I think swimming is consuming my life and I've been doing it for less than 3 weeks
Former Member
At first, I was on vacation and I saw my girlfriend swim a few laps and thought, "Gosh, I should really take some lessons and learn how to do that."
Then it was, "I should really do some online research to complement my lessons."
Then, "I might as well start participating in some of these swimming forums."
Then I needed more time to practice, so I started going to rec swims. I'm now getting a SECOND instructor for a different perspective in addition to my on-my-own rec swim time.
And all the time I'm not in the pool, I'm watching videos, reading forums and articles, learning about top swimmers, going out to buy goggles (tonight), and generally wanting to get back in the water and practice...
All this and I can barely frakken swim a length in anything other than backstroke! Jesus. I'm taking "addictive personality" to new levels here. What on earth did I do with my life before three weeks ago?
And what implications does this have for the rest of my life? The first 23 years on dry-land are looking more and more like a write-off in comparison to the satisfaction I get from being in the water -- when it isn't in my nose, ears, mouth, and eyes, that is.
I spent a lot of time on dry land practicing my dancing and these days, I teach it. Because my dancing is automatic -- I "just do it" without thinking -- I can't really remember what it was like NOT to be able to do it.
In the same sense, I've had a lot of people say to me, "You're just learning to swim now? I can't imagine what it would be like NOT to be able to swim." I think I can relate.
Parents
Former Member
Well, I'm feeling pretty jolly to be in Emil Zatopek's company. That man practically invented interval training for runners. I'm still going to work on breath holding periodically. Ande says we don't really need any in a 50, and I'm still taking 3....
Actually, the scientific basis of interval training was first promoted by Gerschler and Reindell (sp?) in Germany in the mid-1930's. Their main claim to fame was the production of Rudolph Harbig, who demolished the 800 m record using their principles. (Harbig was killed in WWII.) Zatopek was, perhaps the most extreme famous example, however, of the strict interval principle of training. Intervals as the sole focus of training lost favor in the late 1950's/early 1960's when Arthur Lydiard's system first became popular. Lydiard's system was later eclipsed by the periodization principle, which first came out of Russia in 1964. Periodization is the current "last word" on training, in terms of physiology.
As to breath-holding: This was popular in track in the 1950's as a "next step" in the interval system, particularly in the so-called "Hungarian school" of training (coaches like Mihail Igoli). However, later studies showed that the only significant benefit was for anaerobic tolerance (e.g Perhaps for a hard 50 in swimming with fewer breaths.). It does NOT really help with aerobic development (i.e. no "lungs of a pony") and it does decrease capacity for muscular exertion as one's O2 gets depleted.
-LBJ
Well, I'm feeling pretty jolly to be in Emil Zatopek's company. That man practically invented interval training for runners. I'm still going to work on breath holding periodically. Ande says we don't really need any in a 50, and I'm still taking 3....
Actually, the scientific basis of interval training was first promoted by Gerschler and Reindell (sp?) in Germany in the mid-1930's. Their main claim to fame was the production of Rudolph Harbig, who demolished the 800 m record using their principles. (Harbig was killed in WWII.) Zatopek was, perhaps the most extreme famous example, however, of the strict interval principle of training. Intervals as the sole focus of training lost favor in the late 1950's/early 1960's when Arthur Lydiard's system first became popular. Lydiard's system was later eclipsed by the periodization principle, which first came out of Russia in 1964. Periodization is the current "last word" on training, in terms of physiology.
As to breath-holding: This was popular in track in the 1950's as a "next step" in the interval system, particularly in the so-called "Hungarian school" of training (coaches like Mihail Igoli). However, later studies showed that the only significant benefit was for anaerobic tolerance (e.g Perhaps for a hard 50 in swimming with fewer breaths.). It does NOT really help with aerobic development (i.e. no "lungs of a pony") and it does decrease capacity for muscular exertion as one's O2 gets depleted.
-LBJ
