So, I Want to Start Swimming for Real. How Do I Do it?

(Source)

My friend asking me if I had goggles prompted me to start thinking about other things. No, I didn’t have goggles. What are some other things you use for swimming? A swim cap! Hmmm… don’t own one of those anymore either. The Boyfriend suggested I wear a bikini to the pool (obviously not for speed purposes), so I got to wondering if the one piece I bought back in the summer on clearance at Target would suffice. Does it fit? Is it an athletic suit? Who knows?!

My lifeguard friend suggested that I make sure that my swimsuit, whichever type I get, fits snug since it will expand a little in the pool.

“If it is too big, it will grab too much water and slow you down and make you work harder,” he added.

I attempted a Google search on whether I should wear a one- or two-piece swimsuit for swimming laps (do you call them laps or lanes?). That created even more confusion! I really don’t know what’s best at this point, for me, or for anyone else. What I do know is that this is an hilarious post on the topic, written by Yoona over at yoonanimous. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one with questions and some reservation about getting into swimming.

Another question I had, going into it, was whether I could wear my Fitbit Zip while I swam laps (I think you call them laps). This was a dumb question, which I dismissed, but still wanted to see what other folks said about it. In short, no, dummy! It won’t count for steps, plus, you will ruin your Fitbit! Duh.

What is the proper etiquette for swimming laps (it’s definitely laps)? Fortunately, I found something from Johns Hopkins University on this one.

Man! This swimming business is serious!! I wish I had some professional lessons when I was a kid, but c’est la vie. Can’t do anything about it now!

By the way, if you’re interested, I saw this really great documentary on hulu during Black History Month a couple of years back on the history of black swimmers. I highly recommend it! You can watch White Wash for free on hulu here.

Do you have any pointers for re-beginning swimmers? What kind of suit do you use for athletic swimming?