General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't? Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
 
 
of 3
 
 
2013-11-20 9:11 AM

User image

Veteran
312
100100100
Columbus, OH
Subject: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
To start off I'm probably not asking this to the best audience but here it goes. Some background info first. I've tried to swim in the past and have never gotten very far. I grew up swimming as a child. Tried to start swimming again for tris and usually give up after a few months of struggling. I had some lessons but I wasn't in an area where I could get specific analysis really of what I was doing wrong. I'm now in a new area where I could get a good analysis of my stroke and would like to move to doing more triathlons over duathlons.

I see many, many posts about people who hated/sucked at swimming and now love it or can at least comfortably complete the distances needed to complete tris. Is there anyone out there who has just never had it click?


2013-11-20 9:41 AM
in reply to: 0

User image

Champion
10018
50005000
, Minnesota
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

I know this isn't what you hoped to hear, but I would say that anyone who can't learn to swim simply has stopped trying.  It's definitely possible, but it's up to you to decide how much time/effort to spend.  It's okay to give up and move on, but I don't think there's any real "reason" that a person couldn't learn to swim.

I took two sets of Total Immersion lessons, a few single lessons, a swim clinic for triathletes, tried every gimmick, put in the pool time, and it took me a long time to learn to swim competently.  I've gone up to the half iron distance and even the prospect of a 2.4 mile swim no longer scares me.

Personally, I am currently taking a break (or have possibly permanently quit) from swimming because I have stopped making any gains (for years now) and don't care to put in the hours required to get a little bit better.   So, maybe in a way I could say I "Can't" learn to swim fast, although I can't really say that seriously.   I chose to stop trying.   I am going to give it a year and see how I feel.



Edited by BikerGrrrl 2013-11-20 9:42 AM
2013-11-20 10:05 AM
in reply to: csikes

User image

Extreme Veteran
933
50010010010010025
Connecticut
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Even in the short term, this sport is not a wise choice for people who use the words "can't" and "couldn't" very often.
2013-11-20 10:39 AM
in reply to: csikes

Veteran
379
100100100252525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
I had two weeks of swim lessons when I was in second grade - given by the H.S. girls, and we didn't have a swim team or a community team so not sure how they knew anything about swimming. they taught us all enough to keep from drowning. not enough to extinguish the fear of the water. that's it for my swim lessons, other than serving as an assistant to a swim coach giving OTHERS tips at a morning clinic

I started doing tris in 2008 - I did the first two seasons doing my version of a breast stroke -- sort of a cross between a doggy paddle and breast stroke really. always at the very back of the pack on the swim but pretty good and biking and running so didn't care, and frankly, not enough desire to get better as I was happy doing well in event 2 and 3. In 2010 I tried my first HIM -after not making the time cut off. the hardest thing for me was learning to breath properly doing freestyle. -- I finally figured it out in the middle of giving HIM yet another try. the thing is, I had a mental block in my head that I couldn't do it, but when I was actually in the water freaking out and near panic, my desire to not be DQ'ed on the swim won out and suddenly in clicked enough to swim fast enough to not DQ. I didn't have a lot of time to spare, but I made it! I qualified for nationals 2012 at a HIM, but my swim still took me 56 minutes. I have since done an IM too - finishing the swim in more than 2 hours and barely getting out of T1 in the allotted time. I marked it up to, I just can't swim, I can't learn. ..and the overwhelming panic I feel when I get in the water stops me from doing it! The reality is, I didn't care enough to swim better and did the bare minimum. ...in other words, I swam just fast enough and was rewarded for my performance despite my swim. I have since failed miserably on the swim in two more IMs unable to finish in time because something went wrong. Had I been a better swimmer, I could have finished in time despite the goggle issues, etc. that's a lot of money and time invested in training for my day to be cut 12 hours short.

In other words, I tell myself I can't learn to swim, but the reality is, I don't spend enough time working at it to get better. My sheer panic certainly has something to do with my failure to work harder at it, but if I worked harder, perhaps I wouldn't have the panic.

