How to start with swimming?

[Alex]

Hi everyone!

I haven't swum since I was a kid, and some months ago I started to feel like I wanted to try it again more seriously than just having randomly some time at the pool. Main reason is I think swimming helps shapping a really nice body, and to prevent usual hurting in the back. Currently I just moved to another city and I'm still adapting me to the new lifestyle and all that, but when I get some stability I want to get back to gym and jogging, but I'd like to start a serious swimming routine, even if I do it by myself.

What do you recommend me to get back to the sport? Use gym and jogging as complements, or eventually drop jogging to swimming? Any specific kind of exercises to use me to swimming after ages without doing it?

Thanks!

[Justin88]

Hi everyone!

....
What do you recommend me to get back to the sport? Use gym and jogging as complements, or eventually drop jogging to swimming? Any specific kind of exercises to use me to swimming after ages without doing it?

Thanks!

Hey Alex!

Check out this site http://www.totalimmersion.net/

A few years ago I bought one of their DVDs on swimming the freestyle and it really improved my stroke. It breaks it down into simple practice exercises.

Theres also a blog that's interesting. http://www.totalimmersion.net/blog

Check it out.

-j-j

[The Boy Wonder]

I'm in the same boat as you, Alex. I haven't swum properly since I was a kid either but really want to get back into the pool.

Justin88, that's a great link, thanks, I think it'll help me and will probably help Alex too.

Let us know how your first session goes, Alex. I'll do the same!

[Justin88]

Justin88, that's a great link, thanks, I think it'll help me and will probably help Alex too.

Hey BW!

Yeah the site is really helpful. Read the blog, posts and archives. It's sort of the Zen of swimming....mindful swimming. He's coming out with a new basic book soon....so I'd wait for that. The old one is too old now (the bookstore where I work stil sells it...ack...). The DVDs are real helpful. I dont know if they are in PAL. Do you use that in the UK anymore, or do you use HiDef digital now?? They have players that play PAL and NTSC in Europe and the U.K. We have broadcast digital here and BluRay DVD. But people still use the old format DVD players.

-j-j

[Briansp]

Here's another good swim instruction site from Australia. The Mr. Swimsmooth avatar is very helpful.

http://www.swimsmooth.com/

[wisenyoung]

Oooh I like the SwimSmooth site.
Apparently I'm an overglider and what they suggest for correcting my stroke is so completely true it's not even funny ~~!

[The Boy Wonder]

That site is even better, thank you Briansp.

I think I'm going to have to make a start next week and jump in the local pool!

[Justin88]

That site is even better, thank you Briansp.

Oooh I like the SwimSmooth site.
Apparently I'm an overglider and what they suggest for correcting my stroke is so completely true it's not even funny ~~!

To get the key concepts and training exercises from Total Immersion, you have to buy their books and dvds. The web site supplements them.

[Briansp]

I've used Swim Smooth methods successfully - bought a DVD and the card that explains how to improve your stroke based on what you do wrong (I am/was a kicktastic). In a triathlon this past weekend I was in top 1/4 of my age group out of the water - I'm faster now than when I swam on my high school team.

[Justin88]

I've used Swim Smooth methods successfully - bought a DVD and the card that explains how to improve your stroke based on what you do wrong (I am/was a kicktastic). In a triathlon this past weekend I was in top 1/4 of my age group out of the water - I'm faster now than when I swam on my high school team.

I'll check out their DVD I'll have to make a video of my swimming to see which swimmer I am. I have a Canon digital camera that has a pretty good video mode.

Here's a link to a YouTube video of someone doing laps the TI way. There are different techniques for open water and competitive swimming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho ... r_embedded

[JohnC]

Justin - did you ever watch the GoSwim vids on youtube. They have a lot and some are really good.

http://www.youtube.com/user/goswim098#p ... pumZLNSXuI