Race 1 Arm ***

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

orca1946 — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 11:54:19 GMT

I don't think he will swim that way after rehab.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Allen Stark — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 12:32:09 GMT

BR is the only stroke where you can go underwater after 15M. The chances of an official actually DQing you for that are slim as it is rare and subtle to go totally underwater.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

DanSad — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 02:36:49 GMT

I'd be leary of training one arm swimming. You may end up like Popeye. I think we all have a dominant arm but if the training arm is already your dominant arm I could see it effecting your balance and symmetry.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Former Member — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 13:06:44 GMT

Except the tricky part being *** isn't quite legal for Freestyle - I do go under a tiny bit and certainly would with a 1 arm stroke. It is legal to swim breaststroke during a Freestyle event. You can swim anything you want during a Freestyle event (even sidestroke). The time will be recorded as Freestyle, though, in the meet results.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Allen Stark — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 08:11:39 GMT

IMHO ---You can do all that in the "Freestyle event" but not get a time for "*** stroke" using one arm. Unless amputated or something close is involved, Rehabbing is not a disability. This coming from someone that has 4 major hip operations. That is actually a good idea.Enter it as free,then you can get a time with splits.If you get DQd swimming BR you may not get a posted time.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

orca1946 — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 06:34:58 GMT

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

swimmieAvsFan — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 02:54:21 GMT

You can reach out to the USMS Rules Committee chair, if you're concerned. Her email is rules@usms.org. Point her in the direction of this thread so she has the background. She'll be able to give you the official answer you're looking for.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Bobinator — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 02:51:43 GMT

My advice would be to talk to the Referee before the meet and explain your situation to them. By virtue of the rules I think most referee's would DQ you since you are not permanently disabled. If the referee declares he/she will DQ you there's still no reason you can't swim. You can participate and get a DQ; there's really no shame in that. I assume you're not going for any records and you already know you're not swimming a technically correct *** so just dive in and see what you can do with one arm and look forward to the day you'll have use of both again. BTW I was a National Level Starter/Referee for several years when my 3 kids were swimmers.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

knelson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 12:26:20 GMT

Is it possible to get 1 arm *** for time in a breaststroke event if you keep that arm by your side and don't use it the whole race? I mean, I'll get a time no matter what but not get DQ'd? Would it be possible? Nope, you'd get DQed: "All movements of the arms shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without alternating movement."

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

m2tall2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 11:22:48 GMT

How would you turn or finish? “the touch shall be made with both hands separated and simultaneously” so to turn you will need to unglue the arm. Also during the swim “The hands shall not be brought back beyond the hip line, except during the first stroke after the start, and each turn." The touch would be a problem. In order to do a touch it would have to come unglued thereby making the second rule a problem. Hands brought back to me implies movement. I need to do an in water start, so I wouldn't have ever "brought it back". It just wouldn't have entered the race. But if it needs to move just to touch the wall, then it would be "brought back". :-/

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

m2tall2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 11:13:02 GMT

I raced breaststroke with an easy dolphin kick last December due to a hip injury (labral tear). My surgery was scheduled for a few days after the meet just to give you an idea of the seriousness of the injury. I checked with Ed Saltzman (Chief Official at Nationals and the official of the December meet) ahead of time, and he said as long as I had a doctor's note, he would allow it. Get a doctor's note detailing your injury and limitations, and have your doctor state that you must swim breaststroke with one arm. I knew there might be some way to get it ok'd if needed. It's not like I'd be going out for guts and glory with a 1 arm *** - gee, I'd just love to go (if I'm lucky only 10-15 seconds) slower. It's just I feel the *** kick is one of the few things I can do and I'm getting quality work in on and so it would be nice to see what it could do. The short scull would be an option if I could get that arm up but right now I can't keep it up - the sculling I've been doing is at my sides. Perhaps this would be possible in a few more weeks but right now it's not happening.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

jpetyk — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 07:29:22 GMT

In reality, he has a bet with someone that he can beat him "with one hand tied behind his back" but a DQ wouldn't count. :joker:

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Elaine Krugman — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 06:58:39 GMT

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

swoomer — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 06:04:54 GMT

I have seen a disabled swimmer swimming all strokes with one arm. With the exception of free, all of her strokes are technically illegal, but she is never DQ'd, so I believe that there is some accomodation for disabilities. (Her participation and perseverance is just amazing!) Whether that applies to temporary disabilities is another question. I believe I have also seen one armed fly several times, including a 200 at Summer Nationals last week.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 05:07:24 GMT

The rules (at least in Canada) allow for medical exceptions to be allowed at an official's discretion with a letter from a medical practitioner. I don't know if this would be accepted but could be worth trying.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

knelson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 03:13:48 GMT

Actually, that makes me think it might be legal. It says MOVEMENTS of the arms. I wouldn't move that arm at all. Not one bit, glued to my side. Movement must be simultaneous to me means BOTH arms must be doing the same thing at all times during the stroke cycle.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

Rob Copeland — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 01:33:06 GMT

I wouldn't move that arm at all. Not one bit, glued to my side.How would you turn or finish? “the touch shall be made with both hands separated and simultaneously” so to turn you will need to unglue the arm. Also during the swim “The hands shall not be brought back beyond the hip line, except during the first stroke after the start, and each turn.” Medical exceptions are allowed for disabilities, where “Disability is defined as a permanent physical or cognitive disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” The legal way to deal with this is to swim streamlined (hands out front). As long as your hands separate once per kick this is a legal stroke cycle (one arm stroke and one leg kick in that order). Our rules don’t say how far the pull needs to go, so tiny sculling should be permitted. I suggest making the referee aware of your intent so they don’t see the small arm stroke as no arm stroke.

RE: Race 1 Arm ***

m2tall2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 01:04:17 GMT

Nope, you'd get DQed: "All movements of the arms shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without alternating movement." Actually, that makes me think it might be legal. It says MOVEMENTS of the arms. I wouldn't move that arm at all. Not one bit, glued to my side. I know you know your swimming stuff...but what would an official say?