I'm absolutely amazed at the amount of misinformation on swimming, especially on the internet. One website I saw instructing the specifics of the backstroke advocated a completely illegal turn.
A bodybuilder site said that depleting your stores of Glycogen by starving your body of it actually helped the body move faster. I'm not buying that. You can't swim without it.
Other sites like USA Swimming, have a lot of kids with a lot of questions who for some reason don't ask their coaches or parents. Lots of ear infection questions - which are fairly preventable by wearing a swim cap.
Early on in my learning I suffered a severe injury by practicing a drill recommended by one of the so-called experts in swimming technique, who shall remain nameless. That's led me to pay closer attention to sports medicine specialists and surgeons who swim.
Everybody's body is different and has specific limitations. For example, the Neer Test for your shoulders. The entire approach to pitch, catch, pull, etc... is highly individual. I trust top athletic coaches and top swimmers and doctors.
One site on backstroke listed something very technical which actually made sense and works wonders but after running a search a dozen ways through Google I found no one knew of it or spoke of it other than that 1 site!
Who do you trust? What are your thoughts on this?
Parents
Former Member
As far as the swimming advice goes, as others have said, I watch what the best swimmers are doing and see how it matches written and verbal explanations. I watch most of what is on TV and I study all the video files I can download. Also as others have said, I adopt what works for me. Of course if, like me, you're not timing yourself in one way or another, you can still be wrong.
I find debate over techniques interesting and I usually feel confident in who I think has got it right. If I had a coach, and especially if I was young, I would give my coach the benefit of the doubt and start with trust if possible.
I think the girls made important comments. You need to know when to question even your doctor. They are generally all brilliant and fallible; some much more fallible than others. Unlike most doctors, it seems, I believe each of our bodies has unexpected unique qualities. One thing we have to make a judgment on is what to "believe" from our own body and when our body may be "fooling" us (for example, if a sharp pain means there is damage or not; or if a medication or activity is helping something). Funny how the "trust" question even applies to ourselves.
I wear contact lenses when I swim without concern so I wonder about warnings not to wear contacts in the pool. Ok, I have no concern because about the only time I ever wear contacts is while I am swimming. I think the correct advice should probably be: contacts are fine in the pool if you take them out when you're done, otherwise it is a big mistake.
As far as the swimming advice goes, as others have said, I watch what the best swimmers are doing and see how it matches written and verbal explanations. I watch most of what is on TV and I study all the video files I can download. Also as others have said, I adopt what works for me. Of course if, like me, you're not timing yourself in one way or another, you can still be wrong.
I find debate over techniques interesting and I usually feel confident in who I think has got it right. If I had a coach, and especially if I was young, I would give my coach the benefit of the doubt and start with trust if possible.
I think the girls made important comments. You need to know when to question even your doctor. They are generally all brilliant and fallible; some much more fallible than others. Unlike most doctors, it seems, I believe each of our bodies has unexpected unique qualities. One thing we have to make a judgment on is what to "believe" from our own body and when our body may be "fooling" us (for example, if a sharp pain means there is damage or not; or if a medication or activity is helping something). Funny how the "trust" question even applies to ourselves.
I wear contact lenses when I swim without concern so I wonder about warnings not to wear contacts in the pool. Ok, I have no concern because about the only time I ever wear contacts is while I am swimming. I think the correct advice should probably be: contacts are fine in the pool if you take them out when you're done, otherwise it is a big mistake.
