Saturday, January 10, 2009

Not quite a fish yet, but...


I'm sort of like the opposite of this fish; I imagine my swimming looks to him like his walking would look to me. However, after the great advice everyone gave me the other day, I've been experimenting with swimming some more, and I feel like I'm getting closer to figuring it out. I think the turning point was the suggestion my M to watch the Total Immersion swimming videos on YouTube. After watching a bunch of those, I started to figure out what I was doing wrong, and was able to try to change my stroke up. I'm by no means good, but the day I swam after watching the videos, it was so much easier. I was able to swim twice as far that next day as I had been, once I streamlined my stroke and didn't have all this wasted effort and energy (it's still not very far, but much better than it was last week).

The bouy has been really interesting, too. Not using my legs at all has not only helped me concentrate on my upper body, but it helps my knee a lot; my knee hurts when it's bent (i.e. when sitting), so keeping it straight relieves the stress and gives me some release from the constant ache, which has been getting worse lately.

As I've been having fun trying to figure this out for myself, and only I have 3 weeks and change until surgery, I talked to my friend who said she'd give me some advice, and we're going to wait until after the surgery, so I can just play for the next few weeks by myself.

I've either tried or been thinking about much of what you all told me when I've been in the pool this week, and it's definitely helping this whole swimming thing make sense in my head, so thanks again for all the good feedback!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You'll come over to the pool side yet, Joe! ;-)

Swimming is both a sport of technique and a thinking person's sport, so taking advantage of some good advice/coaching is key.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Glad you're enjoying swimming, Joe. Being able to get a bit of exercise in - no matter what kind - can be a real shot in the arm, attitude-wise. It sucks not being able to do anything.

My knee is bugging me, but not nearly as much as yours is you. But i can go on long walks until I get the PT I need, which starts Wednesday. This - walking - has kept me somewhat sane for the past couple months.

Good luck!

Kori said...

Hey, my running friend Natalie had orthoscopic knee surgery and was running agin in 3 weeks, up to 6 miles by 6 weeks. You WILL get better - warning - this is unsolicited medical advice. I sell printing, but am good at a pep talk or two.