Off the Deck

I have struggled with my breaststroke head position since Day One. I veer towards the “dippity-do” movement. I suspect this stems from trying too hard to just get to the other wall, let alone with speed.

This is beyond vexing because I’ve been trying to correct it (and get a handle on this stroke) since Day One. (“Imagine holding a tennis ball under your chin the entire time you swim breaststroke.” “Swim with a tennis ball under your chin during practice.”)

Sometimes I can get that head to remain still, but I have to think about it constantly. On the other hand, my freestyle head position is magical. From Day One it’s naturally tilted down, even when I breathe on both sides. Apparently this is a rare trait. Even better, it’s totally automatic, and I instantly know when a little correction is needed because suddenly I don’t feel as if I am swimming downstream.

I don’t get it. I mean, I get the obvious short axis vs long axis stroke difference here, but that doesn’t explain it since my best stroke is butterfly. Head position there? Usually pretty good and on auto-pilot. Even my backstroke head position, while not stellar, is good enough to contribute to a decent stroke.

No, it’s definitely something particular to breaststroke. All the components of the stroke — head position, kick, pull, turnover, timing — are all off.

Oh well, I guess three out of four “pretty good” head positions isn’t bad. And the current status of my breaststroke certainly leaves room for dramatic improvement, even as I age!

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Maybe I am a bit ad-centric lately, but I can’t help it – this week’s People magazine includes a Merona (a line of clothing at Target) ad featuring swimming.

For real. I know, it doesn’t make sense to me either. In fact, a lot about the ad doesn’t make sense to me:

–What exactly are they trying to portray? It’s not a “race” since there’s more than one swimmer per lane, and men and women are mixed in together. But they’re all doing butterfly. So maybe it’s practice? But then why are there a bunch of people dressed to suggest “meet official” (think: all white) lining one side of the deck?

–Speaking of those white outfits, surely these pieces are not actual items from the “spring collection” for sale at Target. (Can you say “dowdy?”)

–O.K., so maybe the ad is using the white official-looking outfits as a visual trick to highlight the two people in purple and khaki. But what the heck’s going on with those two? Why are they ignoring their swimmers? Are they checking each other out? Are they congratulating each other on their similar style sense? Do they coach the same kids (thus the matching colors) and are so confident about their swimmers they don’t even need to watch them? Seriously, it’s kind of weird…

–Why are the flags running the legnth of the pool instead across? Is backstroke not part of this particular swim-scenario?

–Is it just me, or do all of the swimmers look like they’re laughing?

Huh. Should I just suck it up and write this ad off via a popular mom-ism (“some things are just meant to be enjoyed, not understood”) because any reference to swimming in pop culture is good for the sport? Or should I start offering myself as a “swim consultant” to marketing firms? Choices, choices, choices.

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Lots of times something’s happening within my swim world and I want to post about it right away.

Other times, like today, I dig into my slush file (a folder of odd clippings and scraps of paper with brief notes to myself. Neither category is particularly time-sensative, thus the beauty of a slush file) and pull a topic, such as Michael Phelps and Under Armour.

During the Winter Games this past February, a brief article appeared in USA Today noting that Michael Phelps had signed his biggest endorsement deal since his pot-smoking publicity fiasco. I suppose the Under Armour annoucement appeared in print then because anything on MP is an easy way to remind readers who are currently jazzed about the Winter Games that the 2012 London Summer Games will be here soon enough.

In any case, the clip mentioned it’s a mutli-year deal, and would focus on gear worn during MP’s dry land training sessions. In fact, one of the company rep’s quotes mentioned how the first commercial probably would “surprise” some people by how hard MP works outside of the pool.

First of all, what commercials? I haven’t seen any, and two months have passed since this particular announcement. A careful re-read of the article clarified at least that last bit: the first commercial would air during the “NFL Scouting Combine.”

