Wednesday, December 30, 2009

learning the backstroke

Not only did the PT tell me that I was "rounded" meaning that my shoulders slump in due to the fact that I work on a computer 8 hours a day but that I should learn the backstroke to open my chest up and develop some back muscles. Thats fine; I can do that. I started today in the pool with my super swimmer coworker, Bob.

Little did I know that learning the backstroke IMMEDIATELY improved my freestyle. I was shocked! Basically with the backstroke you are rotating your body and using your core to drive power and to whip your arms out of the water. I guess I was not rotating my body enough with the freestyle because I took that same concept and applied it and my freestyle rotation was soooooooooo much easier and better! I'll take it! So I am thinking of adding a little bit of backstroke to my warmups almost as a drill to improve rotation.

Then this morning at 'oh dark o'clock, I was on the trainer for 60 mins:


I watched Righteous Kill. Eh, ok movie; it kept me distracted.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting backstroke information. I too spent countless hours slumped in front of a computer each day and I am sure it couldn't hurt to try. The only time I do the backstroke is on my cool down and it is a half hearted attempt at best.

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  2. got the same diagnosis from my PT a few months back. are we all slupping?

    backstroke info is good to know. Coach has me using pool toys (paddles, fins, buoys, etc) and they are working great too. I do love the backstroke, so I will have to try it.

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