Anyone here seriously into swimming and/or pool workouts... aerobics or whatever? It would be fun to find others similarly involved to share with.

I am just beginning to get into swimming. Right now i cant even swim the length of my gym's pool w/o stopping to catch my breath, LOL.. but I love it. I am trying to work out a program to build my endurance in the pool, I would love to be able to swim laps without having to stop every couple of minutes.

We have an above ground pool that comes about chest high on me and 26 foot wide. I started walking in the pool when my knee began to give me trouble from walking on land. I also try to swim laps but doing laps in a circle is sort of difficult! LOL And I've been doing some other exercises on my legs with the resistance of the water.

The regular swimming really gets my heart pumping and it feels great. I've been trying to do some research online and find out the benefits for weight loss but I've found varied opinions. Therefore I'm just trying to do a combination of walking on land, some strength training and working in some pool activity as well.

How about you - do you have a routine or any sort of good info?

Hi Amanda and Tammyjo

Thanks for sharing.

Amanda, good for you for getting started! Bet you will get up your endurance in no time. One thing that helps... usually swimming on your back is easier so you might want to try flipping over and doing that when you get tired. Your endurance will build.

Tammyjo, LOL yah swimming laps would be a bit difficult. Our outdoor condo pool is only 5 feet deep and fairly small so laps are not so easy either. But I have a pair of water weights and go out and do workouts. I am blessed to also have some big indoor pools within easy driving distance so I also do the deep water stuff.

And I have a very strong opinion about swimming and water workouts as to weight loss, ha... sure working for me! I used to do a lot of walking and other excercise but then got degenerative arthritis in my hip and became very limited but I find the pool workouts... especially the combination of laps (and I do ALL kinds of varied laps which I make up a lot of) and aerobics/general workout is the best overall exercise ever.

I love water aerobics! I go to a class 1x a week and a bunch of us gals get together 1x a week as well to do our favorite moves. I just started in February but have noticed a huge difference in the tone of my legs and arms. It's awesome!

I'd like to try swimming laps when our neighborhood pool (3 blocks away) opens next week.

I used to swim competitively and I miss it. I am a runner for now but am hoping to start swimming again soon!

Hi losermom and skinnybeach.. thanks for joining in.

Losermom I have thought of going to aerobics.. in fact I did a few... but the classes around here tend to be not strenuous enough for me.

Wow, skinnybeach... a competive swimmer! You must be very good.

Our wonderful indoor pool near me closed a couple months ago when the state cut the funding (it is in a state park). However, another group took it over and is planning to reopen it soon... yay... so I will be able to go back there. For a while they were getting out the Skwim equipment once a week hoping to develop interest in weekly teams. I loved playing and it was a real workout but I have not found any place that actually does it, at least when I am available. Anyone else tried it?

Hi -- I'm a runner, but recently started working on my swimming skills as a cross training activity. Technically I learned to swim as a kid, but I hadn't actually "swam" for years, and I never really swam laps or anything. Which is wierd because I really do like the water (you couldn't get me out of the pool as a kid), am a certified scuba diver, and everything.

I pretty much had to start from scratch and re-figure out how to do the crawl stroke - how to breathe, how to wear goggles, not freak out, etc. That was about 6 weeks ago, and now I'm up to swimming about a half mile in 35-40 minutes or so, with lots of stops to rest. I'm gradually getting smoother, and faster, and hopefully am not teaching myself too many bad habits! My goal is to be able to just swim continuously for an extended period of time, like I can do with running. I wish my gym offered swim training, but they don't. I've checked into summer swim lessons, but the times and dates conflict with my schedule. So, I'm just working on my own for now.

Hi MBN... Good for you! You are obviously a serious swimmer. For some reason I can go for hours without stopping while swimming... BUT I don't do the crawl stroke all that much because I just have never liked it. I like to invent all kinds of strokes... on my back, side and front... stuff like lying on my back and swimming forward, water aerobics while doing strokes, etc. I just find it way too boring to just do what most of the swimmers do. It is neat too as in our pool... well the one which closed and is soon to reopen... the synchronized swimmers would be practicing in one side of the pool while we did laps on the other... so it was fun to watch them and try to do what they do (unsuccessfully of course LOL).