Stretching - A Supplement to Swim Practice

This is a favorite topic of mine that came up in another thread, so I thought I'd start a new one here. I'd like to hear what others have to say about it. One thing I find odd is that I have come across conflicting information about it being good/bad to stretch before/after exercising. Personally I think it is good to stretch both before and after (even during) swimming. I've considered myself a swimmer all my life, though I've never participated in regular, structured swim practices. There were times however when I did not have easy access to a pool, so I sought out other ways to get the same benefits from a relaxing, healthy form of exercise. Somewhat by accident (or not), I stumbled onto Yoga. I find the similarities between Yoga and swimming to be quite remarkable. Is there anyone else out there who can relate to this? To refer to them simply as forms of exercise sells them quite short, for they both allow me to express myself in a spiritual way as well. They both are accomplished best by lots of practice, attaining the ability to relax into the form, which can bring out profound meditative qualities. Proper breathing is one of the top skills required. Proper alignment, smooth transitions of positions, full extension in movement and at rest, careful observation of body position... these all apply to both practices in a very important way. And perhaps most important is the ability to activate only the muscles you need when you need them, while relaxing the ones you don't need when you are not using them. I guess you could say these things about most all forms of athletic endeavor, but because of my familiarity with both Yoga and Swimming I am soundly struck by the things they have in common. I like to stretch while I swim. I typically do this at a more relaxed pace when I want to really focus on form, but don't want to be bothered with specifics like "exit elbow first". But I can do it powered up as well, with a sometimes-slight hesitation in fully extended positions. (Sometimes the hesitation is more than slight... think: "front quadrant swimming" and "catch-up drill".) I also like to pay attention in my stroke to where I am carrying tension that is non-productive. The best example I can relate to from personal experience is in the waist during front-crawl. I notice at times that when I can sufficiently relax my waist here, my legs and torso seem to work better together, and I move through the water in a much more fluid style. I use a visualization exercise on this one, imagining that my hips are connected to my torso by a swivel joint, or just a cord. Another image exercise I use to stretch as I swim is to imagine a cord attached to the top of my head pulling me along, with another (or a drag chute) magically attached to my feet (so it does not interfere with my kick) trying to hold me back. I imagine my spine being stretched out and relaxed, and my body maintaining a nice horizontal position in the water. (Think: "massage", not "medieval rack" :"> ) And yet another image is that of a swan gliding across a lake in the stillness of sunrise. I've come to the realization over recent time that I'm at a plateau in my swimming practice, and that the best way to go higher is to incorporate a well disciplined stretching program as well. I've been a real slacker in my Yoga practice lately, but I try to keep reminding myself that it is OK to not try and do everything all the time, that just maintaining my swimming routine is better than nothing. And while I may be a slacker in routinely practicing Yoga asanas (postures) on a daily basis, the results of my previous Yoga studies are with me throughout the day as I sit, stand, walk, move, and even think. While Yoga can be just an exercise program, it often becomes a way of life. "Cultivate good habits, and your bad habits will eventually disappear." - Paramahansa Yogananda If you want a single Yoga routine that covers a wide range of motion try "Sun Salutations". While you can learn a great deal about this (and other Yoga practices) from books, videos, and the web, there is nothing that can substitute for a good, experienced teacher (with great emphasis on "good" and "experienced"), just as you would rely on a swim coach. Here are a few web links/sites that can get you going if you want to pursue a stretching program through Yoga (which is something I highly recommend). http://www.yogajournal.com/ www.yogamovement.com/.../topsites.html www.yogasite.com/yogafaq.html directory.google.com/.../