tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post687523699193499346..comments2024-03-27T20:31:44.878-05:00Comments on Steve in a Speedo?! Gross!: Swim Meet! My 50, 500, and 100 Race Reports.Steve Stenzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11419298404210612118noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-38016609829271978022014-06-18T17:23:43.575-05:002014-06-18T17:23:43.575-05:00As a former competitive swimmer (13 years) with ~ ...As a former competitive swimmer (13 years) with ~ 5 summers of summer-league coaching/swim lesson experience, I feel moderately qualified to give you the following brief racing start advice:<br /><br />1) Practice from diving from the wall instead of the block first to get the proper technique, which will cut down on red chest;<br />1a) Your goal is to have your body go into the water through one hole: the one created by your hands (a la Katie's dive in your post);<br />1c) You can slant your hands up in your streamline as you kick hard after you dive to bring you to the surface quicker;<br />2) To prevent goggles coming off, tuck your chin to your chest and pretend it is glued there as soon as the starter says "take your mark." Leave it glued there until you take your first stroke to break the surface;<br />3) To prevent goggles from leaking, make sure the straps are not in the same place on the back of your head. Also, mash them into your eye sockets really hard until you hear them squish, which ensures you've got them sealed;<br />4) Put your goggles on under your cap.Audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03106300298346016823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-59422791954872010842014-02-28T19:27:44.736-06:002014-02-28T19:27:44.736-06:00I'm sure you've gotten tons of advice on y...I'm sure you've gotten tons of advice on your start, but try keeping your head down the entire time. On the fourth photo from the 50 free you can see that your head is up and looking ahead. Maybe thats straightening your body out and preventing a smooth dive. If you can keep your head down and under your arms the entire time you might keep away the red chest. Good luckKylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04458803138480871886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-50936474243761394432014-02-24T22:03:44.650-06:002014-02-24T22:03:44.650-06:00Steve, your dive is classified as an 'aerodyna...Steve, your dive is classified as an 'aerodynamic stall.' All drag, no lift. Kudos for the cojones!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532781060305015377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-16372642466292719582014-02-24T18:42:06.669-06:002014-02-24T18:42:06.669-06:00Steve, Wendy is right. Put your chin on your chest...Steve, Wendy is right. Put your chin on your chest (or the idea of "head down") for diving. Spend a few bucks to take a diving lesson at the Y--learn to dive from a sitting then kneeling then standing position from the side of the pool and then go from there. Bring your son and make it a "semi-private" lesson! BTW, don't take the "look up" advice. ~ Danielle, competitive swimmer for 36 years, ASCA Level II Masters Coach, and spouse-to-a-former-runner/slash-non-swimmer-who-had-a-red-chest-like-yours-when-he-started-competitive-swimmingPedergrahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04542802800246141548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-72554811236415081072014-02-24T13:47:14.776-06:002014-02-24T13:47:14.776-06:00Congrats Steve! You wanted sub 7:30 and you got th...Congrats Steve! You wanted sub 7:30 and you got that - next time you do the 500 in a meet, that time will go down even further, it is like you have to "shock" your body into this type of effort in the pool.<br />Congrats on your 1.09 PR!Jennifer Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16423353141131054943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-75846323673794625792014-02-24T12:26:46.438-06:002014-02-24T12:26:46.438-06:00clarification: pop your head up to see the other ...clarification: pop your head up to see the other end of the pool when you leave the blocks, but then tuck your head quickly between your arms and pop your hips up to enter the water. your head should basically be: donw (while on the block), up (right after your push), down (between your arms for the entry)<br /><br />I've taught race dives to a decent amount of kids during swim training, and they have the same problem i'm guessing you have based on your photos.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17556907551194183503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-73291932483951695862014-02-24T12:24:12.480-06:002014-02-24T12:24:12.480-06:00You need to introduce your chin to your chest and ...You need to introduce your chin to your chest and keep it there when you dive in. You want the water to flow over your head, not hit you in the face. That will help keep your goggles on. <br /><br />And that is a fine first 500 time! Just think of how much faster you'd be with a flip turn ;)Wendyhttp://athleticmonkey.