Swimming Lessons for Tri beginner

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

I have a very serious 2 year plan

I feel that I should qualify this before I am asked to.

I have a very serious set of goals for the next 2 years, the plans for these goals are currently being made. Working out how much time I need to give to running/cycling/swimming/strength training is where I'm currently at with these plans.

Kurt_Godel

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm here asking for advice on swimming lessons, because I want advice on swimming lessons.

Several people on this thread have given advice you should start from the very basics. As a beginner swimmer, who needs to learn from scratch. Probably giving that advice as they've seen lots of newbie posters who think they can "swim" rock up on the Tri-a-try-then-IM merry go round, and quickly fade away after frustrating swims.

Since you came here looking for advice, my advice is you are overestimating your swim abilities, and looking to improve in a hurry. You've said can "swim", are doing "improver" lessons, but can't do front crawl, and struggle to breathe. Obviously the coaches in your lessons have a better idea of your abilities than anyone online, but by the sounds of things you would be better of acknowledging you are a total beginner, and learning the correct basic breathing skills before you start improving. Nothing saps the good out of a race than a frustrating swim.

Kurt_Godel

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Several people on this thread have given advice you should start from the very basics. As a beginner swimmer, who needs to learn from scratch. Probably giving that advice as they've seen lots of newbie posters who think they can "swim" rock up on the Tri-a-try-then-IM merry go round, and quickly fade away after frustrating swims.

Since you came here looking for advice, my advice is you are overestimating your swim abilities, and looking to improve in a hurry. You've said can "swim", are doing "improver" lessons, but can't do front crawl, and struggle to breathe. Obviously the coaches in your lessons have a better idea of your abilities than anyone online, but by the sounds of things you would be better of acknowledging you are a total beginner, and learning the correct basic breathing skills before you start improving. Nothing saps the good out of a race than a frustrating swim.

I agreed with your assessment of my "swimming" as me floating, I agreed with it both before and after my swimming lesson. I haven't said I can swim. Not once, in fact. From the get go I said "swim".

You don't book either beginner or improver lessons in this particular gym. You show up, and you tell them where you're at, and they decided where to put you. I was moved from the beginners group by the coaches, because they felt I was not a beginner, I told them exactly what I was capable of, no lies no exaggerations, it was them that moved me back from the beginners group after seeing me swim. The guys that I was swimming with, did appear to be the same level as I was, so whether that's being called beginners or improvers I suppose is just semantics. I haven't overestimated anything, I've said I wasn't as awful as I thought I'd be - that's the truth. I thought I wouldn't be able to do anything right, but apparently I kick very well and have a surprisingly good back stroke (his words, not mine). I've also said I was still pretty awful.

I asked was it reasonable to think I could go from 0-Try in six months - I thought it was a fair question. I still think it's a fair question. I would like some idea of how long I should plan for and whether or not my goals are achievable. There's no point in scheduling in a Try a Tri for 6 months time if it's not enough time. If I was told that it's not - I would plan something later. I asked how much time I need to dedicate between lessons and said that if I needed more time than suggested I will plan accordingly.

So I'm not sure quite what I've done wrong here, I went to swimming lessons, I told them exactly what I was able to do. By looking at me in the water they chose what group I should be in.

You are completely misinterpreting my posts if you think I'm looking to tick a box, or improve in a hurry. I'm looking to do it properly, I started by going to local swimming lessons, and they put me where they felt I should be. It's really that simple.

Kurt_Godel

Deleted User wrote: »

they put me where they felt I should be. It's really that simple.

Yup, sometimes its that simple. I'm not going to argue against what your coaches think, and I'm not going to keep repeating my advice.

Best of luck in the pool.

Thank you

Atticus Jung

Check out the total immersion technique. It simplifies/explains the swimming process. At least as a total newbie it gave me a much better understanding of technique and basics. I thought myself using it but you can build it with what your coach or people on here suggest.

