A Passion for Running

Comment by Deene

Monday April 18, 2005 @

Thanks for posting that link about swimming technique, provides a better explanation than I’ve ever gotten from three swim instructors. I cant help you with swim tips since I’m just learning myself.

I hope your stomach feels better soon. Not fun getting too friendly with the porcelain pony.

Comment by Dawn (aka Pink Lady)

Monday April 18, 2005 @

Hmmmm that sandwich sounds so good in the ad and I had been thinking about trying it since they opened a new store on the main floor of our office building, maybe I won’t now. Can’t help you with the swimming – I suck at it too.

Comment by BD

Monday April 18, 2005 @

Gastrointestinal distress is the worst.

Can’t help with the swimming. I swim like a brick floats in the air.

Comment by Pamalamadingdong

Monday April 18, 2005 @

here’s my swimming tip….try not to drown yourself or those around you.
I avoid anything but bagel and tim bits from timmies and their tea (bagged not steeped).
I once had a chicken salad sandwich from there and it was NASTY….blech.

Comment by warren

Monday April 18, 2005 @

I’m not much of a swimmer, but my best recommendation would be to get yourself coached. Swimming is very, very, VERY technical. It’s not natural like running is, and instinct may lead you astray.

To offer my uneducated 0.02, I’d suggest focusing on two things. First, try to make your stroke as efficient as possible. Focus on having your arm pull accelerate through the water, moving you as far forwards as possible. Unlike running and biking where high turnover is preferred to effort, my understanding is that swimming works best as a low stroke rate/high efficiency per stroke activity. In that regards, it’s more like speed skating, I guess – pull – gliiiiide – pull – gliiide.

The other one I hear about a lot (’cause I’m not so good at it) is body roll. You move faster through the water when your shoulders and hips are vertical, rather than horizontal. What feels natural is to have your chest pointed to the floor of the pool/lake, and to turn your head to breathe. What should really happen (apparently) is that your whole body should roll from side to side (trying to pull while you’re on your side, for efficiency) each stroke. Again, the goal of the technique is stroke efficiency, being as streamlined as possible while you’re swimming.

Again, I’m no expert. My advice is to find one, and work with them.

Comment by Nancy Toby

Monday April 18, 2005 @

Ouch! Definitely sounds like food poisoning!! As far as swimming goes, the Total Immersion books are worth it for good tips on form.

Comment by beverly

Monday April 18, 2005 @

The link you gave is an excellent explanation, but I’d have to say that swimming technique is best learned with a live coach. That being said, I did see (from the POSE link on your site) that Dr. Romanov is offering a swimming POSE workshop in Mexico in May …

Comment by jank

Monday April 18, 2005 @

No tips on the swimming that’d be any better than either the site or Warren.

Re: Tim’s – Too bad it turned wrong. I’ve had great experiences with that sandwich on wheat. Dunno what it is, but their bacon is the absolute best I’ve ever had.

Comment by Keith

Tuesday April 19, 2005 @

Mark, go to totalimmersion.net and order the DVD and book combo. If you think the POSE DVD is go for instruction, you’ll be thrilled by his explanation. since I’ve changed my swim style to the total immersion method, my stroke, glide and energy conversation has improved expotentially. go luck.

Comment by Annalisa

Wednesday April 20, 2005 @

Mark, I second the recommendation for Total Immersion. There are also some good swimming articles on Trinewbies.com and Active.com. If you can incorporate some stroke drills into each swimming session, it will really help. Also, try to work on one thing at a time. For example, let’s say you want to lengthen your stroke. You can focus on your reach while you swim, really stretching your arm out before the stroke, and then following through by touching your thumb to your thigh each time.