questions...

Hello Centaur....It's me again....Your friendly neigborhood giant talking green fishhead. I can't really help you with the first two questions.....Just keep trying different styles of goggles (there are lots of different styles out there to choose from)....I finally settled on a brand that has a permanent nose bridge (as opposed to the adjustable pinch your nose off bridges)...and No foam padding around the eyes....Mine just have permanent plastic pads around the eyes .....It took me a long time to find the right pair. As far as question 4 goes.....Butterfly is rough stuff!.....It tires you out faster than any of the other strokes I believe (except for the extremely proficient Butterfliers perhaps?)...The timing is very difficult in butterfly....You might want to rent some video tapes on the subject. I am now forgetting what question 3 was all about (and I can't see your message for some reason.....maybe it's b/c it was the thread starter??).....Hmmm...lets see....Oh well I've lost it now so I will just leave it at that. newmastersswimmer

Oh yaeh....Fins and paddles....Yes, I use zoomers instead of fins....not as much propulsion as fins...but probably better for your overall kicking form and strengthening.....I love paddles (with pull buoy) ...You really get a feel for the water with paddles....major distance per stroke....but try not to over use them.....It's tempting though! newmastersswimmer p.s. I like the large paddles that have the holes in them best (they are polygonally shaped)

Originally posted by centaur532 I have quite a few...bear with me, I'm new and oh so cute! 1. I have a major issue with my goggles. I'm on my 3rd pair this semester, and they fit the best of all I've tried, but I have a real issue getting proper suction over both eyes. Do I have an odd shaped face or something? What can I do to fix this? 2. I recently learned how to do a flip turn, and I do blow out my nose when I do this, but I still get water up there. Tips on fixing this? 1. My guess is the nosepiece is the wrong size. Speedo sells a couple types that comes with several different nosepieces. If you haven't tried these yet, it might be worth your while. 2. My guess is you aren't tucking your head enough. Try putting your chin right against your chest.

Originally posted by centaur532 3. Fins and hand paddles. What's the deal? When are they worth an investment? 4. Come on...tell me...does the Butterfly EVER get any easier? I got the kick down pat, I can do the stroke, but god help me should I put them together... If you get hand paddles, use them sparingly. I've read that overuse can lead to shoulder problems. Fly gets easier with improved technique.

Bee, The thing with goggles is not the suction but the seal. What you want to do is find goggles that seal comfortably without eye popping suction. Proper fitting goggles start with being the correct size for the bridge of your nose. Too narrow or too wide and you will get leakage at the corners of your eyes. If you’re having trouble finding a pair that fit, get a pair with an adjustable nose piece. As for nasal ingestion of water on turns, there are always nose plugs. Otherwise, keep tinkering with slow and steady exhalation. Also, as you begin to turn faster, you will spend less time inverted, needing to exhale. It will get better, with practice. Fins and paddles are training aids, just like kickboards, pull buoys, etc. I use mine and feel they are well worth the investment. And butterfly… Hey, if you have the kick down pat, then you a light years ahead of most swimmers. The kick is a huge part of butterfly. Once you get the timing of the arms down, you’ll be doing an effortless fly, like Ian Crocker, in no time.

Originally posted by Rob Copeland And butterfly… Hey, if you have the kick down pat, then you a light years ahead of most swimmers. The kick is a huge part of butterfly. Once you get the timing of the arms down, you’ll be doing an effortless fly, like Ian Crocker, in no time. Please! Enlighten us with the timing!! I have the same issues. I think I'm starting to get it, but it's not getting any easier!! If you could break it down piece by piece (like head in relation to rest of body i.e. your head should be down when your arms are in front and your butt is up. )that would be fabulous!! ~Kyra

Butterfly never gets easier, Centaur.....it might get to a point where it looks better, but it never gets any easier! Believe me when I say, the best in the world could try and tutor you, and if you ain't got it, ya just ain't got it (I'm one of those that ain't got it, lol) And whoever posted that paddles can lead to shoulder problems was right.....but I still recommend them, especially for stroke development, and shoulder workouts...speedo has a really cool set, blue, shaped like your hands, for about 15 bucks....they cost the same as the rectangular ones, but these teach you to keep your fingers together when you stroke...and they're a little more comfortable to wear! As for the goggles and the flipturns, everybody else has some really good advice. You'll find your particular goggle in time; sometimes all you really have to do is experiment with the nose bridge, and it helps. Speedo also makes my particular "brand", called the Women's Vanquisher. They come with three or four different nose pieces, and the goggle itself is designed more for women, so it's very much to my liking. Just some things for you to try. The flipturn will come with practice. Good luck!

Originally posted by blairbecky Have you went to BBC Sport Academy Swimming Masterclasses website? Hickman is on there and he explains the butterfly quite well. Plus, I love his cute accent. I second this suggestion!! I couldn't remember the name, but I have seen this before and it helps a ton!! And yes, he and his accent are very cute! ~Kyra

Originally posted by centaur532 4. Come on...tell me...does the Butterfly EVER get any easier? I got the kick down pat, I can do the stroke, but god help me should I put them together... Butterfly can get easier with extensive practice, but it will never be easy. The big problems I see with most masters' butterfly are: big kicks, long breaths slow turnover Turnover will pick up with more practice and endurance. Long breaths are a combination of lifting the head too high and not getting the head back down soon enough. My coach twenty years ago described putting your head back down as pulling your arms back around. It's not quite accurrate, but the thought seems to help. Finally, bick kicks seem like they come from the knees, rather than the hips. The kick should be fairly short and the up/down kicks ideally should both generate the same amount of propulsion. All of these flaws contribute to the biggest problem, low hips. Low hips cause major drag and make butterfly much harder than it should be. Concentrate on your body position, especially when you get tired. Hope that helps a little, Jason

Originally posted by knelson 1. My guess is the nosepiece is the wrong size. Speedo sells a couple types that comes with several different nosepieces. If you haven't tried these yet, it might be worth your while. 2. My guess is you aren't tucking your head enough. Try putting your chin right against your chest. I've been through two pairs of speedo goggles. Now I'm on a pair of Arenas, and I like them, only I have to be careful during a workout if I lift them onto my forehead, as one will not seal back properly. I tried them on the store and they fit perfectly. Would it be worth it, in the future, to try them on with the cap? (Of course this would look absolutely ridiculous, but then again, no matter when you wear a cap, you look absolutely ridiculous:D ) I appreciate the help on the flip turn. I will try tucking my chin in more.