Swim Rant

In 1964 my wife and I were walking through the Eastgate Shopping Center in Hamilton Ontario. A beautiful lady walked up to me and said "Hi George". I did not recognize her, I asked where do I know you from. She said she was taking swimming lessons from me. I said "Oh - I'm sorry I didn't recognize you with your clothes on." Haha, awkward....

I'm not sure that would be any better?!

Open lap swim, ppl absolutely oblivious to the very slow / slow / medium / fast / very fast division. How about the "floating islands" that think they're entitled to have the entire lane to themselves.

So today the coach made us swim the ENTIRE practice with a tennis ball under our chin. I can see this for a drill, but he wanted a 800 warm-up swam this way and then 100 SPRINT sets. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! :frustrated: We spent more time chasing the stupid ball than swimming. I ended up putting mine on the gutter where he did not see it and my neighbor put hers in her swimsuit during the 800. After 4 100's she suggested he let us do 50's instead and then I swam those like a drill. (I am usually the one who complains, so he doesn't listen to me as much). Ended up doing only 2000 in the hour and all day I walked around work with a raw chin and neck.:rant3:. Last time I swim with a tennis ball!:badday:

Open lap swim, ppl absolutely oblivious to the very slow / slow / medium / fast / very fast division. Open lap swim w/ ppl who respect the above, but then as soon as I do ONE ****ing LAP of breaststroke (still way faster than anybody in the pool) everybody and their brother hop in the lane.

So was the whole point to condition you to keep your head looking down?

So was the whole point to condition you to keep your head looking down? Yep, he wanted us to keep our head down, but if you don't rotate your whole body to breathe, you loose the ball. Good drill, but sprinting was just frustrating.

Yep, he wanted us to keep our head down, but if you don't rotate your whole body to breathe, you loose the ball. Good drill, but sprinting was just frustrating. And counter productive on the breathing, unless you believe that you should breathe based on body roll only and no neck movement. Sorry Kathy, you coach has gone overboard with training toys.

Yep, he wanted us to keep our head down, but if you don't rotate your whole body to breathe, you loose the ball. Good drill, but sprinting was just frustrating. It doesn't sound like a terrible drill to work on forcing you to roll,but for a whole workout it just sounds sadistic.My problem with the tennis ball drills,even for breaststroke is that they make you tighten your neck,which is clearly not conducive to relaxed swimming.The drill I use to focus on keeping my head down for BR uses a center mount snorkel(I have never tried it with freestyle.)Take the mouth piece and turn it around backwards,then put the snorkel on upside down and backwards(with the long end running down your back.) Then if you raise your head to breath it gouges you in the back.

Thanks Michael, Paul and Allen. I totally agree, I just don't have much of a choice, other than to not swim during the week. I wanted the get the experience off of my chest and make sure I was not being overly sensitive. Practice was better today, he had us hold the balls in both hands doing freestyle and only for two sets. That kind of practice I can deal with. :fish2: