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How fluent are you at swimming?

Do you know enough swimming to not drown or go you know all four swim styles and can even compete in competitions? I’m 16 and am currently learning competitive swimming. Do you think the age is too late for important competitions?

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I can’t swim at all, if you put me in the deep end of a pool on my own I’d drown, can’t even float lmao
Aww. I was thinking that when schools teach kids to swim they do usually forget like my friend
Original post by ArtmisKco
Aww. I was thinking that when schools teach kids to swim they do usually forget like my friend


Nah when I was in primary school our class had lessons but I just couldn’t learn it idk why
Reply 4
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Bio 7
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Can't swim despite living within 3 minutes of the beach. It has never appealed.
Lol if I were you I’d go everyday but then again it does always rain here and the temperature fluctuates like crazy
Original post by Anonymous02792
Nah when I was in primary school our class had lessons but I just couldn’t learn it idk why

It’s completely understandable. I was the weakest swimmer in my school swimming class but not anymore
Triathlete/IM competitor here. Taught myself to swim freestyle in 2017 built up to 1.2 miles for the half Iron then 2.4 miles for the full - hadn't done freestyle since I was 11 before that so I'd forgotten how! IMO swimming is an essential skill plus its the best way to continue exercising in later life as its joint friendly (just watch the shoulders).
I don't understand the breathing technique, I can do the actual moving part. It's frustrating.

I tried doing it a couple of times but I swallow a gallon of seawater -__-
Original post by Duane2501
Triathlete/IM competitor here. Taught myself to swim freestyle in 2017 built up to 1.2 miles for the half Iron then 2.4 miles for the full - hadn't done freestyle since I was 11 before that so I'd forgotten how! IMO swimming is an essential skill plus its the best way to continue exercising in later life as its joint friendly (just watch the shoulders).

Neato! I wanna do something like that someday because it really is a brilliant skill to know to save yourself and others from drowning and just for regular exercise.
Original post by kurro
I don't understand the breathing technique, I can do the actual moving part. It's frustrating.

I tried doing it a couple of times but I swallow a gallon of seawater -__-

Eeek! When you do freestyle you need to move your head sideways to breathe in air and then you put your head in the water. It’s good to practice swimming sideways to get used to breathing with your head sideways.
Try unilateral breathing to start or a 3-2-3-2 breathing pattern. Also, when your face is under water you should be exhaling through your nose steadily - you want your lungs almost empty when your face breaks water, you then take a 'sip' of air (not a gulp, you'll become short of breath easier).

A technique people use for bilateral (i.e. every 3 strokes breathing) is to say to themselves bubble bubble breathe to get the timing right.

The website swimsmooth has excellent training tips and vids for all of this, I deffo recommend it.
Reply 12
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8472
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Original post by kurro
I don't understand the breathing technique, I can do the actual moving part. It's frustrating.

I tried doing it a couple of times but I swallow a gallon of seawater -__-

This is me. That or I forget the blinking/eye open closing part and get blinded :laugh:
Original post by Duane2501
Try unilateral breathing to start or a 3-2-3-2 breathing pattern. Also, when your face is under water you should be exhaling through your nose steadily - you want your lungs almost empty when your face breaks water, you then take a 'sip' of air (not a gulp, you'll become short of breath easier).

A technique people use for bilateral (i.e. every 3 strokes breathing) is to say to themselves bubble bubble breathe to get the timing right.

The website swimsmooth has excellent training tips and vids for all of this, I deffo recommend it.

ayee thanks for the tip 🙌👍
No worries, there are loads of drills to help with this its actually quite easy to teach yourself up to a certain standard (I'm competent, not a world beater lol).

Here's the site I mentioned - loads of tips and drills on here:

https://www.swimsmooth.com/
Went swimming lessons for about 10-11 years. I stopped just before the last level/lifeguard level because of exams.

Really enjoyed it, but the level I was on before I quit was just madness. So many lengths! :rofl:
Original post by RazzzBerries
Went swimming lessons for about 10-11 years. I stopped just before the last level/lifeguard level because of exams.

Really enjoyed it, but the level I was on before I quit was just madness. So many lengths! :rofl:

Yeah it does get mad doesn't it. 76 lengths I did regularly for my half iron, following that black line over and over again lol. I bought a waterproof ipod shuffle which really helped - music and audiobooks got me through.

Thankfully I never trained for my full indoors as I did it in open water over the summer. I can't imagine having to do 152 lengths to test my time!
Original post by Duane2501
Yeah it does get mad doesn't it. 76 lengths I did regularly for my half iron, following that black line over and over again lol. I bought a waterproof ipod shuffle which really helped - music and audiobooks got me through.

Thankfully I never trained for my full indoors as I did it in open water over the summer. I can't imagine having to do 152 lengths to test my time!

They have WATERPROOF iPod shuffles?! I'm buying one.

Ugh, lucky you. We still trained in an indoor pool :frown:.
Yeah I used to be quite a good swimmer when I was younger. Hate it now though.
Yeah - two companies buy them direct from Apple and waterproof them before selling them. Underwater Audio and Audioflood are the company names. Makes all the difference!

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