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Can you swim?


Tazio

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Bear with me on this one. 
 

I’m pretty sure I can but I realised tonight that I’m 54 years old and the last time I actually swam was about 15 years ago as I don’t do beach holidays so have never had to do it. I know the theory is that once you can do it you never forget but I reckon I might struggle to do it now.  I certainly wouldn’t drown but I’m not sure I would travel far. 

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51 minutes ago, Tazio said:

Bear with me on this one. 
 

I’m pretty sure I can but I realised tonight that I’m 54 years old and the last time I actually swam was about 15 years ago as I don’t do beach holidays so have never had to do it. I know the theory is that once you can do it you never forget but I reckon I might struggle to do it now.  I certainly wouldn’t drown but I’m not sure I would travel far. 

If it comes down to sink or swim...

You will find that you can swim further than you thought mate.

 

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6 hours ago, Tazio said:

Bear with me on this one. 
 

I’m pretty sure I can but I realised tonight that I’m 54 years old and the last time I actually swam was about 15 years ago as I don’t do beach holidays so have never had to do it. I know the theory is that once you can do it you never forget but I reckon I might struggle to do it now.  I certainly wouldn’t drown but I’m not sure I would travel far. 

I can not-drown but I’m not very good at swimming - can’t do that ploughing through the water with the alternate head raise stuff.

Find swimming-for-excercise really dull.

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Bridge of Djoum
53 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

I swim most days but to say I was a good swimmer would be a lie. I am a slow breast stroke man.

 

:oohmatron:

You've been treading water here for years.

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Yes, was taught to swim when at primary school, wouldn't say I'm the strongest of swimmers but I'd like to think I could swim enough if my life depended upon it.

 

One thing we made sure we did when the kids were wee, was that from a very early age, when they were only weeks/months old, we took them to the local swimming pool and got them used to the water, and taught them to swim from a very early age.

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1 hour ago, FWJ said:

 

Find swimming-for-excercise really dull.

Totally agree with this. Always loved going swimming when my daughter was young, but to go swimming back and forth boring. Tried it after being told to stop playing 5s due to arthritis, just struggle to stick with it.

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7 hours ago, Tazio said:

Bear with me on this one. 
 

I’m pretty sure I can but I realised tonight that I’m 54 years old and the last time I actually swam was about 15 years ago as I don’t do beach holidays so have never had to do it. I know the theory is that once you can do it you never forget but I reckon I might struggle to do it now.  I certainly wouldn’t drown but I’m not sure I would travel far. 

 

I swam on holiday a few years ago for the first time in over 20 years. I could still do it, but it was a bit of a struggle tbh. 

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SectionDJambo

Only learned to swim in my 20s. Had a real fear of open water before a guy at work offered to help me, and another bloke, overcome the fear. A couple of visits to the Commonwealth Pool and I could swim,  slowly and not very efficiently.

Before this, I used to feel I was missing out on fun, if on a beach holiday. Now I only swim on holiday and can pick it up again easily.

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Still got my 50m Scottish Swimmer badge.

Proudly achieved in the pool in the basement of Bruntsfield Primary School about 1975.

When I was younger I could swim and float about pretty much without limit of time.

Now I think I'd go to the bottom like the rubber brick I rescued in my pyjamas.

 

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I P Knightley

Call me Mike

 

 

Maybe inspired by Rolf, my parents had me swimming at Warrender baths by about 4/5. Ended up swimming competitively throughout school but only do so very occasionally now. 

 

 

Edited by I P Knightley
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jack D and coke

Used to be like Johnny Weismuller as a youth. Don’t swim much these days but don’t think it’s something I’d ever get bad at. My fitness might come into but like riding a bike isn’t it. 

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5 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

Call me Mike

 

 

 

Is it sad that I remembered almost every word from this? :D

Edited by redjambo
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I P Knightley
3 hours ago, Ray Gin said:

 

I swam on holiday a few years ago for the first time in over 20 years. I could still do it, but it was a bit of a struggle tbh. 

When I swam competitively (up to age 16/17), I was ace at the front crawl and the backstroke. At Uni, I swam for exercise only and decided that the breast stroke was better all round (wrong!! - it's a killer on the lower back). After a few years of very little swimming, I found I could barely do one length of front crawl. Weird.

