swimmimg for fitness- best technique?

Question

I'm self taught and was sure my stroke could use some refining. I found a coach at the local pool and after one brief lesson feel like my progress went backword.
Typically I swim in the ocean and when at the pool swim in the same style. Usaully a mile with no stopping, and have never wanted to wear speedos or shave as I'm one of those type of guys and speed is not that important to me. Well my new coach claims my surf trunks impede my stroke leading to decreased efficency. He also wants me to knock off my long swims and swim "intervals" with the resting claiming these will lead to not only faster swims but increased fitness- is this true?. I could see how the different strokes would exercise different muscles but I do other land exercises for some of those muscles I'm certain. He wants me to glide with my hands instead of digging which is what I was working on today. I don't feel like I got a good workout as I got tired really fast and a little frustrated. He was teaching 20 students

Answer 1

interval training is a highly effective training technique and especially when you are exercising at maximum effort.

Answer 2

Is swimming your only form of exercise? If so, your body will respond better if you vary your workout - so intervals are a great idea. As far as your form and what you're wearing: unless you're training for the Olympic trials, I'd say do whatever works for you. I swim a couple of times a week, and rarely do I see men in Speedos - they're all just in trunks.

Answer 3

I agree with your first answer. How can you not get a good workout if you got tired. That is probably a sign that you are working muscles you probably haven't worked before... or your body doing something different. I know my body got tired when I used to swim when I changed the way I kicked my legs when I swam laps etc....