What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"
I started this thread over in the work outs section which I think doesn't get as much traffic as the general discussion board
so here's the link
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
but my point is,
No matter what, the time between right now and your focus meet is going to pass, and the things you do to prepare for your meet is of the UTMOST importance.
the choices you make
the chances you take
swim hard in practice
rehearse racing
I want to read your story about your breakthrough.
Decide it starts today
that this season will be your best season EVER
What do you need to do to make this true?
Ande
I was told by my coach today that HIS goal for the spring is to have all of us that swim together swimming 100's under 2:00. For me, that means going from the present 2:13 down to 2:00. That's a dream for me, but it sounds like it's going to be my reality/goal for the next months. I love having an actual numerical goal.
By the way, it's probably helpful to know that as of this past Jan. 2011 I was a beginning swimmer, floundering across the pool in a disheveled manner and wanting supplemental oxygen. Truly, I'd had only two weeks of lessons in my life, and that was when I was 6. I remember when I thought swimming 400 m. in one workout was a lot. So, I've had a lot of progress and breakthroughs in this year. I've put together a solid freestyle that gets compliments for smoothness.:blush: I love swimming.
But there's more work, and this is my plan for speed.
1. Suck it up and push harder on short intervals--embrace the pain and learn to love the feel of an elevated heartbeat. I haven't found the way mentally through this kind of hard work yet.
2. Notice ALL times, even when not swimming for time. Measure everything.
3. Work on core endurance/strength. I notice that I see the payoff here in swimming speed when I work core, work SDK--there is good application to freestyle. I train with weights 3x/week, and in about 1 1/2 months I'm starting a swimming specific weights routine to replace my more generalized work now.
Other ideas?
I was told by my coach today that HIS goal for the spring is to have all of us that swim together swimming 100's under 2:00. For me, that means going from the present 2:13 down to 2:00. That's a dream for me, but it sounds like it's going to be my reality/goal for the next months. I love having an actual numerical goal.
By the way, it's probably helpful to know that as of this past Jan. 2011 I was a beginning swimmer, floundering across the pool in a disheveled manner and wanting supplemental oxygen. Truly, I'd had only two weeks of lessons in my life, and that was when I was 6. I remember when I thought swimming 400 m. in one workout was a lot. So, I've had a lot of progress and breakthroughs in this year. I've put together a solid freestyle that gets compliments for smoothness.:blush: I love swimming.
But there's more work, and this is my plan for speed.
1. Suck it up and push harder on short intervals--embrace the pain and learn to love the feel of an elevated heartbeat. I haven't found the way mentally through this kind of hard work yet.
2. Notice ALL times, even when not swimming for time. Measure everything.
3. Work on core endurance/strength. I notice that I see the payoff here in swimming speed when I work core, work SDK--there is good application to freestyle. I train with weights 3x/week, and in about 1 1/2 months I'm starting a swimming specific weights routine to replace my more generalized work now.
Other ideas?
