Stuck - help me get faster..

[dmc1972]

Hi Peter,
How did the stroke feel during the 400's? Did you hold the stroke together throughout the 400's?
One thing I have found is that when a swimmer is relaxed they can often swim better, when they are stressed or feel the need to push, then the stroke falls apart. Your stroke will get better and you will find it easier to swim further, it just takes time and practise.


Try this workout,

Warm Up
25m swim rest 30s
50m swim rest 30s
75m swim rest 30s
100m swim rest 30s

Main Set
6x 50m Drill use fins 1st & 2nd Thumb up side, 3rd & 4th Closed Fists, 5th and 6th Catch up, Rest 40 sec each 50m

3x ( 1x 25m Kick streamline underwater with fins rest 30s, 1x50m Swim hard with fins kick hard rest 30s)

1x 25m easy swim rest 1:00

6x 100m Swim with fins desending 1st aim 1:55 leave 3:00, 2nd aim 1:50 leave 3:00, 3rd aim 1:45 leave 3:00, 4th aim 1:40 leave 3:00, 5th aim 1:35 leave 3:00 and 6th aim 1:30 leave 3:00

1x 200 swim no fins Aim 3:06 rest 30s

Cool down
4x 50 swim easy any stroke Rest 40s

Total 1800m

Let me know how you do. The desending set is about pacing, let me know how you feel during each 100 and how you do with the times. The 200m at the end will be tough

Can you swim any other strokes well?
Swimming only freestyle can cause muscle imbalace, it is good to mix things up even if you just use another stroke during warm up and cool down.

Have fun
I will be off line until Tuesday, If you need another work out just revisit one I have given you and let me know which one and how it goes.
Have you had any problems with leg cramps during any of these sessions? How is your back?
Take care and have a good weekend,
David

[Wright]

Thanks David - the stroke during the 400's felt pretty good most of the time I feel...

Funnily enough I did cramp in my right calf at the end of the set - probably as a result of an over zealous run mid week...

Otherwise my back is fine and so are shoulders so far.

I will do the session over the weekend hopefully.

I can swim breaststroke but not well - could use it.

Have a good weekend.

Peter

[dmc1972]

How many times a week are you running and how far? Are you doing any cycling? if so how often and how far?
Keep hydrated and you may find it benifical to do some stretching after workouts.
Keep me posted of any leg cramps or back and shoulder tightness.
Have fun,
David

[Wright]

How many times a week are you running and how far? Are you doing any cycling? if so how often and how far?
Keep hydrated and you may find it benifical to do some stretching after workouts.
Keep me posted of any leg cramps or back and shoulder tightness.
Have fun,
David

3 runs and 3 rides - about 6h on bike and under 3h running..so not too much at present but will have to ramp them both up and reduce swim sessions from 5 to 4 or 4 to 3 depending on weeks. A shame as I am enjoying the swimming more than any of them by far...

Cheers

Peter

[Wright]

Hi David

I hope the weekend was good...

Session done this morning per last workout;

All went pretty well, 2 BK throughout and a real focus on getting the body alligned and using the core to spear the leading hand - a bit total immersion so hope that does not go against the grain on this site...I do really like the smoother and more powerful flowing stroke.

The 6 x 100m descending was tough to pace - it went like this; 1:45; 1:45; 1:40; 1:40; 1:33; 1:25

I was very pleased with the 1:25 as it felt smooth and unrushed, and still had a 2 beat kick instead of my normal 6 beat for this pace.

Taking the fins off and the 200m with a target of 3:06 did not happen - felt like I was going ok but lacked some zipp and came in at 3:18 or so - I guess the lack of zipp was the lack of fins...

I did also swim Sunday - 1500m of nothing but technique focus, with no times and no aids - felt good.

Pretty pleased as I feel my technique is improving, but need to get a little more oomph out of my 2 BK and a bit more drive forwards..

Cheers for now

Peter

[dmc1972]

Hi Peter,
I had a good weekend, we went over to Florida to visit my wifes cousin and his family. Great time but busy We live in the Bahamas and occasionally I have to get away from the islands or I start to feel island bound.

Sounds like the workout went OK. Learning to feel your pace in the water is a difficult thing to do, but it is a good skill to learn. Your times for the desending set were fine. The time for the 200m was a little slow but that can be affected buy how much running or cycling you did the day before.
As you train more for the IM we will need to work your swim workouts into your training plan so that we do not put a long swim next to a long run and that we make sure that your recovery weeks and workouts fit in correctly. It might be a good idea for you to let me know what days you are cycling, running and swimming. Also what sort of workouts you are doing on those days, eg long run/ride, Sprint, hill repeats, fartlek, easy, etc.
If you have not yet developed a training plan then it would be a good idea to put something together.

OK time to swim

Warm Up
4x 50m swim easy 30s rest easch 50m

Main set

8x 25m Use fins odd 25m's Kick, even 25m's Drill. 1st Kick left side, 2nd Fingers through water, 3rd Kick Right side, 4th swim with closed fists, 5th Kick on side pull rotate after 12 kicks, 6th thumb up side, 7th kick on side pull rotate after 9 kicks, 8th Catch up. 20sec rest after each 25m

8x 50m odd 50m's swim Hard, even 50m's swim easy. Use fins. 1st, 3rd, 5th & 7th Aim 40sec. Rest 30 sec after each 50m

Use Fins
100m swim aim 1:35, 30sec rest
50m Drill Catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:30 30 sec rest
50m Drill catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:25 30 sec rest
50m drill catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:20 30sec rest
50m drill catch up Rest 1:30

200m swim No Fins 2 beat kick Aim 3:10 30 sec rest

Cool down
4x 50m easy swim any stroke rest 40 sec

Total 1800m

During the catch up drill make sure that your body is nice and straight with a good streamline think about the pull and breath every 3rd stroke.
The last 100m aim 1:20 will be hard and the 200m aim 3:10 is going to be tough but try not to let the stroke fall apart keep it as smooth as you can.

