My teammates and I were discussing the following apparently inane topic, and I thought it would make a good poll question. To wit, during practices, which of the following apply to you:
1) I swim with my eyes open pretty much all the time, except for regular blinks.
2) I close my eyes when my head is underwater, but open them during breaths.
3) I close my eyes during breaths, but open them when my head is under water to make sure I am not wandering off track.
4) I close my eyes much of the time on each length, and try to remember to open them before crashing into the wall.
Note: just realized I don't exactly know how to format this as a poll. If anyone else does, please feel free to do so--or send me a note about how to do it myself.
BTW, I often swim with my eyes shut; not quite sure why, other than swimming practice seems to induce a mild level of narcolepsy in me. Or perhaps it is a reflex action from the pre-goggle days when closing your eyes during practice was necessary to keep your corneas from being eroded by chlorine.
Reading this thread has been therapeutic! I thought I was nuts because I swim mostly with my eyes closed (except for backstroke). I say mostly - I have them closed and blink them open frequently to do a spot check and then close them again.
I've been doing it for so long I can't remember when I picked up the habit. I'm thinking it is either from swimming in the mornings or swimming in warm pools (or both). I find it difficult to force them open for a whole length. In a race I have no idea what I do but I think they are wide open.
Jeff Roddin
Reading this thread has been therapeutic! I thought I was nuts because I swim mostly with my eyes closed (except for backstroke). I say mostly - I have them closed and blink them open frequently to do a spot check and then close them again.
I've been doing it for so long I can't remember when I picked up the habit. I'm thinking it is either from swimming in the mornings or swimming in warm pools (or both). I find it difficult to force them open for a whole length. In a race I have no idea what I do but I think they are wide open.
Jeff Roddin
