Possible to improve 30min distance w/only 30min sessions?

Wow, SO much great advise. Thank you all so much! I don't know where to begin responding, esp since it's bedtime. I esp liked this encouraging remark from Ande: Thanks for that Ande, and your suggested workouts. I found out the local Pastor/ex coach I mentioned is Brad Hering who is even listed on this site. Maybe I can rope him into a little moonlighting away from church. Otherwise, about some other questions & comments. Yes, I do count my strokes, and I breath alternate sides. Rather than timing splits, I've just been wearing a HRM and recording daily Avg/Peak and 1 min cooldown rates. I've been a fitness runner or swimmer since college 30 yrs ago, so I have always been able to keep my weight in check (I'm 6'1" and currently 180, ...that's about 5 lbs high for me) Yes, I just went out and got a proper swimsuit. My board shorts didn't bother me when I was just working out. But last Friday going for time, they were a real DRAG! Having read all your generous advise, I think I would be willing to give a little more than 30 minutes/day. I swim Mon - Fri ... sometimes Sat for a makeup day. Wow...to get down into the mid 20s would be unbelievable! Back when I was leaning to swim laps in my mid-20s, the local High school swim coach would give me pointers. I told him Johnny Weismuller was one of my heros. He said that the girls on his high school team had already beat his olympic records ;-) Hey There Paul, You're welcome. since you're paul 1953 my guess is you were born in 53 and you're 58. I recall a Brad Hering who was a butterflyer? on roping him in, I suggest you begin with lunch or breakfast or find out if and when he's training and train when and where he does. what are your stroke counts? just note that when you breathe on alternate sides, every 3, you don't get as many breaths per length than you do by breathing every 2 on the same side. "Rather than timing splits" you want to pay attention to your times and splits. is there any chance you can gain access to a 25 y or m pool? is there any chance you can drive a little extra once or twice a week to train with a masters group? you've been a fitness runner & swimmer since college just know that sometimes when runners start swimming they have a tendancy to over kick when they swim. Not sure if that's an issue for you. you need a nice steady 2 beat kick you might benefit from total immersion swimming, which would teach you to work less and glide more when you swim There's several good youtube videos (I'll find the link) TI's main concepts are: + take Long smooth steady arm strokes, + use a small 2 beat kick mainly for balance, + Rotate from side to side when you swim, and + align your body when you swim, begin with head position, swim with your head down, look at the bottom of the pool when you swim, if you swim with your head up, your hips sink, making you slower and less efficient. + Take fewer strokes per length, if you exert less effort when you swim, you can swim longer at a stronger pace. you've kept your weight in check (6'1" 180 is good, you are lean) you might benefit from strengthing swimming muscles you wore board shorts and now you got a proper suit. Do you mean a jammer or a brief? That alone should make a signficant difference. Consider wearing board shorts in practice Mon - Thu then your faster suit on Friday's when you do your fast mile for time Also wearing a TECH SUIT JAMMER can make a signicant difference in your time Speaking of your fast mile for time, you need to establish accurate bench mark figure out the exact distance you'll swim and a way to time it to the second. Training more than 30 minutes a day will help you get more fit and give you time to include additional sets in your workouts. training 5x a week is good 6 or 7 is better. Put forth a sincere training effort for several months and you should signifcantly improve your mile. Ask a friend with an iphone to video you swimming freestyle at your mile pace in and out of a turn from: 1) head on swimming towards and away, and 2) from the side Put both videos on youtube then post the links in this thread & ask folks to view your technique and offer suggestions My suggestion about changing technique is: Changing technique is HARD, you have to focus on the correction while you're swimming until it sticks the moment you stop focusing and doing the correction you're likely to fall back into your old habit. so ONLY attempt to correct technique if it makes you faster or helps you avoid injuries. Only focus on 1, 2 or 3 corrections at a time. Less is more Use short reminders like: Streamline skinny, Push off hard, Glide FAR Head down Smooth strokes Small kick Think them and do them Johnny Weismuller His times were pretty good, his 57.4 100 LCM fr is a time most high school girls can't beat. Especially if they couldn't wear goggles, had to wear the same kind of suit he wore in 1924, and race in the same pool set up and lane lines. His 4:57 400 fr was less impressive, today some 10, 11, & 12 year old girls swim faster than that. Lastly set more goals, like training for and racing in a masters meet prepare for and race the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, & 1500 or the 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, & 1650. Preparing for a meet and races will give you something specific for train for, plus when you race, you'll have electronic splits in a standard length pool, which will show you how your times for different distances relate to each other and you'll have helpful info on how to improve. Hope this helps, Ande

