Today I connected my Garmin to the Swim Smooth Guru app for the first time (taking advantage of the free trial), and I’ve got to say, some of the insights are actually pretty interesting! It breaks down your swim into different components and gives visual feedback with scoring. The app nailed my hand angle issue, something I’ve already heard a few times from different swim coaches.

Not sure how reliable the data is across different sessions, but I’m planning to check out a few more swims with it and see how consistent the feedback is. Anyone else tried it for a longer period? Curious if the novelty wears off or if it actually helps you fine-tune your technique long term.

I'm 7 months into learning in my mid 40s overcoming a fear of water. The last month or so has just been getting me comfortable going across the pool with my face in the water (I can do backstroke pretty well). Every time I tried to push off from the wall, I'd panic the minute my feet got off the floor. Today, my instructor pointed out pushing off on my own was tantamount to learning freestyle and after a few false starts I pushed off, and swam two strokes. The minute I finished, I cried...hard. I was so overcome with emotion, two instructors and another adult in class hugged me.

Saw many posts here about lane rules not being followed or crowded lanes. This is a typical private pool in India, in most urban places. To do laps, I have to go there before 8 am. Now that it's school break, kids just come to chill at the pool from late morning.

Most pools in India are like this (I have been to 4 of them here, different cities) without lane rules, because swimming for fitness is not as much a thing here. This particular pool is part of a bigger gym. I had complained to management a few times, that they should enforce lane rules and lap swimming. They simply said, if they keep the pool open only for lap swimmers they'd have to shut it down because they wouldn't make money from lap swimmers - that the thing keeping the pool on are the majority people who don't want to swim laps, so adjust or be there super early. Which I guess is true, on most days you'd only see 1-2 people swimming laps for fitness or training. So I just go super early in the mornings, when I have the whole pool for myself.

(I'm sure there are serious pools where professionals train, but you're not very likely to find it near you).

There is an unimportant debate a few of us at the gym are having. Does a faster pace or longer distance equate a harder workout?

My answer is no, if we all have a similar heart rate, and we all work for the same amount of time, we essentially have equal workouts. The better you get, the more you have to do to reach a similar HR. Distance and split times are based on too many variables and none of us are training for a competition.

A couple of the people have disabilities, which we have included. One person broke their back and has fused disks. They have limited mobility, and while they admire my form, and lament theirs, I admire that they come to the gym every day, push themself to reach the exercise goals. Anyway, shower thoughts.

I go swimming for an hour 4-5 times a week and I’ve felt my hair get drier even though I use a swimming cap. I shampoo everytime after swimming to get the chlorine out. Is this smart or should I not shampoo after every session?

Hi everyone,

I started swimming when I was 2 years old and had to stop at 21 due to shoulder pain that I ignored for years, until it became unbearable. I know it wasn’t the smartest choice, but back then, I was so focused on training that I pushed through as long as I could handle it. Eventually, the pain got so bad I couldn’t even finish practices anymore.

I saw several doctors, and spent close to €1000, but I never got a clear diagnosis or treatment that helped. I ended up giving up on swimming altogether and focused on my studies.

But lately, memories of swimming, triggered by a song, a smell, or even just a place, have been hitting me hard. Swimming was a huge part of who I was. After 20 years in the water, it’s something I deeply miss. I really want to get back to it, and I’m hoping someone here might recognize what I’m dealing with or have advice.

Here’s what I know based on medical opinions I received:

• Some doctors suspected tendinitis, so I was told to rest and do physical therapy.
• After 3 years of rest, the pain hasn't improved. In fact, it’s worse when I try to swim.
• PT actually increased the pain—sometimes I’d leave sessions with both shoulders hurting badly.
• One physiotherapist suggested I had shoulders that were “too far forward.”

I also had MRIs done. Here are the reports:

MRI report - Right shoulder:
“Very slight hypersignal at the distal end of the supraspinatus tendon, no visible tear, suggestive of early tendinopathy.”

MRI report - Left shoulder:
“Small enthesopathy of the subscapularis with a small fluid effusion near its insertion, under the coracoid.
Small peri-aponeurotic effusion around the supraspinatus, without associated tendinopathy.”

Have any of you experienced something similar? Or do you have advice on what I could try next, different types of specialists, therapy methods, training modifications, or just how to mentally cope with the loss and rebuild?

Any help, experience, or guidance would mean a lot to me. Thanks for reading.
Also, English is not my first language, so I used a translator to help me write this post, thanks for your understanding.

So I've been going back and forth on this for a while because while I'm primarily a distance swimmer, my times don't seem too competitive. My 1650 is a 20:14 and my best 1000 is a split from my 1650 being a 12:07. My 200 on the other hand is a 2:10. In high school, I go back and worth on swimming the 100 fly and the 500 free and swimming the 100 fly and the 200 free. My 100 fly is a 1:05. I also like to include that my 200 fly is a 2:26. I only get to choose 4 and I'm not 100% sure which ones to include. The only one I'm for sure about is my 500 since it's a 5:43 and I don't want to include the 1000 because it's only a split. Just a side note, I'm not looking to attract any major colleges, just D3 or D2 or somewhere close to home that could possibly give me a scholarship.

