I am a first time emailer, but felt compelled to write. Of course I am biased, as I am a partner in the Race Club with my son. A few weeks ago, for the first time since we opened the camp last summer, I experienced the week long camp with two other Masters swimmers (Hodding Carter from Maine and John Fields from Atlanta).
Aside from the fact that we are all three in the 45 to 55 age range and had a ball training together, I was truly blown away by a few things. First, after years of watching the creative training methods of Jon Olson, Mike Bottom, Andy Diechert and all of the Olympians who have trained with us, I discovered it is very different being the pupil. Having the chance to experience many drills I had never done before and try some techniques of swimming I had never used really opened my eyes to the importance of great technique.
Second, I am from the old school (actually getting to be very old school now) where the workouts were predictable and repetitive (warmup, hard set, kick set, pull set, sprint set, warm down). With the greatest respect to Doc Counsilman, Don Gambril and Flip Darr (getting inducted to the coaches Hall of Fame this year), all incredible coaches in their day, we didn't necessarily train smart. We just trained hard. In order to swim fast...really fast, you have to swim and train smart.
What the Race Club experience reminded me of was how easy it is to be inefficient in the sport of swimming. I actually first learned this on the tow rope at the Phoenix Swim Club when I discovered the slightest change in my head position made a huge difference in the drag (and time) of my 50 meter swim. Just imagine trying to swim fast with your hands turned 90 degrees to the middle...they slice through the water with little resistance and your body goes nowhere. Or imagine trying to swing a golf club without moving your hips...only your arms. The result...little power...the ball doesn't go very far.
The same is true in swimming...even more so. Little changes can make huge differences in efficiency, power and thus, speed. How well do you rotate your hips when you swim...or do you even think about your hips? How many drills do you do with your hands to feel the right pitch and elbow position? Or do you any drills at all?
Look...you can keep beating your brains out in practice (like beating your head against the wall) and keep doing the same stuff day after day. Or you can get your body down here to Islamorada and spend 3 days, 4 days or a week with us and let us show you how to swim smart...and fast! Besides that, you might just have a little fun.
See you soon,
Gary Sr.forums.usms.org/newthread.php
I learned like you too, Gary in my "master" years that small technique changes go a long, long way. I didn't have the years of training that some swimmers have on a uss team or college team. It's harder to put in the time after the fact (I wish swimming paid the bills) when you don't have that "endurance base" to build from. So, by focusing on technique for the last year I can definitely say my times have improved by far. Now I just have to find more time and energy for the training.
I learned like you too, Gary in my "master" years that small technique changes go a long, long way. I didn't have the years of training that some swimmers have on a uss team or college team. It's harder to put in the time after the fact (I wish swimming paid the bills) when you don't have that "endurance base" to build from. So, by focusing on technique for the last year I can definitely say my times have improved by far. Now I just have to find more time and energy for the training.
