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I am looking to improve and because of my commute, etc cannot make it to masters and cannot afforid private coaching. I did have a coach look at my freestyle a few weeks ago and told it was good-nothing huge or obvious, and pretty solid. SO now I am following workouts from a book, and I am liking the drills and sets rather than just swimming, which is what I used to do.
Do you think hand paddles or other equipment can help? if so, what kind? any ideas?
thanks!
if you've got decent form already paddles might be beneficial, but they can be hard on your shoulders. Pull buoys likewise will help isolate your pull and rotation, but can become a crutch as many triathletes don't kick enough and/or have poorer head position and their legs drag in the water (thus the pull buoy making their legs float is a crutch). Fins, well, I personally don't think fins/zoomers are a good investment for triathletes (see not kicking enough above) and they also become a crutch as a stand-in for an actual kicking effort.
I don't use anything except my goggles and the pool/lake. The drills will help with your form, keep checking back the coach every now and then to have your form evaluated and get tips on what to work on. Keep an eye on your times for the sets and stay tuned for incremental improvements. Swim with your tri friends if/when you can to keep it fun and bounce ideas off of each other. (Careful: other's opinions might not always be right, but the feedback can be worth considering)
But - that's all my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt....but I am a swimmer above the other 2 sports.
AW
If your stroke looks good I would suggest making sure you swim at least 3-4 times a week with a good amount of yardage (7-15K per week). Not sure how much you are currently doing nor what your race goals are...
Also, include a mix of intensities in your sets. Don't just doing everything in Z2-3. Mix in Z4 or sprints too.
I love using a pull buoy and paddles to help with my pull technique and replicate swimming with a wetsuit. I typically mix this into my sets like this: 3x300 free #1 pull with paddles, #2 pull (no paddles), #3 swim, followed by 3x100 free descend...or something like that. Note, I don't try to pull more than 50% of my workouts.
Team Danbury Audi - Triplet Mommy!!!
Thanks-I am shooting for and have been doing 2-3x/week, I will shoot for 3-4, and also get some paddles I think. And, maybe post on the howd you do thread to keep me accountable if only to myself!
I've done several IMs...slower than I think I can. So my goal race is an IM late in the season. Thanks great advice so far!
A rubber duck to put on the gutter and keep you company!
Seriously - I avoid paddles at all cost because of shoulder issues, so I'll defer to Jellyfish's advice there.
Kicking with a board, laying on your stomach with your head out of the water is a good way to work on body position... hips up! as is pulling with a band.
maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
If you get sharp pain in your shoulders when you swim with paddles loose the paddles. If no pain, paddles are OK :)
Team Danbury Audi - Triplet Mommy!!!
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jellyfish1: Jun 5, 09 12:47
I wouldn't use paddles on your own unless you've spent a time in coaches sessions with them without shoulder issues. They really are hard on the shoulders.
Be careful about pull buoy addiction- they let you get away with total crap for posture in the water. If you go far faster with one than without, then I'd limit buoy use until you feel like you're keeping your hips up well on your own. (Yeah, even if all your races are in a wetsuit)
Some fin swimming can be good because they can encourage better ankle flexibility and help you kick from the hips instead of from the knees. Plus it's a lot of fun to suddenly go Zoom! with them on. Just don't get dependent on them.
I went through a phase where I wouldn't use any toys. I taught myself how to pull without the buoy and did all my kicking on my back or face down w/o a board (sculling for breathes). I got to where my 100 M time pulling and regular swimming were very similar, so I know I wasn't relying on the buoy for body position. Now I'm swimming with a different coach and we use, paddles, fins, and buoys almost every workout. On the swims I do by myself I swim w/o the toys, but during masters I use them, and when I use them I can really focus on what I'm supposed to be doing.
did you just pull without kicking your legs? or tie them together?
thanks this is all super advice. I swam on my high school team and used to teach swimming 'back in the day' ...well that 'day' I'd get outta the pool to change into my uber80s outfits and put way too much mousse in my hair (a long time ago!) so much has changed. Flutter boards were the only toys we had, and we were taught to look forward while swimming, not so much rotation, all quite different and its kinda fun to relearn this and its my new project. Thanks for your help
I just swam with them behind me. Thinking about keeping them together and at the surface of the water. Not tying them together.
zoomer fins are a good tool. I am starting to like these - using them a bit as they take some pressure off my shoulders (trying to get back into swimming and am forever babying the R one). I like them for one arm drills because then you can do the drill @ speed and I'd rather do that than have to slow my whole stroke down.
said with the caveat that you mustn't become dependent upon them.
maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD