Hi there, new-ish swimmers!
My name is Barb and I was a lurker. Then I registered and lurked some more. I heard all sorts of terms (long-axis/short-axis, SDKs, slippage - to name a few) that the more seasoned swimmers were tossing around and had no clue what they referred to, much less meant. I was a little shy about asking for clarification on some basic issues within a thread where something was being discussed or debated.
I would like to create a space here for swimmers who are either new-ish to swimming, fitness swimming, or maybe competitive swimming to ask basic questions, the ones you're embarrassed to ask. If you don't want to ask them yourself, register and send me a private message, and I'll ask it for you.
I don't have the answers, but many of the posters here have been and are helpful and supportive of me and probably will be the same for you.
Parents
Former Member
A couple of weeks ago, I swam several 25s for time to get a seed time for a sprint meet. I learned several things from this experience, which I hope can save other Newbies some grief and pain.
I'm not sure what went wrong, but I think it was a combination of two factors: (1) I wasn't nearly warmed up enough and (2) I tried to swim "faster" than my technique could hold up to. :doh:
Anyway, I hurt myself - shoulders, upper back, neck. I swam through the pain for a week or so when everything locked up. Between anti-inflamatories, muscle relaxants, a massage, some chiropractic and a week off, I'm back to not hurting. BUT, I had hoped to swim my best in the upcoming meet and now I'm hoping just to swim without hurting myself (no 25s; I learned my lesson). I swam for the first time today (gingerly) and am totally cranked off at myself for messing up. :frustrated:
Aquafeisty warned me of the dangers of swimming too hard to soon, and to be honest, I didn't think a few 25 yd sprints would count as too hard. So, my fellow newbies, before you do something like this (esp if you are swimming alone), consult with some of the gurus here on the correct way to proceed so you can do it without injury. :cane:
A couple of weeks ago, I swam several 25s for time to get a seed time for a sprint meet. I learned several things from this experience, which I hope can save other Newbies some grief and pain.
I'm not sure what went wrong, but I think it was a combination of two factors: (1) I wasn't nearly warmed up enough and (2) I tried to swim "faster" than my technique could hold up to. :doh:
Anyway, I hurt myself - shoulders, upper back, neck. I swam through the pain for a week or so when everything locked up. Between anti-inflamatories, muscle relaxants, a massage, some chiropractic and a week off, I'm back to not hurting. BUT, I had hoped to swim my best in the upcoming meet and now I'm hoping just to swim without hurting myself (no 25s; I learned my lesson). I swam for the first time today (gingerly) and am totally cranked off at myself for messing up. :frustrated:
Aquafeisty warned me of the dangers of swimming too hard to soon, and to be honest, I didn't think a few 25 yd sprints would count as too hard. So, my fellow newbies, before you do something like this (esp if you are swimming alone), consult with some of the gurus here on the correct way to proceed so you can do it without injury. :cane:
