Handicapped swimming

evmo

Steve @Munatones has just invented a new category of open water swimming -- handicap swimming -- defined by a "swimmer who purposefully handicaps him/herself with shackles, ropes and other items around their hands, arms, feet and/or legs."

(Inspired perhaps by the thread on this Forum mentioning Ida Elionsky's brother Henry, who swam shackled.)

Leaving aside the issue of whether this is disrespectful to actual physically or mentally disabled swimmers... it's an interesting topic. What other intentional swimming "handicaps" have you encountered in your local open waters?

I'm reminded of Jim McConica, famous to many Californian swimmers... an astoundingly fast 60-something year old, and current record-holder for Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. Jim is known for swimming with a giant plastic bucket trailing behind him, attached via rope to his waist. Just to be able to comfortably swim with his training partners.

msathlete

I can't speak for other disabled swimmers but I personally don't use the word "handicapped" to describe myself or anyone of the athletes I coach. I know that this term was used in Canada in the past to describe the disabled but I think it may be considered a bit politically incorrect.

When I hear the word I think of sports like golf, as it is often used there.

evmo

@msathlete said: When I hear the word I think of sports like golf, as it is often used there.

Right. And that's how I'm using it here, too. And Steve presumably as well.

emkhowley

Before she up and moved to Australia and left us (sob) Dori Miller used to often tie a massive rope (and I mean massive--this thing was like 2 feet thick) around her waist to slow her down enough for me to keep up in training. This was only in training, though, never in an actual event.

This concept reminds me of Jack Lalane. A showman if ever there was one. But somehow slightly less offensive than some others, possibly because he was mostly transparent about the fact that these were simply stunts:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=skRb-oND3qA

JSwim

Pulling all your own feeds and water could be a "handicap" category.

IronMike

About 5 years ago a retired Special Forces soldier swam across the mouth of Tampa Bay (5K?) with black-out goggles and his hands and feet tied together in support of his fellow soldiers who came home from Afghanistan or Iraq missing limbs and blind. I'll try to find a link to his swim.

msathlete

JSwim said:
Pulling all your own feeds and water could be a "handicap" category.

Yes. It could also be a necessity if you are a puker

curly

Devils Advocate Statement. I think that swimming these huge distances over difficult bodies of water is a pretty incredible feat in and of itself. Does it somehow minimize the achievement to now add a layer of self imposed difficulty? Doing laps in the English Channel or butterfly across Lake Erie is massive. Does it cheapen things or add an element of gimmickry when one decides to add a handicap? I can understand the guy swimming with a parachute so he can train with others that are not as fast, but what is the point of adding drag if you are doing a solo attempt? Shouldn't you be trying to make it as pure and amazing as possible?

I'm thinking about the mountaineers who climb without oxygen. That is considered a handicap, but in that case I think they are trying to move toward a completely pure climb. I would think that one would want to move toward a completely pure swim. Of course this is coming from someone who lists one of his favorite swims as no goggles, no cap, no suit, midnight in the Caribbean. But that is a whole 'nother story...

dpm50

As someone who is happy to just to finish a sub-10 mile swim freestyle, I don't begrudge attempts by others to ado some kind of wrinkle to their marathon swims. I don't see ever doing stuff like that, but if someone is able and willing, cherrs for them! I type on a computer using my fingers. If someone else wants to use his or her toes, despite having working fingers, be my guest!

I've seen some videos of people doing butterfly across the English Channel, and I congratulate such individuals even if I don't see myself doing anything like that. And if by some miracle of financial and physical circumstances allowed me to swim the English Channel, I still wouldn't attempt it butterfly or probably any other stroke besides free. And I'd celebrate wholeheartedly even if someone doing it butterfly got all the headlines.

For me, swimming and running are about embracing my own challenges, not worrying about what others take on.

If we're not doing this first off because we love to, no accolades will be enough. And if we're doing it because we love it, any accolades are icing on the cake.

Hanzo993

There is an italian swimmer (Eros Paolo Cerizzi) that swam Messina's Strait with Handscuffs (3/4 km) and he is actually in guinness world record for Furthest Swim Wearing Handscuffs.

curly

I was thinking about this thread the other day. Diabolical ideas to make something that is hard even harder... I was wondering about these crazy people who have made the English Channel their personal lap pool. Has anyone done an IM yet? I know there has been a one way butterfly which is completely out of orbit, but once you get the fly over with the rest is a piece of cake. Right...?