fishgutzy wrote: »

Yahoo! A second at a time
Have you ever tried the kick fins that are specifically designed for breast stroke? That can increase the effort at your legs and round out the workout more.
Re: shoulder issues, it is something that can be helped with stretching? I have degenerative osteoarthritis in my left shoulder. Used to have more limit range of motion and pain. But worked with an ortho and got some great stretches that have increased ROM and no more pain. And no more cortisone shots either.
I can't do the back stroke due to ROM. But I can free style for hours (and I do).

I haven't tried them. I have been considering trying the hand paddles to give my arms a bit more of a workout.

As far as the shoulder/arm thing. Stretches don't help (at least not the ones I know to do). This has been going on for about a year and I am thinking I may ask my doctor for a referral to a PT. There is a dull ache in the shoulder and a pain that ranges from nothing to a sharp achiness in the bicep. I have lost some range of motion, hence the difficulty with both the forward and backward crawl, and the bicep hurts when I try the elementary backstroke.

LOL, my water aerobics instructor also teaches swimming lessons to kids in the warm pool. I listen in and it is so cute. She teaches the elementary backstroke by "little bird" (bring your hands up your side, keeping elbows bent), "big bird" (straighten them out to the side). "fly away" (bring them back to your side still straight, propelling you forward). It is just too cute and is now an earworm anytime I try the stoke.