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-57804304203487511642014-02-24T12:23:25.774-06:002014-02-24T12:23:25.774-06:00This may not be helpful, but don't have your h...This may not be helpful, but don't have your head up when on the blocks. Your "jump" should pop your head up to see the other side of the pool, but you need to tuck your head between your arms while also popping your hips up so you enter hands first. <br /><br />Your first couple times doing this will probably result in you entering way too deep in the water, but as you learn control, you can get a more shallow entry, work on that streamline, and get a better idea of where the water surface is so you don't have start your first stroke too deep under water (remember to use your bottom arm first and don't breathe on that first stroke or two!).<br /><br />You're probably having trouble getting over the arc needed, so I told kids to pretend that they're diving over a kick board held at knee height to emphasis popping their legs up and over while also pushing off the block strongly.<br /><br />try a few high arc swan dives to get the head first mentality in your mind.<br /><br />Remember, it's just water. Going in head first won't hurt, and it'll certainly be better than the welts you have on your chest.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17556907551194183503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-46457060485020784902014-02-24T11:59:14.806-06:002014-02-24T11:59:14.806-06:00Ha! Love these comments! :)
Cheryl, I forgot to...Ha! Love these comments! :)<br /><br />Cheryl, I forgot to mention that I tried putting my goggles under my swim cap for 2 dives too. That didn't help. It was all my crappy form. :( Ha!Steve Stenzelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11419298404210612118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-27596126162941146942014-02-24T11:27:32.263-06:002014-02-24T11:27:32.263-06:00Since you are wearing a swim cap, wear two. one ca...Since you are wearing a swim cap, wear two. one cap on first, then goggles, then second cap on top. should keep the goggles on. good luck!cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03035915763711032602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-13673542988197823792014-02-24T10:30:51.498-06:002014-02-24T10:30:51.498-06:00OUCH. Did someone flog you after each dive hoping ...OUCH. Did someone flog you after each dive hoping to beat some form into you? "Do it right or I will beat you again!!!!!" <br /><br />That pictures was too painful.<br /><br />Good job with the races though. I had a swim start that my wife said everyone went "Ooooo!!!" when I dove in. Yes it hurt.<br /><br />Those two kids from St. Thomas are wondering, "What the hell is he wearing."<br /><br />TriErichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12691917208601027960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-49918351729839306642014-02-24T10:14:55.815-06:002014-02-24T10:14:55.815-06:00I like how the people behind you when you start al...I like how the people behind you when you start all have expressions that say, "I don't know where to look."SteveQhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16943650844671498074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-24486567547086354352014-02-24T09:03:27.198-06:002014-02-24T09:03:27.198-06:00I have always been a fan of the "track start&...I have always been a fan of the "track start" in swimming, which you are doing, but...maybe something does need to change! :) <br /><br />Great job on your swims, Steve!<br /><br />Better dives and flip turns would make a good amount of difference. You can do it!Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29677084.post-33210744804004847352014-02-24T08:29:38.177-06:002014-02-24T08:29:38.177-06:00You need professional help with these starts.
Gett...You need professional help with these starts.<br />Getting a red skin is not really a sign of progress :-)<br /><br />My first thought: What are you doing with your feet?<br />Maybe I am too old-school, but feet should stand parallel on the block.<br />Everything else will cause "asymmetric" impact. :-)<br /><br />Look in the eyes of the guy with that black training jacket on swimmeet_02.jpg:<br /><br />It is like "OMG!" "That will hurt!" <br /><br />Homework: Get some body tension! "Knees first!" is no option :-)<br /><br />By the way: The smaller the splash, the faster you swim :-)Bikerpetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14824106954956882096noreply@blogger.com