Swimmers - What do YOU think about?

Yes, all cap YOU for effect! xD

So I dabble in lots of cardio. Jogging, elliptical, biking, hiking, swimming, etc. For the most part, I listen to my iPod (when safe). I can't do it when I swim for obvious reasons :P, but I can't say I really miss music. Unlike most cardio activities, where I can just zone out, swimming requires 90% of my brain to focus on maintaining proper form, counting lanes, and not swimming into the elderly women swim-jogging the next lane over. But that other 10% tends to wander! Like today, I was doing a quick two sets of 10 laps, I started counting off 10 hot celebrity guys. xDD

Other times, it's 10 favourite cartoon characters, etc. So I guess what I just spent a whole paragraph asking is, what do you think about when you do lanes?

I swim daily, and my mind wonders a lot! If I need to keep track of laps (no lap counter) it goes from laps, to cars, to women, to breathing, to what else I need to do today, do I want to play basketball afterwards, to what is that on the bottom of the pool, to, to, to.......

Sorry, it really varies a lot. I need one of the swimming lap counters though, as I tend to have to swim extra laps because I can't be 100% sure if my count is accurate, and don't want to short myself (100 mile goal).

If I'm swimming long distances, I'll keep an eye on the clock instead of counting laps. My LSD pace is 1:50/100 yd, so as long as any given lap is around 55 seconds, I can figure out about how far I've gone (e.g. if I swim 33 minutes, that's 30 laps). That frees me up to think about stroke mechanics: I'll spend one lap focusing on one thing (pull all the way through, decrease amount of time spent on the recovery phase, keep a tight kick), and one lap letting my mind wander.

If I'm doing shorter sets, I'll count with the alphabet. For some reason, it's a lot easier for me to remember that I'm on lap Foxtrot or India than 6 or 9. I have dabbled with the Alphabetic Alcoholic (laps labeled Absolut, Bacardi, Cuervo) and Cats I Have Known (Abby, Buddy, Charlie), but I get distracted too easily and run into the wall. YMMV.

If I am swimming distance, I watch time mostly..I used to count by 10's, then I would lose track and start over, I know I can easily do 75-100 laps in an hour of free, so it doesn't really matter to me how many as long as I swim for the whole hour.

I usually break it up into 100's, I do 100 free, 100 with flippers, 100 kick, 100 breast and 100 pull, then start all over...I try to finish 5 of these in 1hour, but if I am tired, 4 is okay :)  I don't have to think to count to 4 :)

Once in a while I will do 20 laps free, then 20 pull, 20 free and 20 pull, I only count the even numbers, this helps me not lose track.

Good Luck, I might have to try some of your counting tricks too!

ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, haha. Mostly, how tired I am, because I usually have practice in the morning before school. Though, when I'm swimming, I tend to have my most philosophical thoughts, if that makes any sense? I also sing lyrics stuck in my head, it's the next best substitute for music. I just keep swimming and thinking when at practice, but during races, I'm usually pretty focused.

I actually don't think about anything.. About 5% of the time, my mind may start to wander but then I shut it down. I just focus on lap numbers. It's the one activity where my mind is blank.. I really like it.

Lots of times I play music on my head.  Just one repetetive beat I can stroke to.  I also count my lanes (I lose count WAY too easily).  Like, if I've done 100 yards and plan on 1000 non-stop, I say I've done .1 and my goal is 1.0.  And then do all sorts of math pf how much is left, how much I've done, how much time left.  it helps me keep count + occupies my mind.

Great topic!

I actually listen to music when I swim. I have the Finis Swimp3, which is awesome! You attach it to your goggles and it sits near your cheekbones and you can listen to your favorite music that keeps you motivated. Great investment!

When I forget to charge it or decide I want some quiet, I do mental math about how many yards are in a mile, feet in a mile, laps in a mile, etc. I do this while counting laps, so when doing mental math I actually lose track of where I was to make sure I know which lap I'm on and the cycle goes on for about the entire time I swim (usually 1-1.5 miles). Something so calming about numbers for me, I think.

It's kind of funny because I actually never figure out how many laps are in a mile while swimming unless I figure it out on land (which I have yet to do and don't want to bc it gives me something to think about while swimming). 

Original Post by lindseyf25:

Great topic!

I actually listen to music when I swim. I have the Finis Swimp3, which is awesome! You attach it to your goggles and it sits near your cheekbones and you can listen to your favorite music that keeps you motivated. Great investment!

Oh, that looks sweet! Maybe after I hit my midway goal. It would be so much easier if I had music, even more so when a upbeat song comes on

How long does a charge last?

I think it says approximately 4 hours. I swim between 30 to 75 minutes so it is charged most times, but sometimes I'll have used it for a few swim sessions and forget to plug it in.

Highly recommend it!

I count by sets and percentages.

For example, warmup is 1200 yards, I put that in the back of my mind and then focus on the coach's next set. Say it's 12x100's pull @1:40, then I count down from 12 per 100 AND figure out what percent of the set I'm through AND sing a song in my head or review my homework/notes in my head. Lol, I'm quite talented at how I spend my time swimming!

At the end of practice, I total up the yardage of each set, though usually it's somewhere between 2500-5900 yards, and then add that to 2nd practice, which usually totals to (w/both practices) 7000-9000 yards.

Ooh, some great ideas! I'm going to try doing different ABCs tomorrow at the pool. Hahah, and I know what you mean Sarah, sometimes I get these weird deep (hardeehar) thoughts when I'm swimming. Though when I get back on land, I'm usually like 'What were you thinking!?' :P

I'm still getting back into swimming, so I don't go for very long and pretty much stick to the same stroke at a steady speed, but when I mix it up I'll need to pay more attention to what I'm actually doing so I'll definitely try some of the other counting techniques then. 

Wow, that mp3 players looks nice! I've always been kinda curious about swimming mp3 players, but I worry the pool will kick me out or other swimmers will judge me or something. xD Have you ever had any problems with it?   

I don't even count, I just swim a certain way for a set time then switch up the stroke.  That way I can focus on day dreaming while swimming... you know, about being chased by sharks or if I were on Gossip Girl.  I do that when I run too.  That's probably not safe, but I love it.

Wow, that mp3 players looks nice! I've always been kinda curious about swimming mp3 players, but I worry the pool will kick me out or other swimmers will judge me or something. xD Have you ever had any problems with it?   

Its pretty cool! I usually get people looking at me weird, but I don't really mind. Most people actually ask what it is and how it works. Good conversation starter! No problems to date and I have had it for about 3 years.

Original Post by lindseyf25:

Wow, that mp3 players looks nice! I've always been kinda curious about swimming mp3 players, but I worry the pool will kick me out or other swimmers will judge me or something. xD Have you ever had any problems with it?   

Its pretty cool! I usually get people looking at me weird, but I don't really mind. Most people actually ask what it is and how it works. Good conversation starter! No problems to date and I have had it for about 3 years.

Cool! I definitely want to look into that then. I know I'm just really paranoid (you should've seen me watching videos on my iPod the first time at the gym - I was sure everyone was glaring at me xDD). Thanks! :)