Solo Swimmers

Yup, as soon as the doc tells me what's wrong I'm going back to the McKenzie therapist. It's not going to keep me out of the pool. Update: doc says it's an inflamed rotator cuff so he gave me a cortisone shot (which hurt like heck) and I'm going back to PT. So swimming for a week but he thinks the shot and the pt will clear it up.

Update: doc says it's an inflamed rotator cuff so he gave me a cortisone shot (which hurt like heck) and I'm going back to PT. So swimming for a week but he thinks the shot and the pt will clear it up. Ouch! I know rotator cuff is a really vulnerable area of the body. I don't do enough moves to keep it strong, this is a useful reminder, to put those into rotation in my strength training. I hope that yours heals up fast! I just found a new place to swim, myself. (It has taken me weeks to get myself in gear and check a few out. I visited one park & planning pool that's very small. But, they do offer classes. I'm signed up for some but they don't start until NOVEMBER so, I'm solo swimming for now)

I just ran into this blog post by Olivier Poirier-Leroy on his site (www.yourswimlog.com/.../ ) and it looks really helpful for prevention. Hmmm, I sleep wonderfully on my side. I'm not sure that I can even fall asleep, on my back, as the article recommends. I suspect that if I do manage to fall asleep, I would unconsciously turn onto my shoulder. I can certainly do some of the other moves though - foam rolling, and the quadriped thoracic spine rotation do look worth trying!

I am then actually, very near you -- I live in the Bowie area. I have family in Edgewater, and I'm familiar with the AA County locations. I do plan on going to both to at least visit and swim once to see how they feel (if you know what I mean). But from my PG location, there are closer pools with easier commutes. Right now I am not able to swim for long periods or distance. So a quick trip TO a pool where I swim briefly, seems to make more sense. Columbia would be too much of a hike for me except on a special occasion. I'm trying hard to get out and swim at least 3x per week, and then, in November, I'll be taking the swim classes at the Curry Sports & Learning Center (which btw has two nice pools, one for leisure and one that is a traditional pool with lanes). Thanks very much for posting. I hope your shoulder issues resolve so you feel healthy again, and hey, maybe we'll bump into one another if we happen to be at the same pool at the same time.

I think I need some fins? I won't be in a regular swim class until November, which feels really far away right now! I hope to avoid learning too many bad habits while I sort of flail around at the pool, until then. I asked at the pool desk, about the swim classes there, and I think perhaps the nice lady was worried that I had come for lap swimming but couldn't stay afloat. I can swim, generally! However, I don't swim well (I never competed, never swam in a team, remember). I've been watching YT videos and signed up for and follow SwimGuru. And I've found a good bit of good tips and advice here in various areas of the forums. But in person lessons can't hurt! I really appreciate the camaraderie on here - I don't as yet have anything like this forum, IRL. I guess I also would love if the swimming lessons gave me an intro to a few likeminded folks! I am a little bit lazy, and the nearer the pool, to me, the better. So, at least for now, I'm swimming at the local community college's pool, which is just about 15 minutes away from me. It doesn't AFAIK have a Masters team but it's a nice pool. I've found a few old posts about Anne Arundel County MD pools, and I will try to get to some of those, too - it seems as if all of the USMS action is farther from me than I'd like.

I think I need some fins? I won't be in a regular swim class until November, which feels really far away right now! I hope to avoid learning too many bad habits while I sort of flail around at the pool, until then. I asked at the pool desk, about the swim classes there, and I think perhaps the nice lady was worried that I had come for lap swimming but couldn't stay afloat. I can swim, generally! However, I don't swim well (I never competed, never swam in a team, remember). I've been watching YT videos and signed up for and follow SwimGuru. And I've found a good bit of good tips and advice here in various areas of the forums. But in person lessons can't hurt! I really appreciate the camaraderie on here - I don't as yet have anything like this forum, IRL. I guess I also would love if the swimming lessons gave me an intro to a few likeminded folks! I am a little bit lazy, and the nearer the pool, to me, the better. So, at least for now, I'm swimming at the local community college's pool, which is just about 15 minutes away from me. It doesn't AFAIK have a Masters team but it's a nice pool. I've found a few old posts about Anne Arundel County MD pools, and I will try to get to some of those, too - it seems as if all of the USMS action is farther from me than I'd like. I'm in Anne Arundel. Olympic Swim Center in Annapolis is the best pool in the county and North Arundel Swim Center is good, too, though not as big. I don't know what part of AA you're in but there's also a great pool in Columbia aquaticfun.net/ColumbiaMarylandaquaticcenter. If you look up the masters clubs in Maryland you'll find the ones that are near you - none near me but I'm out by Crofton.

Just wanted to post an update and a small vent. I am definitely going to head up to the Olympic Swim Center this coming week. I just got notified that the ALTS class I was hoping to take IN NOVEMBER, is being cancelled because the Theresa Banks Aquatic Center will be closed for maintenance that week. I AM still on the roster for the other swim classes, so, I hope THEY are not cancelled. I've been able to get to the College swim center quite a few times, and overall I like swimming there. (Although I am still more comfortable in a pool where there are lanes shallower than my own height - I like to be able to touch bottom). Maybe I have a touch of aquaphobia, even though I can tread water and basically do swim after a fashion. I don't like to worry I will get winded and be stuck mid-lap. This (and breathing) is why I feel like I need swim classes. Anyway, it's discouraging to have classes so hard to find and then being cancelled. I am going to check on what the cost is for a non-resident in AA County, and whether there are any openings. If I HAVE to travel to find a swim class session, so be it. I can always practice on my own at my nearby pool, I guess. I hope everybody's doing well.

I don't like going over my head, either, though I've done it. I get to where I can swim pretty well and I'm ready to hit the deeper lanes, then something goes off on my shoulder and I'm out of the pool for a month. It takes me a while to get my breathing back to normal. I know what that frustration feels like - you think you're all set up for lessons then something goes off and you're back to searching again. It's part of being in a new area. I'm in AA so a lot closer to the Olympic Swim Center (though still 20 minutes away compared to 10 when I lived in Fairfax County).

I'm sorry you are having so many frustrations, f1re! What a bummer. Good luck in your quest!

I don't like going over my head, either, though I've done it. I get to where I can swim pretty well and I'm ready to hit the deeper lanes, then something goes off on my shoulder and I'm out of the pool for a month. It takes me a while to get my breathing back to normal. I know what that frustration feels like - you think you're all set up for lessons then something goes off and you're back to searching again. It's part of being in a new area. I'm in AA so a lot closer to the Olympic Swim Center (though still 20 minutes away compared to 10 when I lived in Fairfax County). Well, I try what is best for me which is a lot less yardage than the typical 10,000 to 15,000 a week for a masters swimmer. More like 5,000 yards a week and doing all the strokes with some sprinting. I want to prevent injury and worked more in a cycle with some weeks 5,000 and above and some more 4,000 and some when I very busy or need a rest around 2,000 to 3,000 a week. I swim every week. Doing lower yardage makes it possible for me to swim every week.