Well, I just wonder: how do you do it?
I've hit like a gigantic wall of recession for my breaststroke: and I don't even have a bearable time! My time's horrible! I can't understand why I've stopped improving.
Unless it was my stroke mechanics?... Hmm...
I noticed today that I can't seem to glide very far during my breaststroke, which I think implies something's wrong in that phase of my stroke. Probably too much drag during recovery or some other thing, or not grabbing water with feet.
So I'm gonna devote 2 months to technqiues training. But the thing is: how do you do technique training without a coach. I know a lot of people have done it, but then, how do you know good technique from bad technique?
Simply by feeling your way through it? I don't really think so. A wide kick feels wonderful - the soaring feeling, but it's bad technique. So how do you train good technique?
Thanks a lot.
PS: Incidentally, is there a way to STOP ONESELF FROM AUTOMATICALLY COUNTING STROKES?? :( I can't stop, and everytime I start doing it I end up focusing on trying to get a number of strokes instead of ON my strokes.
Ask a friend with kids if they will come to the pool with you one day. They will have a camcorder.
Have the friend get the video from the side and the front. You'll be amazed at what you can learn about your own swimming this way. You'll be seeing the view a coach sees all the time.
Nothing wrong with counting strokes. I do it all the time.
If, for example, I'm taking nine strokes on a 25-yard fast breaststroke swim, I want to do the next one with eight. And how do I do that? By thinking about technique (harder finish on the kick, more streamline at the recovery) while I count on the next length.
Is there an age group team practicing where you swim? A college team? If there is, ask their coach for some help. Just a couple of sessions with someone like that can help you a lot.
