Mad Manatee Mentors, Part 2! CLOSED (Page 4)

Yummy! is he the laid-back hippie-ish one?

Love me some cliff jumping. Into water not anything else ... great, a new nightmare for me ...

Speaking of nightmares and if anyone's still reading, I did indeed give Jim the boot today. I was talking to my closest guy friend on the island (who knows Jim) and he was making fun of me ... I replied, "Well, look, I did do it nicely!"

To which he said, "Indeed, if I were to be murdered in a friendly way, I am sure it would be by you." (brings back the typology characterization of ENTJs as saying, "I'm sorry you have to die.")

Hm. Now I gotta think about that. Like, Boondock Saints friendly? Leave a tip for the boatman? Must mull.

Hmmm if anyone is a laid back hippie I would say it is me. But I suppose he is second. And he is my only brother so .. yes.

Ha! Boondock saints friendly. I like that. We once attempted to make a drinking game out of that movie, simply drinking every time they said the f-word. Out of control.

Well, I am glad you kicked him out. Shoot I doubt it's that big of a deal. I'd sleep in the bushes if I were in Bali, really.

I assigned that movie more than once for a Persuasive Writing class. We'd watch it in class and I'd bring pizza.

The sequel is just about the worst movie ever made, rivaling any B movie with "Killer" or "Space" or even both in the title.

YAAAAY!

You'll be surprised how much they benefit your running. Yes!

I was planning the rest of your life out for you as usual (obediently obeys) today while I was swimming ... you're going to get very, very far in marathoning for some time, then eventually (possibly around the same age) pull a legal Lance and wind up qualifying for Kona.

Wow, racing, weather, dl's and a prep for next week. Janyne is too cool.

Go Salty and Stacey!!!!

Heal Manatees, heal!!!!

Educated Manatees are happy Manatees, you both rock!!!

I'm going to be swimming again tonight and I'm curious about people's opinions...

I'm a slooow swimmer (about 2:30/100). Everything about swimming, besides just basics, is new to me. I've read Swim Speed Secrets (refer to it quite often) and watched a Terry Laughlin TI video. Trying to work on getting a decent pull in the water (not easy or "natural" for anyone, right?). When my DH watches me swim, he points out issues I have like swimming too flat...and I really appreciate his input!

But my main question is this...how much do you think I should let my focus "wander" away from getting the pull right? Is thinking about body roll, head position, etc. just jumbling what I need to be doing?

NOTE TO EVERYONE ABOUT SWIMMING

I'll try to explain it more clearly and in more detail when it's not 4am.

I dislike the term "pull" because it makes it sound like you pull the water with your arm. IMO even though most triathletes just don't swim often, far, or hard enough for that to be cause of any shoulder problems, if there is arm or shoulder strain (particularly at the acromion process ... basically, the intersection of the end of your shoulder and the top of your arm) it comes from using the arm to pull, instead of using body rotation by way of lats (most notably felt where your back meets your armpit) and obliques (those side-wall abdominal muscles just above the hips).

You roll your hip to point at the bottom of the pool in order to get your arm outstretched in front of you as far as possible for the catch (where hand meets water after above-water recovery). It's like twisting your body to reach something on a high shelf. As you anchor the arm in the water vertically (as in my avatar), instead of pulling back with the arm, you want to use body rotation (make the other hip point at the bottom of the pool) to drive the arm back. Your arm doesn't actually have to move all that much; only the angles change a bit as goes through the pull phase

The lats (latissimus dorsi) especially but also the obliques are huge trunk muscles that can generate and tolerate a lot of tension. It's a lot better to learn to "pull" by using these muscles to drive body rotation (and the arm back during the pull and outstretched forward for the catch) than it is by stressing the relatively weaker and less stable arm anatomy, muscles and joints.

Asalzwed - 2013-02-01 1:41 PM

ugh.now I have to get in the pool and actually start riding my bike for realz.

Awesome!!

That's a tough question to answer. I guess the way I look at it, everything is done in order to get the pull right. No pull, no propulsion.

How long/far can you hold 2:30/100 (meters or yards?) for?

NOTE TO EVERYONE ABOUT SWIMMING

I'll try to explain it more clearly and in more detail when it's not 4am.

I dislike the term "pull" because it makes it sound like you pull the water with your arm. IMO even though most triathletes just don't swim often, far, or hard enough for that to be cause of any shoulder problems, if there is arm or shoulder strain (particularly at the acromion process ... basically, the intersection of the end of your shoulder and the top of your arm) it comes from using the arm to pull, instead of using body rotation by way of lats (most notably felt where your back meets your armpit) and obliques (those side-wall abdominal muscles just above the hips).

