I have a swim meet coming up this weekend Nov 1, Nov 2. I haven't raced in almost 6 years. I have, however, been swimming all the time. The meet restricts each competitor to only two events. Each event is a timed final. I guess they do this to save time. I have entered the 50 m and 100 m free. The last time I raced these events I went 26.15 and 59.01 respectively. Back then, however, I did more training than I am doing now.
Recently, I have been swimming 4 times a week, averaging about 1500 m to 2300 m per session. In the mornings I follow a home fitness program which involves some very vigorous cardio, dumbbell work, body weight workouts, etc. It can be really exhausting and leave my muscles sore for a couple of days afterwards.
My questions are:
should I drop the home exercise program in this final week before the meet?
how much swimming should I be doing and what should I be concentrating on in the pool?
what should I be eating?
and probably the biggest question of all,
how do I warm up on the day of the meet?
should I drop the home exercise program in this final week before the meet?
yes
how much swimming should I be doing and what should I be concentrating on in the pool?
1200 to 1500
Speed with rest & great technique
what should I be eating?
Food, not too much not too little
Doesn't really matter
how do I warm up on the day of the meet?
500 fr easy
400 fr pull
300 K easy
200 drill
100 (done as 4 25's with rest, push off hard, 4 strokes fast, the rest of the way easy )
That warm up is about exactly what I would have done in practice before I tried to swim fast. The only difference is that I would have swum the whole 25 fast and not just the first four strokes. I like to know that I am close to my target time before I really go for it. I will dial my tempo trainer into my target time for a 25 and then try and get as close it as possible before I swim fast. Typically, I will only get there on the 3rd or 4th attempt after the warm up. Would this be too exhausting to do on race day?
And a final question, Ande, if I may: how long before your race would you do this warm up?
Thanks Ande!
should I drop the home exercise program in this final week before the meet?
yes
how much swimming should I be doing and what should I be concentrating on in the pool?
1200 to 1500
Speed with rest & great technique
what should I be eating?
Food, not too much not too little
Doesn't really matter
how do I warm up on the day of the meet?
500 fr easy
400 fr pull
300 K easy
200 drill
100 (done as 4 25's with rest, push off hard, 4 strokes fast, the rest of the way easy )
That warm up is about exactly what I would have done in practice before I tried to swim fast. The only difference is that I would have swum the whole 25 fast and not just the first four strokes. I like to know that I am close to my target time before I really go for it. I will dial my tempo trainer into my target time for a 25 and then try and get as close it as possible before I swim fast. Typically, I will only get there on the 3rd or 4th attempt after the warm up. Would this be too exhausting to do on race day?
And a final question, Ande, if I may: how long before your race would you do this warm up?
Thanks Ande!