What? O.K., although I didn’t know what that was off the top of my head, it still didn’t sound like something that would have a huge audience. Especially one that would care about, let alone know, anything about swimming.

Of course, I had to do some ‘net research. Turns out that the “NFL Scouting Combine” is an annual event. One website’s catchy description of the event? “A “job fair for NFL players.” Guess who the main 2010 sponsor is? Yes, that’s right — UA. Oh, and it’s already over — it ran Feb. 24-March 2.

So…again, I’m sitting here thinking, “how many people saw that commercial?” And how many of them were swimmers? Did any of the non-swimmers then run out and buy UA gear?

My second meta-thought about the MP-UA commercial is what kind of perception does the American public at large have about swim training? Do they think we just whip out records as long as we have a tech suit on?

Hello?!? MP is a professional athlete. I don’t care what sport you chose — any professional athlete today is going to do a lot of cross training — weights, pilates, yoga/stretching, running, cycling and more — whatever it takes to be in tip-top condition and gain an edge over their competitors.

Hmmmm…if it’s a multi-year deal that extends past the 2012 Games, maybe we’ll see ads via more mainstream souces as we get closer to trials and the Games themsleves?

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Two interesting and related swim-remarks were made to me this week by two different people. The first: an illustration of “swimmer intelligence” via a list of average GPAs for various male sports teams from their alma matter. Of course, swimmers topped the chart.

The second: “swimmers tend to be introverted.”

Both statements are pretty true if you think about it. While growing up, the majority of kids on my age group and scholastic teams fell into one of two extreme categories: 1) super bright over-achievers, and 2) natural athletes. Those in the first category could zip through homework and easily apply new technique info to their strokes. And thanks to their busy minds, they were able to amuse themselves during kazillions of yards and meters. The natural athletes, on the other hand, didn’t care enough about school to bother with homework, and had innate sense of their body in the water. They just sort of mentally blanked out during practice and let their bodies swim.

I don’t think much has changed since I’ve become a masters. After all, why swim unless you enjoy it or have such a flair for the sport?

The introversion part rings true too. In general, the following characteristics seem to apply to a lot of swimmers: hard working, focused, goal-oriented, “over-thinker,” organized. “Life of the party?” Not so much.

But the real question is which came first — the formed personality that found an outlet in swimming, or do the demands of swimming (long hours, early mornings, constant study of technique, clean diet, set and break PRs, etc.) shape its devotees into bright but slightly warped indivduals?

Hmmmmm…..

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

As you know, this past winter has been kind of tough on me. Chock o’ viruses, plus the old haunt and team really haven’t been working for me over the few years due to a variety of issues. Now that’s it’s spring, the traditional season of rebirth and growth, I decided that it’s the perfect time to try something new: swimming with a team that combines age groupers and masters. Thus, last week was my first with the “Swim Dogs.”

Swimming with kids is definitely a nice breath of fresh air. They have a ton of energy (translation: no more slacking off at any time for me.) Their fun and goofy mood is contagious, and this atmosphere is like a mental vacation for me each practice — I don’t have to hear about depressing adult problems such as layoffs, divorce or cancer, or weigh in on heavy topics like economic outlook. Nope, now I hear a lot of giggling and get to chit chat about pop culture, school, swim meet results and summer plans. Totally refreshing!

The team’s indoor pool is six-lanes/yards There are three coaches per practice. This coach per two lanes ratio might be my new favorite thing. Foremost, practices move along. There’s no dithering or arguing about sets and intevals when someone is standing right over your lane, telling you exactly what to swim. This is the factor that eliminates awkard lane situations — no one would dare do the 200 IM set as a 100 free one with fins free. Ah, peace in our times indeed.

I’m also happily awash amidst all of the other things coaches provide: Technique help. Seasonal planning. Motivation. Intervals per repeat. Feedback. Drill explanation. Keeping an eye on intervals and yardage to enourgage progress. Team bonding. I’ve been coachless for so long it’s as if all these elements are new.

