I have been a master swimmer for a number of years (10?). I first started out in triathlon. Over the years I have learned to swim all the strokes and have recently been able to improve my times.
I have lost a bunch a weight recently, and have added cross fit into my training regiment.
I am now trying to see how to take more time off all my strokes. I am currently swim 3 times a week and do cross fit three times a week. I have one rest day.
I am not sure how to move forward to structure my workouts so that I will improve.
I know I need work on the following:
Free:
Turns(free style, I am still not where I want to be).
Free Style Arms ( My coach tells me to reach out farther.. I am not reaching enough).
Kick: I need a better kick (I am trying to bolt on a new butt by doing lots of squats).
***:
Turns: I am told there is not much more I can improve on.
Pull: Arms can be brought down in a better position.
Stroke: I should ungulate more.
Back:
Stroke: Roll more.
Turns: Needs some work. (Longer and stronger).
Fly:
Stroke: I wait to long to bring my arms up and over..delayed... need to be faster.
Kick: Needs work (I need to ungulate more, and bolt on new butt (see above).
I know that I also have to work on lactic acid threshold, and sprint, sprint, sprint.
I have looked at the workouts provided here on USMS. I am not sure what to do. How should I split up my 3 workouts a week. Should I do sprint (high intensity training ) workouts 1 day? Should I then do a technique (Basic Training) workout the 2nd day? And then perhaps do distance maintenance on the 3rd day?
What books can anyone recommend to help me establish metrics, so that I can measure where I am at, where I need to go and how to get there?
Anyone..Anyone...0.02?
ElainiaK:
Thanks for your post. Thanks for taking some of your time to help me out. I am chaining things up, and trying different things in order to improve my speed in the pool. For the longest time I did distance. I am just slow, so I have switched my training regiment in order to support sprints.
I guess I am trying to be competitive in the 100s and 200s and 400s IM, so that when our team does state I could perhaps score some points to help the team out. I would also like to get faster as my technique improves. I have recently added strength work into my schemes in order to get core strength. I am almost 100% sure that the core strength stuff has help me improve. I guess we are all individuals and we have to customize our training to our specific needs. If I can bolt on a new butt... I will get faster for sure.
I would love a training partner, however, the times that I can swim are always changing due to family and work obligations. For the most part I swim on Sunday, Monday and Weds. However, holidays or pool closings, and my kids meet schedules (I am also a deck ref N2) keep me busy. I would love to train more, but my family would go on strike, saying that they only see me 2 hours a day on weekdays. So... I kinda have to walk the tight wire on the training front.
I guess I am trying to improve my 200 times. That being said, I am working on getting faster in my 50's and then taking the approach of "Hold" on to get my records(PRs). That seems to be working for now, but I have not been able to "nail" down anything scientific to that I can follow a proven training plan. That is really what I was hoping to find. I may be searching for Unicorns and rainbows.
I have read that I really do need to get my form down better. I can ask someone to video me with a phone. Where to I save the huge files to? Drop box? I will get something out on my all my strokes. Should do 100s for video or just 50s?
Again infinite thanks for your help and post. If I can be of service back let me know.
Ed.
ElainiaK:
Thanks for your post. Thanks for taking some of your time to help me out. I am chaining things up, and trying different things in order to improve my speed in the pool. For the longest time I did distance. I am just slow, so I have switched my training regiment in order to support sprints.
I guess I am trying to be competitive in the 100s and 200s and 400s IM, so that when our team does state I could perhaps score some points to help the team out. I would also like to get faster as my technique improves. I have recently added strength work into my schemes in order to get core strength. I am almost 100% sure that the core strength stuff has help me improve. I guess we are all individuals and we have to customize our training to our specific needs. If I can bolt on a new butt... I will get faster for sure.
I would love a training partner, however, the times that I can swim are always changing due to family and work obligations. For the most part I swim on Sunday, Monday and Weds. However, holidays or pool closings, and my kids meet schedules (I am also a deck ref N2) keep me busy. I would love to train more, but my family would go on strike, saying that they only see me 2 hours a day on weekdays. So... I kinda have to walk the tight wire on the training front.
I guess I am trying to improve my 200 times. That being said, I am working on getting faster in my 50's and then taking the approach of "Hold" on to get my records(PRs). That seems to be working for now, but I have not been able to "nail" down anything scientific to that I can follow a proven training plan. That is really what I was hoping to find. I may be searching for Unicorns and rainbows.
I have read that I really do need to get my form down better. I can ask someone to video me with a phone. Where to I save the huge files to? Drop box? I will get something out on my all my strokes. Should do 100s for video or just 50s?
Again infinite thanks for your help and post. If I can be of service back let me know.
Ed.
