Swimmers: A Delicate Question

legion · 06-19-2009, 03:14 PM

Dottore's thread got me thinking...

I've recently taken up swimming again after a 10 year hiatus.

I swim a mile 2-3 times a week. It's important to understand that I don't just pound out laps freestyle, but I alternate between five strokes because my desire is to work muscles that otherwise wouldn't get worked while getting a good cardio workout. At my pool, 36 laps is a mile, and I do four laps of sidestroke, resting backstroke, racing backstroke, breast stroke, and freestyle until I am done. Usually after the second session of the week, I notice I am chafed in what I call the "leg pit", but only on the left side. This leads me to believe that the sidestroke does it, as I have better technique on one side versus the other, though I do both sides.

The best I can come up with is to use some petroleum jelly "down there" to minimize the chaffing, though I haven't had the courage to try it yet as I change in a public locker room.

Any tips?

rammstein · 06-19-2009, 03:37 PM

ooooooh yeah, slather it all over...... yeah..... ooooooohh

Dantilla · 06-19-2009, 03:48 PM

Forget the sidestroke, and go for Butterfly. Fly is a serious workout.

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

I just asked my Son who swims on the team and he asked "whats he wearing?" he said get a speedo or if your not a speedo type get a jammer.

Hugh R · 06-19-2009, 05:21 PM

Just don't walk into the locker room with your skivvies on backwards and a jar of Vasoline in your hand.

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Unfortunately that's going to happen with trunks.... ...and a speedo-style will cure it. Question is, is the cure worse that the symptom?

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Legion in a Speedo....MMMMMYYYYYY EYYYYYEESSSSS!!!!!!

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

the real problem is that your legs are too fat

but keep swimming & that will change.

john70t · 06-19-2009, 10:13 PM

50 yard pool...sweet.
Skip the side stroke for back stroke or backbreast stroke, it will help with neck-kinking as well.
Limit the freestyle and breath both sides, or use the floats.
Might consider getting a waterproof heart monitor to pace the workouts.

SpeedracerIndy · 06-20-2009, 09:04 AM

I have been a swimmer since I was about 4. I swam at a division I school all 4 years in college. We would do a Christmas training trip every year where we would swim about 15,000 yards a day, along with weights and running. Yes, that's about 8 miles a day, and it was grueling and it would bring out the worst chafing imaginable. We would always use Vaseline under our arm pits to help with chafing. Oh, and ditch the side stroke as others have mentioned. I don't see how you could get a workout doing sidestroke anyway. And what is "racing backstroke"?

Swimming is the best workout you can get, but it's just so damn boring. I haven't been able to touch the water since I graduated college 8 years ago. I've since taken up mountain biking for the change of scenery.

Zef · Zef's Garage

Jammer is the solution.

scottmandue · 06-20-2009, 09:43 AM

One word

BRAZILIAN!

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

"Swimming is the best workout you can get, but it's just so damn boring."

not if you swim fast rivers...

dangerous, yes....

Zef · Zef's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWebb

"Swimming is the best workout you can get, but it's just so damn boring."

not if you swim fast rivers...

dangerous, yes....

I swim 4 times a week...boring...?...yea may be...but so technic that I'm still learning after 5 years....!

SpeedracerIndy · 06-20-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zef

Jammer is the solution.

That's a really good idea. Jammers were before my time. My senior year we got them because it was the new thing and I couldn't get used to it so I went back to the good ol' Speedo.

Zef · Zef's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedracerIndy

That's a really good idea. Jammers were before my time. My senior year we got them because it was the new thing and I couldn't get used to it so I went back to the good ol' Speedo.