I too "can't" learn to swim, but I can run and bike and so I have accepted can't learn to swim as my reality. 2014 season, well, I CAN learn to swim. and I will ..... check with me in seven months to see if I still think you can if you decide you can.
2013-11-20 10:55 AM
in reply to: csikes

User image

Expert
1244
100010010025
New York
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

What exactly is the problem? You get tired? Can't complete the distance? You sink? You don't move forward? "Not being able to swim" is a bit vague.

Can you swim at all? Like, breaststroke? Backstroke? Or is this about "getting better"? Because doing breaststroke, even just to complete a triathlon, is not entirely out of the question. In fact, many folks starting out will switch between breaststroke and crawl to get them through the swim.

I started doing tris as an adult having only ever learned to do breaststroke. It wasn't easy learning the crawl, but I stuck with it, did tons of drills. Swimming on one side, one arm extended, with fins for a couple laps, then swapping sides for a couple more, then switching sides as I was swimming the laps, then without fins, etc. After a while it started feeling less awkward. But I did look like a drowning monkey in the pool for a solid three months.

I never had a "stroke analysis" because there was nothing to analyze -- I was basically just learning how to swim. I looked at some YouTube videos for guidance occasionally. And of course asked BTers for some tips once I was doing decently at it. But you gotta spend time in the pool and really commit. It really does get easier, I promise.

Stick with it! 

2013-11-20 11:41 AM
in reply to: csikes

User image

Member
1748
100050010010025
Exton, PA
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
I've taught over 10,000 people to swim, mostly children but some adults. Anyone who try's and puts in the time can learn to swim. If you can't swim at all it is a slow process, not popular in today's instant gratification world. It could easily take you 3 to 4 months with an good teacher to swim with a good stroke, depending on how much time you put in each week.


2013-11-20 11:56 AM
in reply to: 0

User image

Coach
9167
5000200020001002525
Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Originally posted by csikes

To start off I'm probably not asking this to the best audience but here it goes. Some background info first. I've tried to swim in the past and have never gotten very far. I grew up swimming as a child. Tried to start swimming again for tris and usually give up after a few months of struggling. I had some lessons but I wasn't in an area where I could get specific analysis really of what I was doing wrong. I'm now in a new area where I could get a good analysis of my stroke and would like to move to doing more triathlons over duathlons.

I see many, many posts about people who hated/sucked at swimming and now love it or can at least comfortably complete the distances needed to complete tris. Is there anyone out there who has just never had it click?

I have taught hundreds of swimmers (not thousands as another poster said), all using the TI method of learning. RARELY do I have a swimmer who gives up...almost everyone improves to varying degrees. I've used TI principals everyone from phobic swimmers who can't put their face in to NCAA All Americans and professional triathletes.

The principals of good swimming remain the same no matter your level and what you probabaly need is a proper learning sequence. Not just be told what to do , or KNOW what good swimming is, but have a step by step progression that leads you painlessly from flailing to flying.

I am terribly biased, but see my sig line. We are actually having a webinar/hangout tomorrow night live to introduce this new learning format for TI materials to the world http://totalimmersionacademy.com/

Mods, if this is commercially biased, feel free to delete, seemed appropriate in response?


Edited by AdventureBear 2013-11-20 12:02 PM
2013-11-20 1:13 PM
in reply to: mike761

User image

Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

2013-11-20 1:28 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

User image

Member
1748
100050010010025
Exton, PA
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark




High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.
2013-11-20 1:51 PM
in reply to: mike761

User image

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.

780 weeks of 1 session every 10 weeks equals 78 sessions.  To get over 10,000, you need to have 128+ people per session.  Or you have to run several sessions simultaneously.

 

2013-11-20 1:58 PM
in reply to: mike761

User image

Veteran
312
100100100
Columbus, OH
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
When I say I "can't", I mean that after swimming for 3-4 months I was able to go from 25 yards to maybe 150 yards at a time (and these weren't happy or comfortable yards). Yes I improved but I never had the "click" that made me feel like I could ever have a chance at actually being able to swim without always having this struggle. This is after trying on my own and having various instructors (who may or may not have been qualified) to evaluate my stroke. Can't or couldn't probably was a bad choice of words......

I'm willing to work at it. I started off by not being able to run for a block and it's taken me 3 years to get from a 33 min 5k to a 24 min 5k. I understand that this sport is not for those looking for instant gratification nor do I expect any kind of instant anything. I was just curious if there are others out there who have not had the "click" even with putting a good bit of effort.


2013-11-20 2:02 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Me. It was horrible. 14 minutes to do the first sprint swim. My family assumed I drowned and were panicking. Not kidding. You need to find a swim coach/instructor who has experience with new swimmers and ideally with triathletes. It may take a couple tries. It took me two to find the right person. Do that, practice often, and I guarantee you will become comfortable in the water.

2013-11-20 2:03 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

User image

Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.

780 weeks of 1 session every 10 weeks equals 78 sessions.  To get over 10,000, you need to have 128+ people per session.  Or you have to run several sessions simultaneously.

 

Even with multiple sessions that's still 128+ new students every 10 weeks.  Still seems like a lot.

Mark

2013-11-20 2:10 PM
in reply to: 0

User image

Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
During those 3-4 months, how often were you going to swim, and how long was each session on average. Be honest...not how often/long you "planned" on getting to the pool. How much swimming did you actually do. How many yards in 3-4 months?

ETA: I was in your shoes 4 years ago. I was getting a little bit of instruction at a masters class swimming with the others just learning how to swim. I would go 2x per week, and within the hour of class, we would swim maybe 400-600 yards (since we were getting so much personal attention). I was picking up some important knowledge about swimming, but even after 8 weeks I couldn't swim more than 200 yards straight. Then I decided that I needed to swim more on my own in addition to the instruction I was getting. Once I started swimming more than about 4k yards per week, then it started to click. After 2-3 weeks of swimming more, I was doing 1,000 yards continuous.

Edited by Jason N 2013-11-20 2:19 PM
2013-11-20 2:12 PM
in reply to: 0

Regular
194
100252525
Corona
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Originally posted by fisherman76

Even in the short term, this sport is not a wise choice for people who use the words "can't" and "couldn't" very often.


This is it right here. If you have struggled in the past and you expect it to be really difficult and don't expect it to go well...it won't. Granted...it isn't easy and it doesn't come quickly to most. But, if you do your research, talk to people who are decent swimmers and BE COACHABLE...you CAN and WILL do it. Adjust your attitude.

Free your mind...and your **butt** will follow.

Edited by tmoran07 2013-11-20 2:12 PM
2013-11-20 2:15 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

User image

Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.

780 weeks of 1 session every 10 weeks equals 78 sessions.  To get over 10,000, you need to have 128+ people per session.  Or you have to run several sessions simultaneously.

 

Even with multiple sessions that's still 128+ new students every 10 weeks.  Still seems like a lot.

Mark




I suppose it's possible if that's what you do for a living...and you are teaching in a big city where there is a high demand for swim lessons.


2013-11-20 2:23 PM
in reply to: Jason N

User image

Veteran
312
100100100
Columbus, OH
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Originally posted by Jason N

During those 3-4 months, how often were you going to swim, and how long was each session on average. Be honest...not how often/long you "planned" on getting to the pool. How much swimming did you actually do. How many yards in 3-4 months?


I would usually go 3 or 4 times a week and swim for 30-45 minutes at a time. Now of course this was not swimming continuously for 30 minutes as I was constantly short of breath. I think once I started one the beginning swimming plan on the website here and never made it to the point where I could complete like the week 2 or week 3 mileage.

