Swimming

[ben]

That’s awesome. Any Masters swimming?

I swim with the Masters Squad, but I dont coach them

 

[Shortfin Mako]

I swim with the Masters Squad, but I dont coach them

Very cool. If you don't mind me asking, where do you live? Which masters team do you swim with?

 

[ben]

Ballina

 

[Shortfin Mako]

Ballina

Nice pool. I swim in the Shire.

 

[Capital_Shark]

@Shortfin Mako what sort of injuries do swimmers cop? Me and a mate got in this conversation the other day and I said “I know of a bloke, who seems to know a bit about swimming” – you are that bloke. I would think any of their injuries would come from training done outside the pool.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

@Shortfin Mako what sort of injuries do swimmers cop? Me and a mate got in this conversation the other day and I said “I know of a bloke, who seems to know a bit about swimming” – you are that bloke. I would think any of their injuries would come from training done outside the pool.

Hey, thank you

Actually, no - you can certainly injure yourself outside of the pool, when weight lifting and what not but it is rare. If anything, weights help prevent injuries.

The biggest injury is the should related ones. It is very common among swimmers to have shoulder reconstructions. Breaststrokes have knee reconstructions.

Think of it that way. Let's say on average an elite swimmer takes 35 strokes per 50 meters and let's say on average they swim around 13km per day (sprinters lot less).

Let's say you started training seriously when you are 12. At that time you'd be swimming around 3km I think for like 4 days a week, but a 12 year old will be taking like 50 strokes, so their shoulders will be rotating about 3,000 times per training, 12,000 times per week and if they swim around 40wks, 480,000 times per year. They will increase their mileage as they get older, but let's say they have a shoulder rotation of ~600,000 times per year.

By the time they are 16-ish, they become elite. At that time, they will be swimming 12-13km. By that time, they would have been swimming for 4 years which is roughly 2.5mil strokes.

Let's say they retire at the age of 24. That is 8 years of 13k per day, 6 days a week, about 48 weeks per year.

So, here is the math: There are 260 50 meters in 13,000m. Time 35 is 9,100 strokes per day. Times 6 is 54,600 strokes per week. Times 48, is 2,620,800 strokes per year.

Now, multiply that by 8 (years) and you get ~21mil strokes. Add the 2.5 mil strokes from before to that too. So an elite swimmer is looking around 22-25mil strokes in lifetime. Of course these are rough numbers.

Sorry about all the math, but I just wanted to give you the numbers, so you get an idea of the stress the shoulders are under.

For example, if the coach keeps the pre-season short, or the swimmer can not do enough weight training (which strengthens the muscles and prevents injury), or the swimmer just races a lot and therefore cannot train hard enough then I can almost guarantee an injury.

There is also another issue - swimming is a very intensive sport.

Between the ages of 16 and 23, I was swimming around 20k a day as I was a distance swimmer and 200 flyer. I was eating like crazy and that was enough and at one point I started losing muscle. What happened was that I was training too much and eating was not enough (although I could easily finish 4-5 large pizzas, US size), and since my body needed protein, it started eating into my muscles. Long story short, I had to get 3 steroid injections (reporting it with the doctor's report) and was given rest for 2 weeks (no training). Only then my body was able to recover.

I believe this is less of an issue now, because 1) The training is more performance focused rather than mileage, 2) Swimmers of today take a lot of supplements which help them. 3) There is a lot of professional help from eating, physio to psychology for them.

The only injury I experienced outside of the pool, was when I dropped a 5k weight on my foot

Hope this was helpful.

 

[bort]

Hey, thank you

Actually, no - you can certainly injure yourself outside of the pool, when weight lifting and what not but it is rare. If anything, weights help prevent injuries.

The biggest injury is the should related ones. It is very common among swimmers to have shoulder reconstructions. Breaststrokes have knee reconstructions.

Think of it that way. Let's say on average an elite swimmer takes 35 strokes per 50 meters and let's say on average they swim around 13km per day (sprinters lot less).

Let's say you started training seriously when you are 12. At that time you'd be swimming around 3km I think for like 4 days a week, but a 12 year old will be taking like 50 strokes, so their shoulders will be rotating about 3,000 times per training, 12,000 times per week and if they swim around 40wks, 480,000 times per year. They will increase their mileage as they get older, but let's say they have a shoulder rotation of ~600,000 times per year.

By the time they are 16-ish, they become elite. At that time, they will be swimming 12-13km. By that time, they would have been swimming for 4 years which is roughly 2.5mil strokes.

Let's say they retire at the age of 24. That is 8 years of 13k per day, 6 days a week, about 48 weeks per year.

