Shaving down times

RE: Shaving down times

mattson — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 12:31:04 GMT

Originally posted by Seagurl51 They have dropped about 5 seconds since I started swimming again three months ago, but they have kind of stopped dropping. This is frusturating considering that I feel my form has improved dramatically. If you have made changes to your stroke, you will get slower before you get better. Think of it as a learning curve. Your new technique will end up more efficient, but right now you are learning how to optimize it at race pace.

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 12:12:21 GMT

I think the sprint training once a week or so would be good for middle and distance swimmers too. The all out swim for a short duration will give your arms and legs more explosive power that you will be able to use even on distances. Also, if you are in a tight race, you will probably sprint the last 25.... Originally posted by Scansy Yes, I agree.....I do some sprint training on ocassion for this purpose....but I probably do not do as much as some other people do.....In comparison, I would say that I do a lot less of it than most swimmers....Perhaps I should do more on a more regular basis?....Lately my coach has been giving me more sets that are sprint oriented and I do them (grudgingly).....When you're not use to doing a whole lot of sprinting (like me)....the sprint training has a way of making me excessively sore during and after practice....I guess I just don't like the way it makes me feel sometimes. newmastersswimmer

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:36:20 GMT

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 09:22:31 GMT

As far as sprint training goes (like 25's or 12.5's as someone suggested), I have been a little leary about sprint training personally because I don't really swim any sprints in competition.......I do some of it from time to time (don't get me wrong), but most of the time I do middle distance/distance related interval training.....I don't think I will ever be swimming any events in competition where I will be "all out" sprinting any parts of the race....I guess it depends on what you swim in meets as to how much sprint training you want to do??....but I definitely agree that general "interval training" is a very important key to dropping times....and I do try to simulate race-like conditions at workout....(i.e. I do believe in the whole philosophy of swimming fast at workout to swim fast at meets). newmastersswimmer

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 10:04:21 GMT

That sounds like a really good workout Ann! I'm going to have to try that!! Thank you all very much for your help! ~Kyra

RE: Shaving down times

AnnG — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 01:37:30 GMT

Seagurl, try setting a goal or training for a specific event, if that is 50 free, then every workout should have something aimed at that event. I swim longer events so I do much longer sets. You might want to consider adding some aerobic base training just to improve your conditioning. Twice a month I swim "a 1/2 hour of 100's" a baseline set where you are trying to see how many 100's you can do in a half hour, getting about 10 seconds rest in between each. I do it once all freestyle and since I am training for IM's the other time in the month I do it 100 IM's. It is a very challenging set but I have really noticed improvement in the four months since I started doing it regularly.

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:43:48 GMT

I am definatly going to add in some sprints when I get back in the pool(which is closed all week for the holiday!! :eek:IM GOING TO DIE!!!UGH!). So I have one final question, sometimes when I sprint it feels like I'm going slower than when I'm swimming at a comfortable pace. Like the water is heavy and I'm trudging through it rather than gliding. Any ideas of how to overcome this feeling? I just try to really concentrate on stretching out and keeping my hips up. Thanx!! ~Kyra

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 14:49:46 GMT

I agree - sprints workouts should help. Also, I have found that I hit plateaus. I have been swimming for about 2 years. My times improve in bunches. I will drop a second or two over a couple of weeks. But then I will go months without an improvement. And, the longer I swim, the further it is between improvements and the improvements are smaller.

RE: Shaving down times

dorothyrde — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:57:10 GMT

I went to a meet in October without doing a lot of sprint training and it really, really showed. Even doing all out 25's on a set interval helps. You don't have to always do them at the beginning either. If you have a sprint at the end of a meet, you are going to be tired and you are going to have to muster sprint speed when tired, so it is good to sometimes sprint at the end too. Just be sure you put a good cool down in afterwards.

RE: Shaving down times

knelson — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:02:17 GMT

Seagurl, have you checked the workouts section of this forum? You should be able to get some good ideas for sprinting there. For starters think about doing a set of 50s or 100s where you are swimming as fast as you can and get about as much rest as your swim. For example, if you can swim a 50 in 40 seconds, try a set of 10x50 on 1:20 or 1:30 and try to maintain that 40 second pace throughout the set. You will see that it gets tough quick even with a fair amount of rest.

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 07:38:22 GMT

Ok so it looks like I need to do some sprint training in my workouts, and I need to do this right after my warm-up correct? So, any good sprint work out, aside from the one Allan mentioned that I will have to try? Thanx for all your input!! ~Kyra

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 06:24:29 GMT

speed & intervals, That's how you get fast, I guess, being slow, I don't know.

RE: Shaving down times

Allen Stark — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 04:17:35 GMT

Re: feeling loggy when sprinting; I can think of several causes. You may be turning over too fast. You are right to try to stretch,but also count your strokes to make sure your stroke count doesn't rise too much. You may be training too much too soon and not letting your body recover. That may affect your sprinting first and will slow down your progress. Does it take more than an hour for your heart rate to get to normal or do you get sorer every day? If so you need to ease off.

RE: Shaving down times

aquageek — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 01:36:59 GMT

From what you said above, it sounds like you are swimming the same workout every day, a recipe for quick burnout. Also, there is only one word for improving times - intervals. Descending interval sets are even better.

RE: Shaving down times

Allen Stark — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 01:04:08 GMT

I think that many swimmers get hung up on yardage at the expense of speed. As I have heard many coaches say "the only way to swim fast is to swim fast." Sprint training must be done when fresh to be effective,otherwise you are training to swim slow! My favorite sprint set is 100s on the 3 min sprinting the first 25 and using the next 75 as cool down. You must blast the sprint 25 to make it worthwhile,but a set of 8-12 of these once or twice a week will really help your speed. I just read of increasing speed by doing 12.5 yd. on the 30 sec. The theory is that by doing ultra-short swims you don't generate lactic acid and can do more,like 30-60.(At least that's the theory, I haven't had a chance to try it as I am tapering for my end of season SCM meet.)

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:20:32 GMT

Originally posted by dorothyrde Kyra, do you do sprint intervals? I find interval training invaluable for improving the sprints. I don't really. I have this workout that I swim and for some of the yards I try to sprint (like take the last 100 yds of the set and try to sprint), but I don't really have a set plan for them. Do you have any good sprint workouts? ~Kyra

RE: Shaving down times

Former Member — Fri, 19 Nov 2004 09:49:51 GMT

I am in the same boat as you are. My strokes feel awesome, but very little time difference. I have really good endurance, but I would love to see time difference. I do sprint intervals at least once a week and I just generally mix it up. I do about 5000 yrds a practice plus run and lift. I would love some suggestions also.

RE: Shaving down times

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 Nov 2004 04:21:40 GMT

Kyra, do you do sprint intervals? I find interval training invaluable for improving the sprints.