I've been swimming for a long time - undefeated HS team in 1962. The older I get the more I think about stuff that used to be automatic, like freestyle arm stroke. I mainly do what I think is the currently popular technique with my fingers pointing to the bottom of the pool and my hand moving by my side and deep, but I can also do a version with fingers pointing toward the side of the pool and hand following the middle of my chest and stomach. I'd appreciate any comments on which is better. Also I get some shoulder pain and wonder which is easier on the shoulders.
TIA, Tom
I find that when I work on EVF, I I'm so concerned with keeping my elbow high that I don't get as much extension and glide out of the front of my stroke. I swim open water and distance so getting some glide out of my stroke is important to me so that I take fewer strokes. I usually fall somewhere between a straight pull and EVF (sometimes with some of that "s" shape pull).
I was experiencing shoulder pain for a while and realized that my thumb first entry (leading to that internal shoulder rotation) was what was causing it. I took a few days off and then made a conscious effort to work on not rotating my shoulder (though apparently if you do thumb first entry by rotating only in your forearm - which I'm not really coordinated enough to do so I just cut thumb entry completely - you're not supposed to experience those shoulder issues). I haven't had any more shoulder issues while adding distance so that definitely helped me.
When I'm doing distance swims I sort of take turns really concentrating on EVF and just letting my stroke be what it is. I find that this lets my shoulders and elbows work in different ways throughout my hour+ continuous swims.
It's all constant tweaking and listening to your body I guess.
I find that when I work on EVF, I I'm so concerned with keeping my elbow high that I don't get as much extension and glide out of the front of my stroke. I swim open water and distance so getting some glide out of my stroke is important to me so that I take fewer strokes. I usually fall somewhere between a straight pull and EVF (sometimes with some of that "s" shape pull).
I was experiencing shoulder pain for a while and realized that my thumb first entry (leading to that internal shoulder rotation) was what was causing it. I took a few days off and then made a conscious effort to work on not rotating my shoulder (though apparently if you do thumb first entry by rotating only in your forearm - which I'm not really coordinated enough to do so I just cut thumb entry completely - you're not supposed to experience those shoulder issues). I haven't had any more shoulder issues while adding distance so that definitely helped me.
When I'm doing distance swims I sort of take turns really concentrating on EVF and just letting my stroke be what it is. I find that this lets my shoulders and elbows work in different ways throughout my hour+ continuous swims.
It's all constant tweaking and listening to your body I guess.
