Swimming progress: April
OK, it's mid April and I can swim a continuous 100 metres (just barely) without fins on. I should be worried, but I'm elated. Remember, a few short months ago, I couldn't manage 25 metres! So there is progress, but it's slow. I've struggled a heap with the technique, but I know that one day it will just 'click'. The first part of what was difficult was the high elbow in the recovery position. I managed to fix this with lots of drills and concentrating on trailing my thumb against my side when raising the arm up and out of the water.
Then the next part that took me ages to get was the notion that once your hand enters the water, the elbow bends again on the pull. For some reason, I just couldn't get it through my think skull that the arm doesn't pull while straight. Imagine you're standing up against a wall that's slightly higher than your head. Then rest your forearms on the top of the wall in a kind of L shape. This is what your arms must look like when you engage the pull.
Easier said than done! Still getting my head around it, but it's getting better...mostly mental. Most of my training challenges seem to be mental. When something is difficult or when I start to hurt I tend to want to give up or stop. I guess training makes you realise things about yourself (and hopefully change yourself for the better!)
Then the next part that took me ages to get was the notion that once your hand enters the water, the elbow bends again on the pull. For some reason, I just couldn't get it through my think skull that the arm doesn't pull while straight. Imagine you're standing up against a wall that's slightly higher than your head. Then rest your forearms on the top of the wall in a kind of L shape. This is what your arms must look like when you engage the pull.
Easier said than done! Still getting my head around it, but it's getting better...mostly mental. Most of my training challenges seem to be mental. When something is difficult or when I start to hurt I tend to want to give up or stop. I guess training makes you realise things about yourself (and hopefully change yourself for the better!)
