my first ow swim (with video)

[FrankJ]

Hello,

I've been practicing TI for 2 years now, still working on many of the basics, and I think I am still quite far from a good, fluid stroke. Anyway, finally I managed to swim in OW while on holiday in Hawaii (was living in San Diego for a long while, but never took the time to do that).

The experience in OW was very instructive. After the first day and couple of swims,my stroke started feeling less tense and at more ease than it ever did in the pool. It is as if, not having to worry about, walls, other swimmers, counting SPLs (usually quite high, 19-21/25m), I inadvertently eased myself into a more relaxed, fluid mood, and several elements of the stroke fell into place. Things that I never managed to figure out by analyzing things in the pool... I'm still wondering what factor was determinant, if, for example, extra buoyancy in seawater might have helped with some balance defects? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

The link here is of a video my wife made of me swimming. This particular session wasn't long, less than one mile for sure (I never tried to swim a mile yet, I am mostly paying attention to technique). I would like some feedback on the stroke, but I realize the video is probably not very good for this. Hopefully I will be able to get something better filmed in the future.

Anyway, any comments and suggestions are appreciated...also, I am aware I lift my head too much sometimes when breathing, this is in part bad habit, and in part my eyes were bloodshot, as I forgot my goggles that day and didn't want to give up the swim, so I was instinctively desperate to get my head out :-).

More than anything, posting this video is a small way to say thanks to Terry and the people that post many helpful comments and on this board, as I have never enjoyed swimming as much as I do since starting with TI.

F.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD6P9aLUVbE

[naj]

I see several things that look great in your open water attempt. First off, congrats on getting Outside The Box and pushing yourself! Way to go! In the video I saw a nice relaxed forearm coming forward and not splashing the water but going in on its own momentum. It looked like your fingers were spread apart which meant you weren't tense. Your elbow as high and didn't seem to pinch your shoulders, and - although it can't be seen because we're looking at it from above the water - you seem to be rotating just enough just like Terry instructs.

The one problem I see is hand entry. It seems it might be extended a little, not a lot to get a bit more him drive. This could be due to the fact that your wife was shooting from a farther distance, but that's what it looked like too me in the video. Other than that, what I see is two solid years of drills paying off on a man who loves to swim!

Keep up the good work!
Naji

[FrankJ]

Originally Posted by naj

I see several things that look great in your open water attempt. First off, congrats on getting Outside The Box and pushing yourself! Way to go! In the video I saw a nice relaxed forearm coming forward and not splashing the water but going in on its own momentum. It looked like your fingers were spread apart which meant you weren't tense. Your elbow as high and didn't seem to pinch your shoulders, and - although it can't be seen because we're looking at it from above the water - you seem to be rotating just enough just like Terry instructs.

The one problem I see is hand entry. It seems it might be extended a little, not a lot to get a bit more him drive. This could be due to the fact that your wife was shooting from a farther distance, but that's what it looked like too me in the video. Other than that, what I see is two solid years of drills paying off on a man who loves to swim!



Keep up the good work!
Naji

Thanks for the encouraging words Naj! I must say, I enjoyed swimming in OW more than I was expecting, but I now live in the UK, and I am not sure I will be doing much OW swimming, at least during the winter. I wish I had done some proper swims when I was living in San Diego.

Looking at the video again, you might be right about the arm entry, I will work on extending it forward a little. One problem I have is that if I do a shallower entry (now I spear at 4 'o clock), I feel I get less from my hip drive, and also I tense up, probably because of not having a great shoulder mobility. So at present, I am arranging my spearing as close as I can to the surface of the water without tensing up.

F.

[naj]

Originally Posted by fjconti72

Looking at the video again, you might be right about the arm entry, I will work on extending it forward a little. One problem I have is that if I do a shallower entry (now I spear at 4 'o clock), I feel I get less from my hip drive, and also I tense up, probably because of not having a great shoulder mobility. So at present, I am arranging my spearing as close as I can to the surface of the water without tensing up.

F.

F, I have the same problem with my right arm. In a video I had a friend take a few weeks back, I saw my right arm enter the water almost near my head. I've been working on improving this "mindfully" by remembering to draw a straight line from my side to just outside my shoulder line. For some reason it seems to help. Best of luck with your ow goals. Soon we'll be hearing about you swimming from Dover to some other place that ow people swim to :)

[splashingpat]

Originally Posted by naj

F, I have the same problem with my right arm. In a video I had a friend take a few weeks back, I saw my right arm enter the water almost near my head. I've been working on improving this "mindfully" by remembering to draw a straight line from my side to just outside my shoulder line. For some reason it seems to help. Best of luck with your ow goals. Soon we'll be hearing about you swimming from Dover to some other place that ow people swim to :)

Wonderful
Open
Water

The last time I was in Open Water I saw a sea cow!
If I were out there
I think I would of crapped!

This is Wonderful Capturing this Open Water Swim...
even liftin' your head
having your right arm (i guess it's your chocolate side of the stroke)
needed to be outside a little more...

and
without goggles!
I say you loved it & it shows!

now you are swimming like YOU ARE THE FISH!
aren't you?
lol...........and I hope you are as well!

trying to find myself inside the gym
loving it like you are in Wonderful Open Water!
WOW!

splash
n
pat

P.S. I really love some of you guys!
but watch out for the jellyfish or sharks etc.
............cause some of you are that? aren't you?