Coffeeholic:
You are never too old to start working out, you are already too old not to.
Hi Coffee
I’ve been reading your posts with interest for a number of years and your career change inspired me.
I started swimming about 6 years ago as a way to keep in shape. I had lessons at my local pool for a while and also attended weekend workshops to improve my strokes. I used to try and park up for the night wherever there was a pool close. I bought videos and books and tried to put into action everything I learned.
I went on a weekend course about a year ago and was asked to consider becoming an instructor. At the age of 52 I was quite taken aback by this and spent months deliberating what to do. One night I was looking at your posts and saw that you were going to give it a go and from then I’ve never looked back. I have taken my first ASA qualification and will be taking the next one in May.
I am also studying with Art of Swimming which is a more holistic style of swimming and promotes better body awareness.
Hopefully I will be qualified by the end of the year and maybe on the path to a new career.
Your post when you were going was a big factor in my decision and helped me to look in a different direction
Thanks for everything
Dave
I qualified as a swimming club coach a number of years ago also hold the Rescue test for swimming teachers & coaches have a few books still did coach for a while but work & other changes ment I had to give it up
Coffeeholic:
You are never too old to start working out, you are already too old not to.
Hi Coffee
I’ve been reading your posts with interest for a number of years and your career change inspired me.
I started swimming about 6 years ago as a way to keep in shape. I had lessons at my local pool for a while and also attended weekend workshops to improve my strokes. I used to try and park up for the night wherever there was a pool close. I bought videos and books and tried to put into action everything I learned.
I went on a weekend course about a year ago and was asked to consider becoming an instructor. At the age of 52 I was quite taken aback by this and spent months deliberating what to do. One night I was looking at your posts and saw that you were going to give it a go and from then I’ve never looked back. I have taken my first ASA qualification and will be taking the next one in May.
I am also studying with Art of Swimming which is a more holistic style of swimming and promotes better body awareness.
Hopefully I will be qualified by the end of the year and maybe on the path to a new career.
Your post when you were going was a big factor in my decision and helped me to look in a different direction
Thanks for everything
Dave
Glad I could play a part Dave, but it’s all you and your desire which made it happen.
I love my career change, best thing I have ever done and I hope it all works for you as well. Do it, no regrets, no looking back because you aren’t going that way.
I walk up to around 40 miles per week. A bit less now as I’ve managed to lose 4 stone in the last year (and I wasn’t that overweight!!).
I also do free weights, bought in the sale at Argos for 16 quid. Muscles developing nicely. Well, not so flabby!!
Gym is expensive to get to, time consuming and full of posers, so I prefer walking!
I felt worse in the gym by catching all the bugs they bring in.Some do not wipe off the machines and perspiration is left there.
Find a canal or river to walk along.No membership or induction fees for that.
well - I’m on my way now! I’ve just passed my ASA level 2 award in teaching aquatics so I am now officially a swimming teacher!!!
Got a few more courses to do to further my knowledge but will now start to look to change my work/life balance.
If I can increase the teaching and decrease the driving that will be great and I can maybe get my life back!!
Happy days!!
A good thread this, I recently joined the gym well I joined on Friday but went for the first time yesterday, but my story goes as this. Ive always struggled with my weight that and being to lazy to do ■■■■ all but well with late events with my dad with him being out of work due to having an operation on his back which stems from his weight problems that he had and well needless to say its given me the kick up my arse i needed as i don’t want to be in that frame of health in my 40’s.
So yesterday i weighed myself for the first time in over 2 years and the result wasn’t good at a whopping 22st 13. The goal for me is to get down to 15 stone so about 7-8 stone, my diets changed to more white meat and fish and bread has been cut out of the diet completely. Next weigh in will be about 6-8 weeks. So I’ll see how i get on, lost the weight before ill do it again. Maybe start going swimming again soon but ill see.
jonnytruckfest:
Maybe start going swimming again soon but i’ll see
I felt the same as you do about 10 yrs ago. I needed to find something that I could do on a regular basis that wouldn’t knacker me up. I think I can honestly say that swimming saved my life!
