Anyone have any good drills/ideas/thoughts for working on streamlining off the wall? I've been concentrating on increasing the power in the dolphin kicks, but I know I need to work on my streamline, too. I know what I'm supposed to do (head down, squeeze ears with arm muscles, hand over hand, etc.) but find my technique falling apart as I tire during the workout.
I'm not very flexible, and find stretching my arms out to where I squeeze my ears sort of uncomfortable, or at least unnatural feeling, even when I'm fresh. That same position becomes more unnatural feeling as my arm muscles tire. I can hold it OK for a little while when I concentrate, but usually after a couple hundred meters I will "wake up" in a pushoff to find my elbws slightly bent and arms away from my head by a couple of inches, which I know is really inefficient.
I've been trying to just "assume the position" at home periodically, and incorporate it into my warmup stretching. I am self-coached, with no video opportunity -- but I know video would show a crummy steamline. I've watched the eeswim stuff, and can clearly see and visualize what a great streamline looks like, but mine's not there. Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Aww, c'mon, you mean I have to work hard at it? What's up with that?:)
Excellent suggestions, all. Ande, thanks for the list. Quite a few of those suggestions I have not seen elsewhere.
Matt, thanks for bringing up the "Y" word ("yogurt", we call it at my house, as in "see ya hon, I'm going to yogurt.") Intellectually, I know that yoga will make me both stronger and more flexible. My wife has got me to go a few times, but I'm such an inflexible dork I end up red faced, grunting, and sweating the whole time. Not exactly a zen experience. I know, it will get better (that's the point, right?), but I still hate it. But I am interested to hear that you get benefit from 1 hour a week. That's not so bad. I think I may give that a try.
Sarah, thanks, I ditched the kickboard a while back after reading a bunch about it here. You're right, kick sets are the perfect time to practice streamlining.
Wayne, great article, although I'm worried if I buy more gear I may turn into a triathlete.:D
Piersolfan, a couple who has been swimming at the same time as me keep threatening to bring a video camera, and the pool staff have offered to let us use the underwater windows to shoot. I think we'll just have to do it.
By the way, to the non-USMS lurkers out there -- I joined USMS after lurking for a few weeks, not because I needed to (I swim alone, am not currently competing, this site is free, etc.), but because I found I wanted to pay someone something for all the great workouts and information that are available here (posters, don't ask, I'm not sending you a check). Pretty much the same reason I am a member of NPR. If you consistently get something of value here, join USMS.
Aww, c'mon, you mean I have to work hard at it? What's up with that?:)
Excellent suggestions, all. Ande, thanks for the list. Quite a few of those suggestions I have not seen elsewhere.
Matt, thanks for bringing up the "Y" word ("yogurt", we call it at my house, as in "see ya hon, I'm going to yogurt.") Intellectually, I know that yoga will make me both stronger and more flexible. My wife has got me to go a few times, but I'm such an inflexible dork I end up red faced, grunting, and sweating the whole time. Not exactly a zen experience. I know, it will get better (that's the point, right?), but I still hate it. But I am interested to hear that you get benefit from 1 hour a week. That's not so bad. I think I may give that a try.
Sarah, thanks, I ditched the kickboard a while back after reading a bunch about it here. You're right, kick sets are the perfect time to practice streamlining.
Wayne, great article, although I'm worried if I buy more gear I may turn into a triathlete.:D
Piersolfan, a couple who has been swimming at the same time as me keep threatening to bring a video camera, and the pool staff have offered to let us use the underwater windows to shoot. I think we'll just have to do it.
By the way, to the non-USMS lurkers out there -- I joined USMS after lurking for a few weeks, not because I needed to (I swim alone, am not currently competing, this site is free, etc.), but because I found I wanted to pay someone something for all the great workouts and information that are available here (posters, don't ask, I'm not sending you a check). Pretty much the same reason I am a member of NPR. If you consistently get something of value here, join USMS.
