I am interested in knowing what swimming theory you use and why you use it. I hear much about Total Immersion and not just from this forum. I hear much about swimming high on the water slightly looking forward, and I hear much about people developing their own swimming theory best suited for them but using guidelines that help them maintain a technical stroke.
Given all these different theories, it is no wonder that swimmers new to the sport are confused as to whom to listen to.
I borrowed the TI book from a friend a year or so ago, and found several things I agreed with, but more that I didn’t. I am not close-minded, I just cannot find a reason to swim so low in the water with the head looking down. The rolling of the shoulders really concerned me and the fact that so much of the body is low-parallel to the water, this has to increase drag, especially on the shoulders. One thing I will say is most people who swim using TI have beautiful strokes. But, and there is a but, they just don’t swim fast. Maybe I have just been so isolated here on this island that I have not heard of any, but are there any Olympians using TI? Or, will the young-uns using it be our next generation?
There is a USMS club in Fort Worth who advocated TI. Sadly, now they are deconstructing all those methods because no matter what the workout and intensity, their swimmers’ speeds could never develop. I get to speak to many triathlete swimmers here every March. The Elite (professional) swimmers swim high on top of the water looking forward and they use hip rotation, not shoulder rolling. Many of the age-groupers in this event just don’t understand why they are not swimming faster using TI. Now, we all know that most of the triathletes who were swimmers first, and runners and bikers second, always fare better in the swim portion.
I have said this before and I will say it again, there is more than one way to swim. I swim higher on top of the water looking forward, about a yard or two and use hip rotation. The reason for this is picture a person throwing a rock that skims the lake. The rock is flying on top of the water and not in it, so it moves much faster until its momentum ceases. Now, I know people are not rocks, but the principle is founded. Swimming on top of the water generates power and the swimmer can truly feel it. I swim slightly “planed” outward and upward and skim over the water, not in it.
Nowadays, because I am older and carry more weight, I swim not quite as high on the water and this has evolved over the last ten years or so. So even though I started out swimming “high” on the water looking forward, my stroke has become my own personal one that suits me very well. I also want to mention that I am referring to only freestyle here even though with all of my backstroke days, I, again, swam rather “planed” upward because I could get more rotation on top of the water rather than “in” the water.
I am not trying to cause a brou-ha-ha. I am just curious about the swimming theories and why people select them. And after swimming with any specific theory, are you happy with it?
Donna
It's not unprecedented... In contrast to the stroke tuning and challenging SPL/speed puzzles we spent our time solving ... Plodding up and down for two hours holding a kickboard, while I and others get to experience the pleasure of using the whole body to flow through the water? Sure sounds like a sentence to me. If it's your idea of a fun time, go for it. Does one tire of the evident futility of answering the same criticisms on this forum over and over and have those responses ignored, forgotten, or misrepresented the next time the topic comes up? A bit.
That's it. I'm taking you off my Christmas card list. :thhbbb: You mischaracterized my post again and your reply is non-responsive. As you say, "it's not unprecedented" and can get very "tire." Re-read.
I did not "criticize" TI workouts. My post had nothing whatsoever to do with TI workouts. It had little to do with TI, except I did say I like to kick. In fact, I'd much rather do the workout you described in the last post than the college one you witnessed. I've said it before. I agree with much of TI and tend to train that way. I never use a kickboard, paddles, parachutes or even VASA machines -- a product I recall you no longer endorse. I do many of the drills you recommend. I do not "plod" unless I am suffering from "sickness." Why are you trying to offend someone who agrees with you about all this? I am not one of the people that you should find so "tiresomely" critical of TI. Man, I'm sounding like a TI groupie right now ... :eek: So we better, ever so briefly in one more paragraph so Geek doesn't get on my case for overtyping with my non-typing hand, get down to it...
I'm talking shoulders, Alpha Dude. Shoulders only. My post was solely and primarily and mostly about the causation of shoulder injuries. That is the one way we seem to part polite company. I know you are on a "crusade" about this epidemic. I understand that you want to protect your swimmers from this epidemic. I sincerely hope my kids' coaches do the same (although I'm worried for them about hyperflexibility). But shoulder injuries are NOT caused primarily or mostly by bad technique. I am standing on my posts in the other threads which do not contain the words "mass delusion" or "sickness" in them. Why don't don't you let someone else have the last word just one little time?:woot: :thhbbb: :frustrated:
P.S. I think you should use smilies in your posts to lighten things up. Mets suck.
It's not unprecedented... In contrast to the stroke tuning and challenging SPL/speed puzzles we spent our time solving ... Plodding up and down for two hours holding a kickboard, while I and others get to experience the pleasure of using the whole body to flow through the water? Sure sounds like a sentence to me. If it's your idea of a fun time, go for it. Does one tire of the evident futility of answering the same criticisms on this forum over and over and have those responses ignored, forgotten, or misrepresented the next time the topic comes up? A bit.
That's it. I'm taking you off my Christmas card list. :thhbbb: You mischaracterized my post again and your reply is non-responsive. As you say, "it's not unprecedented" and can get very "tire." Re-read.
I did not "criticize" TI workouts. My post had nothing whatsoever to do with TI workouts. It had little to do with TI, except I did say I like to kick. In fact, I'd much rather do the workout you described in the last post than the college one you witnessed. I've said it before. I agree with much of TI and tend to train that way. I never use a kickboard, paddles, parachutes or even VASA machines -- a product I recall you no longer endorse. I do many of the drills you recommend. I do not "plod" unless I am suffering from "sickness." Why are you trying to offend someone who agrees with you about all this? I am not one of the people that you should find so "tiresomely" critical of TI. Man, I'm sounding like a TI groupie right now ... :eek: So we better, ever so briefly in one more paragraph so Geek doesn't get on my case for overtyping with my non-typing hand, get down to it...
I'm talking shoulders, Alpha Dude. Shoulders only. My post was solely and primarily and mostly about the causation of shoulder injuries. That is the one way we seem to part polite company. I know you are on a "crusade" about this epidemic. I understand that you want to protect your swimmers from this epidemic. I sincerely hope my kids' coaches do the same (although I'm worried for them about hyperflexibility). But shoulder injuries are NOT caused primarily or mostly by bad technique. I am standing on my posts in the other threads which do not contain the words "mass delusion" or "sickness" in them. Why don't don't you let someone else have the last word just one little time?:woot: :thhbbb: :frustrated:
P.S. I think you should use smilies in your posts to lighten things up. Mets suck.
