Training for DM

[reactive]

Good info indeed. I want to start a swimming regiment simply to get in shape and lose a few pounds around the waist to go along with eating healthier foods.

[Ryanh1801]

Originally Posted by caroln

This was recommended to me when I started DM. It's supposed to be an excellent system to improve your efficiency in the water. The workshops are pricey, but they have a dvd if you're just looking for some pointers on technique.

Total Immersion Swimming

Laughlin, is the man when it comes to swimming. I have never done that program, but have read some articles by him and he makes a lot of good points.

[ertechsg]

Use you legs get a kick board and do 400? meters or so with just legs. Back when I did the swim team if we didn't use our legs the coach had use doing laps with these damn boards all day

[cummings66]

Yup, proper head position is down, not looking forwards. The water should be almost covering your head. When you raise it you ruin your form and then you get inefficient.

Total Immersion swimming is a book/dvd that is well worth buying. I have never regretted getting it.

[Mtrewyn]

Originally Posted by frogman159

Proper head position is to look straight forward not down. The surface of the water should be just above your eyebrows. wearing goggles is key for your comfort

looks like someone beat me to the punch but here it is anyway

There are alot of coaches out there that would disagree with this, check out this website:
Total Immersion Swimming

this is very good if you have not trained so long that your stroke in in "muscle memory"

watch the swimmers this summer and count strokes, the fast ones will have the fewest number of strokes, not always but alot of the time.

It is based on the "longer boat goes faster" thing and moving efficiently in the water, faster strokes is not always better, (sounds like diving it just hit me)

They talk about "pushing your buoy" which is pushing your head down with your upper body, thus lifting your lower body closer to the surface and using the rotation of your body caused by the strokes of your arms to help move your legs.

this is the way I swam in high school on the swim team and we always did fairly well it is alot easer to see than to tell you about the sight has some vids that should help more if you are interested in learning more.

just my 2 psi.

[frogman159]

Guess I was unclear
How To Position the Head to Swim Freestyle | eHow.com

This explains the head positioning that I use better than I did originally. See the tips section at the bottom

I also was a former swimmer

[Mtrewyn]

Like there is a lot of debate ofer this very thing. Some coaches whant this others want the other, it's like the ford chevy thing, no one is right and no one is wrong it all comes down to what works for you.

I personaly like the way that takes less effort, I'm just "lazy" like that, but in the end it all is the same, it's the activity that is good for you not how you do it.

[frogman159]

Originally Posted by Mtrewyn

it's like the ford chevy thing.

what do you mean? Everyone knows fords suck.....

J/K

[texdiveguy]

Heck, I don't know what all the fuss is about.....geeze Bigg_Budd your 33.....just suck it up and get in those DMC swims....I was in my late 40's and pulled it off with a wooden leg!

[Divingguy]

Jason: Spend $15 and get the total immersion book. The things I found that made the biggest difference for me were body elongation, reaching, breathing, "gliding", and reducing stroke count per distance traveled. I kept my head down, watched the stripe, and never did get any kind of flip turn going. The night of my swim test I finally got the 450 done in 8:45. Good luck.