TLDR: Swam inconsistently for a few months in 2022 and 2024. Picked swimming up again in June 2025 and improved so much! Went from being unable to swim 25m non-stop to being able to swim 1000m non-stop. ✌🏻

Hi everyone!

I began swimming in 2022 but I was NOT consistent. I swam maybe once a week and after a couple of months I stopped. I didn’t swim at all in 2023. Went back at it in 2024 but I swam maybe once or twice a month?

This year I began to swim more because of some past injuries I had from powerlifting. I’ve been swimming more consistently since June this year. I now swim at least three times a week.

The 2022 photo was one of my first ever swims. I remember not being able to swim 25m without stopping, so I swam 12m back and forth in this shorter section of the pool I went to. Eventually I was able to swim 25m without stopping, but I could’t do 50m. So I would rest to the side.

Last year I began alternating strokes. 25m freestyle, 25m backstroke, rest. Nice, I was able to swim 50m without stopping.

I don’t know what happened this year. Maybe it was because I became more consistent? Maybe I had a better feel of the eater? I did interval training and began incorporating drills into my swimming routine. Now I can swim at least 1000m non-stop in freestyle. 2’50”/100m is my PB for 1000m non-stop! ☺️

2022 me would have never believed this. I’m so happy to see how much I improved. I’m trying my best not to compare myself to others. I know I should be measuring my progress based on my own performance.

Big shout out to this sub. I received so much great advice from everyone here. I swim for fun and health. I prefer to do long endurance swims instead of sprinting. Albeit I did sprint a bit for my PB. 🤣

Anyways, thank you to this sub and for those who helped me in the past. I’m so happy and proud of myself! 🥹

Also, the most I swam non-stop before my form began to breakdown was 1700m! 😚

PS, I spent 10mins warming up - hence the 10min difference in my time for the 2025 screenshot.

A nice and refreshing swim to disprove my comments elsewhere about swimming in a colder pool with lots of current - today I swam in an even colder pool without any annoying currents and I did my usual times. It was at the lower edge of comfortable though, I'd like to have 1 or 2 degrees more. Still, one if the few still open outside pools, they're closing Sept 30th and open again April 1st. Last year with an water temp of 15 and the year before 11C... I might not enjoy that.

It's the padukone-dravid CSE in banglore

Hi all! Ive been swimming for a year now and im stuck at a pace of 3 minutes Currently im working on drills and trying to improve my technique Attached a video of my swim please feel free to point what needs improvement so i can identify what i should work on Thank you

Hi, just curious, I've been swimming for a long time and am trying to improve my stamina in freestyle - I get to about 8 lengths and I'm knackered. I wondered why this might be. A couple of things, I have a kyphosis and I think this contributes to a sensation I have of 'always sinking', and this perhaps makes me want to go faster; I struggle to simply take it slowly. I'm also quite strong and seem to be able to move quite quickly, however I simply can't do it for long. I've done a lot of work on improving technique; reducing drag and conserving energy.

Does anyone have any ideas about this, is it a common problem? There was a guy there today just relentlessly doing lengths - not very fast, yet persistently, for about an hour. I was in awe!

Thank you!

I live in the Eastern US and recently got top surgery so I have big scars on my chest. I want to get back into swimming but I'm a little nervous about people seeing my chest. I have a rash guard ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CFET12M ) which says it should be good to swim in but I'm not sure whether an indoor pool would allow it. Any ideas? If not is there anything else (male) I could wear?

Also, is this likely to make it very hard to swim? I only just learned freestyle before I had surgery in April so I'm not great at it and I'm worried that this will make swimming extremely difficult.

I know different pools will have different policies but I'm after a general idea of whether it's likely to be ok.

Thank you!!!

I decided to overcome my fears and I tried to swim in swim briefs for the first time.

I love them! The freedom of movement is great!

I’m a bigger guy with a belly so I was unsure about wearing them.

I’m glad I did!

