OK, several days ago, one of you guys posted a link to a video called "Send it Forward". It was a breaststroke video that demonstrated a common mistake - going too low during the glide and then working hard to get back to the surface. The theme was Send It (momentum) Forward. I wanted to post this in that thread but couldn't find it. Anyway, I have a lot to say about that post - maybe I'm even going to ramble!:)
I tried over the past couple of days to focus on what the video talked about but I wasn't getting anywhere. Today, all of a sudden, it hit me. On the last two strokes of a length, I felt it. I realize that I have been going too deep with my hands/head during the glide of the breaststroke. I was using a lot of the effort of my pull to bring my head/shoulders/back up to the surface. The effectiveness of my pull was waaaay below what it could have been. Not to mention that I wasn't streamlined enough and was losing a lot of the "explosion" from my kick.
Anyway, I continued to work on it today and I feel like I have made one of those breakthroughs that Ande talks about. How do I know?
1. I could feel it. I felt more efficient and I could feel the difference in speed. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. Sometimes you just feel it when you get it right in swimming.
2. The clock never lies. I did 50 SCY a full five seconds faster than I have ever done before.:eek: (Although I must say that I'm disappointed that my stroke was lousy enough prior to today so there was that much room for improvement.:rolleyes: :( ) My 100 was about 7 seconds faster!
3. At "workout pace", I was a full stroke less per length than yesterday!
Anyway, I'm sorry if I sound like I'm gushing, but hey.... I am gushing! Between the adreneline high (I have been out of the pool for less than an hour) and the emotional high of a big improvement I am flying like a kite right now. I'm so happy I could cry! (OK, comments about a previous post can begin now.)
I wanted to share it here because my family (none of them swimmers) would not understand my excitement. That's what I love about this site..... great tips and people who understand! The tips are valuable to an "uncoached" swimmer like me. I want to have a big BBQ and invite everyone over. I just need a year to get the olympic sized pool built (indoor of course)! Or maybe I should have the BBQ now and supply a bunch of shovels....
Anyway, if you posted the link to that video, thanks for the help. And to all of you thanks for listening!
Leonard,
Good luck in the MIMS! It is one of the greatest marathon events in the world. They have a tremendous organizing staff and group of volunteers. And the scenery is amazing; you don’t get to see these historic building and bridges in any other marathon.
Unlike the other strokes, breatstroke is all about feeling. There are so many unavoidable drag factors in the stroke that you can't help but feel when the stroke is off and when it finally works.
Paul is doing the right thing by working on it constantly, and then continuing to work on it constantly after everything clicks. It's an ever-evolving stroke, and don't be surprised if the way you're swimming now looks a little different than the way you'll be swimming in two years.
The stroke I use now took me six months to "master," back in 1998. Now, I'm tweaking it a little bit because I don't feel like my kick is as strong as it should be. So I'm working on it every stroke I take.
Keep at it and good luck!
Scansy,
Have somebody videotape you.
For me, I know people kept saying, "Looks good, you're really getting out of the water," referring to my back. I did not FEEL that way at ALL. Sure enough a friend was taking pictures at our meet this past weekend and my back was WAY out of the water. I did not feel it. I was doing that really long stroke with the exaggerated streamline- it was my best time in a long time :)
Try either pictures or videotape so you have a mental image to match the feel :) Now I believe them when they say that and I know what they mean- now I can concentrate on other things!
That's a good video, though I think Dave could keep his knees in more.
Also, I can't believe he did a one-handed touch at the end of the video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally posted by matysekj
This comment comes from someone who has swum AROUND Manhattan Island? You know, they have a subway there. Pot, meet kettle.
You CAN'T swim in the subway, silly rabbit.
-LBJ (entered in the MIMS race this year)
Thanks, Rob. I did it in 2002 as part of a 4 man relay and really loved it. I just want to finish the beast and, hopefully, not be dead last. I've been training my #%$%# off (e.g. about 45,000 yards last week), so I hope I'll be ready.
I'm a bit anxious about the start since it is into the current for a few hundred yards before turning north on the East River - I'm not a good sprinter. I'm also anxious about the Hell Gate Whirlpool/Harlem River entrance area. I swam through the whirlpool zone on the relay, but it was not a pleasant experience. I also got the leg that went past the sewerage treatment plant on the Hudson - the less that is thought about the better.
9.5 weeks to go...
-LBJ
Congratulations! It's wonderful to be able to make a change with your stroke and be able to see such immediate improvement! :D
I've had a similar experience with my breaststroke, although I really couldn't tell you when it happened, or what exactly I changed. I started swimming a little over ten years ago in high school and swam throughout college, and during all that time, my breaststroke was laughed at. :( I took it in stride and had my myself convinced breaststroke and I weren't a genetic match. Fast forward to my current masters team and coach...he saw some potential in my stroke and told me that with a few changes my breaststroke would really come along. This was absolutely shocking to me (I think it was the first positive breaststroke comment that I ever got! :eek: ), but he was right. We worked on some drills, and then one day in practice....it all came together! So, I'm pleased with this change and I've even started swimming breaststroke races in meets.....if only my college coach could see me now! ;)
