Swimming - I haven't updated in AGES

[cjsmith]

Tried flippers on Friday. I bet the lifeguard was in pain from holding in his laughter.

It is very easy to get my legs tangled when turning around at the end of a lap if I'm wearing four-foot-long blades sticking off the end of my feet. What? They're not four feet long? Man, once I get in the pool they're at least that big. I think they're even longer when I'm walking on the tile beside the pool.

I sure do move faster with those things on. Wow. I definitely can't do the scissor-kick; I have to flutter-kick. I grabbed a board to practice that for a lap.

After a few laps my feet were in screaming cramping blinding agony. They felt like they'd seized and were now rock-solid curled claws. I suspect a) I have no musculature in my feet any more, b) it's hard to get those things to move properly if they're even a tiny bit loose, c) there's a lot of resistance to fight when turning around. If I am to use these I will have to start very gradually: start with half a lap and work my way up...

So I pulled them off, tried another couple of laps, and quit. I think the only thing that got a workout Friday morning was the nonexistent muscles in my feet.

(Yeah, they ached afterward (the messed-up part did). So flippers won't save me from that.)

Ah well. Progress: I'm still going and I'm still learning what NOT to do!

Comments

[erisian-fields.livejournal.com]

There are mini fins (http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/1267.htm) that might work better for you if you're looking for more of a resistance element to your swimming routine.

With the bigger fins, kick from your hip, moving the part of your leg between your hip and knee. Everything below the knee should be relaxed and essentially floppy, with a bit of a toe point partway through the kick cycle.

Before you add anything like fins or paddles, you should really practice your kicks and strokes until you're really good at them. Paddles and fins can reinforce bad kick and stroke habits if not used properly.

To keep you from getting bored, there are swim workouts you can try. Here (http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/swim-cgi/work_search.pl) are some. Caution, not all of those listed are actually beginner level workouts. You may need a longer time or a shorter distance for your practice level. Most of them are easily adjusted, though, if you know all the strokes called for.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Mainly I was looking for something that would keep my toes from bending due to water resistance. Probably the smallest fin made would be the right choice.

Thanks also for the workouts. I am sure my form is AWFUL...

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

Those flippers at the mini fins link are the Zoomers I was talking about in my other comment.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I saw someone with them at the Y this morning! I was soooooo tempted to ask to try them. ;-)