Testimonials
This is a new feature which we will add to over the coming weeks:
'Let me just start by saying I set high standards for myself, people who work for me and suppliers. I certainly don't write testimonials lightly but I feel truly compelled to let you, the Directors of the business, know what I think of your business.
I am a 43 year old male, who has recently come back to competitive swimming after a long lay-off. I've always swum but over the past twelve months have been aiming for particular performance goals and have increased my training to five or six 60 to 120 minute sessions per week.
Eight years ago I broke my left clavicle into three pieces in a skiing accident. This healed slowly, was very painful and eventually set in a rather distorted shape. It didn't give me pain but it definitely reduced my shoulder mobility. However, as I have upped the swim intensity it has given me real pain to the extent that I have had to take ibuprofen before and after sessions. This had to stop!
Helpful people in the know told me it was rotator cuff damage, swimmers shoulder, torn tendons etc etc - that fact is I had no idea and needed it sorting.
I booked an initial consultation with you and over the hour she assessed the problem and provided me with an exercise regime. You also did some awesome massaging which made me feel unbelievably good. Almost immediately I could feel more mobility on my left side and the pain I had felt drifted away. I could swim hard with shoulder pain which has meant I have been able to work my left side harder - guess what? I'm going faster!!!
The second session further identified a weakened serratus anterior and I have now found two tomes of great significance which have helped me find specific exercises for this muscle, which often gets over shadowed by the lats and more powerful back muscles in swimmers. These are Complete Conditioning for Swimming by Dave Salo and Swimming Anatomy by Ian McLeod. I recommend you read them if other swimmers float by!!
So what? Well for those of a competitive nature the results have been good. I recently completed a time trial for 200 metre Breaststroke in 3.17.95, which is .95 seconds off a World Masters qualifying time. I honestly thought I'd be 8 to 10% off that time. The only thing that has changed is a stronger left side and thats down to you guys!!!
Many thanks
Yours, with no shoulder pain (but every other part aching)
Richard Leech'
13th May 2010