Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

Les Rogers — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:13:34 GMT

For almost fifty years I've heard it stated that swimming is the best or perfect exercise and I must contest that claim. Perhaps it could be said truthfully that swimming is one of the most pleasant exercises during which one (apparently) never breaks a sweat, but aside from the chlorination - or other forms of pollution - issues, I'd emphasize one main point in the article, namely, "Swimming will not give you the weight-bearing benefits that land-based exercise will..." To put that another way, swimming will not strengthen muscles and joints - or posture - in needful ways in the context of handling the force of gravity. I know two long-time "swimmers" who cannot, in their old age, even walk upright and/or unaided. Both have a stooped posture, weak muscles and fragile bones. Regular and extensive swimming did not make them "fit" for life on the land.

Everyone needs to combat gravity by the practice of lifting weights. Preferably lifting weights from the standing position.

Any exercise is better than none, but the best exercises must be those that "over-compensate" for the incessant gravitational stresses that try to hunch us over and/or force us to the ground. One over-compensates for gravitational "heaviness" by ADDING WEIGHTS to the workout.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

wbrussootto — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:48:13 GMT

Great article -as usual but there are times Dr Mercola needs to face reality and now is one of them. I am 46 years old and have been a swimmer my entire life. I swam competively for most of those years and now swim as a part of my exercise routine. I have some options for swimming. #1.Swim in a chlorinated pool- at least I swim in an outdoor pool and shower immediately afterwards. #2. swim in the river where the pollution from boats and runoff and whtever else is in there is so gross, I would not swim there! #3. go to a local lake, where almost ever year we get warnings about some microscopic ameoba getting into someones ear and killing them or causing serious illness. #4. go to the beach where the cruise ships dump their sewage off shores several miles out and everything is washed ashore when those pesky hurricanes come. Lets see, my best choice is to give up swimming totally or get my husband to shell out 50,000 to have a salt water pool built in our backyard. Sorry Dr. Merc, but Sometimes we have to pick the best of the worst . This is one case . Maybe you can give us hints how to avoid "overexposure" to chlorinated pools. Stopping swimming is not one of them.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

Carol Morrisey — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:25:27 GMT

Isn't it possible to exercise in the water without swimming the crawl stroke? I don't like to put my head under the water, but I swim 3 times a week when I can and feel wonderfully refreshed. Sometimes I "run" in the water, or just twist and stretch or swim on my back, always in the deep end to spare my sore feet. My goal is not to be efficient, but to use the most muscles. It works for me.

About the chlorine: I don't like it either, but I am not currently suffering any observable ill effects. However, during my second pregnancy I had to stop swimming because of a persistent sore throat. That son, now grown, declares that chlorine really bothers him and he won't swim in a pool because of that. I wish a non-chlorine option were available to me now, but I need to swim, so this is just a risk I have to take. I am avoiding back problems by keeping the muscles strong.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

soleprobe — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:45:49 GMT

7. And then drown

that's about it for me folks.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

JBinNYC — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:51:13 GMT

I'm also a fan of that book, and the process you mention sounds useful.

For many people however - myself included - the problem wasn't efficiency of stroke or technique, but

rather never having become comfortable in water, and having a visceral fear of being in water.

I found the most wonderful set of classes offered by an institute founded by Melon Dash.

She's a swimming expert, coach and teacher. After taking her intro and other classes - which

I refer to as "Zen and the art of learning to be comfortable in water" - I am now well on my way to swimming.

I couldn't recommend the institute more highly - please see http://conquerfear.com/ if interested.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

bbkblb — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:04:10 GMT

I am a veteran triathlete but when I first started I had no clue how to swim. 2 or 3 laps were very difficult. I am a runner since H.S. (1985 grad) and have been a cyclist since college. I had always dreamed of doing tri's but was afraid of the swim. I made a decision at 30 that I was just going to do it somehow. I splashed my way through 2 or 3 very short tri's (400m swims) and then I found this video mentioned here. The proof is in the fact that I have now completed nearly 50 tri's including two times at the Escape from Alcatraz tri in San Fran. I swam from Alcatraz back to the beach which is a 1.5 mile swim in 56 degree water with 3 foot swells and a 2 knot current. I wasn't the first one out of the water but I felt so confident in the water mainly because of my TI training that I went on to a top 10% finish overall. I never went to the camp, just watched the video (paid about $40) and did the drills. Swimming is ALL about efficiency and NOT about big muscles. Strength helps but swimming like a fish is what is important. I have recommended this video to everyone I know who wants to swim better.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

webwitch6 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:47:00 GMT

I need to find non-chlorinated water and a magic bathing suit that molds me into a supermodel shape and I guarantee my swimming would improve 2 million percent.

Otherwise the only swimming I do is running through the lawn sprinkler in a sweatsuit.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

yanchyshyn — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:45:18 GMT

I don't like chlorinated pools, either. They're where people go to swim in each others' pee. Where I live, we have a wonderful river full of eagle, osprey and heron poop. Must be healthy with all those upper food chain predators!

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

microsvc — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:08:30 GMT

Would be a great article if it came out before most pools closed on labor day.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

Elton — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:43:32 GMT

Well, anyone can swim, just some people do it better than others.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

LynnMendez — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:22:03 GMT

I broke both of my legs in an accident a few years ago where I was pinned to my house by a car. Both femurs were broken and my right tib/fib was crushed very badly. I had to learn how to walk again and the best therapy for me is walking in a swimming pool. I don't like the chlorine of course but I can't afford my own pool so I walk in a walking pool in a retirement community that my parents live in 3 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour and this has been the best therapy for me because I have trouble walking. I can't run or jog or anything like that. My knees are bad and so the support I get from the water is just excellent. I walk better than anyone thought that I ever would again and it is all because of exercising in the water. So it helps people who are "handi-capable" as they call them in the pool in the retirement community.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

FunRun — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:14:45 GMT

Since reading another post about this guy, Tim Ferriss, I went to his blog and eventually got my hands on his book, The 4-Hour Workweek.

I have to admit, I thought it was going to be another one of those fluff books with little substance. In fact, it is full of little gems of wisdom on how to live life to the fullest.

This swimming thing is a result of his advice to try things that you always wanted to do but have avoided by using distractions.

Like nearly everyone else, I have been avoiding a few unpleasant tasks for several months and, since reading his book, have begun the process of tackling them.

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

Squarepusher — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:41:36 GMT

I'd like to get into swimming more, but most pools have chlorinated water which I may be a little worried about .

re: Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

Katie B — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:18:40 GMT

Still doubt he's as amazing as Michael Phelps. :)