Swimming Tips

I thought I'd offer some swimming tips for those who are new to lap swimming or just want some refreshers.  Swimming is one of the few things that I kind of know a lot about and I thought I could offer some help to those who would like some.  After these tips I will post a few workouts for different levels that I really like.

1. Swim suit- The first thing you need to be a lap swimmer is a real exercise swim suit.   Not your cute suit you wear to the beach or to splash around the pool with the kids, but a nice one-piece suit built for racing.  The best brands are Speedo or TYR and my favorite website for things swimming, that has amazing prices and is A LOT cheaper than anything you can find around town, is Swim Outlet- check out the Clearance section or get a grab bag swim suit from last year's styles and you can get a great racing suit for around $20.
2. Swim cap- You also need a good cap.  There is nothing worse than swimming with your hair floating in your face.  Putting your hair in a cap makes you faster and is a lot less hassle than trying to get your hair untangled from your goggles.  Caps are super cheap and you can also get them at Swim Outlet.  I'd suggest getting 2 or 3 you can rotate between.  The easist way to put a cap on is to put your hair in a ponytail then fill your cap with water and dump it over your head, then tuck in any extra hair.  It is much harder to put on with dry hair and since you should shower before you get in a pool you can just put the cap on in the shower.  After you swim rinse the cap with cold water and dry it so it doesn't stick together.
3. Goggles-  Goggles are a MUST when swimming!  If you have a thing about putting your head under water you're really going to have to get over it.  If it bothers your nose or ears use plugs but swimming with your head above water without goggles is kind of ridiculous, makes you much slower, makes doing any real strokes very hard, and cranks your neck.  Start off slow, but you can do it!  Get some good goggles (again at Swim Outlet) and you're set for swimming!  (Getting all your swim gear is cheaper than most all other sports I've done- you can get outfitted with basic equipment- suit, cap, goggles for around $25-$35!)
4. Sharing a Lane- When you get to the pool you might be lucky enough to get a lane by yourself, if not here is how sharing a lane works.  Try to pick a lane that seems about your speed and wait until the person stops so you can let them know you will be sharing the lane.  If there are just two of you you can ask the other person if they would be ok if you each picked a side of the lane to swim on.  This is the easiest way since you can each do your own workout at your own speed without worrying about bumping into or slowing down the other person.  If there are more than 2 people using a lane you should swim in a counter-clockwise manner.  If someone touches your feet it is best to let them pass or stop at the next wall so they can pass you. 
5. Strokes- If you are uncomfortable with your stroke or want to make sure you are swimming with correct form a good thing to do is sign up for an adult swim class or go with a friend who is a swimmer and have them check your stroke and give you appropriate workouts. The three standard strokes that most people should be able to swim are Front Crawl (for Free Style), Back Stroke, and Breast Stroke.  
6. Turns- To increase your speed it is good to have a strategy for turns in lap swimming.  The most efficient way is a flip-turn, but if that is too intimidating to you then when you reach the wall hit it with both hands, immediately kick out your left arm to the direction you want to go, dive the right arm over your head to meet the left arm as you push off with your feet on the wall.  It is also a good idea to swim underwater for a few seconds with both arms stretched out with hands touching in front of you as you dolphin kick or scissor kick to the surface.  Also, when turning remember to breathe out your nose (so you don't get water in) then as you are kicking to the surface open your mouth and just let the air come out without forcing it.
7. Breathing- I know breathing can be a huge deterrent when it comes to swimming.  It can be the reason so many people swim with their heads above water as well as why so many can only swim one or two laps without taking a break.  When swimming the front crawl (your fastest choice of stroke) you want to find a breathing rhythm that works for you.  Most people think that every two strokes is easiest,  but you will be breathing so often you run the risk of getting light headed from hyperventilating.  My favorite for short distances (sprints) is every 5 strokes and for long distances every 3 strokes.  Find what works for you (practice with different strokes until you find one that you like).  Also, when you are doing your breathing stroke you don't have to make it as fast as your other strokes.  Make it just a little bit longer so you really feel like you can take in a good breath without hurrying so fast you get a lung full of water.  
8. Water Temperature- When you are playing with your kids you want the water to be nice and warm- like a bath, but when you are swimming laps you really don't want warm water.  When you start out it will be nice for the first few laps, but after that will really start hurting you.  While swimming laps you really work up your heart rate and cool water really keeps you at a good body temperature without over-heating.  I know it's cold at first, but just jump in and start swimming and it won't bother you after a few laps!  
9. Lines/Flags/Lane Lines in Pools-  The lines on the bottom of the pool, flags above the water, and lane lines are your friends and keep you oriented to where you are as you are swimming.  When doing backstroke find a line on the ceiling to follow so you don't drift back and forth in the lane but stay in a straight line.  When you see the flags above you that is warning you that the wall is coming up.  Practice to see how many strokes it takes you to get from the flags to the wall and you will know when to flip over,  turn or push off the wall, and be able to keep on swimming without slowing down.  When you are swimming front crawl with your head in the water follow the black line on the bottom of the pool and when you see it end in a T is when you start your flip-turn or you know you are almost to the wall so you don't bonk your head.  When swimming with another person in your lane try to swim next to the lane line (without hitting it) so you give them enough room on the other side.
10. Kick Boards/Flippers/Pull Bouys- Most gyms/pools will have this equipment on the deck for you to use.  Look for it and grab some before your workout.  Kick Boards are great to just practice your kick and make sure you have good form as well as enough power coming from your legs.  Flippers help you do a bunch of laps really fast with is actually pretty fun and can be especially good if you are focusing on your turns, starts, or finishes.  Pull Bouys go between your thighs and you just use your arms to pull you forward.  They make for a great arm workout and a good way to check your stroke form.  (You can also invest in your own equipment if you don't like sharing).
11. Drink Water!- Swimming is one of the few times when people exercise that they forget to drink water.  You are working just as hard and burning just as many calories (if not more) as on land, but since you are already in the water we forget to actually keep ourselves hydrated.  Bring a water bottle and leave it right by your lane or get out and use the drinking fountain every 15-20 minutes or so.
12. Shampoo- It is really smart to get a good swimmer's shampoo and body wash for right after your workout.  Most shampoos and body washes don't get all the chlorine out the first time so having a good swimmer's shampoo can help your hair not take damage from swimming as well as not turn it green (if you have blond hair it is a MUST!)  Again, check out Swim Outlet for good prices on swim shampoos.  

Ok, I'm sure there are probably things that I have forgotten, but I hope this is helpful to anyone interested.  Please let me know if you have any questions or other suggestions for swimmers and I'll try to start posting swim workouts tomorrow!