So I'm young, so I won't speak to your medical limitations. Assuming your doc signed off, great, I'll treat you like any other beginner:

Compared to a lot of STers, I'm pretty slow. Really slow. You've got people here putting down 1:20/100m times like it's nothing. For some perspective, I'd probably call that like... 6ish min miles (broadly, just getting your mind in the right area.) I can swim ~~1:50s/100m, open water. That's like mid 9's/mile. It's also COMPLETELY good enough if your goal is to just get through the swim and onto the course. The swim cutoffs for most races are long enough, basically, that if you're moving, you've got plenty of time. You don't need to be fast at all.

I'm an adult learner swimmer who went from as little swimming ability as possible to an open water olympic in 3.5 months in <40min (including extra distance for bad sighting.) Here's what I did: 3 weeks of 2x weekly adult learn to swim classes at my rec. It took me three weeks to be able to swim a 25m. From there, another couple weeks 3-5x weekly in the pool trying to get better. From there, the Ruth Kazez 0-700 plan and then eventually the 0-1650. Lots of YouTube. I'm sure with a coach I would have gotten much better, much faster.

If your goal is to be truly swim competitive, honestly your age will be a disadvantage, but not due to fitness. Swimming is so technique-based that those people that have been swimming for longer than I've been alive can casually glide by me like dolphins, while I'm sure working less hard than I am. It'll take many years to get that good. If your goal is to be decent enough to get through the swim comfortably in the middle of the pack, then get onto the rest of the race? You can absolutely do it.

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JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.

Thanks, Justin. That's a big help. I'm literally at the blank-sheet-of-paper stage.

For sure. If you can afford/have access to/the scheduling works, a coach is always going to be better than not. I'd strongly vote to get a coach for the first few weeks, at least. Even just an adult learn-to-swim at a YMCA or rec pool is perfectly fine, just gotta get those super basics in. From there, if possible, continue coaching. I can vouch it's not a requirement, though.

If you don't have a coach, do your learn-to-swim classes then this: http://ruthkazez.com/...eamble/pre-zero.html and then http://ruthkazez.com/...ing/ZeroTo1mile.html They will get you to a mile on your own. To avoid just plagiarizing her, go read everything she writes on the second link, specifically the "note about technique." I agree with her.

And to be clear, like I said, a coach will always be better. It's hard to self-identify, and you will have technique flaws. But in terms of 'competently, comfortably get through a sprint," you can do it in like 2 mos from today.

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JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.

No, 58 is not too late especially if you possess a significant fitness base from other aerobic sports.

But there is no way to really know without you first trying.

First, get in the water and flail around a bit for a few times a week for, say, a max of 2-3 weeks. Then get some smart help. And you absolutely GOTTA get some smart (one-on-one) help. But how to find said help? We have a short post about this exact topic right here:

http://darkspeedworks.com/blog-swimcoach.htm

Good luck !

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Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook
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Last year, a friend of mine who never swam in any form took swimming lessons. He did a sprint 2 months later. It wasn't pretty, but he did a sprint. Had he kept at it, he probably could have been swimming in 1:50/100yd range this year. Heck, after just those two months of swimming lessons, he was at 2:20/100yd.

So, I would say it comes pretty fast if you work at it.

Try Total Immersion.

There are people here who are virulently against it, because it doesn't encourage the kind of fast swimming they're into. But as a way of learning to get through the water easily - which is what you as a beginner need - it's almost perfect.

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'It never gets easier, you just get crazier.'

You can definitely do it!

I went from never swimming a lap to comfortably swimming to a 1:15 ironman swim in 6.5 months. I did it without a coach using books, YouTube, reading a lot, and practice.

I remember first time I got Ina pool and tried to swim a lap I thought I’d drown. I flailed about and took probably 5 minutes to get across the pool. It took about a month for me to get comfortable breathing while swimming, which once that happened the rest got easier.

What really helped me was this book: https://www.amazon.com/...cp_api_3qRpBbD7QGW04

It helped to break things down. I also invested in swim cords to help as well.

I will say that 4 years later I’m a solid MOP swimmer and probably have all sorts of terrible technique that’d take forever to fix if I did get a coach.

But for doing triathlon to just have fun and be comfortable getting through the swim I’m happy with the route I took.

Just exchange some DNA with Ken Lehner and you should be able to make quick progress as an adult onset swimmer.

