ABOUT SWIMMING…

TRACK AND FIELD AND SWIMMING

Most of the track and field branches contribute to the development of the motor qualities (endurance, speed, force, etc), to the perfection of the basic motor skills (walking, running, jumping, throwing, etc), to adopt a correct attitude (order, discipline, tenacity).

A special mention must be done in the case of planning runs during the cold season, when the swimmers who are used to the temperature of the indoor pools, may develop some illnesses of the respiratory system.

Exaggerated practice of the runs, as a helping mean within the swimmers’ training is not recommended because, especially for children, the repeated effort may get to modifications of the bones’ constitution, making them heavier which is an unfavorable factor for the training (see “pigeon bones…”).

Training methodology for track and field has some common points with the one used for swimming: training methods (Fartlek, interval training), means of rationalization of the training methods, even effort (quality) indicators (mileage, dosing), effort zones.

For example, it is very interesting to know that for long distance swimmers’ training the differences between the swimming volume and running volume are as high as we could imagine (3000-3500 km/year for swimming, 5500-6000 km/year for long distance trackers). This shows that the load VOLUME parameter is evidently high for the swimmers who “run” through the water…; also the intensity VOLUME – compared to swimmers, trackers can not practice such a big number of repeats especially when the recovery periods are so short; nevertheless, track and field must be taken into attention.

At this point (walking, running) we can not pass without mentioning some banal aspects which have negative results within the optimal, healthy bio-motor development of the children, especially the ones under 3 years old, children whom we love so much…

One first aspect is about the banal stroller which can be found next to each child. This stroller is a facility which can harm the balanced development of the future young: used as a “private car” – that means as much as one wants it, this so necessary accessory will keep the child far from the natural adaptation with the environment; you may use the stroller for a very necessary, rapid, urgent reason… but when you use it in an exaggerate way the results may not be so positive – (not to mention the summer strollers where the baby’s position may get to a future kyphos…).

Another aspects is about the “diapers”…; before 1990, this banal article used nowadays didn’t exist – now you can find them in every market.

This product has it’s own role and we are not trying to repudiate it… but this help that is so necessary, will be transformed little by little in a “harm” within the baby’s growth and development: used for a long time between the legs it will get to anatomical modifications and the walking skill and especially running will develop in a wrong way.

Which is our remark? Diapers force the baby to use his inferior members in an artificial way – it would be natural to walk without obstacles and to run by putting each sole of the feet on an unique line which, in fact, represents the projection of the weight center; when the soles are apart, walk and run become deficient, walking and running skills will be formed wrong, the objectives of these (wrong) skills will be at least under the wanted natural efficiency … this is how our beloved children will be “condemned” even from early childhood not to be able to execute motor acts and not to be able to adapt to the changing conditions of the environment.

This is how some banal aspects can limit the harmonic growth and development of the future generations’… if you watch it carefully, you may see that these negative results already started to show up…!