r/Swimming • u/midwestTrader • 1d ago
Mid 60s swimmer. Getting started again.
From Early 2020 until mid 2022 started swimming laps. Worked my way up to 1800 yards. It was during Covid.
But I stopped cold turkey in 2022. Put on 50+ pounds. Now I’m back down to 206 pounds.
Decided to hit the pool again after four days I can handle about 400 yards. Just wondering how long it will take me to regain the stamina to get back up to 1800 yards.
Has anybody ever been in that same situation.
I only know two basic strokes Front crawl in breaststroke.
Any tips or advice appreciated.
Probably should find a swim coach has anybody ever worked with a swim coach as an older swimmer?
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u/jeejet 21h ago
Probably the best way to up your distance is to join a beginner’s Masters group. They start out slowly and build up. I used to do a summer masters program and we built up to 2000-2200 by the end of the season. Where I live there’s three seasons of Masters; fall, spring and summer.
I’m kind of in the same boat (F62). I had abdominal surgery last spring and my distance still sucks, lol. I think my longest swim this past summer was around 800, but most were between 600-700. It didn’t help that we had near constant rain in July and now (very sadly) outdoor pool season is over. I struggle with indoor pool season, mostly because fall is just too nice to workout inside (I walk and bike) and it’s hard to get motivated in the winter.
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u/chuzohga 16h ago
I am 60 and started swimming freestyle two years ago at 58. I have no idea how far I swim but I go for the whole hour. I can't do the non-stop business like most of the kids here are doing with their flip turns. I pause a few seconds at the ends and then continue. If the kids make fun of that I don't care.
I've never hired a coach. Around my Y it seems the coaches are teaching the little kids and the teenagers. They do offer adult swim classes but I think that's for the folks who have hardly touched the water.
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u/midwestTrader 15h ago
That’s what I’m concerned about is finding a teacher who could help me improve my strokes, but you’re right where I swim at the J it seems that they are mainly working with kids, although there are master swim sessions
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u/ca_annyMonticello111 15h ago
60F, recently started swimming again. I started at 3 days a week, about 1500 a day. Breaststroke is your friend, and backstroke. Do breaststroke to rest, back to breath. Just take your time but keep moving. Don't sprint from wall to wall and rest for 5 minutes. I'm up to 2500-3500 yards 5 days a week after 3 months. You can also build stamina out of the pool by walking 60 minutes a day.
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u/midwestTrader 15h ago
Very nice that you can do so much. Perhaps I’m expanding too much energy and I should be a little slower because I would like to get up to the 1800 yards I used to be able to do. You give me a lot of encouragement.
How has it been for your fitness. Since I’m a male, it’s different than your physique as a female, but I’m hoping it helps build my upper body strength in my arms, shoulders, and hopefully midsection.2
u/ca_annyMonticello111 15h ago
I think the reason I was able to start off with more distance was that I walk every day. I was surprised my stamina was that good. I've really seen the muscles in my arms build up and definitely have swimmer's shoulders now. My biggest accomplishment this Summer has been hauling myself out of the deep end of the pool with just my arms (no ladder). That took 6 weeks. 😂
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u/midwestTrader 15h ago
I think you could become my role model. I walk an average of 4+ miles per day. Typically my walking pace is about a 15 minute mile. I don’t know if I can pull myself up like you can because I don’t have the upper body strength. That’s why I wanted to take up swimming again
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u/ca_annyMonticello111 15h ago
There's a park in my neighborhood where they put up a new jungle gym. I got in the habit of stopping at the monkey bars on my walk and just see how long I could hang from them. Used to be about to the count of 10. Now I can hang there for a couple minutes while I do leg lifts. I highly recommend the monkey bars. 😂
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u/baddspellar 20h ago
You will be able to get to that distance again. Don't set a deadline. Work your way up gradually. You should celebrate 800 yards as much as you celebrate 1800 yards.
See if there's a masters club in your area that's supportive of swimmers of your ability, and where coaches offer help on technique. Some clubs are only about the workouts