Winning the mental game http://swimsmooth.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8151913ab5f0ee26cedb679d8&id=64ec01d810&e=a4d2cbe223

[Curlygurly2]

A lot of you know I no longer swim, but I still read the emails from Swim Smooth every week. I thought this one was particularly useful, as he says at the end, it applies equally to cycling or running - or probably any sport.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

It's not terribly clear, but there is a live link....

[davelinks Graduate]

Curly, why did you stop swimming? Injury?

[davelinks Graduate in reply to davelinks]

This is great for me, as being a swimmer for 50 years , I seem to have lost confidence in the water due to long lay off...

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to davelinks]

Long story, but I have ear problems, congenial deafness, not stone deaf but a lot of hearing loss. I got vertigo and labrynthitis and they left me with residual dizziness, and turning my head to breath makes it much worse. A shame because I was a distance swimmer, front crawl, and loved it, but I get terrible tinnitus and dizziness and my ears scream if I go any where loud after swimming for three or four days. That's why I took up running, I don't get any problems afterwards or during, except once when I lurched suddenly, nearly into a patch of waist high nettles lol! The wonderful guys at Swimsmooth suggested a specially adapted snorkel that is available for training purposes. I will probably try it at some point, but for now I'm happy with running.

Do give them a go Dave, they are absolutely brilliant, I even sent them a video of my swimming and they told me where I was going wrong and told me how to correct it. My 100 meter time came down from 2 mins 45 to under 2 mins, that's classed as intermediate by their demanding standards. There are weekly emails, and their website has so many tips, all clearly explained. It's quite an innovative method that works with each body type rather than expecting everybody to be the same. There's a littl quiz to help you find which type of swimmer you are. For example, I am a "swinger" (lol) because I have little upper body rotation due to my back problems, it means I don't recover the arms very high but out to the side. Not a problem just different. There are many tips to help swingers, as well as those who kick too hard etc. I'd love it if you got some use from them, let me know how you get on. XX