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
To the Fortress,
This is an interesting article on types of shoulder exercises and which one is better. Shoulder pain injuries: rotator cuff muscles strengthening exercises compared?
www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/.../shoulder-pain-injuries.html
I know you got this article but the pictures that show a person how to perform the exercises, is worth duplicating. Good luck, Coach T.
Coach T,
I am thrilled with all of your responses to my thread. I am so happy you have shared them here so many people will have more resources and more to think about to better themselves.
I have had (sadly) two shoulder surgeries: rotator repair and impingement and this was caused by 40 years of just too much rotation (backstroke). Now, I only swim distance freestyle and it is imperative that I know as much as possible about prevention now that my shoulder has been repaired. I will research the websites you offered to make sure I am properly strengthening all the muscles/tendons around my affected shoulder as I will begin training this spring for an 18 mile open water swim.
I, too, have been a fan of Councilman. But the two coaches who took me all the way were George Haines and Don Easterling. I understand fully what you are writing about EVF, I think it was just called something else years ago. But it is so nice to hear a veteran coach's viewpoints on this subject. I cannot thank you enough for sharing.
I live on a remote island in the western Caribbean. No videos here, but it would be interesting to have myself taped and do some comparison. That probably won't happen though.
Thank you so much for sharing your years of experience.
Donna
Donna,
I think anyone who looks at the website videos and then watches you will help you critique yourself. Good luck and stay in touch. Don't forget, type in Early Vertical Forearm + swimming and you'll get loads of information that will get you posititve results (drops in time). And remember to stay religious about those shoulder rehab exerciese, ---- Very important so you don't relapse.
Caribbean Ehhh, --- Well???? - I give clinics on EVF training and I'll forgo my fee for air fare and a place to crash as long as I can go fishing and scuba diving.
Stay well, Coach T.
If I counted every stroke every length, I'd lose count of how many lengths I'd swum. I find it difficult to think about stroke count, pace, splitting, speed, survival and flying breaststroke kicks all at the same time. I wanna know what your stroke count was for those 67 x 50 fly!
thats an easy one...8 spl (25 yd)
we did a set tonight:
3 x 300 descend on 4:30 (breathe every 3 on the first, 2 right/2 left on the second and 3 right/3 left on the third)
200 recovery
3 x 300 descend on 4:30 (13 spl on the first, 14 spl on the second, 15 spl on the third)
200 recovery
1000 negative split (for time using any combination of breathing pattern and stroke count to facilitate the neg split)
the more data available: the better!
I count strokes all the time. Every length, every set. This is not to say that I don't focus on speed, quite the contrary. I consider it imperative to know what stroke count I am hitting at every speed, only then do I have enough data to plan a race.
Regarding a low position in the water: for me, this becomes more critical as conditions worsen (chop, head wind, etc.) I also find it causes less fatigue in my lower back and hamstrings. Do you really have to count? I'm asking that because I share this philosophy as well. In fact, I evaluate the quality of a length by the time lost during the glide before tumble flipping. And I reajust stroke rate and stroke length based on that.
If I end up gliding too much before flipping, and if I can't reajust the technique (simply too tired), then I add a stroke and increase the rate. Most of the time, last arm having pulled tells me how many strokes. I mean right arm means odd number. It can only be 15 or 17 (for me at least). 15 feels very different than 17. So I always distinguish these two. And 90% of the time, left arm means 16 strokes.
As for head position, I don't care as long as buoyancy is fine at low kicking costs.
Do you really have to count? I'm asking that because I share this philosophy as well. In fact, I evaluate the quality of a length by the time lost during the glide before tumble flipping. And I reajust stroke rate and stroke length based on that.
If I end up gliding too much before flipping, and if I can't reajust the technique (simply too tired), then I add a stroke and increase the rate. Most of the time, last arm having pulled tells me how many strokes. I mean right arm means odd number. It can only be 15 or 17 (for me at least). 15 feels very different than 17. So I always distinguish these two. And 90% of the time, left arm means 16 strokes.
As for head position, I don't care as long as buoyancy is fine at low kicking costs.
I would agree that I don't have to actively count each length to know what my spl is, but I do (habit at this point). I like to be able to adjust my breathing pattern early in a length that would otherwise terminate in an awkward "to breathe or not to breathe" flip turn situation.
I use my spl to address many different challenges during a given workout.
One example: On "build" sets I might choose to accomplish the objective by increasing spl during each rep(25@12spl 25@13spl 25@14spl 25@15spl for a 100). Building the set while holding a given spl is quite a different task. I consider both useful.
Thank you both so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences. This type of discussion is what I was looking for: people's experiences because from listening to people's experiences, it helps us to keep an open mind and to continue our own learning.
I truly get excited when a person who swam badly or not at all has found a way, TI or otherwise, to get them into the water and continue swimming.
Donna
