Better balance

[cjsmith]

20 lengths? 22 lengths? I lost track.

I'm definitely getting better at keeping my hips up and my head down. Another few swims and I'll start focusing on a better kick. I'm also no longer worried about being booted out of the medium-speed lane.

CRAWL STROKE people: I know breathing is done by rotating the head sideways. Do you also do anything to look forward, to see where you're going? Do you instead look only at your distance from the wall or from the lane boundary, so you don't veer? If the latter, is bumping into the end wall a surprise?

Comments

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I hear ya on the goggles. I'll dig out the pair I have and see if I can get 'em to work. (I have never in my life had goggles that didn't fill up pretty much immediately. But that may have been because last time I tried, I had a child's-size head.)

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

For no leaking I strongly recommend Swedish Goggles: http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/1147.htm

Back when, us competitive swimmers weren't able to wear goggles when competing as they'd fall off when we dove in the water. Swedish goggles changed that as the fit allows them to stay on. They do hurt for about the first week of wear (there is no padding and they pretty much fit in the eye socket), but once you are used to them there isn't discomfort (also, when I first started wearing them I was swimming 3+ hours a day so perhaps that is why they hurt). Once you get them fitted properly they pretty much never leak (they can be twisted to tighten the nose connector). I have not used a different type of goggles since 1989.

Even if the Swedish don't work for you, there are lots more options out there than there used to be.