General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2007-08-13 1:35 PM

User image

Veteran
129
10025
Lugoff, SC
Subject: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder

During lunch today I competed a 2400 straight swim - my longest to date.  Afterwards, I noticed I had a raw spot where the stubble from my chin was rubbing on my shoulder on the side I breath.  Is this normal?  Does this indicate a form flaw?  Anyone else have this problem?



2007-08-13 1:37 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Champion
5575
5000500252525
Butler
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
I am not expert but have seen threads about this in the past and it seems to be an okay thing.  To me atleast that would indicate that you are keeping your chin tucked properly.  But again, no expert here so I would wait to hear from them.
2007-08-13 1:57 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
I've herad conflicting thoughts on this, but it doesn't make sense to me that it is normal.  If you head turns neutrally along with your body rotation, you should get air without your shoulder ever rubbing your chin.  When I do happen to rub mine, I notice that I am lifting my head or over-rotating and when I try to correct that I no longer rub.
2007-08-13 2:01 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Sneaky Slow
8694
500020001000500100252525
Herndon, VA,
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
CarolinaLaw - 2007-08-13 2:35 PM

Anyone else have this problem?

I think Jay Leno does. 

2007-08-13 2:09 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Regular
90
252525
north europe
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
I think, that it is normal. But as I 9 or so years have spent training in swiming, then I say, that you have problem with your technique. Your chin shouldn't be rubbing your shoulder. When you are breathing in crawl your face could hit armpit, when straightening arm forwards. In picture below you can see that his head is below his shoulder.






(freestyle_10.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
freestyle_10.jpg (52KB - 29 downloads)
2007-08-13 2:14 PM
in reply to: #924060

Elite
2608
2000500100
Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
newleaf - 2007-08-13 2:01 PM
CarolinaLaw - 2007-08-13 2:35 PM

Anyone else have this problem?

I think Jay Leno does. 

Good one.

Recently I switched to a wider stroke and I like it. I'm not even close to having this issue. If your arm is coming that close to your head, what you also may want to watch out for is whether your arm is crossing the center of your body and actually going under your body on the pull. This is inefficient technique. This is a bad habit that I picked up after trying the Total Immersion method. Interestingly, some of the free clips on the TI site showed the swimmers' arms going slightly underneath them. Not knocking TI, it's just something I noticed.



2007-08-13 3:08 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Veteran
129
10025
Lugoff, SC
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
Thanks for the replies.  Apparently, I'm rotating my head to far skyward, hence the chin rubbing the shoulder part.  And I'm also probably crossing the centerline on the pull as well, but that's for another day. 
2007-08-13 3:47 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Master
1324
1000100100100
Rochester, NY
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder

Without watching your stroke, we're only guessing.  But as others have mentioned, a very likely cause is that you cross over the midline on your stroke.  I've been guilty of this in the past and had the rub marks too.

See if you can get someone to watch your form.  Thats the best bet.

Good luck

2007-08-13 9:00 PM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
My swim coach told me that I needed to work on this and that I would want to get raw spot from rubbing on my stubble if I was a guy. So from what I was told it is a good thing.
2007-08-14 8:32 AM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Member
47
25
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
This happens to me as well. Especially, when I'm doing short work instead of distance and I'm trying to reach a little further. However, I know it's not from head roatation as I've focused on that to ensure it was not the problem. The problem comes on the reach, and I'm probably guilty of crossing the midline in my stroke, but it seems to be a matter of my own physiology more than form.
2007-08-14 9:31 AM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Pro
4827
2000200050010010010025
McKinney, TX
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
I've got the same thing going. It's happening on my stretched out arm. I told my wife about it and she just laughed and said "now you know why I like you clean shaven".


2007-08-14 11:48 AM
in reply to: #923990

User image

Expert
640
50010025
Montreal
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder

It happens to me all the time. I time my shaving with my swims to avoid getting too much rash.  I tend to breath in the open spot in the water right near my shoulder when my arm comes out of the water.   My pull is almost straight down and I do not cross my body centerline.  During the winter I tend to get an area of rough skin on each shoulder. My wife find this funny for some reason.  

2007-08-15 2:25 PM
in reply to: #924088

User image

New user
129
10025
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
MikeTheBear - 2007-08-13 3:14 PM

newleaf - 2007-08-13 2:01 PM
CarolinaLaw - 2007-08-13 2:35 PM

Anyone else have this problem?

I think Jay Leno does. 

Good one.

Recently I switched to a wider stroke and I like it. I'm not even close to having this issue. If your arm is coming that close to your head, what you also may want to watch out for is whether your arm is crossing the center of your body and actually going under your body on the pull. This is inefficient technique. This is a bad habit that I picked up after trying the Total Immersion method. Interestingly, some of the free clips on the TI site showed the swimmers' arms going slightly underneath them. Not knocking TI, it's just something I noticed.



I am a horrible swimmer and have relied on this forum as well as other websites to learn how to swim. Yes, yes ... this is an asinine approach. But one of the dozens of videos I have used to to teach myslef how to swim clearly shows a pull that goes under the body. Can someone please help me understand the pull? When I first started swimming last year I was keeping a locked elbow and basically pushing water down. Now I feel like I am bending my elbow and attemting to displace the water underneath me. Is this not right?

http://www.faculty.sbc.edu/mcalarco/Popov.mpeg

2007-08-15 3:28 PM
in reply to: #924088

User image

Pro
6838
5000100050010010010025
Tejas
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder


Edited by mdg2003 2007-08-15 3:30 PM
2007-08-15 3:31 PM
in reply to: #924088

User image

Pro
6838
5000100050010010010025
Tejas
Subject: RE: Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder
MikeTheBear - 2007-08-13 2:14 PM

newleaf - 2007-08-13 2:01 PM
CarolinaLaw - 2007-08-13 2:35 PM

Anyone else have this problem?

I think Jay Leno does. 

Good one.

Recently I switched to a wider stroke and I like it. I'm not even close to having this issue. If your arm is coming that close to your head, what you also may want to watch out for is whether your arm is crossing the center of your body and actually going under your body on the pull. This is inefficient technique. This is a bad habit that I picked up after trying the Total Immersion method. Interestingly, some of the free clips on the TI site showed the swimmers' arms going slightly underneath them. Not knocking TI, it's just something I noticed.




Great advice Mike ! I have struggled with catch and pull. I have been working on getting my hand down into the catch position before pulling. I had been just pushing straight down- bad for swimming. I made a note after reading your post to see if I was crossing over the centerline of my body. Yesterday I verified I was doing this. I did some laps working on getting my arm out wider than before. I honestly think this has been my problem with swimming all along!!! I did not time anything as I was working on form, but the effort seemed considerably less than before. I think I might be onto something though. Thanks a million !!!!
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swim ? - Chin rubbing shoulder Rss Feed