[CORE] My first year of swimming, preemptive retrospective.
Former Member
I know, I know... a few of you may be asking what the heck a preemptive retrospective is supposed to be, but indulge me, I'm a writer. If you can put up with Jim Thornton, you can put up with the kinds of oxymorons I like to invent that would make George Carlin roll over in his grave.
I'm ten months into competitive swimming now. Feels like yesterday I was posting my introductory thread! So perhaps time flies, but I feel this year has been slower than any of the last seven or eight. I made a lot of changes in my life this year, number one among them being my entry into this sport and way of life. The last decade mostly consisted of me single-mindedly barreling towards one goal, one direction, one dream at a very damaging cost, and as such, my perception of the passage of time got faster and faster as the years just flew by. But swimming was a new and radically different variable that I threw into the mix with 2009. Everything slowed down, in the best possible way.
Now while I may be trudging through a muddy swamp of time right now (and may I stay in that swamp for a long time still), my swimming times are only getting faster and faster. My coach recently said I have made great progress in a small amount of time. To be honest, I don't know what the heck he's talking about, but I go ahead and believe him anyway. "If you say so!" He is the expert, after all. I haven't actually been to a meet since April, but it appears November I'll be returning to competition, with my USAS team. The training there is so plenty intensive that I decided to drop Masters for the time being. Wouldn't want to overtrain. But not to worry, I will return! Probably in January. But in November, I will know what my newest times are.
Recently, since I'm not really fighting the weight battle anymore (170 pounds... 70 lbs lower than my all-time high a year ago), I've begun to realize I have to think less about the simple act of getting back in shape and tearing down those heaps and heaps of fat, and more about creating and building up certain important things. For instance, I need to begin carving out the developed and powerful body that will carry me towards my goal times, I need to begin erecting a tower of confidence out of the uncountable steel beams that represent every believable indicator of my ability that I can find (the foundation work is done, all the earth dug out- but that's a removal process), and I need to finally start working on my ace-in-the-hole secret weapon, which still remains in a conceptual, theoretical stage. Every swimmer needs an Area 51... but I digress.
Going back to that powerful body I so desire raises a question... the skinniest, hardest parts about me are my arms and legs. But my torso, or my core, is the softest part of my body. This seems to fit in with the problem I've been noticing about my swimming lately... I'm swimming with my arms and legs. This is, I think, bad, and you would probably agree, especially since I have a terrible kick (that will change). My pull is better, but still... I think I've underused my core all the way up to this point in my swimming. However, and this particularly upsets me, I don't know and sometimes I can't even imagine what exactly I'm supposed to do with my core! Help me, Masters forum! I just need a nudge in the right direction. Is it like... should everything follow what the core does first, in a kind of way, as a general rule? Or something else? I have a slight idea as to how my core powers my arms, but absolutely no idea what to do with my core in relation to my legs, especially in flutter kick. Perhaps one of you can provide me with an inspiring quote or insightful anecdote about the core's importance in swimming? How is the core used in each of the four strokes? As is, I feel I'm in the bad habit of simply using my limbs to drag and push my core along, instead of making it what it's supposed to be, whatever that is.
For so long, I have neglected the core. This is really unfitting since I just realized my username itself is an unintended play of that exact word with Ouroboros.
I think you can tell what this thread is really about (CORE!), but every time I start one of these threads I can never resist writing a novel so I changed the title from "I think I'm underusing my core" to the one that's there now, as it's more indicative of the post as a whole.
Couroboros,
There is not magic core answer. A strong core will not magically improve your stroke nor does a squishy core mean that your core is actually weak, just that you still have a squishy layer around your middle.
The most obvious route for you is lots of dolphin kick. This will work core and kick at the same time. It really sucks, try it some time.
There are lots of ways to work the core in the gym. Squats and deadlifts will work your core if you start a heavy weight lifting routine. Lighter options are back extensions on a Roman chair, side bends and hanging knee raises all of which can be weighted. Then there is the typical floor work, crunches, side crunches, supermans, etc. What fits in your timeline and budget and what will you be interested in enough to stick with?
How do you use your core when you swim? You don't. The core is there to provide a stable base to work it. All the information about the core being the source of power for your stroke is mental games to get you to engage your core while you swim. The core does a lot of work during a flip turn and fly, the rest of the time is does a lot of isometric work and the work it does do will be out of necessity, not out of active thought.
Like most things in swimming, it is really a small thing you are trying to change, that will make a small improvement. A billion small things add up :)
This is good advice.
I am a core/dolphin kicking maniac. I swim with my core and my legs. (But then I am a fly/back-er and those are leg driven strokes.) I have found that fins and my monofin have helped build leg and core strength. So will proper dryland training. I could list all the dryland exercises I do, but if you're interested, consult my blog. Or other blogs. Lots of people doing interesting workouts and dryland training. It will definitely compliment/enhance your swimming.
I also do dolphin kick shooters (i.e., underwater swims) all the time. You can get used to oxygen deprivation with practice.
Keep persevering. You can do it!
Couroboros,
There is not magic core answer. A strong core will not magically improve your stroke nor does a squishy core mean that your core is actually weak, just that you still have a squishy layer around your middle.
The most obvious route for you is lots of dolphin kick. This will work core and kick at the same time. It really sucks, try it some time.
There are lots of ways to work the core in the gym. Squats and deadlifts will work your core if you start a heavy weight lifting routine. Lighter options are back extensions on a Roman chair, side bends and hanging knee raises all of which can be weighted. Then there is the typical floor work, crunches, side crunches, supermans, etc. What fits in your timeline and budget and what will you be interested in enough to stick with?
How do you use your core when you swim? You don't. The core is there to provide a stable base to work it. All the information about the core being the source of power for your stroke is mental games to get you to engage your core while you swim. The core does a lot of work during a flip turn and fly, the rest of the time is does a lot of isometric work and the work it does do will be out of necessity, not out of active thought.
Like most things in swimming, it is really a small thing you are trying to change, that will make a small improvement. A billion small things add up :)
This is good advice.
I am a core/dolphin kicking maniac. I swim with my core and my legs. (But then I am a fly/back-er and those are leg driven strokes.) I have found that fins and my monofin have helped build leg and core strength. So will proper dryland training. I could list all the dryland exercises I do, but if you're interested, consult my blog. Or other blogs. Lots of people doing interesting workouts and dryland training. It will definitely compliment/enhance your swimming.
I also do dolphin kick shooters (i.e., underwater swims) all the time. You can get used to oxygen deprivation with practice.
Keep persevering. You can do it!