With it being low impact and the water bearing your weight it is a great exercise for anyone to do. I was a non swimmer and had no desire to enter a swimming pool or any body of water at all - now I can’t wait to get there.
Check out the ‘Art of Swimming’ pages on youtube. Also ‘Total Immersion’. These are aimed at more mature people and are a great way to build up your skills. Water confidence is the key and also breathing out into the water. Take your time and just push and glide and float around for a while. It’s a great way to calm down after a day on the road.
I always feel exhilarated when I come away from the pool whether I’ve done 1 length or 50 - I try not to count laps and just do what I feel like on the night. I’ve learned to swim all four strokes and mix and match them together in a pretty random manner.
The key to it all is to enjoy what you do and have fun - then it doesn’t become a chore.
Good luck
I find walking along the beach great but then I do live not that far away
There are plenty of adult swimming lessons available if you really want & no most dont treat you like you stupid as I do know a guy that cant float at all he just sinks & lies on the bottom
Well, I’ve just been accepted as a voluntary swimming teacher at my local council pool.
It’s a way to gain experience and meet people that can further my knowledge.
My ASA course tutor reckons in a couple of months I should be ready to take my own lessons and become a paid teacher.
Hopefully this time next year I might be in a position to jack in the driving and teach full time!
If anyone would have told me I would be following this path 10 years ago I 'd have thought they were crazy.
It all goes to show that you’re never too old to try new things and have dreams and ambitions…
davidj247:
Well, I’ve just been accepted as a voluntary swimming teacher at my local council pool.
It’s a way to gain experience and meet people that can further my knowledge.
My ASA course tutor reckons in a couple of months I should be ready to take my own lessons and become a paid teacher.
Hopefully this time next year I might be in a position to jack in the driving and teach full time!
If anyone would have told me I would be following this path 10 years ago I 'd have thought they were crazy.
It all goes to show that you’re never too old to try new things and have dreams and ambitions…
Go for it!!!
I am an ASA qualified coach done this a few years back was at the City of Newcastle swimming club both of my kids did swim for them but due to a change in my circumstances I had to stop
Good luck with it oh I still have all my books & course work
Joined a Gym last Year. Has Branches Nationwide and open 24/7.
Positive effect isn’t that high as i just go when Shift let me so.
I am now in California hiking.
Exact location is Bishop in Owens Valley. Its not too Hot,but with 15 to 22 Degree Celsius too nice for staying indoor.
Im here now a Week and do now so around 5 Miles to 7 Miles a Day. Staying in a Hostel,surrounded by Climers and other sporty People,so seating around is not accepted.
I just had to start doing more intensive as my Blood Sugar went too high.
Hope it shows a more positive Reading after 5 Weeks here. Its a easy Choise. Norwegian Air got me £370.- out of the Pocket for London-LA-London. Hostel is around £15.- a Night and eating&drinking is cutter down anyway.
i thought id try joining a gym as a way of meeting women as well as keeping fit…it lasted until i asked the instructor what would be my best choice of machine to impress the women with…the cash machine at the door was the only reply…end of gym…mostly i fing the best way is to sit up in bed in the morning,swing my legs onto the floor,and then its .up one two,down one two,then i do it again with the other sock,works well enough for me…
dieseldog999:
i thought id try joining a gym as a way of meeting women as well as keeping fit…it lasted until i asked the instructor what would be my best choice of machine to impress the women with…the cash machine at the door was the only reply…end of gym…mostly i fing the best way is to sit up in bed in the morning,swing my legs onto the floor,and then its .up one two,down one two,then i do it again with the other sock,works well enough for me…
Gym I used to go to some of the blokes got banned for ■■■■■■■ on the coals in the sauna enough to make your eyes water I tell ya
enough to make your eyes water I tell ya