So, here is the math: There are 260 50 meters in 13,000m. Time 35 is 9,100 strokes per day. Times 6 is 54,600 strokes per week. Times 48, is 2,620,800 strokes per year.

Now, multiply that by 8 (years) and you get ~21mil strokes. Add the 2.5 mil strokes from before to that too. So an elite swimmer is looking around 22-25mil strokes in lifetime. Of course these are rough numbers.

Sorry about all the math, but I just wanted to give you the numbers, so you get an idea of the stress the shoulders are under.

For example, if the coach keeps the pre-season short, or the swimmer can not do enough weight training (which strengthens the muscles and prevents injury), or the swimmer just races a lot and therefore cannot train hard enough then I can almost guarantee an injury.

There is also another issue - swimming is a very intensive sport.

Between the ages of 16 and 23, I was swimming around 20k a day as I was a distance swimmer and 200 flyer. I was eating like crazy and that was enough and at one point I started losing muscle. What happened was that I was training too much and eating was not enough (although I could easily finish 4-5 large pizzas, US size), and since my body needed protein, it started eating into my muscles. Long story short, I had to get 3 steroid injections (reporting it with the doctor's report) and was given rest for 2 weeks (no training). Only then my body was able to recover.

I believe this is less of an issue now, because 1) The training is more performance focused rather than mileage, 2) Swimmers of today take a lot of supplements which help them. 3) There is a lot of professional help from eating, physio to psychology for them.

The only injury I experienced outside of the pool, was when I dropped a 5k weight on my foot

Hope this was helpful.

Thought we were back on the topic of @apezza for a moment there!

 

[HaroldBishop]

Thought we were back on the topic of @apezza for a moment there!

When are we not!

 

[Capital_Shark]

Hey, thank you

Actually, no - you can certainly injure yourself outside of the pool, when weight lifting and what not but it is rare. If anything, weights help prevent injuries.

The biggest injury is the should related ones. It is very common among swimmers to have shoulder reconstructions. Breaststrokes have knee reconstructions.

Think of it that way. Let's say on average an elite swimmer takes 35 strokes per 50 meters and let's say on average they swim around 13km per day (sprinters lot less).

Let's say you started training seriously when you are 12. At that time you'd be swimming around 3km I think for like 4 days a week, but a 12 year old will be taking like 50 strokes, so their shoulders will be rotating about 3,000 times per training, 12,000 times per week and if they swim around 40wks, 480,000 times per year. They will increase their mileage as they get older, but let's say they have a shoulder rotation of ~600,000 times per year.

By the time they are 16-ish, they become elite. At that time, they will be swimming 12-13km. By that time, they would have been swimming for 4 years which is roughly 2.5mil strokes.

Let's say they retire at the age of 24. That is 8 years of 13k per day, 6 days a week, about 48 weeks per year.

So, here is the math: There are 260 50 meters in 13,000m. Time 35 is 9,100 strokes per day. Times 6 is 54,600 strokes per week. Times 48, is 2,620,800 strokes per year.

Now, multiply that by 8 (years) and you get ~21mil strokes. Add the 2.5 mil strokes from before to that too. So an elite swimmer is looking around 22-25mil strokes in lifetime. Of course these are rough numbers.

Sorry about all the math, but I just wanted to give you the numbers, so you get an idea of the stress the shoulders are under.

For example, if the coach keeps the pre-season short, or the swimmer can not do enough weight training (which strengthens the muscles and prevents injury), or the swimmer just races a lot and therefore cannot train hard enough then I can almost guarantee an injury.

There is also another issue - swimming is a very intensive sport.

Between the ages of 16 and 23, I was swimming around 20k a day as I was a distance swimmer and 200 flyer. I was eating like crazy and that was enough and at one point I started losing muscle. What happened was that I was training too much and eating was not enough (although I could easily finish 4-5 large pizzas, US size), and since my body needed protein, it started eating into my muscles. Long story short, I had to get 3 steroid injections (reporting it with the doctor's report) and was given rest for 2 weeks (no training). Only then my body was able to recover.

I believe this is less of an issue now, because 1) The training is more performance focused rather than mileage, 2) Swimmers of today take a lot of supplements which help them. 3) There is a lot of professional help from eating, physio to psychology for them.

The only injury I experienced outside of the pool, was when I dropped a 5k weight on my foot

Hope this was helpful.

Holy ****! I would have settled for “nah, they actually **** their shoulders up from swimming so much”. Now I will sound like I really know what I’m talking about, I can mention how too many strokes can lead to injury and neatly weaving a “your a wanker” jibe.

Thanks mate. That’s been very helpful!