Hi all,
I'm a very late onset swimmer. I took up swimming at the age of 33, after a lifetime of tennis (a lot of tennis). As a result, my right side is very strong, but my left side is really only along for the ride. It wasn't a big deal until I started doing some longer swims about a year ago. I was having a lot of pain in my left shoulder. My esteemed coach, Chris Colburn, saved me by pointing out that my left hand entry was messed up and I was dropping my left elbow. I'm still trying to fix that, and think of almost nothing else (aside from food and sex) while doing my long swims.
My left side is still very weak. I tried wearing a paddle on my left hand last night while swimming and I could barely pull it through the water.
I really need to strengthen my left side and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on exercises. I bought some of those elastic cords but I'm a bit bewildered as to the best way to use them to improve swimming.
Parents
Former Member
I'm a very late onset swimmer. I took up swimming at the age of 33, after a lifetime of tennis (a lot of tennis). As a result, my right side is very strong, but my left side is really only along for the ride.
Ok, I will try to be a little more serious, but this is my opinion, not medical fact, and I am not even going to try to back anything I say up with evidence.
You don't have a strength imbalance, you have a neuromuscular imbalance. By this I mean you used your dominant side for so long for so much while neglecting your left, you have much better neuro connectivity on your right side compared to your left side.
What you need to do to start correcting this, and it will take about 33 years in your case, is that you need to start using your left side instead of your right side. Eat with your left hand, brush your teeth with your left, play tennis with your left hand, you get the idea.
True, your right side is stronger than your left side, but this isn't latent strength from tennis, it is current strength from continuing to do everything with your right hand and nothing with your left hand.
If you decide to pursue strength training with free weights, I recommend using dumbells exclusively. Work your left side first and never do more with your right side than you did with your left side, even though you easily could.
Pretty much anything that gets you left side more involved will help to develop more coordination, which should help your control of the left side in the water and finally help your swimming.
I'm a very late onset swimmer. I took up swimming at the age of 33, after a lifetime of tennis (a lot of tennis). As a result, my right side is very strong, but my left side is really only along for the ride.
Ok, I will try to be a little more serious, but this is my opinion, not medical fact, and I am not even going to try to back anything I say up with evidence.
You don't have a strength imbalance, you have a neuromuscular imbalance. By this I mean you used your dominant side for so long for so much while neglecting your left, you have much better neuro connectivity on your right side compared to your left side.
What you need to do to start correcting this, and it will take about 33 years in your case, is that you need to start using your left side instead of your right side. Eat with your left hand, brush your teeth with your left, play tennis with your left hand, you get the idea.
True, your right side is stronger than your left side, but this isn't latent strength from tennis, it is current strength from continuing to do everything with your right hand and nothing with your left hand.
If you decide to pursue strength training with free weights, I recommend using dumbells exclusively. Work your left side first and never do more with your right side than you did with your left side, even though you easily could.
Pretty much anything that gets you left side more involved will help to develop more coordination, which should help your control of the left side in the water and finally help your swimming.
