News:
A few of my friends and I meet up at the lake each Monday of an open water swim. There is a nice sheltered .5 mile loop that we like to swim around. We usually swim 2 loops, but on this day a few of the others decided to swim three loops totaling 1.5 miles. As I was swimming just about to finish my second loop I was passed by two of the swimmers. I had been lapped! Those two had finished their 3rd loop seconds before I finished my second. Oh the horror, the horror.
Question:
Since I injured my shoulder swimming last September 9th, almost a year ago, I have only been swimming at 60%. The doctor told me that swimming over 60% will tear apart my shoulder again. During my races and training I have been very conscious of the 60% and have been very careful. Lately I have been feeling great in the water, but I am really restricting the speed. The last year has been spent swimming slow, smooth, and steady. Now I want to kick it up a notch. How am I really supposed to know what 60% is? And if I feel great should I bump it up another 10 – 20 percent?
Big News:
I have joined the Masters Swimming Program at my local YMCA. The pool is awesome and huge. I think the structured swim workouts a couple times a week will greatly improve my endurance and efficiency in the water. I think this will really improve my stroke.
Question:
Do any of you use a swimmers snorkel or fins when you are training? Do they really help, or do they just sit in the garage and collect dust? Do they help, or do they create bad habits?
Huge News:
I have a new bike! I picked it up a few days ago and man is it fast. I think the black makes it go at least 2 mph faster. It is a very smooth and comfortable ride. I figure that it will take a couple hundred miles to get used to it, but putting on those miles should be a whole lot of fun.
Question:
What is the best way to condition yourself to stay in the aero-position for an extended amount of time.
A few of my friends and I meet up at the lake each Monday of an open water swim. There is a nice sheltered .5 mile loop that we like to swim around. We usually swim 2 loops, but on this day a few of the others decided to swim three loops totaling 1.5 miles. As I was swimming just about to finish my second loop I was passed by two of the swimmers. I had been lapped! Those two had finished their 3rd loop seconds before I finished my second. Oh the horror, the horror.
Question:
Since I injured my shoulder swimming last September 9th, almost a year ago, I have only been swimming at 60%. The doctor told me that swimming over 60% will tear apart my shoulder again. During my races and training I have been very conscious of the 60% and have been very careful. Lately I have been feeling great in the water, but I am really restricting the speed. The last year has been spent swimming slow, smooth, and steady. Now I want to kick it up a notch. How am I really supposed to know what 60% is? And if I feel great should I bump it up another 10 – 20 percent?
Big News:
I have joined the Masters Swimming Program at my local YMCA. The pool is awesome and huge. I think the structured swim workouts a couple times a week will greatly improve my endurance and efficiency in the water. I think this will really improve my stroke.
Question:
Do any of you use a swimmers snorkel or fins when you are training? Do they really help, or do they just sit in the garage and collect dust? Do they help, or do they create bad habits?
Huge News:
I have a new bike! I picked it up a few days ago and man is it fast. I think the black makes it go at least 2 mph faster. It is a very smooth and comfortable ride. I figure that it will take a couple hundred miles to get used to it, but putting on those miles should be a whole lot of fun.
Question:
What is the best way to condition yourself to stay in the aero-position for an extended amount of time.
12 comments:
1) masters class good, but hard to take it easy (60%)...if you start to breath heavy, you are going to fast.
2) No to snorkle, never used one, don't know anyone...sorry
3) Stay aero...start high, stay in bars, slowly drop spacers as your back can handle.
Hope that helps.
Key to staying aero: Sleep on a bed of nails. If you can do it you can endure anything.
I have a hard time with the aero position. Maybe because I have the flexibilty of a 2x4.
Good Luck
If your doc told you 60% a year ago, your fitness likely has changed since then. Plus, your ability to swim at that effort for a year may influence his/her recommendation.
Go back to your doc. Ask again.
As for aero, lower back and core exercised help, but the best way to get used to it is to stay in it.