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I learned to swim in Primary 5 at school, got my Scottish Swimmer badges and swam every so often until about 2nd year at High School. 

 

It didn't really interest me much and I never really did it again until I decided I'd teach the bairn to swim when she was about 8 (about 16 years later).

 

So we went to Orlando on holiday and we went down to the pool early 1 morning, her with her water wings and me full of bravado.  I jumped in and promptly sunk.  So I tried again, and sunk.  And again, so I gave up and sent her to swimming lessons when we got home.

 

Next year we went to Paphos for our holiday and I hired a villa with a private pool as I wanted to try again without making a total **** of myself in front of everyone.  The good news is that I only made a total **** of myself in front of the bairn (who could swim like a fish by this point) and the Mrs, who was probably quite happy to see me drown.

 

I've never tried again and have just accepted that I've forgotten how to do it now.

 

I can still ride a bike though.

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Just now, jack D and coke said:

Used to be like Johnny Weismuller as a youth. Don’t swim much these days but don’t think it’s something I’d ever get bad at. My fitness might come into but like riding a bike isn’t it. 

 

To an extent, I was an excellent swimmer as a kid, winning school and cub scout competitions fairly regularly and was proficient in all 4 disciplines although butterfly was easily my weakest.

 

Years later and I'm down to 2, no danger could I even attempt butterfly anymore and not much better at backstroke. My breathing on freestyle is all over the place and I can barely manage a handful of lengths. It's not so much that i've forgotten how to do it, my body has lost all the muscle memory and coordination required.

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jack D and coke
2 minutes ago, Ribble said:

 

To an extent, I was an excellent swimmer as a kid, winning school and cub scout competitions fairly regularly and was proficient in all 4 disciplines although butterfly was easily my weakest.

 

Years later and I'm down to 2, no danger could I even attempt butterfly anymore and not much better at backstroke. My breathing on freestyle is all over the place and I can barely manage a handful of lengths. It's not so much that i've forgotten how to do it, my body has lost all the muscle memory and coordination required.

Yeah it’s probably a bit like playing fotbbal

again. I know what my brain is trying to do but my legs don’t seem to respond the way they used to :lol: 

I went porty baths a month or two ago though and done 40 lengths mixing between crawl and breaststroke with only a couple of stops in between so still reasonably fit. 

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We swim most days, but are both pretty crap at it!

 

My crawl is just ok and my breast stroke is so uncoordinated it’s untrue.

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Never known myself not to be able to Swim, I was practically brought up in Port Seton Pond, was able to dive of the high dive at 7 years old, remember that place fondly esp the midnight bathing and getting a hot cup of Bovril with my bus money and ended up walking home to Tranent instead of using Terry Wiles Bus, happy days.

Edited by allyby
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I can't swim, never even learned. I fell in a pool as a ten year old and it's given me the fear.

 

I can, at least, go in a pool up to chest height now (I'm 42) but I can't put my head under water and I still freak a bit when people are splashing about near me. Pretty gutted about it as well, quite fancy getting into it but I can't get over the fear.

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12 hours ago, Tazio said:

Bear with me on this one. 
 

I’m pretty sure I can but I realised tonight that I’m 54 years old and the last time I actually swam was about 15 years ago as I don’t do beach holidays so have never had to do it. I know the theory is that once you can do it you never forget but I reckon I might struggle to do it now.  I certainly wouldn’t drown but I’m not sure I would travel far. 

 

A month ago I went swimming for the first time in around 20 years. I stupidly assumed I'd be as good as I once was. I went to the Olympic training pool at the university of Bath. So I dived in albeit badly and almost drowned. I was as bad as I was at aged 5. Too proud/afraid to go for a refresher tuition. I used to love it

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As did others I learned to swim in primary school. I have passed Royal Life Saving certificates at school, in two police services. As a kid I swam in Portobello Pool,Warrender Baths and Infirmary Street Baths,and the sea, always concluding with the post swim treat of a shivery bite.. My wife as myself are both sun lovers, and we usually  vacationed where we could sun and swim. After cancer treatment I used swimming as the initiator of my rehab program. I am no longer a swimmer, but was for many years of my life, was not competitive but I was a strong swimmer. Its one of the things I now because of age and other reasons really miss, but some initiative shown by me could cause a resumption.

