Swimming Uninjured..Is it possible?

Beth....I've had some of the "chicken or egg" debates with my ortho...he feels that there is a genetic predisposition for arthritis which when combined with hyper-flexibility and overuse type sports = joint deterioration. As for long warm ups I'm mixed...honestly every work out I do is determined by how I feel those first 5-10 minutes. If I'm "feeling it" I'll step up the effort....if not I'll usually do an extended warm up and then ait for my wife at Starbucks....long gone are the days that I hope in and do whatever that days workout is going to be? And yes Geek/Gull/Ion/Terry (what personality is coming out today?)....that is the pinnacle of "slackerdom"! PS: The good news is over the last two weeks my knee is improving...still 50/50 as for having arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus but I'm optimistic.....actually have managed two practices with sets of 100's on 1:10 base (yards)....not so bad considering I can't push off hard or kick!

Anyhow, everybody is different and you should do what works best for you. This is so true. What works for one person may actually be detrimental for another. I like long warmups and I think it's a carryover from my running days. I always took long slow warmups before doing track work and even on long steady runs would start out very slow and easy for the first 10-15 minutes before speeding up to training pace.

Matt you have to keep in mind that Engineers like Kirk usually don't know what they are talking about o.k. (just j/k now Kirk....or am I?...LOL!!) Newmastersswimmer :banana: :banana: You be nice to us engineers.

You people are just a hoot!!! You should all be comedians, not swimmers!!! How about this question/theory: I have read in lots of different places recently that the better condition one is in, the longer the warmup should be. Now, I am not a person who reads something and gets it in my mind that it is written in stone, but since I started training 5 weeks ago and the better condition I get in, I don't feel quite right in starting a main set until a long warmup. Or, might this be just how my body reacts, or is it because I am 59 and not 29? Thoughts? and the reason I am mentioning this is if I am to train and try to swim 18 miles, how many miles do I have to swim first to feel good and really swim that distance? I mean, who ever heard of a warmup before an 18 mile swim? I haven't!! Donna

You people are just a hoot!!! You should all be comedians, not swimmers!!! How about this question/theory: I have read in lots of different places recently that the better condition one is in, the longer the warmup should be. Now, I am not a person who reads something and gets it in my mind that it is written in stone, but since I started training 5 weeks ago and the better condition I get in, I don't feel quite right in starting a main set until a long warmup. Or, might this be just how my body reacts, or is it because I am 59 and not 29? Thoughts? and the reason I am mentioning this is if I am to train and try to swim 18 miles, how many miles do I have to swim first to feel good and really swim that distance? I mean, who ever heard of a warmup before an 18 mile swim? I haven't!! Donna Easy answer Donna do a 29,700Y warm-up, then sprint the next 100 18 miles!

I don't know the actual answer to that one Donna but I have always been inclined to think that (in most cases only perhaps??)) the longer the warmup the better....especially as we age. Now I would also go as far as guessing that for long distance swimming (such as long OW swims like the ones you are training for), that longer warmups should be essential.....I would warmup for a couple of miles (at least) to get ready for something like an 18 mile swim.....thats my :2cents: worth Donna....Good Luck!! And for Paul....Wow, I didn't realize how far back this Smith rivalry thing actually went!! Thats awesome! I hope you guys are still getting after it and keeping the rivalry alive when you're both in the 100-104 agegroup..LOL!.....But don't you think its fair that Evil/GoodSmith should at least get to win once before the 100+ agegroup showdowns?....or is it NO mercy no matter what? LOL!! Newmastersswimmer

Paul, you hit the nail right on the head! I am very flexible in all of my joints. I can't help but believe that it helped me when I was younger but makes it difficult now. My shoulder doctor that did my surgery used to call me "loosey goosey" (don't start Rich! :lolup: ) because ALL of my joints were loose. I have also had knee problems in the past - put a halt to my triathaloning/running days. I have to be ever vigilant in doing my rotator cuff exercises. If I'm not..my shoulder/neck/back lets me know! Gosh they ARE BORING and I'm so sick of them but....it beats the heck out of not swimming and being in pain! Me too twin. :shakeshead: All loosey goosey in the shoulders. :( Bad genes for the mid age set. Except for the knees. Those are still intact apparently because I am not a breaststroker. Thank god for small favors. Sometimes I do a long warm up. But other times not. I tend to do about 500 and then shift immediately into some drills and kicking before I get going. I agree with Matt -- too much overuse and engine building does not agree. I am actually more of a slacker than I'd like to be; I have to resist engine building and all my teammates love it. But it doesn't agree with me at all. I've said this before, but I am going to try prolotherapy soon, I hope. I've spoken with a lot of athletes and docs about it. It can really work in some instances to regrow nasty deteriorated, dessicated cartilege/muscle tissue. Where is Dr. Gull when we need him?

Swim Stud: :rofl::rofl:, there you go!! guess I'll warmup for 10 miles or so and then Hit the Play/Run button!!! This ain't gonna be pretty!!! Wanna come watch? Donna

How about party boy? This is a swimming forum. That's all I have ... I will go for my run shortly ... after I digest lunch and that luna bar I munched earlier on the way home from weights.

Swim Stud: :rofl::rofl:, there you go!! guess I'll warmup for 10 miles or so and then Hit the Play/Run button!!! This ain't gonna be pretty!!! Wanna come watch? Donna Hey if I could I would. I'd be in the pace boat. Cheeering and Beering