head positioning.
ok, well.... that was just stupid ridiculous.
*ahem*
last night, on the advice of 0% guy.. knower of all things tri... i headed to the pool with one thing in mind.
head. positioning.
lately, whenever i try and breathe, my arms sort of convulse, i pull my head too far outta the water, i forget where i'm at in my stroke and... i lose my glide. instead of slicing through the water, i sort of...
sink.
and its really making the whole finding of a rhythm thing rather difficult.
0% guy, having never seen me swim (i'mnotbitter) decided the problem i'm having stems from poor head positioning, and that to fix it, i need to do a few over-exaggerated one armed swimming drills.
..................... ** blank stare ** ........................
so apparently, its as simple as this....
swim on your side, with one arm extended. keep your ear pressed up against your arm/shoulder area, pull with your remaining arm and...
i dunno. SWIM.
"really concentrate on rotating your body and getting your belly button to face the wall. you'll feel like you're going to flip over on your back... but you wont."
right.
so. head positioning.
yeah, .. um. the thing about that ??! SHIT DONT WORK!
swimming? with one arm? on my side? and breathing? while keeping my head to my ear?
ha! um....
NO.
first things first... i was instructed to use the pull buoy. that way i don't have to worry about my butt sinking or the kick.. i was really just supposed to concentrate on my head. so i situate the buoy, goggles on, arm out... and... push off.
i went exactly nowhere. i didn't even make it to the middle of the pool. by my second attempt to pull, while on my side, and my ear on my arm, i was so confused and completely unable to breathe that i started to laugh, lost my pull buoy, sort of forgot what i was trying to do, half kick doggie paddled and finally had to stop, stand, and readjust so as not to drown.
what then followed was... more of the same.
except with the added bonus of... over rotation.
you know how 0% guy told me i wouldn't flip over on my back? that it'd just feel like i was going to!?
yeah um. well. in my case, wouldn't flip was more of a will flip, and the whole one armed swimming things, was....
not working out so well.
after a few hundred yards i completely gave up. i could not for the life of me figure out how to keep my ear on my arm and breathe at the same time, i had to use a paddle if i wanted to go anywhere, and every two or three strokes i was having to morph into a very unfortunate one armed back stroke-rotate back on my side-all while holding onto my pull buoy- situation that was...
as i said before...
stupid ridiculous.
i don't even want to get into the looks i was getting from the amazingly attractive swimmer in the lane next to me who i'm *sure* assumed i'd fallen off the short bus.
*sigh*
before i started all this, i kinda secretly thought swimming might come naturally to me. you know.. untapped genius of the water. real sort of swimming fantasmo. michael phelps ain't got nuthin on my sh*t, sort of shark like precise swimming!?
yeah.. turns out, maybe not.
who knew!?
Comments
technique technique technique....hows the foot?
Posted by: Wrenching Winz | April 27, 2007 9:25 AM
Hehheh. Oh, that brings back such lovely memories of my first few months swimming. :)
I, too, looked like I'd just fallen off the short bus...and also mistakenly thought I'd just take to swimming like some sort of fish. Um, NO.
I'd say it's well worth your time, effort, money and sanity to invest in a few swimming lessons. Amazingly enough, having someone on dry land to shout at you exactly what you're doing wrong works wonders for technique! Good luck!!! :)
Posted by: Andra Sue | April 27, 2007 9:44 AM
Well, if you're totally uncomfortable with breathing, I'd suggest skipping the one arm swimming and just get on your side and stay there (move by kicking gently). Then, roll to face down and rotate to the other side. Keep your lower arm extended.
If you're fine with the swimming and just struggling with the breathing, try to "look" to the corner of the pool in front of you. Not toward the back corner. BTW, I sacrifice some form and bring BOTH goggle lenses out of the water. I'd rather get a good breath.
Posted by: Iron Pol | April 27, 2007 10:45 AM
After taking a swim lesson to improve my stroke (and not because the coach was cute, really! I swear!) and trying to incorporate this rotation and gliding thing into my swimming, I have gotten slower than my already slow pace.
Sigh.
But I guess theoretically those funny drills are supposed to do something!
Posted by: Danielle in Iowa | April 27, 2007 11:37 AM
Yoda says, "when balance achieved have you, then a swimmer will you be."
To google and "Total Immersion" should you go where videos concerning "hiding the head" and "hand positioning" will you find. Flippers, balance drills, feel the force.
When 40 years old you reach, look as good, you will not.
Posted by: Greyhound | April 27, 2007 11:52 AM
I'm with Greyhound. I have a TI book. Send me your address and I will send it to you - gratis!
Posted by: 21stCenturyMom | April 27, 2007 12:18 PM
I have this one-arm thing on my list of drills for tri training and i can only do it on one side, when i turn to the left i sin. btw, the leg buoy makes you flip. today i made it to the pool to watch the master swimmers practice drills and listened, the coach kept telling the swimmers to keep their heads in their pits. good luck.
Posted by: deene | April 27, 2007 1:25 PM
me.
but,
i didn't want to be the one to burst the bubble.
keep at it!
you're doin' great!!!
Posted by: bold | April 27, 2007 4:09 PM
(Wait: did deene actually say that when she turns to the left, she SINS? WOW!!! I want to go to her pool!!!)
I would pay money to have been a witness.
you're too much!
:)
Posted by: jeanne | April 27, 2007 5:24 PM
Read the last two posts. Congrats on the pregnancy and won't Army guy be shocked.
Give it time to get your form together. It takes time and practice.
It will come together at some point. Be patient.
Posted by: Kurt | April 29, 2007 3:15 PM
Forget the side drill. Focus on keeping your chin in your chest. It won't actaully get there but it will help you keep your head down.
Next try to breathe less. Less breathing means less head movement which equals more glide.
Keep at it you will be great.
Posted by: Joe B | April 29, 2007 6:01 PM
glad someone else feels the same way about that drill... i just don't get it! even after visuals it just.does.not.work.
Posted by: Becca | May 1, 2007 11:10 AM
pace Joe place
Posted by: pace music Joe | May 19, 2008 5:19 PM
pace Joe place
Posted by: pace music Joe | May 19, 2008 5:19 PM