Thursday night we worked on rotation a lot.. We did the one arm drill and focused on using your core to create the forward momentum and not your arm pull as much. This really helped me to feel and realize how much you can use your core to help you AND use your lats/core vs shoulder to move you forward. (note my cry for help below)
In the video below note the second drill where you drop your arm to your side and work on rotation.
The coach threw some real loops out there too. I won't go into too much detail, but he had us do some swimming without doing the LONG GLIDE. He basically had us swim in the way that EVERY coach has told me to NOT do. The way I used to swim, but w/ more rotation. His point was that what works for one may or may not work for others and you need to find the best thing for you. AND that you would swim and all out sprint differently (similarly, but differently) than you would swim a long endurance (ie 2.4 mile) swim. Um, maybe he would.. pretty sure I would swim it EXACTLY the same way.... but some day I will have enough swim 'finesse' to know the difference. I used to have ONE running speed too, but after much work that is changing!
Cry for help:
My shoulders are HURTING! I'm hoping that I've got the offending move figured out (swimming flat and pulling with my shoulders), but it could be just the huge increase in yardage. I'm generally okay during the day, but I wake to aching shoulders multiple times in the night. I'm not huge on the vitamin I regimen, but did it last night. Helped a bit. Any suggestions? Ice? Rest? (NO!!) I don't want to take time off b/c I finally feel like things are clicking in the pool, but in reality.. it IS the off season!
So WHAT do I do about the Shoulders and Do YOU have different swim speeds?
Make sure that you are sleeping flat on your back with your arms at your sides (like you are dead and in a coffin). If you are sleeping on either side you are putting pressure on your shoulders (and decreasing circulation) that are aleady tired and in need of rest and recovery. Even if you are sleeping on your back - but have one or both arms up over your head = bad for shoulders. It takes practice to train yourself to sleep flat on your back w/arms at your sides - but it will make a big difference. Everytime the discomfort wakes you up - take inventory of your body position and adjust.
ReplyDeleteMight also try some icing. I swear by it but know some hate to ice. Oh yeah, and the yardage thing...sometimes less is more.
wait - shoulders hurting like muscles sore or aching bones?
ReplyDeleteI still only have one running speed - but when I do manage to get my butt back into the pool I will have different swimming speeds...and yes I would swim a sprint differently then a long swim - I notice the difference in my pull, my body rotation and the effort I put out in my core.
endurance: longer pull, more rotation, more relaxed core.
sprint: shorter pull, less rotation, more chin tuck and all out core.
xoxo
Good luck with those shoulders! I don't know anything... I think you should get a massage. That is always my answer. It at least helps for a while... :)
ReplyDeleteYou should get a massage. That might help. Sometimes my shoulders get really sore even if it doesn't seem like I'm swimming a lot MORE (I'm just swimming a lot), but I'm sure upping your yardage a lot suddenly would be hard on those shoulder muscles!
ReplyDeleteThere's also that icy/hot stuff you can put on it. I can't remember what it's called, but my MIL had something that I put on my neck/shoulder last time it was hurting really bad. I also had my husband rub it a lot, but a professional would be an even better suggestion. Also, maybe don't go swimming until it's feeling better. It's hard to say, you have to just listen to your body on that one.
Good luck, I hope it starts feeling better soon!
PS - I also swim differently when sprinting vs. endurance. You'll get it. :) Getting faster at swimming is a LOT like running.
Sorry to hear about the shoulder problems! I'm not an expert, but my guess would be that if you recently made some stroke adjustments AND increased your distance, it might take your body a little bit of time to adapt. Maybe consider bringing the distance down a bit while you let your body adjust to the new stroke mechanics.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above suggestions for massage though -- massages make EVERYTHING better :)
I definitely have different swim speeds based on distance, but I started swimming competitively in middle school. The longer you swim, the different speeds will come naturally, I'm sure.
Sorry to hear about the shoulder problems! I'm not an expert, but my guess would be that if you recently made some stroke adjustments AND increased your distance, it might take your body a little bit of time to adapt. Maybe consider bringing the distance down a bit while you let your body adjust to the new stroke mechanics.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above suggestions for massage though -- massages make EVERYTHING better :)
I definitely have different swim speeds based on distance, but I started swimming competitively in middle school. The longer you swim, the different speeds will come naturally, I'm sure.