Hi
i know that sounds like a dumb question, but I have concerns.
i have been reading some of the posts on this site and people are talking of swimming 5 or 6 days a week, I would love to do that.
Currently I swim 3 times a week and put in 3,500 yards a session . I would like to increase this but for the last couple of years every time it get going I end up with tendinitis in my elbows and or shoulders. The doctors always say I'm over doing it and to back off.
it seems I should be able to up my yardage or amount of swim days but I'm always afraid of injury, I am starting to get a little faster now and can feel my elbows threatening me.
Could this be a stroke problem ? Or maybe I'm susceptible to tendinitis ?
Any ideas how to get around this and spend more time in the pool would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You, Tom
Thanks for the replys
I am just a fitness swimmer no racing. I have had a few very good swimmers look over my stroke and the results are always, i have a very good stroke. Im not saying its perfect and maybe im doing something under water that is wrong and not easily seen, but i'm pretty sure there are no major errors with it.
I hesitate to do leg drills, i understand the reasoning to break up your routine. On my days off I do track workouts with some pretty hard sprints although I don't have any leg problems I believe I am pushing them just about to the limit as it is and swim days are kind of an off day for the legs. At least thats how I think it's working.
Thanks for the advice, Tom
First of all, whether you consider yourself to be a fitness swimmer or a competitive swimmer, it is not recommended to view swimming as a way to rest your legs from other activities. Not only because the way you use your legs in running is different from the way you use them in swimming, but also because swimming is a total body exercise. In other words, you need to use the upper and lower body in tandem in order to swim efficiently and - most importantly for you - to avoid injuries.
If you still insist on using swim days as an off day for your legs, you will have to be cognizant of the fact that you are placing all of your emphasis on your upper body and thus are at greater risk of injuries due to overuse and poor technique.
I had golfers elbow that not necessarily resulted from swimming, but would certainly light up when doing so. One cortisone injection was enough to slow the inflammation and allow it to heal
Thanks for all of the replys.
I did get some good information and a few different ideas to follow, this is exactly what I was looking for. I am now going to start my focus on prevention before I worry about upping my yardage.
Thanks, Tom