Again, I understand that this takes time. I think this is maybe being misinterpreted as a "uggggh swimming sucks, I can't swim after 2 swimming sessions, etc" post, and if it is, I misworded my original post and I apologize. I'm really not expecting to not have to put in a butt load of time to ever be a half way acceptable swimmer. I was just looking to see if there are a few individuals lurking around that have tried and not had the click and have resigned themselves to events that do not include water Swimming misery loves company and there is no beginnerduahtlete.com
2013-11-20 2:25 PM
in reply to: 0

User image

Pro
15655
5000500050005001002525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by Jason N
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.

780 weeks of 1 session every 10 weeks equals 78 sessions.  To get over 10,000, you need to have 128+ people per session.  Or you have to run several sessions simultaneously.

 

Even with multiple sessions that's still 128+ new students every 10 weeks.  Still seems like a lot.

Mark

I suppose it's possible if that's what you do for a living...and you are teaching in a big city where there is a high demand for swim lessons.

That's alot of people wanting to learn to swim in 15 years and alot of weeks in a row with no vacation...........and 16 people per lane getting instruction....how many drowned?

 



Edited by Left Brain 2013-11-20 2:26 PM
2013-11-20 2:32 PM
in reply to: #4901778


1660
10005001002525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
I was a bbbbop swimmer wgen i started 6 yrs ago.

Read total immersion, took lessons, decent pool time practice.

Took me over 2 yrs to avg sub 2:00 per 100 yds and another 2 yrs to go lower. Still am just mop.

Swimming is hard!
2013-11-20 2:32 PM
in reply to: #4901778


1660
10005001002525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
I was a bbbbop swimmer wgen i started 6 yrs ago.

Read total immersion, took lessons, decent pool time practice.

Took me over 2 yrs to avg sub 2:00 per 100 yds and another 2 yrs to go lower. Still am just mop.

Swimming is hard!
2013-11-20 2:43 PM
in reply to: Left Brain

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by Jason N
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by mike761 I've taught over 10,000 people to swim.

Er, with all due respect, that seems like a lot of people.    

Most high school teachers won't have 10,000 students over a 30 year career.

Mark

High school teachers have the same students all year. I ran a program for 15 years, new sessions every 10 weeks. I think I'm conservative at 10,000.

780 weeks of 1 session every 10 weeks equals 78 sessions.  To get over 10,000, you need to have 128+ people per session.  Or you have to run several sessions simultaneously.

 

Even with multiple sessions that's still 128+ new students every 10 weeks.  Still seems like a lot.

Mark

I suppose it's possible if that's what you do for a living...and you are teaching in a big city where there is a high demand for swim lessons.

That's alot of people wanting to learn to swim in 15 years and alot of weeks in a row with no vacation...........and 16 people per lane getting instruction....how many drowned?

 

Since Suzanne and some of the other posters addressed the OP's question, I'm very intrigued by this claim of teaching over 10,000 people to swim.  

My initial thought was that's one person every day, 365 days a year for over 27 years.  Even teaching groups, the numbers seem a bit exaggerated.  

 



2013-11-20 2:53 PM
in reply to: yazmaster

User image

Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

I have had 5 swim coaches that I have taken private lessons from over 5-6 years. I can swim but I'm sitll pretty slow swimmer. I can swim IM distance.

My first tri was a sprint and I got through  the swim. That winter I worked iwth my first swim coach and did private TI lessons instead of doing a weekend as I thought I would get more practice after learning some skills. I had weekly lessons and swam 3-4x a week to work on lessons. I did an Oly distance race end of June and couldn't quite swim and feel comfortable but I made it through with my private kayak and coming in last....about 2 weeks later it all clicked and I could swim free continuously and actually breath while swimming. It took about 4 months to be able to swim with weekly private lessons and working hard at it.

From that time I have hired many other coaches and tried lots of different methods to try and swim faster. Sadly I can get to a certain speed and no faster despite many hours, time and money spent on coaching. For some of us swimming is challenging and not easy to learn or make gains.