Practices are at night, and only 60 minutes. But they’re offered Monday-Friday, so I am really curious to see what my body does with shorter but more frrequent workouts. I’m sure I’ll tinker with patterns as I get back into shape, but swimming at night means the ealry a.m. and lunchtime are now free for runs, weights and yoga. Again, I’m curious to see how my body responds and if this might be a better training approach than super early a.m. swims.

Finally, I know it’ll sound a bit silly, but I’m also immensely enjoying the “ease” of the Swim Dogs option. The pool is closer to my house. There isn’t a lot of traffic in either direction at that hour of night. There is plenty of parking right by the pool door. The water is the coolest that I know of now locally, and the air quality is excellent, both of which are really key factors for swimmers training with asthma. Even the showers were a suprise — hot and good pressure.

After just one week with the Dogs I already feel better about swimming and my return to competition shape — I can’t wait until the team moves to the outdoor LCM pool this June!

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Yesterday I went to the final day of States. It was kind of weird not to be swimming. But two weeks back in the water after three and a half months off due to illness does not add up to “competition ready” condition.

Much about the morning was fun: counting during the 500, catching up with everyone, and watching some good swimming. I did get twinge-y at moments though, because I want to be in shape and competiting.

Once back at home, I realized that the twinge-y-ness is a good thing — it shows that I’m not bored or burned out with swimming. In fact, it’s already sparked a training motivational factor that I haven’t had for the past two or so years.

Being a spectator for once also allowed me to see the big picture. For the majority of swimmers, it’s a big cycle of up and down through time. Some years you are in top form and throwing down PRs as you head into a strong Nationals/open water season. Other years you are working your way back from some kind of disruption such as injury, illness, job loss/ distraction, moving, or having a baby. I guess I’m just at that base of the up-curve line again.

Not swimming in this year’s meet might have even saved me some mental anguish as well. I was only there for about four hours, but the air quality in the natorium did a number on my asthma-y lungs. On deck, I felt like I did during that infamous 1650 at last year’s States. I couldn’t take in a full breath, I felt slightly dizzy when moving from a count position to standing, and by the end of day back at home, I was wheezing. Yep, it’s a really good thing that they are closing the facility this summer and fixing that air circulation (or lack of it?) problem. Even if I had been in shape and entered the distance events, I dount I would have done decent times due to the air quality. And that would have been confusing and depressing (i.e. “am I not in shape?” Are my strokes off? Does this mean I’ll do terrible this summer? etc.)

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Have you seen the new two-page ad for magazines? It’s Jim Fincus channeling Michael Phelps, and plays “surfing” the web against “swimming” in a magazine.

So far I’ve seen it in the latest issues ofReal Simple and People (yes, I read People. I even have a subscription. No, I don’t read it cover to cover every week. In fact, I regularly skip features on people I don’t care to read more about. But I do find it fun and relaxing. So quit poking at intelligent people who enjoy People).

There are a few striking aspects about this ad. Foremost, what a fabulous indication that a swimmer has finally become a part of mainstream-America. Because without Michael Phelps, the ad’s visual punch would be nil. Second, it’s a two-page color ad, which is unusual in an economy when everyone’s been cutting back on print, let alone print advertising. Third, the second page is all copy, which goes against another current media trend: people don’t want to take time to read, so keep it short and snappy.

Rating it as an attention-grabber, I give the ad a 10. It certainly worked for me — I had to read the copy to learn what it was all about. But I’m a swimmer. Anything swim-related gets my immediate attention.

As a motivational piece? I’m not sure. Will non-swimmers go beyond “look” to “read?” And, bottom line, will it make people buy more magazines? Something about the ad, as fun and playful as it, is misses it’s target. I feel it’s more likely to encourage people to try swimming or surfing than to sign up for a magazine subscription. Although, getting more people to swim and surf isn’t a bad thing, is it?

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Sure, I don’t have kids of my own, but I feel that I am still of an age where I can safely say: “What is it with kids these days?”