Hi,

I'm based in Northern Ireland, and the last time I was on a swimming team was when I was about 14. I'm currently 19, and I wanna get back into swimming, though I'm much slower now and have lost a lot of technique. I've noticed a few clubs have trials before you can join.

What would be best, practise a lot more before trying to join any clubs (and what should I focus on?), or should I just go for it?

Thanks!

Hello. I'm 17. I'm training for a triathlon and am going to start swimming regularly. I attended swimming lessons for two years when I was younger, so my technique isn't great, but it isn't bad either.

Today was the first time I swam in around 5 months, and only for around 15m, but my arms felt really heavy. It was my first time using a wetsuit but I dont think thats the reason because my arms have felt heavy other times in the past. My heart beat was pretty low so I wasn't tired when i got out of the water but my arms were very fatigued.

I was wondering if this was perhaps due to my technique or just very poor conditioning. I'm in good shape but i dont train my upper body. I've only been cycling lately. Any tips? Will my arms get used to it or should i perhaps also train my arms outside the water?

I just watched this video on YouTube comparing the bodysuits from 2008/09 compared to current suit options. Did anyone here wear the bodysuits and if so which ones? Do you miss them?

I only tried the Blue70 Nero and miss it so much!!

https://youtu.be/P00hS-0H6nI?si=jmvyQTJA7IfqVupt

We all know that diving and swimming make odd partners to be combined into one college sport, but alas it’s the way schools do things. So from the college swimmers point of view are the divers respected as a valuable part of the team? Or are they an afterthought either socially or strategically? My daughter’s future head coach (NCAA) said that they are looking for a dive team that feels like an integral component of the swim team. My first thought was “that’s good.” My second thought was “ is it sometimes not that way?” What are your experiences with the divers on your college team?

Im 15M, I have learnt swimming at last (after like 3 years of struggling to overcome fear of water). I now wanna try to dive but then whenever I try to, I just keep floating back up. How do I stay under water?

Hi guys! I (19F) am doing my first open water mile swim on Saturday and I’m curious to hear your opinions/advice, I still have the option to pull out ;)

I’ve been swimming roughly 2km per session, twice a week, for the last month and a half. I’m not very fast (about 2’25 / 100m for my last 2.5km) so this is my main concern for the event. I have an hour to complete the mile (1600m) so I was wondering if you guys think it’ll be possible from my pace in the pool.

The water will be about 14° and it’s in a canal so I’m still debating whether or not to wear a wetsuit.

That being said, what do you guys recommend for my last week of training in the pool before? Should I be doing some longer swims or trying to beat my times in the 1600m?

Thank you in advance!

From ages 14-17 I was a average distance swimmer, achieving nationals in the 1500m and 800m. I'm now 20, and as I'm sure lots of swimmers do, life has got in the way, and I have plateaued in my distance swimming. I am back now fully committed to my swimming, and have seen some decent improvements in my sprints in the last 1 to 18 months. This is what I now want to move into.

Basically, what I'm asking, is how should a training plan look as a 20 year old sprinter. You see people like theswimsuitguy saying that you only need to train 3 times a week, and about 6k a week. Would this really cut it? I want to get to national level in the 50 and 100 free. At the minute I train 4 times in the pool and 4 times in the gym a week. How much should I train in the pool and in the gym a week if I want to go 23.high LCM?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏

What do you think of the Speedo brand prints style?

What’s your best trick or hack for breathing when free styling? I find it very hard to breath and not having the water up my nose

One of the best swimming videos I have seen and a reminder to focus upon the foundational elements.

Hey everyone! I've been swimming regularly for about 1.5 years now, currently hitting the pool four times a week. I’m really enjoying it and seeing great progress.

On the days I'm not swimming, I’d like to add some dumbbell workouts at home to support and improve my swimming performance. Any suggestions or favorite exercises you’ve found helpful for swimmers? Looking for routines that don’t require a gym; just dumbbells, a bench and a mat.

6 1 year old man. My lane mate normally beats me be 1-2 seconds over 50m. Today he told me that he abandoned a long reach as far as you can stroke in favour of a reach as far as your other elbow and accelerating the pace. I tried it and to my surprise I tied him. Why would this work

Hii ^{⁠_⁠^} I did swimming before too. (before lockdown), and I've recently joined it again and I'm perfect at it but my hairs now are long, so how to prevent the hairs getting wet when you go for a swim? Like give some tips or tricks to wear the cap properly. Thank you :⁠-⁠D

Does anybody actually use headphone for swimming? I got one years ago, didnt work properly tho... Are there any reliable amd steady headphones for swimming?

As the title says. I feel like i sink without slippers and I struggle to find rhythm and speed. Now, I’m super new to swimming in general and have only taken a couple lessons. But I feel like I get tired out so quickly without flippers or paddles and start to panic as every stroke I can barely get my head turned to breathe before I’m too low to get my mouth clear. With flippers I feel like a freaking mermaid just gliding through the water like it’s nothing.

Is this just a matter of building more strength in my arms? Does anyone have any advice on this?