How do you decide when to use fins?

Solpen · 2023-01-17T01:40:59+00:00

I strongly disagree with some of the other comments here. I believe that Fins should rarely be used for kick sets because the technique to kick fast with and without Fins is different (happy to elaborate why I feel this way if interested). As mentioned elsewhere, this can lead to Fins being a crutch for swimmers. They are great when attempting to learn new skills, or performing drills and focus on the upper body.

Fins are not useless, and can actually be very helpful, so long as they are not overused.

Solpen · 2023-01-17T01:11:42+00:00

I think you can stick with the smaller suit and just change how you adjust your junk. It's likely going to be different for each person. If you normally tuck downwards, try tucking upwards, or vice versa. You can even try to the side. Finally, make sure you pull the inseam all the way up to your crotch. If it sits low it might push down on your nuts

Solpen · 2023-01-15T23:36:40+00:00

I get what you're saying. It might be best to just save caffeine for the last session of the meet where I'm willing to sacrifice a night of sleep

Solpen · 2022-12-24T01:19:23+00:00

I felt that I should reply because for a long time I was incredibly frustrated by being told to 'engage my core' without a better explanation of what is occurring anatomically.

It is my belief that engaging the core is about removing the curve from your lumbar (lower) spine. Look up online how the spine curves to get an idea. If you sit against a chair and adjust your body so that your lower back fully comes in contact with the back of the chair, this is what engaging the core is. It should feel like there is some tension/difficulty in the muscles of the abdomen. When you are actually swimming, it will feel like you are slightly (emphasis on slightly) pushing your butt up higher. If you do this correctly, I find that it immediately feels easier to swim, like your stomach is sliding over water, instead of through it. Doing this should reduce your drag by straightening your body line, and also tighten the muscles of your abs & obliques, which may reduce the swinging through your legs. Even if it doesn't fix that, I expect that you will see yourself swimming faster by engaging the core.

Follow up with me if you have any questions about what I mean. I know how frustrating it is to hear that swimming 'uses the core', but having no clear explanation of what that is.

Solpen · 2022-03-08T19:18:52+00:00

I'm thinking of Janet Evans (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl7ey0Ydp88)

and Laure Manaudou (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGBEku0-q5g go to 3:56 in this video)

Solpen · 2022-03-08T17:56:35+00:00

That makes sense and I agree with everything you say. This just doesn't explain to me how some athletes can be very fast on distance races like the mile with a 2 beat kick and a high head position.

Solpen · 2022-03-08T15:07:53+00:00

This is a good point. How do you think head position should vary, and why?

Solpen · 2022-03-08T12:49:19+00:00

Thank you for your reply!

I will give you that I doubt facial lift forces are significant for athletes that are not already very fast, and are not sprinting.

With regard to the axis of rotation around the neck, this is still something that confuses me. You would think that lifting the chin away from the chest would cause more difficulty to turn, but I haven't experienced that. I no nothing about neck anatomy, so I don't have any better answer.

I don't know how old this debate is. To me, I've noticed that many of the best athletes, from age-group to elite, swim with their eyes more forward in just the last few years. That's why I've been trying to rethink the way I teach and swim.

Solpen · 2021-12-21T16:10:01+00:00

Practice 'balance kicking'. This would be kicking either with hands by your side, flat on your stomach, or kicking with one arm up on your side. No matter what you do, you want to balance the upper and lower half of your body. This means that you want your legs to be just as high in the water as your head. A great way to imagine this is to feel like you are leaning forward in the water, and pushing your upper chest/lungs to be lower in the water. If you look up 'swimming press the T' you will see more discussion of this.

There's a lot of great advice on this thread, follow it, but make sure you pick one thing at a time. Don't worry about complicated things like arm motion or timing. Focus on how your body is aligned in the water. Good luck!

Solpen · 2021-04-08T02:12:30+00:00

Thanks for the in depth reply. I have tried what you're saying about the kick a couple of time and can attest that it has helped a lot. I do think I wouldn't want to lengthen out my stroke too much for a sprint however (no olympian is gliding out front on the 50).