Thanks Atticus, I'll check it out.

I've been chatting with a few serious triathletes/ironmen over the past week to get as much info as I can, one of them pointed me toward a site called www.swimsmooth.com which he said has loads of great info too (in case anyone else is reading and might be interested!).

gerfmurphy

Not sure where the drama is coming from on this.
I found a lot of my breathing issues at the start were just lack of swim fitness.
I would say try aim for a sprint distance it is only a little bit more challenging and in Athy it is very beginner friendly.
Easily doable for most people even with little training.
Best of luck and have fun.

TheKnockD15

I was in the same boat as you 12 months ago. Could get around in pool but couldnt swim a length comfortably. I had a plan to do the Try Athy Sprint.

I joined improvers lessons for 8 weeks and then advanced for another 8. After this I went on my own to pool 3 times a week to work on improving. I read every article and spoke to plenty of experienced swimmers for advice.

One tip that helped me was to get a swim snorkel, this helped me get my swim fitness up to a level where I wasnt out of breath, then I started working on my breathing technique.

Early April I bought a wetsuit and swam in the liffey a few times, ended up signing up for the Olympic distance in Athy and got through fairly comfortably.

If you put in the effort it will be no trouble to you.

Best of Luck with it.

Update if anyone is interested!!

Two weeks since I started lessons. Have spent a few hours in the pool in between, including a lesson with a very kind ironman lady, and I'm actually improving a lot better than I expected I would.

I've spent time watching videos and talking to people about technique, and I think that's vital to improve. The lessons are good and we are getting individual attention, but I'm learning more from studying what I should be doing, and then applying it during my practice swims.

I've a million and one things to improve on, and a million and one hours left to do in a pool before I'll be anywhere near ready for any open water swimming, but it is nice to see improvements being made however small

mossym

/Mod Hat on

I know some of the posts in here are a few days old, but i've done a bit of tidying up, no problem people disagreeing with another's position, but argue the point, not the poster. Swim abilities have always been a source of much debate on here, the regular posters have made their position very clear at this point, and worth recalling previous threads when pointing fingers. . Lets keep it all Civil

any questions, drop me a PM.

/mod hat off

mossym

oh and whoopsadaisydoodles, well done on the progress. you've several months before you even worry about OW so for now focus on what you can achieve between now and then

BTH

mossym wrote: »

/Mod Hat on

I know some of the posts in here are a few days old, but i've done a bit of tidying up, no problem people disagreeing with another's position, but argue the point, not the poster. Swim abilities have always been a source of much debate on here, the regular posters have made their position very clear at this point, and worth recalling previous threads when pointing fingers. . Lets keep it all Civil

any questions, drop me a PM.

/mod hat off

Not bad, needs more BOLD 6/10.

mossym

BTH wrote: »

Not bad, needs more BOLD 6/10.

took a while to get the deep heat and itching powder on that saddle i am sending you, but i suspect it will be worth it.

Arsenium

Bumping an old thread...just wondering if the OP completed the Tri a Try (in Athy) and what the impression of the race was?

I am in the same boat myself now and am entered into the Tri Athy (try version as my first step into triathlons) so I was wondering if anyone had any race reports etc on it.

Many thanks

iwillhtfu

Arsenium wrote: »

Bumping an old thread...just wondering if the OP completed the Tri a Try (in Athy) and what the impression of the race was?

I am in the same boat myself now and am entered into the Tri Athy (try version as my first step into triathlons) so I was wondering if anyone had any race reports etc on it.

Many thanks

It's a beginner friendly race with a nice easy down stream swim for the try-a-tri so once you can float you will be fine.

All the races are on the one day this year afaik so there will be buzz around the town.

The bike leg is on closed roads an out and back route.

The run is a mix of on road and river bank but all flat.

There's plenty of small issues with the race but on a whole it's an enjoyable day out.

Good luck with it.

Arsenium

Thanks for the reply. Looking forward to it now :-)