong. I remember when I first jumped off, I jumped forward and feet straight down into the water. When I surfaced, she had this grin on her face, and asked, "How was the wedgy?" I was wearing boardshorts, she was a collage girl, and me a grown man, and we laughed, but it was her way of telling me I probably wouldn't want to do that again! We only worked off the 1 meter board, she knew better then to get me up on the 3-meter board!

I continued to go to that pool to swim after the classes (college campus) and in the morning, there was never more then three of us in that 8-lane pool. It was that pool where I stripped off the shorts, and went speedo! It was there that I knew there was no other way to swim, and loved it!

That pool doesn't exist anymore. It was leveled, and needed to be as there was a period where it was so neglected, the chlorine was so bad, they had to take out the diving boards as the supports weren't there any more. The area is becoming locker rooms for a growing, successful basketball program, and the school is building a better, more useful natatorium which should attract more people to swimming.

Sorry for rambling, Karlos. I had forgotten about that class until I started typing here and just continued typing. Fortunately, my class was filled with fond memories, other then the odd moments of showering with very young kids. That was rather uncomfortable, so I would wait until they all left the shower before I would take mine.....group shower, no stalls.

I hope at your new pool, it gets better and you continue with your swimming lessons. I was like you in the deep end, but when you finally convince yourself like I did, the body floats the same in 4 feet of water just the same as it does in 14 feet.

Take care, and best of luck! Snow

[karlos]

Thanks, I’ve actually got a decision to make after my lesson tomorrow evening (still have 3 left) on re-enrolment for another 11 weeks worth of lessons starting in January and moving up a group. Which at the last pool they tried (unsuccessfully imo) to teach beginners down at the shallow end and improvers at the deeper end both at the same time, witch at best limits you to swimming 10 meter widths.

But at the new pool I’ve been going to they do it as two completely separate groups, but with 2 lanes for the regular lap swimmers and members. Witch for beginners means doing widths of 8.3 meters or lengths of 16 meters till the start of the deep end. But for the improvers they put in all 6 lanes so you can do full 25 meter lengths.

Witch after a brief chat with one of the instructors last week would be the better one for me now. As even though I could tencicaly already swim when starting at the new pool I made more progress within one hour than in 10 at the first pools lessons. But then both instructors and all the members of staff (two young females in particular) are all great.

It’s just the other events that have happened (or haven’t) outside of the lessons thanks to a small groups religious views assuming and accusing the worst in everyone to distract form their own flaws, rather than seeing someone trying to better themselves.

[diveguy]

...I hope at your new pool, it gets better and you continue with your swimming lessons. I was like you in the deep end, but when you finally convince yourself like I did, the body floats the same in 4 feet of water just the same as it does in 14 feet.

Or 140 feet! Great story, Snowbrief! I myself am very glad I learned to swim as a kid, and also did it for PE in high school, so by the time I was ready to get wet for the first time in a Speedo, as a 30-year old, on the beaches of Hawaii, the only hangup was forcing myself to strip down to my Speedo, and not any fear of swimming! In the ocean! And that lead to all the snorkeling in my Speedo, and while I didn't swim out to where the water was 140 feet deep, I sure did make it out to 40 feet deep water, and freedived down to the bottom of it, in my Speedo, and the feeling of that is simply incredible.

As to 140 foot deep water, the only time I found myself swimming in water that deep was when I was accidentally pitched off a sailboat in the middle of Santa Monica Bay. I wasn't wearing a speedo for that one! Just shorts and a tee shirt. And no life vest, because the conditions didn't call for it and since I could swim, and was an adult, I wasn't wearing one, and neither was anyone else participating in the regatta that day. But if I couldn't swim, not only would I have worn a life vest, the reality is that I probably would not have allowed myself to be out on a sailboat in the middle of Santa Monica Bay, life vest or no life vest, and I would have missed out on a fun day of sailboat racing.

So Karlos, I would encourage you to continue with your swimming lessons as strongly as possible. If not at that pool, then somewhere. And not just as a great opportunity to wear your speedo, but also because life is a lot better if you can swim comfortably.