I signed up for a 10 K swim in Atlantic City this September and am wondering if any open water swimming veterans out there have any tips for preventing or at least moderating the lower back pain that seems to always be triggered in me by very long distance freestyle events like this. I did the Chesapeake Bay swim in the late 90s, and getting out of the water at the end of the race was like a parody of the Evolution of Man from a squid to Homo Erectus, only in my case, I didn't quite make it to the standing position before collapsing in a heap of lower back spasms.
In any event, I suspect I will just have to suffer through the discomfort and hope a week or two of convalescence afterwards will restore me to my self. But again, any advice short of oxycontin shots in the lumbar region will be truly appreciated.
Parents
Former Member
This may be redundant, but what has helped me when I switch from pool to lake in the Spring is trying to keep my abs strong - this helps counter the effects of losing the walls (which are a pain, but do help stretch the back). I had noticeably less discomfort this year after making a point of doing ab work through the winter(and this seems to be the consensus among folks I know who have added yoga or pilates or just plain crunches to their regimens). I also have found that periodically throwing in some breaststroke in a long swim can provide a refreshing :) change of body position/muscles used (i.e use legs, stretch hamstrings, let lats relax). On a different note, this soupy weather bodes well for water temps in NJ anytime soon!
This may be redundant, but what has helped me when I switch from pool to lake in the Spring is trying to keep my abs strong - this helps counter the effects of losing the walls (which are a pain, but do help stretch the back). I had noticeably less discomfort this year after making a point of doing ab work through the winter(and this seems to be the consensus among folks I know who have added yoga or pilates or just plain crunches to their regimens). I also have found that periodically throwing in some breaststroke in a long swim can provide a refreshing :) change of body position/muscles used (i.e use legs, stretch hamstrings, let lats relax). On a different note, this soupy weather bodes well for water temps in NJ anytime soon!