It’s springbreak time, so the pools here have been busier than usual, filled with groups of children rotating through their daily “swim” session at day camp.

Except that none seem to actually “swim.” They all just sort of stand around and talk in little age and gender-specific clumps. There might be some ball toss-catch going on, but that’s about it in terms of actual movement.

It’s weird when you think about it — these kids could be anywhere really — a gymnasium, a yard, an airport runway, whatever. It appears that standing in water up to their chests doesn’t change a thing.

Of course, after this week’s observation, now I’m trying to recall what “open swim” was like for me when I was their age. My first thought is this: When I was their age I didn’t do open swim often. Absolutely, I was in pools a lot, but that was mostly for practice or meets.

Second thought? Even when goofing off with friends in their pools or at the town park, we still “swam.” Meaning we moved around. We played games (jump or dive, pigeon, shark & minnows, “mystery swimmer” and other weird challenges we made up to amuse but not quite kill ourselves), organized ad hoc relays, and were constantly diving in and out of the water. Yep, we definitely got our hair wet.

The kids I spied this week were so sedate. No yelling, chasing, squealing. No fun! Honestly, it looked like a mandatory and thus deadly dull cocktail party for mini-adults. I’m not sure what to make of this behavior. Have too many rules crushed the life force out of kids today? Are they on a constant sugar crash? Are they so deconditioned that moving around in water is too taxing? Are they not learning how to swim?

In any case, none of these theories are comforting. What to do, what to do…

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Press about competitive swimming in the past few years certainly has been on the upswing. Why? For the most part, the swim-clips surge has been driven by: 1) Michael Phelps behavior (both good and bad), and 2) suits (what we can or can’t wear while racing).

Some of the negative attention drawn by the neoprene suits concerned cost, as in the need for a “level playing field.” Absolutely, their price combined with the tear-as-easy-as-tissue factor might have meant that these suits would be out of reach for a lot of swimmers.

Yep, those days of biking to practice with a rolled up towel wearing a nylon suit with a shoestring tied between the straps across your back for a better fit are long gone. Today, elite-level swimming is an investment. Just one example? A few years ago, one of my lanemates was paying more for her daughter’s national swim team fees per month than I did for rent. And she had two daughters on that team. I’m pretty sure those fees have gone up, not down, in the ensuing years.

Unfortunately, swimming is an expensive sport for swimmers and facilities alike. In fact, the price tag of pool maintenance has been closing pools and shortening seasons during the recent tough economy. As if I wasn’t already stressed out about the shrinking number of swim facilities and their hours, now I’m worried about equipment status!

When I have a new swim catalog in my hands, suits are the priority — I immediately flick through the “new this season!” section to see if I like any of the prints. Then I do a quick cap/goggle review to check if anything is new and noteworthy. I rarely look at the clothing; I peruse the equipment only if I need to replace something such as fins.

But today for some reason (ironing stall tactic?) I looked at an entire spring 2010 catalog. It was kind of fun to review lockers, equipment bins, etc. and contemplate how I could work these items into my decor. Then the starting block information knocked the wind out of me. Do you know how much a block is? Just one? Of “average grade” quality? Try $1,500! “Elite” models run as high as $4,000!!! Again, just for one. Sans logo and color customization.

Yikes! I have gone off tons of blocks in my time, and other than an occasional “wow — that pool has the best starting blocks ever!” I’ve never really considered them much before. Well, rest assured, I will no longer take blocks for granted. I will not complain if they are old and rickety. Keeping an eye out for their welfare will be a new pet project. And you can bet I’ll have a running mental-ranking list from now on as I go from pool to pool…

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

How could I forget the birthday of one of my most faithful readers and blog supporters?!? I am very sorry and remiss.

Therefore, a post just for Kenny Allen:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May you swim your fastest times ever this year in the calmest of waters.

Rebecca, the swim evangelist