In my most recent blog entry, "One Man's Garbage..." forums.usms.org/blog.php , I asked my fellow swimmers their respective opinions on the impact long, slow, continuous swimming has on meet performance.
The expression "garbage yards" (and the pejorative overtones such a phrase conjurs) has become so embedded in the forum lexicon that many, I suspect, now consider as indisputable truth swimming this way is a waste of time for anyone with competitive ambitions.
Such a view appears particularly well-entrenched among the many non-credentialed exercise physiology pontificators here on the forums who also have a fondness for sprinting and dry land exercise.
But is the concept of garbage yards truly valid--or a kind of urban legend made up largely by sprinters who would rather be doing something other than spending 90 minutes without stopping in the pool?
I don't mean only practicing this way. But if you are, like me, inclined to enjoy swimming, once or twice a week, long, slow, relatively relaxing, continuous yards, do you believe (and more importantly, perhaps, have any evidence to bolster said belief) that so-called "garbage yards" can have some value for actual racing?
Or do these only teach your body to swim slow?
I invite you to read my recent blog forums.usms.org/blog.php and post your thoughts advice there or here.
At the risk of provoking censure by the forum authorities, I furthermore ask you to leave all civility by the wayside.
Feel free to trash talk and smack upside the head of any and every one who disagrees with your personal bias here!
It's been way too long since these forums have had a good, old-fashioned range war of opinions run amuk and ad hominem attacks!
Go at each other tooth and claw. It will only stir the blood of us all, I say--something we garbage yard enthusiasts probably need a bit more of, I will admit.
Parents
Former Member
Jim, I'm aware I'm taking this thread off its original topic. I didn't mean to do so.
I can't work more than 5 days at a time. I get too tired, so I have to follow this with three normal days when I don't work during the night. I take the beta blockers when I arrive at work at 10.00 pm every evening.
I've never noticed mood changes caused by the botox. I'm grumpy most of the time anyway! Sometimes the doctor pumps in too much, causing some paralysis around my mouth. Many times, after the injections, I can't blink for about five days. I'm continually pulling my eyelids down by hand to lubricate my eyes. This wears off though, after a week or so.
I suppose there must be high-tech ways of imprinting lettering on something as small as atoms. I wouldn't know how to do this. I simply use very fine needles which I rub down even more, using an Arkansas stone which the American banknote engravers use.
I can understand you feeling tired after doing 6,500 yards in a set. Believe me, your body will adapt to this after a while. A few years ago I had a shoulder problem when swimming 10k a day, and had to rest for a few weeks, but I was doing 7,000m of this on fly in those sessions. Now I only do front crawl. 10 years ago when I was 55 years old I got down to 2:37.7 secs for 200m fly. I can't get anywhere near it now. In fact I don't swim fly at all.
As for swimming the English Channel - Don't be ridiculous!! I hate cold water and without a straight line on the bottom of the pool I can't swim straight.
Jim, I'm aware I'm taking this thread off its original topic. I didn't mean to do so.
I can't work more than 5 days at a time. I get too tired, so I have to follow this with three normal days when I don't work during the night. I take the beta blockers when I arrive at work at 10.00 pm every evening.
I've never noticed mood changes caused by the botox. I'm grumpy most of the time anyway! Sometimes the doctor pumps in too much, causing some paralysis around my mouth. Many times, after the injections, I can't blink for about five days. I'm continually pulling my eyelids down by hand to lubricate my eyes. This wears off though, after a week or so.
I suppose there must be high-tech ways of imprinting lettering on something as small as atoms. I wouldn't know how to do this. I simply use very fine needles which I rub down even more, using an Arkansas stone which the American banknote engravers use.
I can understand you feeling tired after doing 6,500 yards in a set. Believe me, your body will adapt to this after a while. A few years ago I had a shoulder problem when swimming 10k a day, and had to rest for a few weeks, but I was doing 7,000m of this on fly in those sessions. Now I only do front crawl. 10 years ago when I was 55 years old I got down to 2:37.7 secs for 200m fly. I can't get anywhere near it now. In fact I don't swim fly at all.
As for swimming the English Channel - Don't be ridiculous!! I hate cold water and without a straight line on the bottom of the pool I can't swim straight.
