Swim Instruction

thekidduxc

Should I jump in the pool a few days prior to my stroke lessons? I am VERY rusty.

I haven't put much time in the pool since Sept 2013. I swam a few times last year. I am an adult onset swimmer. I limped to a 1:27 swim in IMWI but I just gave up on swimming the 5 weeks before the race.

I am in week 3 of the OS and have been hitting my OS Swim Core Routine as per the schedule.

bob hiller

David, I would get in  before your lessons.  Not necessarily to work on your stroke, but to get the shoulders through a range of motion and see where your feel for the water is.  Then you can concentrate a bit more on the instructions your coach will give you later.  Maybe plan to only swim about 300 meters or so your first time back. Not with a goal to quickly get back in shape.  If that goes well, increase to 500 meters and see how you feel.  Good luck.

Gordon Cherwoniak

I'm in the same area as you 1:30 for an IM swim.  I'd get in the pool myself a few times so that I'm comfortable in the water.  I did 1100M my first 2 times back in the water this year and probably would have gone longer 15-1800M but  I was doing something odd with my stroke and could feel my one shoulder.

scott dinhofer

@David, i am a slow swimmer (1:20 IM swim) just back from 4 months off for rotator cuff surgery, I have done 4 swims so far (2 weeks) building to 3000+ yards. I could barely do 100 yards first swim out, doing a lot of pull buoy work as it feels easier.
My goal is to spend a few weeks rebuilding fitness, strength and volume before doing any work with a coach. I don't feel it is meaningful if i am struggling to do the yardage from a strength perspective.

Peter Greagg

While I'm no fish, I strongly support your view that you need strength before you can hold good form for any reasonable distance - which I believe you need before your stroke is stable enough to benefit from trying to make changes to your form.
Don't want to hijack the thread but wanted to foreshadow how I went from an 88 min IM swimmer, and Just this weekend passed, I did a 72 in a very tough swim. Basically I swam hard and often but always trying to perfect just my catch and pull. I did over 260 kms in the 12 months leading into the race. I'll do a more detailed post on my approach when I get home. Currently enjoying a holiday with the word's Best Sherpa!

Al Truscott

Peter - VERY IMPRESSIVE! Good on ya. I was thinking this morning during my swim that, yes, strength is important, but it is strength *everywhere*, not just in the obvious places likes lats, pecs, and upper arms. All the other muscles that are responsible for rotation and providing a stable platform for the arms to move against are critical. Core muscles, hips, rotator cuff, neck - you name it. Simply swimming a lot and constantly paying attention to form with each stroke probably helps a lot.

Peter Greagg

Thanks Al.