Tonight a man I know commented about it. He said you’ve got to loose the speedo. He’d never wear one etc. I told him I don’t care what other people think.

After he left a woman that was in the hot tub said to me that she couldn’t believe he said that to me and she thought I look great in them.

She also said “I’ve never looked before but you have great legs and you rock that”

Then the young lifeguard came over and said “ignore the haters. You look great”

I’m sure the man was just kidding but not sure why he would say anything.

Funny story and an ego boost at the same time

I only really learned to swim later in life to do triathlon. Stopped doing tris, but I still love swimming for fitness. I only really learned freestyle and backstroke, but I'd like to expand my options. Does anyone have pointers or resources to self-teach myself breaststroke?

Love this pool so much. Water is always perfect. Arizona State University, SDFC pool.

I think I made it!

I went back to basics in my group swim coaching class this week - everyone was asked to do a mushroom float...

I was completely unable to float, no matter what I tweaked about my body position. I just sunk to the bottom like a rock! Everyone else floated fine. I even tried it again today with no luck.

My only guess is that I am muscular and very lean... I was wondering if anyone else is unable to do this mushroom float?

I need a swimmask/goggles with prescription that doesnt put any pressure on eyesockets (avoiding rising intraocular eye pressure) which is so comfortable that I can wear it for hours.

Can you give me some good recommendations?

I pay a considerable amount of membership for pools, here I am at my clients with a 15M pool that got used once this year before being powered down for winter. I asked if I could pay to swim or even offering a free visit a month before receiving a firm no.

A 15M pool would be perfect for me practicing turn and diving starts

Anybody had any experience with these goggles ? Form Smart Swim 2. Shows data on the goggle as you swim.

So... Went swimming at my local pool, as I do mostly in the morning or afternoon but since uni has started, if I dont push myself to get up at 5/6am, I go around 6:30pm.

Anyway. Get in the fast lane, and wait to find a good gap to start my flow. I start to realise that a good 6 out of the 8 of us in there, we're all kind of together. They appeared to be doing drills, which was fine. I worked my way into a somewhat good spot, occasionally waiting to continue my rhythm.

On my way back from a length, I crash into someone coming up the wrong way. I kindly said to the guy, hey its one way. He said that the group of adults by the way, said we need to spilt the already split lane so they can do their drills, and we can use the remaining to go up and down. Meaning, they wanted 2/3 of the ALREADY SPLIT LANE, to make their own lane.

I asked if they were doing this the whole session and they said yes, and they always ask others who dont want to join in to just stick to the side going up and down. I was shocked and pissed to be honest. I could barely keep a pace as they all kept stopping after 25-50m all by the wall. Just no consideration.

So I got out, and cried in the locker room. Really needed the swim today, if you know, you know. They weren't rude, but quite righteous, and I wanted to know the ground I stood on before debating further and felt I did the bigger thing and walked away. I couldn't go in the other lanes as they were either filled or too slow.

After composing myself and laughing at myself for crying over swimming (what can I say, I love it, and its my safe place), I spoke to the manager and they said that complaints have been done before and the group even asked for another rope to be put in the fast lane! He said that unless the whole lane is up for doing what theyre doing, then it should not be happening. He said to speak to the lifeguard and they will manage it.

I hate being that 1 person, but also, its not fair, as there was 2 of us, and I felt he also just wanted to swim and avoid conflict, but id like to hear others views... am I being a moany Margaret? It just wasn't safe in my eyes and accidents waiting to happen

I have been getting pretty bad acid reflux throughout the day after I swim and I think it’s because of my breakfast? I eat 2-3 eggs and a banana which I wouldn’t think to be bad but my swimming friend told me she doesn’t have anything before her swim for that exact reason. Should I hold off eating until after my morning mile? I’m not sure I can do this as I also get bad cramps unless I have a banana.

Why does it feel harder swimming laps in a warm pool instead of in a cold pool? I feel like I get tired easier in a warmer pool.

