That's how many yards I've swam since I began recording them, back in June '05. I probably put in 90,000 before that.
This is kind of a follow up to the "Is this how good swimming feels?" thread for my fellow novice swimmers.
- Nothing is more important than body position. Luckily, that's easy to improve to a passable level.
- If you think you're not lifting your head, you probably are. You have to KNOW you aren't, and it probably feels like you are *lowering* it when you breathe to be sure you aren't. Trying that made me realize I still was, even though one eye stayed submerged. Fixing it has knock-on effects (like making it easier to not drop the other arm/elbow).
- Overcompensation is a must. See the point above. Same for crossing over, etc.
- Too much roll = too much sinking.
- Kicking isn't needed for good body position. BUT I sure need it to "anchor" my rotation and pull. It matters. So you can't just say "my kick sucks, and doesn't get me anywhere during kick sets, so I ain't kicking." Note to self: start back up on kick sets.
- I hate cheating, but Zoomers are great for drills and swimming (part of the time). They really do teach a lot, and as a bonus give the ankles a good stretching.
- Pull-Bs are just plain evil. Nothing feels right, and my shoulders actually hurt using it.
- Your elbows can always get "higher" (for catch/pull).
- The best all-in-one drill is one-arm swim. It's kind of like one-sided catch-up, so does many things at once. But pay sharp attention during drills, don't just go through the motions. I ONLY improve when I really focus, and then apply it to the full stroke, again with focus.
I know I'll never be a good or fast swimmer, having started so old and having a shoulder that limits me to ~10-12K/week. Just pushing my limits.
**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.
Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.
This is kind of a follow up to the "Is this how good swimming feels?" thread for my fellow novice swimmers.
- Nothing is more important than body position. Luckily, that's easy to improve to a passable level.
- If you think you're not lifting your head, you probably are. You have to KNOW you aren't, and it probably feels like you are *lowering* it when you breathe to be sure you aren't. Trying that made me realize I still was, even though one eye stayed submerged. Fixing it has knock-on effects (like making it easier to not drop the other arm/elbow).
- Overcompensation is a must. See the point above. Same for crossing over, etc.
- Too much roll = too much sinking.
- Kicking isn't needed for good body position. BUT I sure need it to "anchor" my rotation and pull. It matters. So you can't just say "my kick sucks, and doesn't get me anywhere during kick sets, so I ain't kicking." Note to self: start back up on kick sets.
- I hate cheating, but Zoomers are great for drills and swimming (part of the time). They really do teach a lot, and as a bonus give the ankles a good stretching.
- Pull-Bs are just plain evil. Nothing feels right, and my shoulders actually hurt using it.
- Your elbows can always get "higher" (for catch/pull).
- The best all-in-one drill is one-arm swim. It's kind of like one-sided catch-up, so does many things at once. But pay sharp attention during drills, don't just go through the motions. I ONLY improve when I really focus, and then apply it to the full stroke, again with focus.
I know I'll never be a good or fast swimmer, having started so old and having a shoulder that limits me to ~10-12K/week. Just pushing my limits.
**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.
Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.