Hell yeah, I know streamlining is one of the keys to easy, fast swimming.
But getting my body to streamline 100% in the water (and geez, after last night’s practice we can add “off the blocks” to my “places to streamline” list) well, that might prove to be another story.
The thing that most vexes (scares?) me is that I’m probably starting from square one — I suspect that I wasn’t super-streamlining even as an young, bend-y, quick-to-recover age grouper. So it’s not a matter of “snapping back” or tapping deep into “muscle memory.” Nope, must figure out how to streamline now. As a fossil.
Last night I spied Erica, a young whipper-snapper and summer assistant coach, doing an on-deck demo of streamline position for a kid a few lanes over. Her FOREARMS were criss-crossing. I’m lucky if I can get my hands to touch. And even that takes a lot of warming up.
Which makes me kind of panick-y. What’s it going to take for me to be able to streamline? Will I be able to? Or am I genetically flexibility-challenged and thus doomed for the rest of my swimming days?
If I just keep at it during practice, will everything eventually click? Do I have to find a way to squeeze in yoga, one more activity, to the already tight daily schedule? Do I have to strike it rich and hire two “mashers” to stretch me daily like Dara Tores?
Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist
p.s. Two shout-outs today:
1) A shout out to Kenny Allen for embracing the “summer suit” spirit with his groovy new “peace” TYR training suit.
2) To the owner of a silver SUV — love your “Swim Taxi” bumper sticker!