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I live swimming. I dont do it enough though. Exercises every muscle in the body they say. I'm 57 this year.

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alwaysthereinspirit
2 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Is it sad that I remembered almost every word from this? :D

Me too. Wouldn't even have had to open it.

I remember the other one with the wee smelly river and the kids being tempted to play near it by the grim reaper.

Hated that one.

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alwaysthereinspirit
5 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Me too. Wouldn't even have had to open it.

I remember the other one with the wee smelly river and the kids being tempted to play near it by the grim reaper.

Hated that one.

Found it.

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1 hour ago, Marvin said:

 

A month ago I went swimming for the first time in around 20 years. I stupidly assumed I'd be as good as I once was. I went to the Olympic training pool at the university of Bath. So I dived in albeit badly and almost drowned. I was as bad as I was at aged 5. Too proud/afraid to go for a refresher tuition. I used to love it

 

A short addition: Being an Olympic sized training pool it had no shallow end so after 1 ength I went to put my feet on the bottom of the pool and went straight down. Talk about making a dick of myself :facepalm:

 

 

Edited by Marvin
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38 minutes ago, alwaysthereinspirit said:

Found it.

 

Ah, yes, I remember that one now. Scary!

 

Another "Learn to swim" one I seem to remember is a lassie in a 1920's costume in a swimming pool with someone who also "swam like a fish". Perhaps. Can't find it though.

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Салатные палочки

I can remember being shite at swimming in primary school.  Then in high school I suddenly mastered the font crawl.  I remember finishing a few lengths and looked up and the teacher was standing there in shock.  She asked me to join the school team but I had already committed myself to the long-jump by producing a fluke long jump one day in P.E. and being able to replicate it a few times afterwards.  That meant days away from the school at competitions which mostly consisted of getting stoned and sitting about all day until we got absolutely hammered by people in spikes and lycra.  We met Paul Lambert at one once.  He was a total ****. 

Edited by Salad Fingers
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Bridge of Djoum

Love swimming. I learned when I was 5, my older brother chucking me in the Commie pool. Literally sink or swim! Luckily we have a pool in our apartment complex, I taught my daughters (4 and 5 yo) to swim there last summer. They took to it so easily. I guess it's one of those things easier to learn at a young age. Fantastic exercise, always feel much better after a good swim. I can't for the life of me understand those who can't swim. It's pretty straightforward, only takes a few sessions to learn the basics then keep on practicing to get a better rhythm and feel confident in the water. An essential life skill IMO. 

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Pretty good swimmer. Fitness is my biggest issue. Got my bronze medallion when at school so could have been a life guard if I wanted to. 

 

 

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fabienleclerq

Quite suprised at the responses so far, took it for granted everyone could swim! 

Edited by fabienleclerq
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I really struggled learning to swim, finally managed when I was 13-14 but had lessons prior to that and still couldn't do it.

 

Haven't swam in a long time but i'd manage easily now, far more powerful than I used to be. Would probably gas out pretty quickly though :laugh2:

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3 minutes ago, fabienleclerq said:

Quite suprised aylt the responses so far, took it for granted everyone could swim! 

 

I was a very good swimmer. Then I started smoking among other things. Nights out sex drugs and alcohol soon replaced the swimming. I still worked throughout and kept the candle burning. I really should get back into swimming because I  used to love it.

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fabienleclerq
4 minutes ago, Marvin said:

 

I was a very good swimmer. Then I started smoking among other things. Nights out sex drugs and alcohol soon replaced the swimming. I still worked throughout and kept the candle burning. I really should get back into swimming because I  used to love it.

 

Ive swam semi regular last couple of years, was never amazing but always able to jump in and swim a bit. 

 

Wee man is 5 and can swim without armbands etc, it's such an important skill imo. 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, fabienleclerq said:

 

Ive swam semi regular last couple of years, was never amazing but always able to jump in and swim a bit. 

