One day this week during a repeat set, my best time for one of the 100's was 1:08 with fins (short course yards). I am in the 40-44 age group female. I have been swimming for about 6 months (before that was high school many years ago). Is anyone else out there this slow or am I the only one of you that isn't a former high school elite swimmer. So many of you have fast times-I'm impressed!
I used fins a lot when I first started swimming 5 years ago, just to keep up. That, or I cut the set short, because I could not keep up.
I think you would probably have a very decent 100 free team, without the fins. Try timing it in practice, or go to a meet and see where you are at. My bet, under 1:15.
To Geek and HOS- Here is what's up with timing with fins. At this time in the season and level of training. many of us on the team use fins during most of the practice (as recommended by the coach). I didn't set out to time myself with fins- I just noted what my best time was during a set of 4X (4 X 100) on 2 minutes. For me the 1:08 was my best time. Hope this answers your question. Nothing- is "up with timing with fins".
OK- So it's wrong for a coach to encourage you to wear fins for an entire workout, minus warm-up?
What if the person is a beginner, and is unable to complete the set or practice without them? Should they not be on the team?
Just curious...:confused:
Originally posted by kernow
What if the person is a beginner, and is unable to complete the set or practice without them? Should they not be on the team?
An alternative would be to increase the rest interval or shorten the distance of the repeats (swim 75s instead of 100s). Most coaches recommend using training aids (like fins) for no more than 50% of your sets. On the other hand, if you're swimming for fitness and not planning to compete, it probably doesn't matter.
Originally posted by EyeoreSAM
Personally, I don't even like swimming with fins because of the way the water feels.
Ah, but that is one reason to use them (on occasion, not regularly). You feel the water resistance more at faster speeds, so you can work on your streamlining.
I got back in the water this past September also. I hadn't swam in over 9 years, but I certainly wouldn't use fins for the majority of the practice. I coach a team and I wouldn't suggest that they wear fins for that long either. Personally, I don't even like swimming with fins because of the way the water feels. I only use them for kicking and ocassional swimming.
Your best bet is to just swim. Don't worry about keeping up!
Lately I've been using the workouts posted on swim2000.com (Beginner version) to try to improve my swimming. Last night, one of the sets was 200s on 3:30 and 100s on 1:45. I couldn't do it. No matter what I tried, my 100s were coming out around 1:55 and my 200s at 3:40. Granted, I swim in a 25 meter pool and the workout is for yards, but still this seems pretty miserable.
And before y'all ask - I swam competitively when I was a kid, got back into it about 4 1/2 years ago (I'm 29 and holding for another month), started getting serious about 6 months ago. On an average (pace) 25 meter length I take 15-16 strokes.
Any suggestions? How much rest is necessary between sets of 100s (or 200s) if you're swimming at, say, 70%.
Thanks!
Kae
Take as much rest as necessary to swim the rep faster. Then over weeks - reduce the time.
But, I suggest you do some reading and/or video watching on swimming technique. Don't know what your library system is like, but here in Seattle it's pretty easy to get almost anything that exists.
I'm 38 and have been swimming regularly for 6 months. I started a workout plan 4 months ago. I hadn't swum (or done any exercise) for 20 years prior to that. I too was on swim team in high school.
As part of my workout I've been doing a set of 6x100's free on the 2:00 at a 1:15 pace - yards. . I think this is extremely good for someone in my situation.
I don't think you're far behind me and we're nearly in the same boat. Keep it up, and do some reading / viewing of proper stroke technique.
Oh, and by the way: Make up your own workouts. The pre-prepared workouts make allot of assumptions about your ability. Design a workout that you think you can do with a bit of effort. Over the course of a few days - fix it so it suits your ability better. Then, over weeks manipulate the times to work on the areas where you are weak. After 20 years of 'nothing' - endurance and technique is going to be a problem. So, that's pretty much all I work on, with a few sprints (2 in my case) toward the end of the workout. I'm up to 3000 yards, and am going to keep it here for a while as I tighten up some of my reps over the next few weeks.
Originally posted by Flipper61
One day this week during a repeat set, my best time for one of the 100's was 1:08 with fins (short course yards). I am in the 40-44 age group female. I have been swimming for about 6 months (before that was high school many years ago). Is anyone else out there this slow or am I the only one of you that isn't a former high school elite swimmer. So many of you have fast times-I'm impressed!
So much of this thread seems concerned if one is "good" enough or "fast" enough...and concern if your workout/coach is "good" enough or "fast" enough.
My $.02 is that if you're moving and enjoying it, it's good enough...
