Amputee swimmer here
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dg98adam
Posts: 8 Member
Hi, Little about me:
I have been a swimmer since I was a kid and competed up through high school. I became an amputee (no left leg) in my early 20's... I left swimming for a long time, but have picked it up several years ago while needing a low-impact exercise. I can still do a decent IM, but my Fly lacks the kick.
Although I am overweight, I have been a lifeguard at the Y and for Boy Scouts while my son was a Scout (he earned Eagle a couple years ago). I have even taught Swimming/Lifesaving Merit badges.
My stroke is smooth and efficient even with a weak kick, and often surprise other swimmers. I never did have the typical body type (think more of a Football player) than swimmer.
I can usually make to the Y 3 times a week. Some times in the morning when I have more energy but less time, or after work where I have more time and less motivation.
My general workout runs somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes and really need a jumpstart...
Warmup - 100 yds usually breaststroke
6x100 yard sets of alternating free for 100 yds and then back stroke for 100 yds... pretty much continuously, only briefly stopping so I can set the count of 1 to 4 in my head.
Cool down - 100-200 yds of breast stroke or side stroke.
I saw a couple videos about the "catch up drill" I might add at the beginning... With 1 leg kicking most kicking drills don't work for me.
Lately I think I have had some pain in my shoulder that I have minimized by paying attention to my arm stroke, body roll and alternate breathing during free style. I think the pain came from over rotating and only breathing on one side.
Ok, thanks for reading, but I would like to hear if there any other amputee swimmers out there.
DG
I have been a swimmer since I was a kid and competed up through high school. I became an amputee (no left leg) in my early 20's... I left swimming for a long time, but have picked it up several years ago while needing a low-impact exercise. I can still do a decent IM, but my Fly lacks the kick.
Although I am overweight, I have been a lifeguard at the Y and for Boy Scouts while my son was a Scout (he earned Eagle a couple years ago). I have even taught Swimming/Lifesaving Merit badges.My stroke is smooth and efficient even with a weak kick, and often surprise other swimmers. I never did have the typical body type (think more of a Football player) than swimmer.
I can usually make to the Y 3 times a week. Some times in the morning when I have more energy but less time, or after work where I have more time and less motivation.
My general workout runs somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes and really need a jumpstart...
Warmup - 100 yds usually breaststroke
6x100 yard sets of alternating free for 100 yds and then back stroke for 100 yds... pretty much continuously, only briefly stopping so I can set the count of 1 to 4 in my head.
Cool down - 100-200 yds of breast stroke or side stroke.
I saw a couple videos about the "catch up drill" I might add at the beginning... With 1 leg kicking most kicking drills don't work for me.
Lately I think I have had some pain in my shoulder that I have minimized by paying attention to my arm stroke, body roll and alternate breathing during free style. I think the pain came from over rotating and only breathing on one side.
Ok, thanks for reading, but I would like to hear if there any other amputee swimmers out there.
DG
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Replies
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Welcome to our group! It wouldn't surprise me if we had another amputee swimmer here. Even if we don't, there is a great bunch of people who share ideas.
I would say to take a look at the Unites States Masters Swimming website. usms.org. You don't have to be part of a a local club to join and they have some really good resources. I get a lot of information from there. Having a written planned workout before you go is really a great way to make sure you get a good work out in.0 -
Hi, Little about me:
I have been a swimmer since I was a kid and competed up through high school. I became an amputee (no left leg) in my early 20's... I left swimming for a long time, but have picked it up several years ago while needing a low-impact exercise. I can still do a decent IM, but my Fly lacks the kick. Although I am overweight, I have been a lifeguard at the Y and for Boy Scouts while my son was a Scout (he earned Eagle a couple years ago). I have even taught Swimming/Lifesaving Merit badges.
My stroke is smooth and efficient even with a weak kick, and often surprise other swimmers. I never did have the typical body type (think more of a Football player) than swimmer.
I can usually make to the Y 3 times a week. Some times in the morning when I have more energy but less time, or after work where I have more time and less motivation.
My general workout runs somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes and really need a jumpstart...
Warmup - 100 yds usually breaststroke
6x100 yard sets of alternating free for 100 yds and then back stroke for 100 yds... pretty much continuously, only briefly stopping so I can set the count of 1 to 4 in my head.
Cool down - 100-200 yds of breast stroke or side stroke.
I saw a couple videos about the "catch up drill" I might add at the beginning... With 1 leg kicking most kicking drills don't work for me.
Lately I think I have had some pain in my shoulder that I have minimized by paying attention to my arm stroke, body roll and alternate breathing during free style. I think the pain came from over rotating and only breathing on one side.
Ok, thanks for reading, but I would like to hear if there any other amputee swimmers out there.
DG
Sir, you are an inspiration. And it's fantastic that you are rediscovering your joy for swimming.
With regard to the shoulder pain, these tips (http://www.swimsmooth.com/injury.php) plus shoulder exercises referenced by Macstraw here (Mac what was the link again?) helped me do away with shoulder pain, and I have not had it again for about 2 years!
Once again, you have inspired me this morning.
Keep at it!0 -
Sorry for the delayed response, just got back from a long weekend away. Here you go:
This is the written workout:
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?Tabid=1645&mid=702&ItemId=700
These are videos of the workouts in the printed form:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgo3g-Ge85Y&index=2&list=PLdpxuLg4IRjMMg_f4WYro2ppegcK95kQA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r5d5Ux1jGs&index=3&list=PLdpxuLg4IRjMMg_f4WYro2ppegcK95kQA
I was able to get a box of each colored Thera Band on eBay.....0 -
You will relate to this. I swear this is not a joke.
I met a swimmer at my Y that had recently spent a month swimming at a different Y. They had a "get a free t-shirt" if you swim 100 mile." He had been upping his laps anyway so he tried to swim 100 miles in the month he was there to help his father.
The tally chart show a guy swimming exactly 99 laps every day. So he swam 100. The next day, the other guy had charted 110 laps. Se he did 120. Next day, the other guy does 125. So he pushes himself to an even 144. The other guy matched his 144 and kept it there. This other guy would swim in the morning and the new guy in the afternoon.
One day he came a little early and the other guy was swimming a little late.
The guy he had been competing against was a cancer survivor. Lost a leg to bone cancer.
When he got home his father asked him how his swim was. He said "great, but I just found out I lost an *kitten* kicking contest to a one legged man"
As for swimming technique? I have two legs but my technique is mostly upper body except when I'm doing kick board laps with burner fins.
As for the catch up drill, it was the most useful minute and a half video I have ever watched.
Dropped 4 strokes per length the first time I tried it.0
