overtraining ?- part 2

Don't worry about the swimsuit thing. I first took lessons 2.5 years ago to learn to swim(at 38), and I was also a little shy about the suit thing. However, at a class, or lap swim, people are there to work out, not see what you look like, and pretty soon you just hop in with the rest of them. It's actually pretty freeing, because all those anxieties about looking good in a suit are not there. It is way different then going to lay out at the beach. At the YMCA that I go to, I often lap swim while the aerobics class is going on, and they look like they are having a blast! This Y also has incentive programs in which you can earn a t-shirt and free lunch if you attend a certain number of classes, or swim a certain number of laps for 8 weeks or so. I think you would have fun, and enjoy getting to know new people.

Dorothy
 
RE: Swimsuits

Just to chime in AGAIN . . .

I've been teaching aqua for almost 6 years, and I have to echo the other posters who suggest to just forget about the whole self-consciousness thing when considering swimsuits. Far fewer people are looking at you that you think, and most of the time in the water you're submerged at least up to the xyphoid level, so no one can see you anyway. Plus, the aqua crowd is great - no divas, just good-natured people (mostly women, for reasons unknown to this ole Aquajock) who want to have a great time.

However, if you're still self-conscious about the swimsuit thing, there's nothing wrong with wearing a old, tighter-fitting tee-shirt, sport bra and shorts in the pool; I've seen numerous participants do just that. In fact, if you go that route, you might indeed get a little more intense workout because the cloth drag of the tee-shirt and shorts fabric is greater than swimsuit material.

Just a little aqua lore to start off your day . . .

a-jock
 
RE: Swimsuits

Thanks guys and I am going to check into swim lessons, how embarrassing at 39 years old, but my daughter (18) cannot swim either so I'm going to check in to lessons for both of us.
I think it will be great, I get to FINALLY learn to swim, plus it will be fun to do something "fun" with my daughter, they grow up so fast and don't have time for you anymore and this would be something special we could do together.

BTW, I took 2 days off (Tuesday & Wednesday) and when I put in CTX step & intervals yesterday, I had so much energy I had to be careful not to jump too high and miss the step coming back down! Wow was I super energized after a 2 day rest!

Downside: the lactic acid built up way faster when I went to do Leaner Legs though! For the first time EVER the lunges almost dropped me on my @ss! My thighs were so tight I thought they were going to burst wide open! I guess working out daily kept me from experiencing the lactic acid build up, but I felt that workout like never before! I had to actually drop my weight to get through the plie squats at the end!
But I am going to do a 3 days on/1 day off rotation and begin to really appreciate my rest days! It has made a difference in the way my body felt and in my energy level!
Thanks for being so wise! As usual! :)

Donna


Fitness~It's a journey, not a race!
 
Hey, Donna,
Ya gotta e-mail Aquajock! She and I have been cyber and phone pals for well over a year now and I have a copy of her aqua manual. It is, without a doubt, the very best water-based workout I have ever seen. Prior to seeing A-j's work, I relegated aqua strictly to rehab status (I'm a physical therapist as well as a fitness professional), but let me tell ya, Annette's program would kick the daylights out of many land based, so-called "high intensity" workouts on the market.

Sadly, I haven't been able to convince her to make a video--I am still working on it (hint, hint, A-j)!! Get a copy of her training--ya won't be disappointed!
Maribeth
 
RE: Swimsuits

Go for the swim lessons. I learned at 38. It took me 10 weeks of lessons, but I can do a legal IM, and actually joined a masters swim team. I competed in my first ever meet last winter at 40, and, well, was as fast as any good 8 year old!! It did not matter, because everyone is sooo nice.

Have a great day, gotta go swim!!

Dorothy
 
On the whole overtraining thing..i totally know the feeling.I still hear about it(working out to hard) from my husband and family..but i was a chubby kid and it is really hard to shake the thought about being that way again.So I definitely cannot throw stones on what you said!!
 
I am reading and identifying too with the fear of over/under training. I took Christmas day "off" and went for a 20 or 30 minute walk with my mother in law. Boy, I really felt it the next 2 days in front of the lower leg- the muscles around the shin area! I never go out for walks usually! A different kind of workout, even walking (pretty hard to do now in this weather) can be such a refreshing change.

Swimming and/or aqua aerobics should be great because it must be indoors! On days like these--it is just coming down in sheets right now-- I wish I had a treadmill.
 
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