Enjoy the swim
David

[Wright]

Thanks very much David - wow, the Bahamas - sounds very glamorous..have not been there. Cape Town is also beautiful.

I will try this session tomorrow - I swam today but once again did 1.5km of technique with some fin and speed work thrown in - it did not go well today and I found I was stuck at 1:32/100m and 42s per 50m - as fast as I got.

I do find that when I try to up the pace, that I lose rhythm and smoothness - yet I see plenty of fast guys who still don't splash and look smooth and unhurried.

I find that at present I am a little jagged in the water when I transfer from one spearing through to extension and then cacth - as my kick propels and my hips drop. The stroke just feels a little disconnected...

Will report back tomorrow.

Cheers

Peter

[dmc1972]

It sounds like you might have a problem with the release part of the sroke. Try this, as you hand moves through the pull accelerate it, release the water by pushing the hand back and up hard. Then slow the hand down as you recover.
Also try not to make splash at the hand entry. Splash causes air bubbles around the hand and reduces the effectivness of the catch.

[Wright]

It sounds like you might have a problem with the release part of the sroke. Try this, as you hand moves through the pull accelerate it, release the water by pushing the hand back and up hard. Then slow the hand down as you recover.
Also try not to make splash at the hand entry. Splash causes air bubbles around the hand and reduces the effectivness of the catch.

Will try to focus on that...

[Wright]

Hi David

Had a great session this morning...focus was an earlier hand entry (posting hand) and wide tracks along with a higher elbow recovery.

hard 50m target was 40s but I struggled with this and was consistently around 41-43s

Use Fins
100m swim aim 1:35, 30sec rest Achieved 1:33
50m Drill Catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:30 30 sec rest Achieved 1:28
50m Drill catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:25 30 sec rest Achieved 1:23 !! (Fastest yet)
50m drill catch up 30 sec rest
100m swim aim 1:20 30sec rest Achieved 1:22...Oh well..next time.
50m drill catch up Rest 1:30

200m swim No Fins 2 beat kick Aim 3:10 30 sec rest Achieved 3:15 - nearly.

Felt good and kept it together reasonably well with faster 100m/s

Making progress but need to get smoother and more integrated still - I want to get more forward motion from the kick, rotation and spearing hand...

Out for now and have a great day..

Peter

[dmc1972]

Good job, those 100m times are coming down nicely

Make sure to keep your toes pointed and also make sure you are turning your big toes in to look at each other.

Warm up
5x 50m moderate swim rest 30s

Main set
(use Fins for all)
2x 50m kick on side 1st 50 Left 2nd 50 right rest 30s each 50m
4x 25m Underwater kick Keep streamline tight. rest 30s each 25m
4x50m Kick on side 1st 50 Kick 9 then pull, 2nd 50 kick 5 then pull, 3rd 50 kick 3 then pull, 4th 50 kick 1 then pull. rest 40s each 50m

4x 50m Catch up drill Rest 40s each 50m

25m Easy swim rest 20s
200m Swim hard 2 beat kick aim 3:10 leave on 4:00
25m Easy swim rest 20s
200m Swim hard 2 beat kick aim 3:10 leave on 4:00
25m Easy swim rest 20s
200m Swim hard 2 beat kick aim 3:10 leave on 4:00

3x25m Swim All out hard (NO FINs) aim 15s leave 40s

Cool Down
5x 50m Easy swim rest 30s

Total 1850m

Use fins except for the last 3x 25m.
Let me know how you feel during the kick sets and the drill. The times for the 200m are going to be hard but do your best and leave on time.

Have fun
David

[Wright]

Thanks David - I am on it...

[Wright]

David - hope all good your side. Just to let you know I am in the UK on holiday for 10 days from Wed next week, so will be quiet...

Cheers

Peter

[dmc1972]

Have a good Holiday
Say hi to my homeland
David

[Wright]

Have a good Holiday
Say hi to my homeland
David

I will do - it's mine too....

Where you from ?

[dmc1972]

Originally from Kent, Birchington which is near Margate.
When we visit now, we stay with my mum in Cornwall.
Where abouts are you from?

[Wright]

Originally from Kent, Birchington which is near Margate.
When we visit now, we stay with my mum in Cornwall.
Where abouts are you from?

Cornwall - would love to live there...

From Wimbledon but stay with friends and my Mum in Weybridge and Dorking area..

[dmc1972]

Yes Cornwall is beautiful
We are normally there in July-August but this year it might be November time.
Well have a great time with your friends and family
David

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[Magnus]

Hi David!

I read your advice to Peter and I wonder if you could give me some advice for the coming months. I am 47 yrs, on a sabbatical and training for my first IM race in August 2011 (did a half distance in July in 5.42). I have swam 3 k sub 57 and 4 k in about 1.18 (not happy about that). Today I swam 1.5 k in 28.30 . I have followed the CSS-pattern of swim smooth. I suppose I need a program for speed, one for endurance, and I will take part in a technique program soon (x 8) here in Helsinki.

Cheers,

Magnus from Finland