Ya, that book, Swim Speed Secrets by Sheila Taormina, is great; Sheila T does an awesome job of explaining why a strong pull is essential to becoming a strong swimmer. She wrote that book more or less as a direct rebuttal of the "Total Immersion" school of swim instruction, which emphasizes reducing drag over improving power. Obv drag is super important but having very low drag but very low power is going to get you anywhere fast. Having good to great power is very important in swimming, just like in cycling.

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

The best time was 50+ years ago. Second best time is now.

Do a course / clinic geared to swimming for newbies. Doesn’t really matter which one at this point, they’ll all get you better than you are now. But on top of that, spend time just being in the water and moving around. it’ll help you learn what proper pressure and resistance feels like, and feel for the water is everything.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Total immersion.

Body position first.

Body roll second.

Then stroke.

Do it the other way around and you'll be swimming uphill and bending your waist well forever.

Totally agree with you and Georged. Beginners are less confident about getting air and end up doing a cross between dog paddle and freestyle and get into a habit of swimming head up feet down. Total Immersion teaches you to roll like a log on the surface of the water to get air without using your hands to lift your head out of the water. There is no better habit to get into as it is position in the water first from which all else follows. If there is one thing TI does really well it's that it teaches you to stop rushing the stroke to get air.

Take a swim class at the local Y. I did this when I started doing triathlons since even though I could swim, it was limited to going in the water at a beach, friend's pool etc and moving around by a few strokes. My first time going to the pool to do laps, there was a kids swim club that had just finished a workout; I jump in and start flailing away as hard as I can, head out of the water whipping to both sides, splashing half the water out of the pool. I get to the wall, turn and do the same thing on the way back. I complete my lap, gasping for breath and chest pounding. I get out of the pool and immediately throw up in the trash barrel in the corner, right in front of all these 8-yr old swim club kids, and slink home in defeat. I signed up for lessons the next day to learn properly technique and it made such a huge difference.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

Great idea, but there's no local Y here. Nearest indoor pool is 30 miles away. Not convenient, but not insurmountable. I plan to check on lessons.

I started in the fall of 2016 (with a minor prior background) at 47 years old. I started with TI, then eventually graduated to the Guppy Challenge. Then I got a set of lessons from a local swim coach (6 total----1 lesson every 6 weeks or so). He gave me a few drills and workouts to work on a stroke defect or two. I completed two Olympic tris last fall...one swim was 31 minutes, the other 41 (really rough and windy).

Following my last tri, I did a swim focus through December...by the end of that I was swimming 20x100scy @ 1:34 pace on 20s rest.

I agree starting with TI is a great way to go. BUT, its good to know when to move on. I think I spent too much time doing the TI workouts instead of graduating to more fitness oriented training---I'm sure how much time is an individual thing. I think once you are flat, rolling, breathing comfortably, and stroking decently...its time to move on.

I know swim-golf can be somewhat contentious, but I was told once that if you can swim 3x50scy with a BALANCED sub-80 score (40s + 40 strokes), then its time to move on to fitness swimming. Looking back at my own progression, I got to that point in about 2 months of TI. I continued to do the TI stuff for another 2-3 months...but, I didn't see any further change in my 3x50 golf score either in combined, or pace, or strokes.

Once I switched over to the Guppy workouts I was absolutely crushed by a single 200 yard swim. I ended up having to do each guppy workout several times before moving on to the next progression...just because I wasn't swim-FIT enough for continuous swimming. The sample workouts in the original TI book...just don't make you work that hard.

Biggest leaps in swimming I made when I learned how to properly swim was joining a masters swim group, that has a coach on deck for the swims.
They are great for staying competitive with your lane for aerobic work.
Good coaches will give you pointers and answer questions after watching you.

Next best is to video record your swim as it is and find a coach to run a quick form analysis and set up a plan with drills.

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Ryan
http://www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com
http://www.TriathlonTrainingDaddy.com
I got plans - https://www.trainingpeaks.com/...dotcom#trainingplans

Actually, you will be able to learn well. I used to teach an adult only class and their progress was insane! An increased reasoning power and attention span over younger ones will serve you well. I would absolutely suggest one on one to start if you can find a good teacher. The key is to relax, as most try to swim too fast (to stay afloat) when it is body position that is so important. A good teacher will get you far ahead of any other method. While it's unlikely you will beat the former competitive athletes (but as stated earlier some do), you can get very close. Patience, a very high frequency of swim sessions (with shorter duration) and teaching and I have no doubt you'll do well.

