Given the importance of swimming technique in preventing injuries and increasing speed and efficiency, I'm interested to find out how often masters swimmers include drills into their workouts. Are drills important to many swimmers, or are intervals and full stroke sets the main emphasis? Thanks for your help!
Karma, coincidence or Big Brother, I don't know, but overnight, YouTube recommeded this video:
This is one of my bookmarked videos. Note his commentary on technique work @ 5:20-6:02 - 2 months worth of technique. I've also learned technique work does not mean slow work. What he says about breaststroke 2:50-3:20 holds to the old cliche - you've got to swim fast to swim faster!
I do drill work every practice - it is more important than cardio IMO.
Here is another example of an Olympian who incorporates drills into his workouts to improve both technique and speed and prevent injuries.
www.youtube.com/watch
Yes and No :)
Yes:
I do drills when I am told to do drills within a coached session - but usually feel little benefit other than from the extra rest between harder sets. The main problem is that a lazy coach wont explain in advance exactly the purpose of each drill but will give the command to 'do 100m drills'. An opportunity wasted in my view.
No:
When no drill sets are in view or I swim on my own I try to vary my speed. For example as a warm up I will include 800m of 'mindful' swimming, focusing for 4 laps on hand entry; 4 laps on the pull; 4 laps on the push (for freestyle) ie every 4 lengths a new focus but all within my full stoke albeit at a reduced speed. For me this has the advantage that I get immediate feedback within my full stroke from 'the drill' if thats what you could call it! In that way my whole stroke benefits and my brain - such as it is - learns quicker :)
Have I just contradicted myself?? :argue:
T
I usually find my workouts from the USMS blogs,then workouts. I skip the work outs that say drill or skull because I don't know many drills or witch ones can help my technique deficits. I also have a hard time with them because they take allot of time. I only have about an hour to spend in the pool. I like accomplishing yardage. You know, Go The Distance bragging rights. Kicks sets take up too much time but I can put fins on and go faster. I do kick sets but feel I am cheating with fins. The pains of being a solo swimmer. Old dog, new tricks, hard to learn something new.
I like accomplishing yardage. You know, Go The Distance bragging rights.
I think anything that motivates one to swimming and fitness is a good thing.I also think GTD does more harm than good,but fundamentally you can have workouts that can help you swim better/faster, or you can have workouts where you go as far as you can,One is not inherently better than the other,it depends on your goal,but they are somewhat mutually exclusive.I am concerned that GTD (and many Masters workouts) continue the idea that longer is better.Longer is fine,but longer is not faster,nor is it the best way to improve stroke mechanics. If wnt2bfst means "want to be fast" I suggest you focus more on technique work and race pace work.
