Effect of swimming on other activities

I don't think swimming kills throwing ability... ask any water polo player out there. ;-) I definitely agree. I recently got a dog, and have been throwing toys and balls for her to fetch. Seems I can throw much further now than I remember. Not sure if it is the swimming or weights. As for impacts on other sports, swimming most definitely impacts my running and vice-versa. I'll purposely skip or sub in something else on kick-heavy days if I'm planning to run that night. And I usually do the same when recovering after a tough run. Swimming and weights also work a little counter to each other. If I've done a long or speed swim, my chest and shoulder work at the gym will be off, and the opposite also holds. I'll probably lift heavy tonight, and will really feel it at swim workout both tomorrow and Wed.

Except for the natural ability to do a whip kick I had practically no athletic skills growing up.After college I still swam regularly during Medical School and residency as a way to maintain my sanity>I started Masters Swimming when I turned 25 while still a Medical Student.Towards the end of the residency and there after I had enough time to start playing volleyball,raquetball,softball etc. with friends.Suddenly I was athletic compared to them,because of my strength and conditioning.I was still relatively clumsy on land,but strength and conditioning more than over came that,

Tarukey, What is your football experience. 55 yards is really far. David Garrard put everything into a throw yesterday and it went 56 yards. I used to be able to chuck it pretty far myself, probably close to 45 yards. I got injured when I was trying measure how far I could throw it! I think the reason your distance is less is because you haven't been doing it. I never played high school football but always had a strong arm. You don't have to be particularly strong to throw well, there's just something in your arm speed, flexibility, technique, etc. I loved tossing the ball with friends, and would do that pretty often until last year or so. I would test my distance on high school fields. Most decent college QBs can throw it 60 yards when able to fully step into the throw, something I've never done. Doug Flutie was considered to have a marginal arm at best but tossed it 60 yards in that famous Miami game. Guys like Favre and Vick can wing it 75 yards (rumors have it 80+ but I don't buy that). I don't think Garrard threw it as far as he could. You have to realize that he put some extra air under it to give his receivers time to get into the end zone. If he did what I would do, namely throw against no defense and not worry about trajectory, he would easily do 65.

Since I began swimming a few years ago, I've found that I can now crank out pushups like a champ, something I always struggled with before. I've always had really scrawny arms and no chest. I'd be very happy if I could throw a football 55 feet!

I'm 43 years-old, and as recently as a year ago I could throw it 40 yards on a rope, and some 55 yards with no problem (no, I'm not the uncle in Napoleon Dynamite, lol). Tarukey, What is your football experience. 55 yards is really far. David Garrard put everything into a throw yesterday and it went 56 yards. I used to be able to chuck it pretty far myself, probably close to 45 yards. I got injured when I was trying measure how far I could throw it! I think the reason your distance is less is because you haven't been doing it.

Throwing a football was my number one passtime. We would bring it to track practices alot and have throw arounds. When I was lifting and throwing I could also throw it hard and far. Maybe 45-50 yards. Can't thow at all anymore due to swimming. I can toss it back and forth a few times maybe 20 yds for fun, but that's it. I'm sure I could get it back if I stopped swimming, but that is out of the question. Like Ande says, don't push your luck or do "stupid" stuff. JaMarcus Russell can t how 80 yds standing, 60 from his knees and 40 on his butt.

I never played high school football but always had a strong arm. You don't have to be particularly strong to throw well, there's just something in your arm speed, flexibility, technique, etc. I loved tossing the ball with friends, and would do that pretty often until last year or so. I would test my distance on high school fields. Most decent college QBs can throw it 60 yards when able to fully step into the throw, something I've never done. Doug Flutie was considered to have a marginal arm at best but tossed it 60 yards in that famous Miami game. Guys like Favre and Vick can wing it 75 yards (rumors have it 80+ but I don't buy that). I don't think Garrard threw it as far as he could. You have to realize that he put some extra air under it to give his receivers time to get into the end zone. If he did what I would do, namely throw against no defense and not worry about trajectory, he would easily do 65. So I looked more into this: The NFL used to hold a Quarterback Challenge and part of it was a throw for distance. The record was/is 83 yards. Flutie is the one who has the record. I also looked at the video of Garrard from yesterday and he did put a ton of air under it.

A couple days ago I was tossing a football and was dismayed to find that I couldn't throw it even 40 yards without shoulder pain (despite warming up for 10 minutes). I'm 43 years-old, and as recently as a year ago I could throw it 40 yards on a rope, and some 55 yards with no problem (no, I'm not the uncle in Napoleon Dynamite, lol). Granted I haven't been throwing much these past few months, which could contribute to the problem. I'm not having any pain swimming, and in fact can go much longer without stopping than ever before. It got me thinking about the effect of swimming on other activities, and whether I need to do some things to "counteract" or balance some of the effects of swimming. I do weight lifting on a bowflex and try to strengthen my back and rotator cuff muscles. I stretch my shoulders and pecs a lot. It feels like some swimming related muscles have become so strong and tight that they may hinder me in some ways. Any of you have similar experiences? Any exercises you recommend? If it is unavoidable, I still will continue to swim and live with any deleterious effects because I've fallen so in love with the sport and feel incredible after doing laps. On a positive note, while playing hoops I feel like my vertical jump has gotten a lot better. Must be the quads effect of all those kick sets.Throwing is difficult for me as well- I attribute it to swimming. When I had my pre-college athletic physical, the PT folks had to do a bunch of mobility tests on us (ROM, stability) that we had to pass. When I was on the floor on my back, the woman checking me out tried to move my lower leg separately from my upper leg to make sure there was no movement in the knee. When my lower leg moved independently, she freaked out :afraid: and called her supervisor, who asked if I was a swimmer. When she told him I was, he told her it was OK. Swimming is a great sport, but it does strange things to your body.

"used to could" can get you in trouble with many activities. Being "in shape" is very specific. There is some cross over from swimming to other activities. When resuming anything, start out easy and gentle. "used to could" creates expectations of what you should be able to do now and if you haven't been practicing that activity & you resume it, there is a chance you could be sore afterwards or get injured. It's pretty easy to throw out your arm. I sometimes get sore just from tossing a frisbie or skipping rocks. If a meet's coming up, don't do stupid stuff. Especially avoid anything that begins with you saying "Hey y'all watch this."

Wiki trivi "In 1935, competing for Fullerton High School in the California State Track and Field High-School Championships at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno, John Raitt won the shot-put with a throw of 55 feet 5 and 1/4 inches, and set a new state record in winning the football throw with a throw of 220 feet." That's Bonnie Raitt's dad.