Hello! This is my first post. I have started swimming more lately because I need a layoff from running to let some injuiries heal.
I swam as a kid and some as an adult but I am now interested in getting better and swimming longer as cross training.
Here are some questions:
1) Is my back hurting due to bad form or have I simply ramped up pool time too quickly? I have been swimming for about 3-4 weeks and now swim 45-60 minutes at a time.:dunno: I'm in good shape so I don't get tired that quickly but maybe my body needs to get accustomed to swimming?
2) are there any earplugs that really work? I've tried two pairs. One was a wax like thing that didn't stay in long. The other is a rubber thing with a long handle - it's better but doesn't keep all the water out
3) I try to beathe every 4 strokes. Is this good? It gets harder after about 15-20 laps and have to go to every 2 strokes occasionally
Thanks, I'd love any advice you can offer for newbies
Parents
Former Member
You didn't say what part of your back hurt, so it's hard to tell what's going on, but I wonder if you're "twisting" more than "rotating" when you stroke. I'm relatively new to swimming as well, and one of the things I had to do to keep my upper back from hurting was to learn to breathe bilaterally, so ever 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4. It was hard to learn but it did help even out my stroke. Search "bilateral breathing" for some suggestions to get started on this.
Exhaling under water is good. :-)
If Syd's earplug suggestion doesn't work out for you, you can try my trick, which is to take a swim cap and cut off the top to make a "head band". Pull that down over your ears and then pull your regular cap on top (of course, if your regular cap pulls down over your ears already, you're golden...I have a big head).
Good luck!
You didn't say what part of your back hurt, so it's hard to tell what's going on, but I wonder if you're "twisting" more than "rotating" when you stroke. I'm relatively new to swimming as well, and one of the things I had to do to keep my upper back from hurting was to learn to breathe bilaterally, so ever 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4. It was hard to learn but it did help even out my stroke. Search "bilateral breathing" for some suggestions to get started on this.
Exhaling under water is good. :-)
If Syd's earplug suggestion doesn't work out for you, you can try my trick, which is to take a swim cap and cut off the top to make a "head band". Pull that down over your ears and then pull your regular cap on top (of course, if your regular cap pulls down over your ears already, you're golden...I have a big head).
Good luck!
