Baaaaasic exercise in pool : Olympic distance Tri
58
Member
1171 days
johnj919 posted 3 years ago.
Pimm,
Concentrate on body roll, full stroke (sometimes called swimming tall), and breathing. When doing drills (and you should definitely be including drills) concentrate on one of these at a time. For body roll, make sure that you allow your body to roll along it's long axis (basically your spine) at least 45 to 60 degrees. This might feel weird at first but you will get used to it. When working on a full stroke, make sure you reach forward after entry and brush your thigh with your thumb on exit. As for breathing, make sure you are exhaling steadily while your face is underwater. Holding your breath and then trying to exhale/inhale quickly when you turn your head for a breath causes tension and you must stay relaxed to swim well. Try and coordinate your breathing (bilaterally is best) so that your stroke matches you breathing. What I mean is, if you have a large lung capacity you might breath every 4 or 5 strokes. If not, then every 2 or 3 strokes. Just try to exhale steadily so that when it is time for your next breath you can spend your time above the surface breathing IN. You have to be at ease in the water before you can get fast. Even if you don't care about getting fast, you will find that being at ease in the water will let you swim for a VERY long time.
Good luck,
~John
23
Member
1246 days
brn2run posted 3 years ago.
PIMM, If you haven't heard this already, get the book or DVD, Total Immersion, by Terry Laughlin. It's full of drills to teach you how to swim more efficiently with less effort. You need to have alot of patience, and take very small steps every week. These threads are hit every week by people who are frustrated with the amount of time it's taking them to become better swimmers. Learn from them. It DOES take alot of work to become better. It won't happen all at once, but you will get it if you keep practicing. BOB
81
Member
1462 days
pimm posted 3 years ago.
Thanks for the advice.
I've heard about the 'Total Immersin'-hype, and will look into possibilities of receiving it in Europe as well!
Pimm
477
Member
1255 days
geochuck posted 3 years ago.
Hey Pimm
I am giving swim stroke video analysis to a swimmer in Belgium right now. He has droped 7 minutes in his 4000m swim this week. Tell me how is your swimming going.
81
Member
1462 days
pimm posted 3 years ago.
Hi
Thanks for your interest : I haven't been in the pool as much as I would have liked. However, I am sticking to it. I haven't been able to pick up the Total Immersion-DVD, I'm trying to get some more info somewhere else.
People are mentioning working on my technique. Now I have seen a lot of sites & articles, but no real specific drills on improving this ...
Any thoughts / drills that could do in my morning swim-sessions?
Thanks!
Pimm
477
Member
1255 days
geochuck posted 3 years ago.
Do some fore arm swimming, get 2 tennis balls and swim with them locked in your a fist, this makes you use the inside of your arm for propulsion. It eliiminates elbow dropping. Do about 10 lengths of the pool. If people ask what you are doing tell them you are going to play tennis after your workout.
Hi everyone
Need some help : the most effective yet BASIC exercises, from the earliest beginnings of your swimming careers ... well : I need to know what those drills are! :confused:
Why ?
I'm always trying to talk myself into thinking I'm doing pretty OK, just by myself, doing my laps in the pool ... I don't want to feel a loner in having very specific exercises or whatever, 'cause I won't be able to do those exercises in a crowded evening-session in our local pool anyway.
My options :
I need some basic understanding and/or drills, on how to effectively improve my stroke. I feel I'm way too inconsistent (a common thing I guess when you're not technically educated in swimming), and not efficient (going too slow, loosing too much power, just not feeling the 'gliding' sensation). This for an evening session.
Now, on some occasions, I will be able to get in a quick morning swim, and that is when I want to improve my technique -- any thoughts there?
Info : Articles, Reviews, Schedules ; I will welcome them all ...
All in all I can say : I've read/heard/seen so much, I can't possibly make good judgement!
Just so you know : My goals in swimming are to fulfill the distance in OLYMPIC TRI ...
Thanks for all the suggestions! :o