Yes, I know there are workouts and blogs with plenty of set ideas, however, I don't know which ones would be best for my needs and situation. I have Mondays and Fridays nailed down: Ande and King Frog's sprint workouts have been great; no problem there. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I train at another pool with my part-time coach who coaches a small group of adults. We do a 3500-3800 yard organized workout; the same one he gives his team of kids in the afternoon. It kicks my :censor: ; no problem there.
So, this is where I need help: On Wednesdays and Saturdays, I do a breastroke 25yd sprint ***/25yd recovery free set (8x50's) that Ande recommends I do each day, as well as the 600 yards (150 fast) of breaststroke kick he recommends I do each day (if I swim a total of 3000 yards). Combined with my 800-yard warm-up of free, IM's, and breaststroke drill, it totals 1800 yards. What I am looking for is 1000-1500 yards of sets that are non-sprint sets- but, non-junk yards, to round things out.
Any suggestions? I'm having the most difficult time trying to determine proper intervals, given my swimming level. Here are some sprint times to go by: My 25yd ***, fly, and back sprints from a push off all average :20-:21 and my free averages :17.
I am a breaststroker, however, I would like to improve my 50's in all strokes, in addition to 100 breaststroke. My weakness in all strokes is my kick. And, yes, I do weights 2-3 times each week, so I'm not looking to spend any more time in the weight room. Specifically, I would like some good recovery sets I could do that won't hurt my sprint times.
Thanks!
:chug:
Soni did it at Worlds this summer - I think in the 100 - look and see if you can find video of that race
Here is Soni's 100 at Worlds. You can see her clearly during the pullout off the blocks: http://youtu.be/9XpkYqsF5I0
Ahhh, I think you just hit on the reason! Duhhh!! :blush: My pullout and underwater time was probably next to nothing, when I was swimming in high school. Since our coach didn't even know how to swim, I was self-taught at breaststroke and got by on youthful strength, I guess, when swimming breaststroke. But, I probably rushed the pullout and spent a larger majority of my time above water than I am spending now. I've been working hard to be patient and strong on my pullout, even when my lungs feel like they are going to burst. I don't remember doing that back in high school...
Just some food for thought, some people are trying the "short pullout" off the wall. There was a USMS article about it a few weeks back.
You come up sooner but with more momentum. So even though other people get further underwater, as they gently rise up, you are hauling away full speed and hopefully are able to maintain it! At the end of the race if your underwater is slower than your surface stroke then it may be fun for you to experiment with a short pullout with almost no glide, focusing on coming up full speed.
I know you said you kicked but I LOVE kicking. I think it's huge for sprinters. Do some longer kick stuff 200s and 300s and shorter kick stuff. Basically take a set you like and make it kick. When gearing up for LCM I typically do entire workouts kick. So I'll go something like:
5 x 200 kick; odds fly/evens free on an interval that gives me :20-:30 rest
8 x 100 kick on an interval that gives me :10-:15 rest
8 x 50 kick on 2:30 - really kick all out hard!
I use long fins, Zoomers, bare feet, and shoes ... I want to get a band and start kicking with that, too.
If your legs are fried grab a pull buoy. Focus on your free or *** pull. One thing I used to do when I tried to swim br was take paddles and flip them over so the non-rubberband side is in the water and not secured. Try to swim br with the paddles flipped. If you ever stop putting pressure on the water the paddles will fly out.
When I'm doing recovery or easy stuff (especially when I swim solo) I use LOTS of toys. I'll put on paddles and long fins and try to hold a fast pace (but not one that is totally taxing) for 3 x 200 or even 2 x 400. I also LOVE doing backstroke with fins.
My events are 50/100 free and right now just the 50 fly ...
Great suggestions, Fly; thanks! I really need more power from my kick in all strokes, so perhaps I should make Saturdays my kick-focused day, as long as my legs hold out... :toohurt:
And getting DQ'd left and right for it!! Lots of officials unaware of the rule on this and lots of swimmers unable to execute it correctly!
If I'm reading your 6 day a week swim program correctly you don;t have a single workout committed entirely to recovery or much work in A1, A2, EN1....just a partial set on one or two days? Only in recovery do you find gains in your overall conditioning!