 

Wee man is 5 and can swim without armbands etc, it's such an important skill imo. 

 

 

 

Could save your life one day. Unless the shock kills you first.

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10 hours ago, Bridge of Djoum said:

You've been treading water here for years.

Do you like a wee bit diving yourself, BoD?

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Bridge of Djoum
2 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Do you like a wee bit diving yourself, BoD?

Never dived myself, Morgan. Would if I was missing a rib, though.

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1 minute ago, Bridge of Djoum said:

Never dived myself, Morgan. Would if I was missing a rib, though.

Oh, very good!

 

I had to read that a few times 'til I got it though.

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Bridge of Djoum
Just now, Morgan said:

Oh, very good!

 

I had to read that a few times 'til I got it though.

It's your age...or my inability to put punctuation in the right, places.

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Just now, Bridge of Djoum said:

It's your age...or my inability to put punctuation in the right, places.

Your punctuation is fine.  Just like my, own

 

Must, be my age.

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, OmiyaHearts said:

I can't swim, never even learned. I fell in a pool as a ten year old and it's given me the fear.

 

I can, at least, go in a pool up to chest height now (I'm 42) but I can't put my head under water and I still freak a bit when people are splashing about near me. Pretty gutted about it as well, quite fancy getting into it but I can't get over the fear.

 was thrown in the deep end at donaldsons school when i was in the cubs, that gave me

the fear, now live 200 yds from drumbrae leisure centre, thinking about lessons.

Would love to be able to swim.

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2 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Ah, yes, I remember that one now. Scary!

 

Another "Learn to swim" one I seem to remember is a lassie in a 1920's costume in a swimming pool with someone who also "swam like a fish". Perhaps. Can't find it though.

 

It's further up the page.

 

I wish I didn't keep losing me birds. :) 

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Learned when I was 8 or 9 and was ok at breast stroke and back stroke but could never really get the hang of the front crawl. We always have a pool on holiday so I usually do ten lengths or so (slowly) before getting knackered. Wish I didn’t find it boring as it’s great exercise. Got my kids lessons early doors and they’re both better swimmers than me but also find it boring. 
 

Do think the main thing you get out of lessons is not to panic in the water and learning how to float. Because if you get caught in a riptide, fall off a boat or fall in the deep end of a pool, those are the main things you need (knowing how to swim helps of course!).

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33 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

 was thrown in the deep end at donaldsons school when i was in the cubs, that gave me

the fear, now live 200 yds from drumbrae leisure centre, thinking about lessons.

Would love to be able to swim.

 

My dad couldn't swim, someone threw him in a pool when he was young, like yourself.

The best I ever managed to get him into water was up to his chest in a pool on holiday, him holding onto the side with one hand and onto me with the other, trust me it was a major achievement even getting him into a pool in the first place, far less going up to his chest.

After he'd done that, he was quite happy to do it by himself, still held onto the sides but didn't need me to hold onto him.

 

Go for it, never too late or old to learn, I'm sure there will be classes for non-swimmers to learn how to swim at the leisure centre.

 

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I was like Mark Spitz when I went swimming with my primary school in '72.

 

Couldn't swim a stroke, but I was the only boy in P5 with a moustache.

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My favourite swimming story.

 

I was born with Scoliosis and wore back braces from 9 months till I was 12 and got it operated on. Because of my braces I was quite strong in my shoulders as a kid as bending at the back was difficult. I enjoyed swimming and was pretty decent due to my strong shoulders.

 

I attended the midlothian football teams swim gala when I was 10 or 11. I was in the breaststroke final but ended up almost missing it as we never heard it announced. We had to rush and my Dad had to take my brace off at the side of the pool in front of all the other parents who had obviously never seen such a thing. As I walked round to the start parents were wishing me well and telling me just to try my best and not worry about the result which I thought odd. Anyhoo I blitzed the competition and raced to victory resulting in loads of folk cheering and my Dad overheard someone who had tears in her eyes shouting " I cant believe the wee spastic won!"

 

 

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Used to be very good but not so much anymore.

 

You never forget how but you lose technique and fitness if you stop doing it. Like anything i guess. 

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