The new Master's coach philosophy is to do lower yardage and more IM. Lots of kicks (strengthen the core), lots of drills, and lots of toys (snorkel, skull finger paddles, regular paddles, zoomers, regular fins, *** stoke fins, finis tempo trainer, light weight kick board...) (disclaimer...I have not bought any of this stuff, just have the normal toys). I am in my 60's, have swum forever, many years in masters, raised age-group kids through college swimming, and am very confused.
I am used to 10 x 100 or 5 x 200's or couple 500's, IM once in a while, option to swim IM or free, kicks as a set in a workout, you know what I'm talkin' bout.
Now I am exhausted doing 90 minutes of kicks and sprints and only going 2000 yards. Flipping at the end of every set, using weight balls in the water, doing 6 x 100 *** stroke kick no hands, doing tandem training, example: swimming arm in arm with the other 60 year old doing fly kicks then holding his legs while I kick and he strokes, then vise versa. Now it is not always exhausting, but it seems always to be frustrating.
Working hard is not the problem, but working hard doing fly kicks in 50 meter pools is frustrating. And my distance flog is suffering. Not just 4 x 50 fly kicks, but 10 x 50 fly kicks.
It has been 4 months with new coach. Others say that they workouts are making them stronger for races and allowing them to be tougher. I worry about hurting my back, my shoulders, and not getting in my yardage.
Fitness swimming should be challenging and fun; I am a wimp? Should I give it more time? I like my team!
Well said, Aquageek. You have hit the nail on the head! Sadly, too many masters swimmers, who have never been part of a good set-up, don't know what they are missing.
Man I REALLY hate giving Geek any kudos...you just have no idea how it pains me...BUT he's right on the money here. And GGS5T, having had the chance to swim with dozens of teams all over the US your absolutely right as well. Unfortunately just as it is with gym memberships often time the single most important factor in joining is proximity. I would however encourage people to shop around, even if its a little further drive it may make a world of difference.
Having said all that...Laura and I are 100% committed to our training philosophy which is very similar at least from the few posts I've read about this coach. We certainly listen and make adjustments if we feel their viable and work into our overall "plan" but were also not shy about suggesting other teams for those who may disagree. For example I will occasionally "throw some hay in the back of the wagon" for the "mules' that live and die by their go the distance blogs, but never without a bit of a lecture about over-training, overuse injuries, the bodies adaptability to training, blah, blah, blah (yeah I admit it, we went 10 x 200's the other day).
"Everything is about Speed" Denis Cotterell (the guy who trained quite possibly the greatest distance swimmer in history Grant Hackett and rarely did anything longer than a 200)
Well said, Aquageek. You have hit the nail on the head! Sadly, too many masters swimmers, who have never been part of a good set-up, don't know what they are missing.
Man I REALLY hate giving Geek any kudos...you just have no idea how it pains me...BUT he's right on the money here. And GGS5T, having had the chance to swim with dozens of teams all over the US your absolutely right as well. Unfortunately just as it is with gym memberships often time the single most important factor in joining is proximity. I would however encourage people to shop around, even if its a little further drive it may make a world of difference.
Having said all that...Laura and I are 100% committed to our training philosophy which is very similar at least from the few posts I've read about this coach. We certainly listen and make adjustments if we feel their viable and work into our overall "plan" but were also not shy about suggesting other teams for those who may disagree. For example I will occasionally "throw some hay in the back of the wagon" for the "mules' that live and die by their go the distance blogs, but never without a bit of a lecture about over-training, overuse injuries, the bodies adaptability to training, blah, blah, blah (yeah I admit it, we went 10 x 200's the other day).
"Everything is about Speed" Denis Cotterell (the guy who trained quite possibly the greatest distance swimmer in history Grant Hackett and rarely did anything longer than a 200)
