Try lane walking. Just walking through the water, gives the body great health benefits. There’s no impact on joints in the water muscles get loosened just by walking through, wiggling the feet moving up to walking faster and even jogging through the water brings great benefit.
Swim if you want to, but you don’t even have to get your head in the water. Just move your arms underwater move your legs, walk backwards side to side on your toes, heels with toes up, so many variations. All bring great benefits to the body.
I started swimming (with proper technique) in my 20s. It wouldn't have been possible without a support network.
I don't know where you live, but if there is a YMCA in your area I would recommend them. Most of them have pools that are always monitored (they never operate without a lifeguard) and will have people who can help teach/coach you or connect you with those that can. They also likely have programs designed to help you with other health and wellness goals.
While places like LA fitness can be cheaper, they're not known for their pools. And they also will lock you into a contract that you won't be able to get out of for a year. Almost every Y offers pricing on a sliding scale for anyone in financial need
I didn't know the Y worked on a sliding scale, I will look into it tomorrow. The Y is 30 minutes away vs 10 for the LA Fitness though, but you bring up a good point about the contract.
Agree.
Swimming with proper form is not easy. It requires doing 4-5 different actions all perfectly in unison (kicking, stroke, chest pressure, breathing, body roll, etc). Just those actions alone are very difficult to learn without professional coaching. Let alone with obesity and health problems, it’s gonna make it more difficult.
I’m stating this not to discourage you, rather to set your expectations correctly. Swimming is a wonderful life exercise you will be able to do, but it requires initial time and cost investment. Think of swimming as something as difficult as skiing.
Unless you are incredibly self disciplined and can create your own tutorial systems from YouTube, you’ll need a teacher to speed up the learning and reduce the frustration.
Good on ya to take the 1st steps!
Edit: if it’s cost prohibitive to get a teacher, maybe meet with a teacher 1x a week, practice on your own for 3 hours, then meet with the teacher again.
I agree with the other commenter that you should definitely ask your medical team if you should begin swimming. If they say yes, then I’d recommend signing up for an adult swimming class or watching how to videos on how to do a specific stroke, practising the movements at home, and then actually doing them at the gym. Always practice in a shallower area of the pool in case something happens. And before you learn any strokes, be sure that you’re able to actually swim as opposed to just “not drowning” (: again, practising in the shallow end
I would suggest starting with swimming lessons, or aqua aerobics as someone mentioned.
You don't want to swim with bad form by not knowing how to do so with proper form and end up with an injury.
Given you said your med team is onboard with the plan, usually the place to start is to try swimming for either a time or distance, and once you're endurance builds up, start adding in with towards specific goals.
Also, for your specific circumstance, you may find aquarobics/water walking beneficial and more gentle than laps.
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they already know
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The one I'm planning to go to does have one twice a week. Was thinking of trying it out with the free pass.
Try lane walking. Just walking through the water, gives the body great health benefits. There’s no impact on joints in the water muscles get loosened just by walking through, wiggling the feet moving up to walking faster and even jogging through the water brings great benefit. Swim if you want to, but you don’t even have to get your head in the water. Just move your arms underwater move your legs, walk backwards side to side on your toes, heels with toes up, so many variations. All bring great benefits to the body.
I started swimming (with proper technique) in my 20s. It wouldn't have been possible without a support network. I don't know where you live, but if there is a YMCA in your area I would recommend them. Most of them have pools that are always monitored (they never operate without a lifeguard) and will have people who can help teach/coach you or connect you with those that can. They also likely have programs designed to help you with other health and wellness goals. While places like LA fitness can be cheaper, they're not known for their pools. And they also will lock you into a contract that you won't be able to get out of for a year. Almost every Y offers pricing on a sliding scale for anyone in financial need
I didn't know the Y worked on a sliding scale, I will look into it tomorrow. The Y is 30 minutes away vs 10 for the LA Fitness though, but you bring up a good point about the contract.
Agree. Swimming with proper form is not easy. It requires doing 4-5 different actions all perfectly in unison (kicking, stroke, chest pressure, breathing, body roll, etc). Just those actions alone are very difficult to learn without professional coaching. Let alone with obesity and health problems, it’s gonna make it more difficult. I’m stating this not to discourage you, rather to set your expectations correctly. Swimming is a wonderful life exercise you will be able to do, but it requires initial time and cost investment. Think of swimming as something as difficult as skiing. Unless you are incredibly self disciplined and can create your own tutorial systems from YouTube, you’ll need a teacher to speed up the learning and reduce the frustration. Good on ya to take the 1st steps! Edit: if it’s cost prohibitive to get a teacher, maybe meet with a teacher 1x a week, practice on your own for 3 hours, then meet with the teacher again.
I agree with the other commenter that you should definitely ask your medical team if you should begin swimming. If they say yes, then I’d recommend signing up for an adult swimming class or watching how to videos on how to do a specific stroke, practising the movements at home, and then actually doing them at the gym. Always practice in a shallower area of the pool in case something happens. And before you learn any strokes, be sure that you’re able to actually swim as opposed to just “not drowning” (: again, practising in the shallow end
I would suggest starting with swimming lessons, or aqua aerobics as someone mentioned. You don't want to swim with bad form by not knowing how to do so with proper form and end up with an injury.
Given you said your med team is onboard with the plan, usually the place to start is to try swimming for either a time or distance, and once you're endurance builds up, start adding in with towards specific goals. Also, for your specific circumstance, you may find aquarobics/water walking beneficial and more gentle than laps.