Stretching before swimming

Gareth, That would cause me to loose it. Yes, of course, we all have a right to swim, etc. but if the lanes are designated fast, slow, whatever, then darn it respect the rules. Plus, that lady could get herself hit, if she's wondering around, and you're doing fly sets. Do you ever say anything to these people? Jerrycat

I was in an unusually good mood this morning. Full of the joys of life etc, so i just swum around her. I had just finished a fly set and was starting a free set so i was not very worried where she was in the lane. There was just her and me in the " fast lane ", 1 dbl arm back & side stroke swimmer in the "medium speed " lane and 3 others in the rest of the pool. She should have been swimming elswewhere but i was also happy as the pool temp was finally correct, it has been very warm recently. If it had been a typical monday morning then I would have said something.

Gareth, I admire your patience. This morning I made a quick run to the grocery store, and this lady almost ran over two pedestrians. I honked and yelled at that driver to which she ignored me and kept talking on her cell phone. It took me an hour to cool off. (those typed really get me steamed!) I should have an attitude more like yours and let things go. How awesome that the pool temp was finally right! :D

i usually have a quick stretch in the change rooms so to prevent charlie horse

My understanding of recent studies was that stretching before swimming is no longer recommended. This, as I understand it, is for several reasons: 1) the risks associated with stretching cold muscles; 2) stretching reduces the muscle's ability to contract; 3) although athletes stretch to reduce potential injuries, the injuries don't result from overstretching the muscle through the range that stretching improves. I had understood that the new trend was to lengthen the warm up instead and either do the stretching after swimming, or at some other time entirely, or not at all. Any comments?

All the sretchers I know have sore shoulders, they over do it. I have never stretched, never will. Gareth did your coach in Canada have you do duck walks around the pool before you swam. That is what some of those Canadian coaches did. Thank goodness I never listened to them. Bip that is really true but it is not recent the guy I knew who did a study at U of Maryland in 1953 and that was his findings longer warmup swims, better still no stretching at all.