Definitely go for it! What's the worst that can happen - you don't like it, and no problemo.

Total Immersion is a good book to start with. I don't recommend it for swimmers who are at the stage who are actively trying to get faster (as opposed to 'just surviving the swim'), but the basic drills and beginner methodology is spot on for not fighting the water and getting proper body position.

I will also add my 2 cents perspective - I too was an AOS swimmer, from a running background. I found that getting to the point where I could swim the race distance in a pool quite easy after learning to relax in the water. That part was great!

I was, however, really, really slow. And there was no easy fix for me on this one. I probably have low-talent levels in swimming as I trained as hard as I could (shoulder pain limiting when I started), did all the videos, studied books, got some legit coaching at times to check the stroke, but it literally took me years to just get out of the back of the pack, and nearly two years to get out of the bottom 20% of the swim in triathlons. So don't be frustrated if you find you're slow compared to triathlon swimmers - it comes quickly for some, but not so quickly for most.

I've posted this before...

My wife (of 35 years now) has followed me into every endeavor that I've decided to try. When I fell running cross country 10 years I decided to give triathlon a try. Of course my wife wanted to do them as well. I had swam in high school, college, and in the Navy. I had never seen her get her hair wet. Turns out at 47 she had never learned to swim.

10 years later she is a 2 time Ironman finisher, about a dozen 70.3's, and too many sprints and Olympics to count. Here best open water swim pace is 2:15 per 100, which on here would be laughed at, but she completes the swims in plenty of time, never panics in rough water, and has a very good time doing it.

So, its never too late, and don't worry about your performance.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

It's never too late. I'm 45 and I started leaning to swim just a few years ago. I've just found reviews about best triathlon wetsuit to order one for myself. This year I want to do my first few sprints. Good luck with your learning!

I was searching for something else and found this thread.

I just wanted to say it's never too late and you're never too old. I was almost 42 years old when I learned to swim from complete scratch (blowing bubbles and trying to get across the pool). I had a fear of putting my head under water for most of my life so swimming never happened for me (I still feel minor panic if I get too hypoxic). After a 3 month long running injury in 2012, I decided to finally get over it and learn to swim with the help of my husband who swam in college. 6 years later I've done 2 full IMs and a handful of halves. I'm still one of the slower swimmers at masters but can get through the workouts since I'm strong and have good endurance. I can run a 90 minute half marathon but struggle to swim a 90 second 100 yards. My swimming is very slow in comparison to my land sports because I didn't develop that body-feel you get when you're a child/teen swimmer. But there is hope for us older folks learning to swim. I'll probably never be the top woman out of the water but I am making progress each year. If I can do it, anyone can learn to swim. I went from a train wreck in the pool to MOP (upper third) triathlon swimmer. And I still have a ways to go. Just keep working at it.

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Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

I'm 57. I got back in the water at 55. Before that, I haden't been in a pool since 1989. I sucked back then, as I never had any lessons. My how times have changed. I've use youtube lessons exclusively, mostly "effortless swimming". My first attempt in the water two years ago, yielded a 2:19 pace, for a one time all out 100 yards. Now, 2 years later, my best olympic tri swim pace, so far, is 1:28/100y. Maybe not speedy compared to some of you all, but I'm really happy with it. So I would say YES, you can learn, and do quite well, starting later in life.

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Athlinks / Strava

I was worried about this too..... not super old, but 38 and have never been a swimmer or done any sort of triathlon.

Last summer I signed up for IMLP and kinda put off getting into the pool at all until this past January with 7 months to go. Literally googled the "zero to one mile" swim program and started it slightly worried about meeting the swim cutoff.

Got a bit more comfortable in the water, and just swam 2-3x a week leading into Placid, no specific workouts or drills... just kinda getting time in the water. I come from a run background, and this is the exact advice I would give anyone running their first marathon, just spend time getting miles in and dont worry about anything. Not saying that was the best idea, but whatever... it worked.

I ended up swimming a very comfortable 1:17 in Placid, and can't believe I was ever worried about the cutoff. Stoked to get into the pool this off-season and make some legit gainz with technique and workouts though.

Good on her and I'd never laugh at that swim time. I've been at this game for 7 years and I'm still at 2:15/100. I keep plugging away but I'm comfortable at that pace.

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My race site: https://racesandplaces.wixsite.com/racesandplaces