Hi There,
I recently asked a female friend what she could do 100m in, expecting to be maybe ten secs behind as she is what I would term a good swimmer. Unfortunetly my 1.40 paled when compared with her 1.15. I consoled myself with the knowledge that I have only been swimming 1 year and I have been mainly TI drilling concentrating on Technique.
Now it is time for speed. I have started to compete in sprint tri's so I am looking to get around the 6min mark for 400m.
I have can swim most days and my local pool is 33m in length. Can anyone show me the way?
Thanks for your time
Dec
Parents
Former Member
DEC,
Hmm...how do I put this? Your current time for the 100m is 1:40. Your goal time for the 400m is 6:00. Just as an exercise, multiply 1:40 times 4, and see what you get. There is nothing wrong with ambitious goals, and people do surprise the day-lights out of everyone (including themselves) by actually making those goals in a most dramatic fashion. My point is to ensure you realize how high you are aiming.
Since you are talking about triathlons, let's review the bidding. Your goal is to finish the swim quickly, yes, but also going easier than an all out 400m swim because you have to save most of the gas in your tank for the bike and run, which do tend to be longer (measured by time to complete) than the swim. So, what should you be working on?
The two components that will help you complete a faster, easier swim are aerobic conditioning and improving the efficiency of your stroke. I also use (and shamelessly plug at the slightest provocation) TI techniques. Do not underestimate the power of the drills to give you effortless speed, even if they seem to be a low intesity waste of a conditioning opportunity. In the past 4 years I have loped 1:20 off of my best 1500m/1650y time with TI methods (and if anything, less aerobic conditioning). So, you want to keep working the TI drills, and looking for longer strokes. Remember, this is not just another 400m swim; this is the first 6-7 minutes of a race that will take you about an hour to complete.
The other part that will benefit you is lots of long aerobic sets. Swim sets with longer distances, and set the intervals shorter, so you have a high work:rest ratio. As a triathlete, you are probably used to this kind training. Do some more of it in the pool. As an exercise, you might want to check your stroke count to ensure you are keeping your nice long strokes as you make the interval more challenging. It will probably slip some from the drill sets. The idea is to keep it at a reasonable number, instead of turning into an egg beater.
Go ahead and experiment with any suggestion that catches your fancy. There is something to be said for changing up your workout to keep mentally sharp. Just remember your core is good mechanics and aerobic conditioning. Good luck.
Matt
DEC,
Hmm...how do I put this? Your current time for the 100m is 1:40. Your goal time for the 400m is 6:00. Just as an exercise, multiply 1:40 times 4, and see what you get. There is nothing wrong with ambitious goals, and people do surprise the day-lights out of everyone (including themselves) by actually making those goals in a most dramatic fashion. My point is to ensure you realize how high you are aiming.
Since you are talking about triathlons, let's review the bidding. Your goal is to finish the swim quickly, yes, but also going easier than an all out 400m swim because you have to save most of the gas in your tank for the bike and run, which do tend to be longer (measured by time to complete) than the swim. So, what should you be working on?
The two components that will help you complete a faster, easier swim are aerobic conditioning and improving the efficiency of your stroke. I also use (and shamelessly plug at the slightest provocation) TI techniques. Do not underestimate the power of the drills to give you effortless speed, even if they seem to be a low intesity waste of a conditioning opportunity. In the past 4 years I have loped 1:20 off of my best 1500m/1650y time with TI methods (and if anything, less aerobic conditioning). So, you want to keep working the TI drills, and looking for longer strokes. Remember, this is not just another 400m swim; this is the first 6-7 minutes of a race that will take you about an hour to complete.
The other part that will benefit you is lots of long aerobic sets. Swim sets with longer distances, and set the intervals shorter, so you have a high work:rest ratio. As a triathlete, you are probably used to this kind training. Do some more of it in the pool. As an exercise, you might want to check your stroke count to ensure you are keeping your nice long strokes as you make the interval more challenging. It will probably slip some from the drill sets. The idea is to keep it at a reasonable number, instead of turning into an egg beater.
Go ahead and experiment with any suggestion that catches your fancy. There is something to be said for changing up your workout to keep mentally sharp. Just remember your core is good mechanics and aerobic conditioning. Good luck.
Matt
