Progressing my endurance fitness

I'll be interested to see what others say, but I recommend a set I call LUNG BUSTERS: 16 x 25s on a 40-second interval with the first 10 strokes AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT BREATHING!!! After the initial 10 strokes, you continue easy to the wall with as much breathing as you'd like. AS FAST AS POSSIBLE means just that...OVER SWIM this. This will give you approximately 8 seconds of high intensity and 32 seconds of rest (1-to-4) ratio which has been scientifically shown to increase the bloods ability to carry oxygen and translate to improved endurance; even for distance swimming. To the OP, I would recommend checking out Swimdogs' workouts in general. I started doing so late Spring after having done lap swimming for a few months. I had been going 3500-4000 yards 4-5 times per week. My resting heart rate had gone from about 75 to about 65, but had plateaued. Within a couple of months of his workouts, it was down to about 55. Now it is about 46. Now, I still have a whole lot of things to figure out, but I will absolutely tell you that his workouts have done wonders for me, and I'm doing probably 20% less yardage. My physique has changed for the better, as well, not merely weight, but definition.

As you said...your focus is on increasing your endurance, and not your speed. The simple fact of the matter is that your endurance has to be increased gradually. As you indicated, you're swimming 1625m per session (that's just over a mile), but you didn't say how often you're doing that. Obviously you're not going to double that distance (per session) in a week. But if you're only swimming that distance once per week, try adding a second pool session per week. Or, if you're already swimming that distance 2, 3, or more times per week, try adding one or two hundered meters per session. Do that for a couple weeks, and then add a couple hundred more. As I said...you just have to keep gradually increasing your distance in small amounts. DanHi dan, thanks for your input, yea if i do the longer distance of mile swims, i normally do between 3 and 4 a week, sometimes i do 5 swims of less distance, ie 50 lengths. Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

To the OP, I would recommend checking out Swimdogs' workouts in general. I started doing so late Spring after having done lap swimming for a few months. I had been going 3500-4000 yards 4-5 times per week. My resting heart rate had gone from about 75 to about 65, but had plateaued. Within a couple of months of his workouts, it was down to about 55. Now it is about 46. Now, I still have a whole lot of things to figure out, but I will absolutely tell you that his workouts have done wonders for me, and I'm doing probably 20% less yardage. My physique has changed for the better, as well, not merely weight, but definition. This is excellent, 67! Congratulations on your progress. I am going to take you up on your recommendation to the OP to try SwimDogs workouts. I'm basically starting over after traveling for five weeks without access to a pool for most of that time. After we returned home, I had a wicked case of bronchitis for two weeks. Between all that and my injuries last spring that carried into summer, it has been a rotten six months. Trying to do some of my old workouts only brings frustrations. I look at the clock on my intervals, and it practically brings me to tears. I try not to compare my current times to those from earlier in the year; however, I'm not too successful, to say the least. It's hard to keep those thoughts out. At this point, I'm liking the idea of a fresh start with "Basic Training." I looked at SwimDog's workouts, and they look good. Besides, being the AQUADOG (my husband's nickname for me, and my license plate), I like SwimDog's handle! :banana: P.S. I won't be seeing your mom much anymore. The choir director decided he no longer needed my volunteer services, so I will only see her at concerts.

P.S. I won't be seeing your mom much anymore. The choir director decided he no longer needed my volunteer services, so I will only see her at concerts. I am so sorry to read this. She really likes you, I hope that y'all find a way to stay in touch, socially. Granted, she acts a bit like a teenager with her new Beau, so that might be tough! But I really am sorry to read that. On the swimming thing, I don't look at teh clock too much. With the kids, my routine is more or less all over teh place. But I keep trying to follow Mark's routine, and adjust the intervals when necessary. As I said above, I still have some things to figure out. I watch a lot of Gary Hall's videos, and recently came to conclude that in my attempts to keep my stroke even, I wasn't breathing enough! That has drastically improved my ability to do flip turns regularly (the cost being reduced DPS). Anyway, point is, I try to focus on my technique, and continue to look for different things to try within the workout. Now granted, at this point in my life, I'm just trying to improve my level of fitness. No desire to compete at this point, so analogizing my perspective to yours is imperfect to say the least. But I generally find that focusing on basics and fundamentals helps the other stuff jsut come along.

As you said...your focus is on increasing your endurance, and not your speed. The simple fact of the matter is that your endurance has to be increased gradually. As you indicated, you're swimming (65x25m=) 1625m per session (that's just over a mile), but you didn't say how often you're doing that. Obviously you're not going to double that distance (per session) in a week. But if you're only swimming that distance once per week, try adding a second pool session per week. Or, if you're already swimming that distance 2, 3, or more times per week, try adding one or two hundered meters per session. Do that for a couple weeks, and then add a couple hundred more. As I said...you just have to keep gradually increasing your distance in small amounts. Dan

I'll be interested to see what others say, but I recommend a set I call LUNG BUSTERS: 16 x 25s on a 40-second interval with the first 10 strokes AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT BREATHING!!! After the initial 10 strokes, you continue easy to the wall with as much breathing as you'd like. AS FAST AS POSSIBLE means just that...OVER SWIM this. This will give you approximately 8 seconds of high intensity and 32 seconds of rest (1-to-4) ratio which has been scientifically shown to increase the bloods ability to carry oxygen and translate to improved endurance; even for distance swimming. Here's a video link to the LUNG BUSTER: www.youtube.com/watch

I am so sorry to read this. She really likes you, I hope that y'all find a way to stay in touch, socially. Granted, she acts a bit like a teenager with her new Beau, so that might be tough! But I really am sorry to read that. On the swimming thing, I don't look at teh clock too much. With the kids, my routine is more or less all over teh place. But I keep trying to follow Mark's routine, and adjust the intervals when necessary. As I said above, I still have some things to figure out. I watch a lot of Gary Hall's videos, and recently came to conclude that in my attempts to keep my stroke even, I wasn't breathing enough! That has drastically improved my ability to do flip turns regularly (the cost being reduced DPS). Anyway, point is, I try to focus on my technique, and continue to look for different things to try within the workout. Now granted, at this point in my life, I'm just trying to improve my level of fitness. No desire to compete at this point, so analogizing my perspective to yours is imperfect to say the least. But I generally find that focusing on basics and fundamentals helps the other stuff jsut come along. Thanks, 67! I really like your mom, too, and I'm so glad she and her beau are happy together! They're a great couple, and they are both serving the B.O.D. well. Many of the singers have expressed their dismay regarding the recent turn of events, so at least I received a nice send off from the choir after six years with the organization! Back to swimming, I absolutely agree with your last statement, so I include drills in every workout. As a competitor, though, I agree with Ande's mantra that if you want to swim fast in competition, you have to swim fast in practice. That is where the importance of watching the clock comes in for me, since I have been competing throughout my seven years as a Masters swimmer. In addition to fitness and all of the wonderful benefits swimming provides, competition is what keeps me motivated each day to get in the pool. The flip side of that motivation, though, is the frustration that comes along with trying to get back up to speed. Patience and acceptance are the two things I'm working on mentally now while I try to get my speed back!