Wow, SO much great advise. Thank you all so much! I don't know where to begin responding, esp since it's bedtime. I esp liked this encouraging remark from Ande: Thanks for that Ande, and your suggested workouts. I found out the local Pastor/ex coach I mentioned is Brad Hering who is even listed on this site. Maybe I can rope him into a little moonlighting away from church. Otherwise, about some other questions & comments. Yes, I do count my strokes, and I breath alternate sides. Rather than timing splits, I've just been wearing a HRM and recording daily Avg/Peak and 1 min cooldown rates. I've been a fitness runner or swimmer since college 30 yrs ago, so I have always been able to keep my weight in check (I'm 6'1" and currently 180, ...that's about 5 lbs high for me) Yes, I just went out and got a proper swimsuit. My board shorts didn't bother me when I was just working out. But last Friday going for time, they were a real DRAG! Having read all your generous advise, I think I would be willing to give a little more than 30 minutes/day. I swim Mon - Fri ... sometimes Sat for a makeup day. Wow...to get down into the mid 20s would be unbelievable! Back when I was leaning to swim laps in my mid-20s, the local High school swim coach would give me pointers. I told him Johnny Weismuller was one of my heros. He said that the girls on his high school team had already beat his olympic records ;-) Hey There Paul, You're welcome. since you're paul 1953 my guess is you were born in 53 and you're 58. I recall a Brad Hering who was a butterflyer? on roping him in, I suggest you begin with lunch or breakfast or find out if and when he's training and train when and where he does. what are your stroke counts? just note that when you breathe on alternate sides, every 3, you don't get as many breaths per length than you do by breathing every 2 on the same side. "Rather than timing splits" you want to pay attention to your times and splits. is there any chance you can gain access to a 25 y or m pool? is there any chance you can drive a little extra once or twice a week to train with a masters group? you've been a fitness runner & swimmer since college just know that sometimes when runners start swimming they have a tendancy to over kick when they swim. Not sure if that's an issue for you. you need a nice steady 2 beat kick you might benefit from total immersion swimming, which would teach you to work less and glide more when you swim There's several good youtube videos (I'll find the link) TI's main concepts are: + take Long smooth steady arm strokes, + use a small 2 beat kick mainly for balance, + Rotate from side to side when you swim, and + align your body when you swim, begin with head position, swim with your head down, look at the bottom of the pool when you swim, if you swim with your head up, your hips sink, making you slower and less efficient. + Take fewer strokes per length, if you exert less effort when you swim, you can swim longer at a stronger pace. you've kept your weight in check (6'1" 180 is good, you are lean) you might benefit from strengthing swimming muscles you wore board shorts and now you got a proper suit. Do you mean a jammer or a brief? That alone should make a signficant difference. Consider wearing board shorts in practice Mon - Thu then your faster suit on Friday's when you do your fast mile for time Also wearing a TECH SUIT JAMMER can make a signicant difference in your time Speaking of your fast mile for time, you need to establish accurate bench mark figure out the exact distance you'll swim and a way to time it to the second. Training more than 30 minutes a day will help you get more fit and give you time to include additional sets in your workouts. training 5x a week is good 6 or 7 is better. Put forth a sincere training effort for several months and you should signifcantly improve your mile. Ask a friend with an iphone to video you swimming freestyle at your mile pace in and out of a turn from: 1) head on swimming towards and away, and 2) from the side Put both videos on youtube then post the links in this thread & ask folks to view your technique and offer suggestions My suggestion about changing technique is: Changing technique is HARD, you have to focus on the correction while you're swimming until it sticks the moment you stop focusing and doing the correction you're likely to fall back into your old habit. so ONLY attempt to correct technique if it makes you faster or helps you avoid injuries. Only focus on 1, 2 or 3 corrections at a time. Less is more Use short reminders like: Streamline skinny, Push off hard, Glide FAR Head down Smooth strokes Small kick Think them and do them Johnny Weismuller His times were pretty good, his 57.4 100 LCM fr is a time most high school girls can't beat. Especially if they couldn't wear goggles, had to wear the same kind of suit he wore in 1924, and race in the same pool set up and lane lines. His 4:57 400 fr was less impressive, today some 10, 11, & 12 year old girls swim faster than that. Lastly set more goals, like training for and racing in a masters meet prepare for and race the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, & 1500 or the 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, & 1650. Preparing for a meet and races will give you something specific for train for, plus when you race, you'll have electronic splits in a standard length pool, which will show you how your times for different distances relate to each other and you'll have helpful info on how to improve. Hope this helps, Ande