On the first point, I believe this is why I forgot about it, after I read the article. I don't even do a dolphin kick now, because I'm afraid I will get DQ'd! :afraid:
You are right; I do not have a recovery-only workout. So, Tall Paul, Master Set Maker :D, what recovery sets would you recommend for my level (see previous posts for times, etc.)? If there are some workouts from your thread you feel would be appropriate, will you point me to the post #'s and I'll check them out?
Thanks!
:chug:
You are right; I do not have a recovery-only workout. So, Tall Paul, Master Set Maker :D, what recovery sets would you recommend for my level (see previous posts for times, etc.)? If there are some workouts from your thread you feel would be appropriate, will you point me to the post #'s and I'll check them out?
Thanks!
:chug:
Elaine,
For your recovery day, just try doing your standard warmup first, and then go into something like 10 x 100 Free @ (interval that would give you :20-:30 rest). No need to push these. Just swim them relaxed with good technique. Work the walls and streamlines (everything from flags to the wall and out to the flags) and swim relaxed in the middle.
It's okay to do longer swims as recovery, even if you're only focusing on shorter events for your "core swims".
Heck, switch it up now and then and do a set of 100s, or 150s building them to the finish on days that you're doing more intense stuff. It's good to build your endurance up...makes the back half of the race hurt less.
Good luck. :cheerleader:
You are not alone - the breaststroke wears me out the most, too :)
Really? What's up with that? Why was it the easiest stroke when I was a kid and the hardest now (well, besides fly...)? I have a lot better technique now, but I am still just as flexible. Freestyle used to wear me out then, but now it's the easiest. The two strokes have reversed as I have grown older and I just can't figure it out... :shakeshead:
Really? What's up with that? Why was it the easiest stroke when I was a kid and the hardest now (well, besides fly...)? I have a lot better technique now, but I am still just as flexible. Freestyle used to wear me out then, but now it's the easiest. The two strokes have reversed as I have grown older and I just can't figure it out... :shakeshead:I'm to the point were I'm less adverse to 200 fly than I am to 200 breaststroke. Both wear me out about the same. The difference for me is the breaststroke pull-out. I'm getting to where I spend 40-45% of my swim underwater which is no fun for my lungs. With fly, my sdk is bad enough that one or two kicks off the wall isn't any slower that 3 or 4. My arms are more tired with fly but I get to that precious O2 faster.
Elaine,
For your recovery day, just try doing your standard warmup first, and then go into something like 10 x 100 Free @ (interval that would give you :20-:30 rest). No need to push these. Just swim them relaxed with good technique. Work the walls and streamlines (everything from flags to the wall and out to the flags) and swim relaxed in the middle.
It's okay to do longer swims as recovery, even if you're only focusing on shorter events for your "core swims".
Heck, switch it up now and then and do a set of 100s, or 150s building them to the finish on days that you're doing more intense stuff. It's good to build your endurance up...makes the back half of the race hurt less.
Good luck. :cheerleader:
Thanks, James! That sounds like the perfect set for tomorrow; I appreciate the suggestion! Hey, buddy, happy new year to ya! :party2:
Elaine,
For your recovery day, just try doing your standard warmup first, and then go into something like 10 x 100 Free @ (interval that would give you :20-:30 rest). No need to push these. Just swim them relaxed with good technique. Work the walls and streamlines (everything from flags to the wall and out to the flags) and swim relaxed in the middle.
Well, James, I (partly) took your advice for my last swim of the year. After my usual warm-up, I swam:
20x100 on R:20-
100 br/ 100fr/ 100 kick/ 100br k/ 50br-50fr
5x100fr
100 br/ 100fr/ 100 kick/ 100br k/ 50br-50fr
5x100fr
(Focus: Quick turns, DPS, streamline, getting feet turned out on br. kick. Breaststroke was 8-9 strokes/25yd and free was 14-16 strokes.)
I left backstroke and fly out of the mix to give my shoulders a break and swam the 100's sloooow; 1:40's for the free and 1:43's on the breaststroke.
I ended the year with 42.61 miles for the month/ 382.46 miles for the year; waaay more than my original GTD goal of 275! When my surgeon said I would be able to swim again, I don't think he ever believed I would be able to log in THIS many miles with my shoulders... :bliss:
Anyway, this felt like a good recovery swim. Would it be considered "recovery" or "junk yardage"? I still don't really understand the difference...
