Howdy.
I'm returning to the pool after many years away.
Since I don't have a coach, I'm attempting to get back into it on my own.
Anyone care to recommend must-have books?
Of course, I'm not going to try to collect a library or anything. So the question is, if you had to do it on your own, which books would you consider essential?
Right now I'm looking at 3 quite seriously:
Mastering Swimming
Complete Conditioning for Swimming
Breakthrough Swimming
Parents
Former Member
Swimming Fastest is very much a advanced textbook on swimming. If you want to be a student of the sport from a scientific perspective, this is a great book. Plan on spending months with the book.
Sounds right up my alley.
If you try to read the book, decide what you will do, then start training, you may never get back in the pool.
I doubt I would try to use it like that. I'm looking for a small group of books that complement each other.
I'm already back in the pool using workouts I'm finding via the forum.
Great book if you want to read about the theory of eddy currents created as your hand passes through the water and how that affects propulsion.
You bet! I have found, to my surprise, that I haven't lost much of my basic stroke. I guess it was so ingrained (after 2hrs/day, 6 days/wk -- at least -- for 7 years) that it's like riding a bicycle.
But I'm sure I've lost many finer points (e.g. on my 3rd workout I realized my fingers weren't fully together) and there have been many advances I'm completely unaware of.
I don't even know how to do a backstroke turn now, because we used to have to go to the wall on our backs, and my breaststroke is based on keeping my head from going underwater.
Now that I have panned one of my favorite books, I don't think there is a good book to get you started. What I would do if I were you is take advantage of the USMS video library, and check out some of the DVDs to bring you back up to speed on the state of swimming, ask questions in the forums and grab some planned workouts from the workouts section of the forums.
Thanks for the tip. I haven't looked at the vids yet, or checked out any of the DVD options. That should help a great deal!
Reply
Former Member
Swimming Fastest is very much a advanced textbook on swimming. If you want to be a student of the sport from a scientific perspective, this is a great book. Plan on spending months with the book.
Sounds right up my alley.
If you try to read the book, decide what you will do, then start training, you may never get back in the pool.
I doubt I would try to use it like that. I'm looking for a small group of books that complement each other.
I'm already back in the pool using workouts I'm finding via the forum.
Great book if you want to read about the theory of eddy currents created as your hand passes through the water and how that affects propulsion.
You bet! I have found, to my surprise, that I haven't lost much of my basic stroke. I guess it was so ingrained (after 2hrs/day, 6 days/wk -- at least -- for 7 years) that it's like riding a bicycle.
But I'm sure I've lost many finer points (e.g. on my 3rd workout I realized my fingers weren't fully together) and there have been many advances I'm completely unaware of.
I don't even know how to do a backstroke turn now, because we used to have to go to the wall on our backs, and my breaststroke is based on keeping my head from going underwater.
Now that I have panned one of my favorite books, I don't think there is a good book to get you started. What I would do if I were you is take advantage of the USMS video library, and check out some of the DVDs to bring you back up to speed on the state of swimming, ask questions in the forums and grab some planned workouts from the workouts section of the forums.
Thanks for the tip. I haven't looked at the vids yet, or checked out any of the DVD options. That should help a great deal!
