Swimming!

[cjsmith]

I did it. I finally went out and got in a pool.

I take back about 45% of the things I said about cold. A properly heated pool, once I get in it, really isn't too bad. If I were in shape enough to get warmed up it would be downright comfortable. The pool also looks nifty sitting there steaming in the early morning light! (Getting OUT of the pool, on the other hand... outdoors... brr.)

I am very out of shape. Two years without any cardio exercise whatsoever, plus I've never done much with my upper body in my life. (Except when I was in the Army. I could knock out those pushups then.) This is humbling.

I was very thankful that it wasn't crowded. I had a lane to myself. There are benefits to going to an outdoor pool shortly after the rainstorm stops! (Or is it that it's January?) Maybe by summer, when it'll be crowded again, I'll be able to swim at a decent pace.

I have water in both my ears. Despite arms like noodles, I would have continued swimming longer this morning except that both ears were hurting. I need help on this!

And now for the bad news. My feet are KILLING ME. It seems there's a certain amount of standing up that happens. There's probably more for me than for most, because I haven't been swimming in twenty years. In between laps, arms hooked over the edge, panting -- those feet are down and they've got the toes bent back (the worst). Rats! I can NOT be doing that! Grrr! I sure hope this isn't yet one more form of exercise that I shouldn't do because of my feet. That would leave one last fitness option: just generally being tense.

I've found a wonderful image to use as a swim icon. I've written for permission. It is a CAT! Swimming! Is that me or what? :-) Check out this page. I hope I'm allowed to use it.

Comments

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

Yes, kickboards are great for leg workouts. Typically, in most competitive swim workouts, there are kick sets built in to work the legs because swimmers usually have much greater upper body strength and the legs don't do as much work. We usually also do upper body only sets with pull buoys (devices to keep your legs floating while just using your arms).

Here's a page with typical training equipment: http://www.kiefer.com/Kiefer/dept.asp?0=dept%2Easp%2Cdept%5Fid%3D88%26Tree%3D%2CCompetitive%20Swim&dept%5Fid=5&mscssid=0741A42EEE4DF49B6B6F22BB547521E4&Gift=&GiftID=

Most sporting goods stores will have kickboards and buoys. If you need goggle recommedations I can help as well.

Also, mixing your workout up with kicking and pulling helps make it less boring.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Are the pull buoys held between the knees or something? I think maybe I'll start with just a kickboard; it'll be a long time before my arms are useful enough to do anything separately.

Goggles vs. masks: why choose one or the other? I have goggles, though I didn't bother with them today; I saw at least one person with a mask.

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

Pull buoys are held between your thighs, right above the knee.

Definitely gog
gles. A mask is much less hydrodynamic and heavy and they tend to leak more.

I am a huge fan of Swedish googles (http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/1147.htm)--they take some getting used to as they have no cushioning and fit into your eye sockets, but they never leak and are what allowed competitive swimmers to reliably race with goggles (they usually don't fall off upon diving in the water, a problem with other googles). They do hurt for about the first week of wearing them, but that goes away.

Basically, for you, in terms of mask versus googles (and in terms of which goggles), you just need to find what is most comfortable and

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Comfort will probably be the main factor, yeah. Thanks for the tip about masks! I wouldn't have known they tended to leak more until I got one.