You roll your hip to point at the bottom of the pool in order to get your arm outstretched in front of you as far as possible for the catch (where hand meets water after above-water recovery). It's like twisting your body to reach something on a high shelf. As you anchor the arm in the water vertically (as in my avatar), instead of pulling back with the arm, you want to use body rotation (make the other hip point at the bottom of the pool) to drive the arm back. Your arm doesn't actually have to move all that much; only the angles change a bit as goes through the pull phase

The lats (latissimus dorsi) especially but also the obliques are huge trunk muscles that can generate and tolerate a lot of tension. It's a lot better to learn to "pull" by using these muscles to drive body rotation (and the arm back during the pull and outstretched forward for the catch) than it is by stressing the relatively weaker and less stable arm anatomy, muscles and joints.

NOTE TO EVERYONE ABOUT SWIMMING

I'll try to explain it more clearly and in more detail when it's not 4am.

I dislike the term "pull" because it makes it sound like you pull the water with your arm. IMO even though most triathletes just don't swim often, far, or hard enough for that to be cause of any shoulder problems, if there is arm or shoulder strain (particularly at the acromion process ... basically, the intersection of the end of your shoulder and the top of your arm) it comes from using the arm to pull, instead of using body rotation by way of lats (most notably felt where your back meets your armpit) and obliques (those side-wall abdominal muscles just above the hips).

You roll your hip to point at the bottom of the pool in order to get your arm outstretched in front of you as far as possible for the catch (where hand meets water after above-water recovery). It's like twisting your body to reach something on a high shelf. As you anchor the arm in the water vertically (as in my avatar), instead of pulling back with the arm, you want to use body rotation (make the other hip point at the bottom of the pool) to drive the arm back. Your arm doesn't actually have to move all that much; only the angles change a bit as goes through the pull phase

The lats (latissimus dorsi) especially but also the obliques are huge trunk muscles that can generate and tolerate a lot of tension. It's a lot better to learn to "pull" by using these muscles to drive body rotation (and the arm back during the pull and outstretched forward for the catch) than it is by stressing the relatively weaker and less stable arm anatomy, muscles and joints.

So, I bite the bullet and registered to start my Masters Degree. Right now it will be a Masters in Management and Leadership, it should take me about 5 semesters to finish taking 2 classes per semesters. I will start my first class on Feb 11, and second class March 18. They will both be done before I leave Alaska, so no homework on the drive.

I am still kicking in the Tour of Sufferlandria, thus January is a high bike month so far. I am finding with this much riding that some of my weaker muscles are showing and getting a workout. My legs are screaming most days when I wake up. I am still getting at least 2 workouts in a day. For February I am looking at a run focus month. I am going to start a 30 runs in 30 days on February 4. Who else is streaking?? My goal is no less than 2 miles or 20 minutes a day. most will still be on the treadmill as I will have to do more runs in the morning to fit everything in the day.

My January Totals: Bike - 15h 49m 33s all trainer time, Run - 6h 57m 35s - 36.81 miles, Strength 3h. Snowshoeing - 55m. I was not able to get any swim in due to either work or the pool being closed. I will be able to get back to my Masters Swim on Saturday.

NOTE TO EVERYONE ABOUT SWIMMING

I'll try to explain it more clearly and in more detail when it's not 4am.

I dislike the term "pull" because it makes it sound like you pull the water with your arm. IMO even though most triathletes just don't swim often, far, or hard enough for that to be cause of any shoulder problems, if there is arm or shoulder strain (particularly at the acromion process ... basically, the intersection of the end of your shoulder and the top of your arm) it comes from using the arm to pull, instead of using body rotation by way of lats (most notably felt where your back meets your armpit) and obliques (those side-wall abdominal muscles just above the hips).

You roll your hip to point at the bottom of the pool in order to get your arm outstretched in front of you as far as possible for the catch (where hand meets water after above-water recovery). It's like twisting your body to reach something on a high shelf. As you anchor the arm in the water vertically (as in my avatar), instead of pulling back with the arm, you want to use body rotation (make the other hip point at the bottom of the pool) to drive the arm back. Your arm doesn't actually have to move all that much; only the angles change a bit as goes through the pull phase

The lats (latissimus dorsi) especially but also the obliques are huge trunk muscles that can generate and tolerate a lot of tension. It's a lot better to learn to "pull" by using these muscles to drive body rotation (and the arm back during the pull and outstretched forward for the catch) than it is by stressing the relatively weaker and less stable arm anatomy, muscles and joints.

This is my preferred video for when I teach someone the finer points of swimming.  Remember I am a sprinter with a D1 background.   To swim like Mr Thorpe in the video requires not only technique but also a fitness level not usually found in the general population.  But we are not the general population or do we want to no longer be identified with that population demographic.     We are Triathletes, and we are Manatees.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm-vSqlWmgs&list=FL8H5sjD-Xe4uXlvLX55qWMA&index=62

Practice does not make perfect.   Perfect practice comes closer than anything else.   Except genetics...