51 Far better, though, is to learn front-crawl. I finally
taught myself to swim front-crawl after swimming my first triathlon breast-stroke and finding I had nothing left in my legs for the cycle and run. It wasn’t hard to learn the crawl and I recommend you all have a go. You will benefit so much more from your sessions at the pool if you can swim front-crawl. Your breathing will improve, you will get sleeker and stronger and you won`t hurt yourself. Firstly, you need a pair of goggles as you must get used to putting your face in the water. I wear Aquasphere Seal goggles; they are bigger than the little round ones usually worn in the pool and tend to let in less water. Once you have your goggles on, ease yourself into the pool and just get used to bobbing underwater. It’s a whole new world down there! Don’t worry about your hair getting wet and messed up either, it’s only hair! Try to go under a little way and breathe out into
the water. Watch the bubbles. Now try to glide along while breathing out. Next, take a couple of front crawl strokes with your face in the water. Easy. Most importantly, do not kick your feet, let them just drag behind you in the water. It may help to put a float between your legs to keep them buoyant. Kicking your big leg muscles is what uses up your oxygen quickly and causes the feeling of panic. So don’t use them, most triathletes swim miles with their legs just dragging behind. Once you have swum a few yards facedown, try
to turn your face to the side to take in a breath. Then breathe it out into the water. That is pretty much all there is to it. Once you have had a few goes you will manage a width. Then a length. Then two. The trick is, to not try too hard. You shouldn’t look like you are fighting with a crocodile! Swim with a minimum of effort, it uses less oxygen. Do a little bit more every time you go to the pool and within a few months you will be able to swim, perhaps, ten lengths. What an achievement! Once you have learnt to do the basics you can refine
things. Watching a good swimmer effortlessly gliding up and down with barely a ripple can help. Or maybe, hire a swimming coach for a few lessons; it is worth it. As with all training, have something to eat before
you go. Some toast or a banana, is a minimum. A good hard swim for thirty minutes burns about four hundred calories, so don’t reward yourself with five hundred calories of coke and muffins afterwards. Don’t go too hard the first few weeks, build up your distance gradually over several months or you may injure yourself. Please don’t hog the fast lane if you are slow, do let quicker swimmers pass. Don’t lane swim two
As with all
training, have some- thing to eat before you go. Some toast or a banana, is a minimum
abreast. Do shower before you get into the water. Swimmers don’t welcome a strong smell of perfume or BO in the pool. Please be friendly to the Lifeguards, their job can be incredibly dull but very necessary. Help to keep the changing rooms clean by clearing up your stuff and don’t come into the changing room in muddy shoes. You may find it a good idea to wear little wetsuit shoes around the changing rooms, they keep your feet off the wet floor. Happy swimming! It’s been a long wait.
Harry Fenton is a locally-based Personal Trainer with 30 years of training and competition. He will train you to get fit in your home or outdoors – tel: 01803 770752 for more information.
Harry Fenton Personal Trainer for the over 40s
Exercise at home or outdoors. Dietary advice and motivation. Training programmes for novice athletes.
Tel: 01803 770752
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