I learned to swim as an adult a couple of years ago. When I started the front crawl, I would focus on being "long" in the water - i.e., really reaching with the forward hand on each stroke, and not pulling until the trailing hand entered the water (the TI front quadrant swimming concept).
But over time, my shoulders would bother me. And I recently learned that swimming with high elbows (envisioning your arm going over a barrel) is better for your shoulders. I was definitely dropping my elbows before.
The problem I'm having is that when I swim with high elbows, I feel like I'm not as "long" in the water, that I get less glide, and that generally, I have to work a lot harder (though my shoulders feel better). One obvious thing I've noticed is that with a high elbow stroke, I can't seem to keep my leading arm out in front until my trailing arm catches up.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Edit: I should add that I'm a recreational swimmer, so technique that is easier on the shoulder is preferred to a technique that may be better for competitive swimmers but is more stressful to the shoulder joint.
Former Member
Relaxation of the muscles for me starts in the hands by not pressing the thumb against the index finger. By not forcing the fingers together, you can feel the tension in the forearms release. If you press the thumb against the index finger and hold the fingers tightly together great tension that extends even to the shoulders. Then realease the tension and you can feel the muscles release.
Former Member
but I found it's from not relaxing the arm/shoulder when the hand is out of the water. As soon as I relaxed - the pain disappeared. This is what I mean when I refer to unloading the catch.
Keeping the hands relaxed like George suggested is also very beneficial.
Keep going you're on the right track!
really reaching with the forward hand on each stroke, and not pulling until the trailing hand entered the water (the TI front quadrant swimming concept).
But over time, my shoulders would bother me. And I recently learned that swimming with high elbows (envisioning your arm going over a barrel) is better for your shoulders. I was definitely dropping my elbows before.
There are two common injury modes that could possibly be at work, a video would show which one is in play from her it is hard to guess.
The first injury mode is having your arm extended overhead and your hand is actually higher than your shoulder joint. Often it goes with having your hand angled up.
It is terribly common in people overdoing the long stroke with catchup aspect of things. It is so common I wrote an article for people who do catchup to beware of this overcorrection.
acadianendurance.blogspot.com/
The basic idea is that you are putting a load on your shoulder when it is overhead. Your arms are not really made to do that - exert force with your hands fully overhead.
The second injury mode is that of abduction with internal rotation. Medically, this is the position folks worry about for causing impingement. Coincidentally it is the same position described as early vertical forearm by some coaches.
As noted earlier, if you swim with an overly long glide phase and then throw an attempt at high elbow catch on top of it. You are compounding things because A. your shoulder position is ripe for impingement, B. you slowed down so much that you have to reaccelerate your body, more force more loading.
For the length of the thread you haven't mentioned more shoulder problems though, so hopefully what you did is working for you.
I have to monitor my left should closely while swimming, 15 years ago when I was 28 it dislocated at Moab UT, a doctor riding by reset it. Since then the left shoulder has popped out of socket about 10 times and I learned to reset myself. Hasn't happened in several years.
Weight training is the best thing for it
Former Member
Looks interesting doc, I'll give your article a quite and thorough read.
I agree with your conclusion on the detrimental impact of late/weighted catching.
I may add to this that the reason why it is so common, is that to some extent, it feels good swimming like this. Well that's not a *good* good, it's a bad good. But still, for a lot of swimmers it's hard to trade a gooooood gliiiidy looooong feeling for a healthier catch (taken earlier and unweighted).
It's like as if a lot of these swimmers where addicted to swim this way.
Former Member
Weight training is the best thing for it I have to agree with this statement 110%
Keep curing yourself with what feels appropriate and the odds that it may never ever pop out in the future are high.
I dislocated the same knee twice within a year when I was in my teen ages, doctor said if it ever happen again, I'd has to open it (I was scared to death).
In 2000, I was turning 31. I really thought that I'd finish my days with a walking stick. Could barely climb stairs without pain. I got back to training stair master (with tape around both knees) and weights. Now, (short story) this year I had my first cycling season ever with no pain whatsoever and I plan to maybe start running next year (which I had never been able to, even working as a full time triathlon coach for a varsity team).
I am not a doctor, but I really have the impression that weights have a positive impact even on articular tissues (even pads and stuff).
Weights weights weights.
