Umm.... practice? Honestly, when I am tired and circle swimming, there are times when I tag the lane line... my unbalanced stroke causes me to not swim straight.
I remember in my age group days my coach blackened a pair of goggles to help us get a feel for swimming straight. Very freaky experience... not recommended.
Try doing stroke drills where your focus is going in a straight line. Maybe try using the lane line as a guide (but not too close)?
HTH,
Chris
I used to have that problem, especially when tired. Practice is probably the best suggestion... I tend to follow the tiles as a guide when doing freestyle to help me stay straight... I do have this problem with back stroke, which is improving with time... I have a tendancy to swim 'crooked' the faster I go...
This may sarcastic, but it isn't meant to be: Are you swimming with your eyes open? The only reason I ask is that I've noticed some novice swimmers swimming with eyes closed, even with goggles.
Is there a line on the bottom of the pool, down the center of the lane? Using it as a guide is an easy spotting method. If you're in a lane by yourself, just swim right on top of it. If you're sharing, figure out how far to the side of it you need to swim to stay on your side of the lane. The word of caution is that some people are drawn to the line and end up swimming down the middle instead of staying on their side of the lane. Just concentrate on keeping a constant distance.
You can also use the lane ropes to spot yourself. When you turn your head to breathe, look at the rope. If you're too close, swim away. If you're too far away, drift back to it. Since I swim in frustratingly narrow lanes, I use a combination of spotting off the line on the bottom and checking myself against the rope when I turn my head to make sure I haven't drifted too far one way or the other.
Both methods require that your eyes stay open, however (hence my first question). Almost all swimmers will swim a curved course if they don't have something off which they can spot. It will come easier to you with practice and concentration.
Originally posted by eliana2003
I used to have that problem, especially when tired. Practice is probably the best suggestion... I tend to follow the tiles as a guide when doing freestyle to help me stay straight... I do have this problem with back stroke, which is improving with time... I have a tendancy to swim 'crooked' the faster I go... I Have that problem at the begining of my swim. But once I warm up I go farily straghit.
Originally posted by BeAmusedByMe
When doing laps - how do you swim straight instead of swimming from side to side> It is not to bad when you are in the lane alone . but when you have to share the lane, and one or both of you do the back stroke, well that canbe tough.
Follwing up what Shaky said, when I was swimming in 'circles' so to speak in London during a crowded lap swim, I would also sight myself using the ropes (and when it was REALLY crowded I sometimes used touch as well, so that I didn't drift into the walls).
Re: backstroke: I too used to use the overhead beam/lights to help me swim straight, but I now swim outdoors... Although, I must admit that I'd rather look at fluffy white clouds over leaks marks in a roof any day! :D
peace...
Originally posted by Dominick Aielloeaver
It is not to bad when you are in the lane alone . but when you have to share the lane, and one or both of you do the back stroke, well that canbe tough.
Oi vey... tell me about it- I've had collisions with, umm, how shall I say it... floaters, who decide to swim backstroke, in the WRONG direction...
YMCA pools aren't the only aquatic rugby grounds!
Well now y'all have brought up a question we need clarified from Brenda. Are you talking about a face-down stroke like crawl or ***, or are you talking about backstroke?
If it's backstroke and you're indoors, sight off the ceiling the way the other folks have suggested. Choose beams, tiles or whatever lines are there to keep yourself straight. If there are no ready-made lines, draw imaginary lines between roof structures in your head and follow them.
Outside, I spot myself two ways. I either glance to the side to gauge my distance from the lane rope, or occasionally I physically lift myself up to look down the lane (past my feet) to see how I'm lining up. I wouldn't really recommend that second method, since you have to be able to power through your stroke to keep your butt from sinking. If you're in this situation, try the sideways glance and gauge off the lane ropes the same way you would in freestyle (crawl).
Originally posted by BeAmusedByMe
When doing laps - how do you swim straight instead of swimming from side to side> Generally At the begining of my swim. Ido swim crooked. But IAfterwarming up . I do ok. Also at thend of my swim , when I am getting tired. But more so when some one hasto share the lane. At that point I am Tired. And only 20 -to 30 laps to go . so I have to break my rythm. And slow down.