2013-11-20 3:07 PM
in reply to: csikes

User image

Extreme Veteran
1190
1000100252525
Silicon Valley
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
I think you need to define objectives here. What distances do you want to compete in? What times do you want to swim those distances in? How much time are you willing to commit to reaching that end?

I too taught swimming although many years ago. Having taught ages from kids 3-4 years old to adults over 60 I believe anyone who wants to can learn to be competent in the water. Attitude and effort will always win the day.

Also remember, the swim is the shortest part of any tri both in distance and time. Even a slow swimmer will spend a fraction of the time in the water compared to the other two sports. So if swimming is not your thing, focus on efficiency more than speed and make it up on the bike and run.
2013-11-20 3:45 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest

User image

Member
1748
100050010010025
Exton, PA
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?
Group lessons, multiple lessons a day in a Philly suburb. Filled all classes every session, even had people coming over from NJ. Never had one that couldn't learn to swim. That does not include some of the summer stuff I did. Once my kids are out of the house, I might start teaching again there seems to be a lack of good instructors'.
2013-11-20 3:51 PM
in reply to: mike761

User image

Pro
15655
5000500050005001002525
Subject: RE: Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't?

Originally posted by mike761 Group lessons, multiple lessons a day in a Philly suburb. Filled all classes every session, even had people coming over from NJ. Never had one that couldn't learn to swim. That does not include some of the summer stuff I did. Once my kids are out of the house, I might start teaching again there seems to be a lack of good instructors'.

I say that to this day there are not 10,000 people in Philly who can swim. 

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Anyone tried to learn to swim and couldn't? Rss Feed  
 
 
of 3
 
 
RELATED POSTS

still trying to learn to swim

Started by KWDreamun
Views: 2181 Posts: 10

2012-09-30 8:02 PM ccmpsyd

Anyone tried Effortless Swimming?

Started by Lumber Dad
Views: 905 Posts: 2

2010-08-25 12:21 PM DJones107

If you couldn't swim..

Started by trishie
Views: 726 Posts: 8

2009-09-29 7:46 PM gsmacleod

Couldn't breathe during the swim, help

Started by [email protected]
Views: 825 Posts: 6

2009-09-21 12:50 PM jojoswmr

Couldn't swim for 3rd time in 4 weeks

Started by Dwayne
Views: 1229 Posts: 14

2008-07-11 1:26 PM big john h
RELATED ARTICLES
date : August 29, 2011
author : Tri Swim Coach
comments : 0
If swim workouts are much more trying than your bike and run workouts, try these tips
 
date : May 6, 2011
author : garyhallsr
comments : 0
Being comfortable in the water and knowing where your body parts are trump power and strength any day
date : September 3, 2010
author : Sara McLarty
comments : 1
This installment of the BT Swim Series will focus on being efficient in the water. Learning how to swim smooth and efficiently is important to becoming a great swimmer.
 
date : August 2, 2010
author : Sara McLarty
comments : 19
This installment of the BT Swim Series will focus on breathing. Before you can swim fast, you must learn how to control your breathing so that easy swimming does not leave you gasping after one lap.
date : December 19, 2008
author : AMSSM
comments : 0
My right knee has a pain in the front, just below the kneecap. I walked 24 miles of IM Louisville. No pain while walking but it started immediately when trying to run.
 
date : November 19, 2007
author : CyndiPPF
comments : 0
So here I was, a hard-working, respectable, just-turned-forty-six-year-old, who never considered herself athletic, lining up in my swim cap and goggles for my first triathlon.
date : September 3, 2005
author : aloufan
comments : 0
I couldn't believe that my splits kept getting lower! I started to run harder after I passed the "5 km" sign and picked a few people that I wanted to pass.
 
date : July 17, 2005
author : Iron MaYden
comments : 8
What to wear under the wetsuit? What to wear for the bike and the run? Good thing someone invented the wonderful trisuit, to which we’ve become accustomed. It’s supposed to make our lives so simple.