Swimming

@Fox... yup. Got those, after I lost my aquasphere's. Very nice they are too.
@coppi... yeah, i know... but dem is like waterproof innit. Show me another...that isn't gonna break after a week... go on...

I keep going back to these badboys. Low profile, no leaks, and pretty good antifog. I find them pretty comfortable for up to an hour or so. Plus they look rad and no-one can see you checking their bum out.

I try to swim once a week at London fields lido or kings hall on lower Clapton road. I have dislocated both my shoulders a couple of time meaning I find breaststroke a far more comfortable option over front crawl. I find swimming very relaxing, not while doing it but after when you've just put all your clothes back on. Your whole body is warm and supple. On Sundays I run four timesaround victoria park, then along the canal to broadwY Market, then through to London fields lido where I swim for about 40 mins. It is the highlight of my week.

That sounds lovely.

Here's a few clips and tips I like: I always liked Popov's style. He was so efficient he was beating guys with more muscle mass, putting out way more power than him.

YouTube- Alexander Popov swimming technique

ignore the horrible music (all swimming coaching vids have horrific music) and this is pretty cool. Demonstrates something of the smoothness and grace I strive for and regularly fail to acheive.

YouTube- Comparison of Freestyle (Jones, Phelps and TI coach)

I am just getting back into swimming at Oasis in a morning before work. Cycle in, swim, shower, work. Great start to the day. I'm not doing many lengths yet but hope to build up with time.

double post. soz.

And here's one of my favourite freestyle swimmers.

YouTube- Grant Hackett Front Crawl Technique

HA Dooks yeah it was fun this week wasn't it. I got there on Monday only to be told the pool was 23degrees. Bollox to that I turned round a cycled off. When I got in there on Tuesday it was still pretty cold. About 25. I found it hard to warm up and couldn't swim at my usual pace. I make it there 2 mornings a week now. Usually Monday and Thursdays

Ha! Yep, it was bracing alright. One of these days i'll drag my arse out of bed before 8 and get down there for a morning swim. There were a couple of bods from Camden masters in there tonight. Put my out of shape plodding to shame.

I got really into swimming when I lived in Scotland, but haven't done it since moving back down south. They have these Victorian swimming baths in Scotland (3 of them in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I was a member of all of them at different points) which are run as not-for-profit enterprises. they are just completely different to swimming baths down here, at least, I've never found an equivalent. They have turkish warm rooms where you can read for hours, different bits for men and women (and it seems to be a thing that all the women just hang out nekkid, which took a bit of getting used to), with these massive armchairs and all the papers. I used to spend all day in there.

But the best thing was they had these amazing original rings and trapezes above the pools – I got really into doing the trapeze over the pool. You also get a permanent box to leave your toiletries in, and some indoor shoes, and you leave your costume there and they wash it and dry it in time for your next visit. And provide towels so you can spontaneously turn up and everything's there. The pools were so quiet – it was always just me and the pensioners. I went every single day for years, and did 45 minutes. I miss it - I'd love to find a good place down here. Is the Ironmonger's one a nice old place?

Here in Birmingham we can use all lesiure centres for free during off peak hours, so i was thinking about taking up swimming. I haven't swum in a pool since i was 14 maybe? (i'm 28 now) so do i really need lessons and fancy shorts and goggles or should i just go and have a go? I was never a really good swimmer, but i can swim.

Ha, I don't think any London pool could compare with that level of service!

. I miss it - I'd love to find a good place down here. Is the Ironmonger's one a nice old place?

Hello,

its definitely old, but I wouldn't go so far far as to call it nice. Its certainly the longest pool in Central London and they have Turkish baths, though I have never been in them. Unfortunately, it is closing down in May for a massive refurb and won't be open until just before the Olympics

Ah, shame. I might check it out anyway. I've never felt as good as when I was swimming every single day.

I phoned Fitness First at Canary Wharf some months ago to enquire about their prices for casual swimming. I was advised that it costs twenty two fucking pounds.

Nice pool but.

Sea baths FTW anyway.

how much does it cost to join fitness first in canary wharf?
i'm paying 55 quid a month to them that gives me unlimited access to all their gyms.

I got really into swimming when I lived in Scotland, but haven't done it since moving back down south. They have these Victorian swimming baths in Scotland (3 of them in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I was a member of all of them at different points) which are run as not-for-profit enterprises. they are just completely different to swimming baths down here, at least, I've never found an equivalent. They have turkish warm rooms where you can read for hours, different bits for men and women (and it seems to be a thing that all the women just hang out nekkid, which took a bit of getting used to), with these massive armchairs and all the papers. I used to spend all day in there.

But the best thing was they had these amazing original rings and trapezes above the pools – I got really into doing the trapeze over the pool. You also get a permanent box to leave your toiletries in, and some indoor shoes, and you leave your costume there and they wash it and dry it in time for your next visit. And provide towels so you can spontaneously turn up and everything's there. The pools were so quiet – it was always just me and the pensioners. I went every single day for years, and did 45 minutes. I miss it - I'd love to find a good place down here. Is the Ironmonger's one a nice old place?

Wow.....I wish we had pools like that in London..............Way back in the late 70's
I worked as a lifeguard at the old Latchmere baths (Battersea)before it was "modernised"..............Was a beautiful Victorian baths (like many at that time)
womderful tiles...They also had a Public baths section where you could go for a
good scrub if you had no bath at home....M

I do rate the London Fields Lido, pool heated to 25C, you could probably swim there today (although I haven't checked, no idea if the concourse around the pool has been cleared or whether there's some other H&S hazard that militates against it). It is a fairly basic facility without most of the astonishing comforts of your Scottish baths, but if all you're after is a swim, it does the job.

Sorry Damo, I've stitched you up.... It was actually Virgin Active. Have a fucking look at this!

WANT!

Bleeuurghh. Not my taste in interior design ...

Wow.....I wish we had pools like that in London..............Way back in the late 70's
I worked as a lifeguard at the old Latchmere baths (Battersea)before it was "modernised"..............Was a beautiful Victorian baths (like many at that time)
womderful tiles...They also had a Public baths section where you could go for a
good scrub if you had no bath at home....M

Yes, I think the ones in Scotland have just survived whereas the English ones must have been demolished over the century. They don't make any money at all, is probably why. They all have the communal bath (actual baths) rooms as well, they're ace.

Come on Oliver, what sort of a philistine doesn't like massive pillars made of copper looming over you when you're doing your backstroke?

I do rate the London Fields Lido, pool heated to 25C, you could probably swim there today (although I haven't checked, no idea if the concourse around the pool has been cleared or whether there's some other H&S hazard that militates against it). It is a fairly basic facility without most of the astonishing comforts of your Scottish baths, but if all you're after is a swim, it does the job.

Thanks, will check it out. This weather and this thread have made me obsessed with the idea of a swim/sauna/steam. Used to really keep the cold out during the Scotch winters.

Bleeuurghh. Not my taste in interior design ...

You're kiddig me? You're saying it looks shit?

I was referring to the aesthetics.

Anyway, where is this 33m pool of which you speak?

Come on Oliver, what sort of a philistine doesn't like massive pillars made of copper looming over you when you're doing your backstroke?

You're kiddig me? You're saying it looks shit?

My sort of philistine doesn't like this. I think it looks tacky. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't apparently set into a building with some completely structureless glass facade, but as it is, it's just a dreadful style clash. Either do modernism properly, or don't do it at all.