My question: What would be a good course of action(s) in order to train and development a quicker arm turnover in freestyle swimming?

Trying to maintain a lifestyle that includes family, work, and friends while training for triathlons is a difficult task. However, thousands of athletes prove it can be done each year. It isn’t a selfish need to race if family members support you on your journey and you take time to support activities they are interested in.

Also, triathlon is by no means an individual sport. There are endless amounts of opportunities to join clubs and meet new people. The time you read as you cross the finish line is the only thing that is individual about it, everything leading up to that point can be enjoyed with those around you whether it is family, friends, or teammates.

lastly, many triathletes that I have met over the years (obsessed with the sport or not), seem to have very outgoing, vibrant personalities and are very approachable. To generalize that all “obsessed triathletes” are truly boring and dull is probably accounting for a few negative instances the author has had in the past.

Obviously there are cases of the obsessed triathlete who turns the sport into a life consuming task that neglects family and friends. however, that is a small percentage when you consider how many athletes take the sport very serious while maintaining a healthy lifestyle outside of the sport.

When I first heard the letter from the person who wrote about ‘triathlon being a selfish sport’, I was a little upset with the author. However, after thinking about it more, I agree, but in a somewhat limited or selective way. The tone of the letter sounded like it was written by a spouse or significant other that was / is feeling left out of their partner’s life, feeling that the training and racing was taking them away from the author and the family. I also ‘read into’ the letter a bit of jealousy….but that could just be me and the way I heard it.
Training for a triathlon is or can be a time consuming endeavor…and if you are in a relationship, it is important that both people discuss and accept the time commitment required, and come up with a way to work around conflicts or minimize the time conflicts. For example, I have a friend who is at the ‘elite’ level of Ironman Triathlon racing…and he has a small child (about 2 years old or so), works a regular job, and manages to train and make time for his family. He does his first work out before the family is even awake by getting up at 4 AM for his first workout of the day. In the evenings, he plans time for his workout after spending some time with his family…for swims in the summer, the family often goes to the beach with him, he swims for a while, then plays with his children when he finishes.
As for triathletes being shallow and self absorbed…that sounds more like a personal issue the author has. When you get a few triathlets together, of course they, like most folks, will talk about something they have in common. A spouse or significant could easily feel left out in that type of setting, but could also make an effort to learn and support her / his mate to be able to participate on some level to eliminate the feeling of being left out of conversations. The same could be said of almost any profession or hobby – if you get a bunch of people together that all do or participate in the same interests (running, hiking, football, Nascar, scrap booking, gardening, bird watching, etc.), and you are the one in the couple / family who does not participates in the subject hobby or profession, you naturally won’t have too much to say and will not be able to contribute to the conversation and possibly feel left out.
Last, as far as triathlon being a solitary, lonely sport – I strongly disagree! I have made many new friends through the sport – riding buddies, running buddies, and swimming buddies. I participate in several group training activities, and my spouse has met and even become friends with my fellow triathletes and their spouses as well. When it comes time for competing, even when we are all racing each other, there is a friendship and support system unlike I have found in the past while participating in traditional group or team sports. We encourage each other, assist each other with issues (training / racing / etc.), and celebrate each other’s accomplishments, and always include the families as they are a part of the entire experience and are key in each success.
So my reply is a bit down the middle. While the spouse that is not participating in triathlons may feel left out, it is the athletes responsibility to his / her family to be sure to have time for them. The decision for one spouse to enter a triathlon (like an Ironman) is a, or ‘should be’ a family decision given the time demands on the athlete for training. It amounts to a time commitment of taking on a part time job…and if one spouse is not ‘on board’ 100%, it will cause stress. Like any good relationship, all decisions that potentially impact the family needs work, clear communication, and acts of selflessness on BOTH peoples parts.

On a similar note, I just wanted to shout out that since I began using transdermal magnesium in the last couple weeks, I have noticed an incredible improvement in my ability to recover after tough workouts. Like you said, Ben, this stuff works!

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp

What is the health risk of too much magnesium?

Dietary magnesium does not pose a health risk, however pharmacologic doses of magnesium in supplements can promote adverse effects such as diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Risk of magnesium toxicity increases with kidney failure, when the kidney loses the ability to remove excess magnesium. Very large doses of magnesium-containing laxatives and antacids also have been associated with magnesium toxicity [25]. For example, a case of hypermagnesemia after unsupervised intake of aluminum magnesia oral suspension occurred after a 16 year old girl decided to take the antacid every two hours rather than four times per day, as prescribed. Three days later, she became unresponsive and demonstrated loss of deep tendon reflex [57]. Doctors were unable to determine her exact magnesium intake, but the young lady presented with blood levels of magnesium five times higher than normal [25]. Therefore, it is important for medical professionals to be aware of the use of any magnesium-containing laxatives or antacids. Signs of excess magnesium can be similar to magnesium deficiency and include changes in mental status, nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extremely low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat [5,57-60].