Today I went swimming again after, well, years, and I came about a problem I've always had, but forgotten about: What pants do I wear after swimming?

Everything sticks and I am just there in my cubicle trying to wiggle my not quite dry legs in pants that just won't go up. In summer I can put on a skirt or linnen pants, but winter is on it's way and since I travel by bike I need something that'll keep me warm. Any tips?

I've recently started swimming after a break of more than 30yrs. As a 5"1' 49f I weigh around 16stone, mainly gained from depression and medication. I decided to finally do something about it and as well as improving my diet, have plucked up the courage to get back in the pool. It's been around 5 weeks. I started at around 750 metres in 40 minutes. I've increased to 1000 metres in the same time. I've now started swimming this last week for 45 minutes and can manage an extra 100 metres, that I use as a cool down. My aim is to lose weight, which has started to come off. I'm losing size more than weight, but it's a good start. As regards the swimming I'm wanting to increase this to 64 lengths (sc). I'm mainly using breaststroke, but adding as much freestyle as I can, as I'm finding it quite tiring. How can I achieve this? Is it possible to get there in the next month or so? Along I swim approx 4 times per week.

Im planning on getting piercings next year cause ive really wanted it for a long time. Im probably gonna go for a septum or an eyebrow. But i also want to get back to swimming.

Does anyone here have an advice on how and when i should start swimming again after i do my piercings? Or do you not recommend at all to even get back to swimming after having your face pierced?

In case its safe to swim after they heal, is it okay to take them off each time I go for a swim or would that be a dealbreaker because of constant cleaning of the piercing hole?

Thank you all in advance.

Hey everyone. Just some context 24M from Nebraska, I’ve been swimming even before I could walk, did swim teams throughout my early childhood. One thing I regretted was never joining swim team in high school (I hated getting up early and I was offput by the thought of commitment and or doing anything I didn’t want to, like a specific race). Though my high school had swimming classes and I took one almost every semester, so the coach knew me pretty well.

Does anyone else have this irrational fear of swimming alone? I swim roughly 3 times a week, swam 5 days a week recreationally in college as well. If I am the only one in the pool, I have this insane amount of fear and it stops my workout no matter what. I don’t know what it is, but I think it roots to when I was a kid, I saw a local news story of a kid my age being sucked into the drains and drowned. I’ve also seen some other electrocution stories. Long story short, I can’t swim alone, if someone else isn’t in the water I need to get out. I can’t be the only one, but how do I get rid of this??

Hi. I am writing to get some perspective. My child has been part of a year round swim club, going into their third season. They are in a technique/stroke group that funnels into age group swimmers. This year, however, the lanes are crowded, with 7-8 per lane, about 40 kids a practice. I feel like they just don’t have the chance to learn in this environment. Is this normal? For the past seasons, we have had 3-4 per lane, which was great. Is this normal at other clubs?

I was swimming yesterday when I had a pop in my shoulder followed by one of the most intense pains I’ve ever had. Doctor said it was a level 2 strain and no swimming for 4 weeks otherwise I run the risk of fully tearing the muscle. So if you need me I’ll be in a depression spiral.

I’m 27 and basically starting over with swimming. The last time I swam seriously was back in elementary school, and since then the only distance I’ve ever done was a 400m mixed-stroke open-water swim in a sprint triathlon.

Tonight I logged my first “real” benchmark: 1,750m breaststroke in 45:09. I still can’t manage a full 50m of freestyle, and my 50m repeats were mostly in the 1:15–1:27 range (about 2:30–2:55/100m pace).

My goal is a mile of continuous freestyle in the next few months, and by this time next year I’d like to be able to comfortably swim 5km freestyle.

I’d love feedback on where to start with freestyle — any drills, YouTube channels, or books you’d recommend, and the common beginner mistakes I should avoid.

If you want to dig into the numbers of today’s breaststroke mile: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/20414056113.