Have fun with the new bike!
It's really hard to answer your shoulder injury/swimming question without professional advice. So I will add questions to your questions!
What kind of doctor gave you that advice (an orthopaedist, a sports medicine specialist, family practitioner)?
Did he/she understand your goals in triathlon/swimming?
Were stroke flaws a contributing factor in your injury? (They very often are.)
Will stroke improvements mitigate the possibility of re-injury?
Did you subsequently see a physiotherapist? Massage therapist? If so, what did they say?
Re: Snorkel & Fins
If I were you I would start with Masters, and ensure you have a solid stroke particularly with your injury.
Snorkels and fins are learning/training toys, and my personal opinion is that they are best used with the guidance of a qualified coach/instructor.
Nice bike!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm new bike!
Ask your surgeon and physio about the swimming, then keep your coach informed so your workouts can be modified if necessary.
Fins are pretty much only for certain drills.
No idea about the aero!
Have fun
I really don’t know what 60% would feel like versus 70% or 80%. My speeds in the water are 1) decent 2) slow and 3) #&%@ slow. Your speed will increase by improving your technique and increasing your volume. I would definitely give the masters workouts and mentoring a shot before trying to speed up. Protect that shoulder.
Haven’t used snorkel…have used fins. Don’t know about the snorkel but the fins are supposed to strengthen you kick. I no longer really use them.
Sweet bike! Two things to keep you in the areo position longer, core strength building exercises and staying in your areo bars more of the time, especially on long rides.
You have a great question there with your shoulder problem.
I injured my shoulder over 2 years ago and it'll never be the same. No doctor told me to take it over a certain level, but I just Can't get it over some level.
Anyway, I'd see a doctor again. Or check your MRI (I assume they did a MRI and an x-ray?) and get another MRI done. See what has been deterating (or however you spell it).
Your other question: Aero-position = you have aero-bars there....just get your midsection in shape.
The shoulder, don't mess around. Get it looked at again but yes, there is a certain feel you have to go with.
masters will be tough if you have a competitive group. I was with SunDevil Masters for a while and was always in the slow lane and holding people up.
I only have one speed. Its getting faster but just to keep up was struggle. I certainly hope you have better luck.
Can't see the bike, what is it?
I would work on aero by being fit correctly. Then ease into it with flat course.
I don't know anything about bikes, but it sure looks pretty.
1) I'm jealous of your masters class! There's one about 10 miles from me, but that's pretty far to go to swim plus I can't really afford that gym.
2) I've got a shoulder injury recovery thing too, and have been asking myself similar questions. One thing that was priceless for me was a couple of private sessions with a swim coach to work on my stroke (in my case, bad stroke technique was a major contributor to the initial tear).
Once my stroke was improved, I found that I went faster with MUCH less effort, so even holding back from full effort my times are still better.
I agree with everyone else that having a chat with your medical professional is a good idea. For starters, you've been resting it for a year and the healing has likely progressed quite a bit. The other thing I've found (which I think applies to you as well) that as the weight has continued to come off, prior year's estimates regarding workout levels of exertion are no longer accurate. I suspect this is particularly relevant for something like this, i.e. your shoulder is pulling less mass through the water, so you are actually working less hard than before, which means (with doctor's approval) there's probably room to increase the effort a bit.
3) Regarding being comfortable in aero position...
- Flexibility is a big factor; it took me a long time to figure this out. Think hamstrings, lower back. Yoga helps with this. A lot.
- Proper bike fit is a huge factor. If you can, save your pennies and get a professional fitting (I got a cheap, half-assed fitting and it still made a world of difference in my comfort level; I can't wait until I can afford a good one).
- Oh, and having a bit of a tummy (which is a problem for me) is a factor - it seems to keep me from reaching the bars as well as I should, which makes me curve my back a bit, which makes my shoulders hurt... you get the picture. Nothing to do for that but keep on losin : )
Nice Ride T!
Now I'll for sure the the BOPer!
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