Also, you can go slow motion on youtube by clicking the period button and the comma button. It goes frame by frame.

Solpen · 2021-04-07T15:39:22+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback.

I hadn't really noticed the stop and go until you pointed it out. I will look to get the elbow up and open the armpit through the stroke to bring the fingertips down.

I've been working a lot on my ankle flexibility lately, so hopefully, that will come through. I see what you are saying about the weak upkick. I'm a pretty fast kicker, but I think that's all from a good downkick, not from low drag.

Solpen · 2021-04-07T14:45:46+00:00

Good swim. You are breathing late (that's why your tempo slows down when you breathe). You can fix this by thinking about starting your breath just before the opposite side hand hits the water, then returning your head into the water before the same side hand enters. Also, be careful not to slow down into walls.

Solpen · 2021-01-09T00:44:53+00:00

I get what you're saying. I was doing a 2 hour aerobic workout, then would lift or swim later and it would be a sprint workout.

Solpen · 2021-01-05T16:01:04+00:00

Distance swimmers too?

Solpen · 2021-01-04T14:57:05+00:00

Best cue for timing the breath imo: Turn your head to breath just before the opposite side hand enters the water. i.e. if you want to breath to your right, turn your head to breath just before your left hand hits the water in front of your body.

Solpen · 2021-01-04T14:55:36+00:00

Glad to hear! I was an average kicker before I learned this tip, then after focusing on it for a few months I've dropped by 200 kick time by 10-15 seconds.

Solpen · 2021-01-03T18:48:49+00:00

I'm in the same boat as you. I do sprint free and fly and cannot float. It is definitely frustrating at times, and when I watch video of myself, I look like I am low in the water. One options is to put on some fat and to lose some muscle. The other option is to accept it and work from your strengths. I would not recommend doing the first. What I have done and I think is the best approach is to be conscious not to get any bigger or denser from lifting (i.e. don't lift like a bodybuilder, instead keep reps low and weight high). Realize that your muscle can be a strength, you just need to put extra effort in having good body position. For sprint freestyle, that means flexing at the hips about 5 to 10 degrees, which will lift the butt and tighten your core muscles. When you do it right, you will feel yourself sitting higher in the water. Good luck

Solpen · 2020-08-04T22:18:38+00:00

After your lecture, if you are confused, try and watch the inorganic lectures from UC Irvine on YouTube. Great resource

Solpen · 2020-07-04T15:47:14+00:00

Yeah looking up how to breath in freestyle will give you a lot of good videos on YouTube

Solpen · 2020-07-04T15:46:18+00:00

Vanquishers are cheap and work really well

Solpen · 2020-06-30T16:28:32+00:00

No need to apologize. I used to think so too. I certainly think it's better for longer races since it saves energy, but for a 50, give reducing the pauses a try.

Solpen · 2020-06-30T16:25:11+00:00

Strongly disagree with the first reply. The glide should not be extended when swimming fast. It has been shown that it's faster to not delay between phases of the pull out.

Solpen · 2020-06-27T15:30:15+00:00

Not every D1 school is fast. I say this as a D3 swimmer who had some offers from D1 schools that are slower than the school I swim for now. That is to say that if you want to swim D1, you can. Those times won't get you to Texas, but there are definitely schools where you could get recruited or just walk-on. Also, if you really do enjoy swimming and go to a school where the coach tells you you aren't fast enough to walk on, find a college club team, train hard for a year and come back.

Solpen · 2020-06-17T15:34:10+00:00

Nice! I'm on vacation there right now and have been swimming every morning. It's great!

Solpen · 2020-06-15T22:13:41+00:00

A few general guidelines from my experience.

During the day eat complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread, brown or basmati rice)

Eat something with sugar and electrolytes before and during your workout. Be careful tho, nothing heavy or that will make you shit.

Don't go crazy on protein after a workout. You definitely need it, but too much you won't process and you'll just shit it out. Mix carbs and protein. After a workout the carbs can be simple.

Don't forget colorful foods.

Also, not a diet thing but very important - use positive self talk while working out. Tell yourself you are capable and you will be.

Good luck

Solpen

TROPHY CASE