I am a relatively new swimmer and have a lot to learn. My question is, how much I should spend on drills and technique works vs. inteval. Currently I swim 3x/wk - 2 of which are on my own for an hour (mainly drills) and 1 is with a tri/swim club for 1.5hour or so which includes lots of interval. My fastest 100yd is 1:17. I can keep up with 10x100 at 1:45 and maybe able to do 1:40 (never tried). I have a two short term goals; one - I would like to break 1:15/100yd. Two - become a better open water swimmer (~2miles).
Thanks for your advice. Swimming has been very enjoyable and helpful as a recovery tool from running!
Another approach you could take is to do a drill set after your warm up that lets you focus on a specific technique point you want to work on. Then go into an interval-based set where you focus on holding that technique point in your full stroke. For example:
Warm-up
4 x 50 Single-arm freestyle, working on rotation
6 x 50 Freestyle on 1:00, trying to incorporate better rotation into your stroke while still making the interval
100 drill to get your focus back
4 x 100 Free on 1:45, concentrating on your stroke
etc.
Just an idea!
I agree with Jim with doing a lot of drills when you are starting out!
Right now - we do not do much drilling... we will do a little bit of it in the warmup (if we want to) - and then usually do 6 x 50's drill down, swim back -OR- 6 x 75 kick/drill/swim by 25... and that is it. If my shoulder feels bad - I switch to drill so I still get a relatively good workout!
Have fun!
I am a relatively new swimmer and have a lot to learn. My question is, how much I should spend on drills and technique works vs. inteval. Currently I swim 3x/wk - 2 of which are on my own for an hour (mainly drills) and 1 is with a tri/swim club for 1.5hour or so which includes lots of interval. My fastest 100yd is 1:17. I can keep up with 10x100 at 1:45 and maybe able to do 1:40 (never tried). I have a two short term goals; one - I would like to break 1:15/100yd. Two - become a better open water swimmer (~2miles).
Thanks for your advice. Swimming has been very enjoyable and helpful as a recovery tool from running!
My advice (which probably aint worth much anyway) is to focus mostly on technique and drills (and long smooth aerobic swimmming) when you are first starting out...then gradually work your way into some interval training (like 25 repeats and 50 repeats....maybe descending repeats...etc...with fairly long rest intervals at first)....then gradually shorten the rest intervals and up the intensity....but you need to start out by building a good aerobic base first and develop sound technique as well.
Newmastersswimmer
Well, it sounds like you are well on your way already. If you are doing a 1:17 100 yd now, you are already doing a 1:15 if you were rested and tapered, so the 1:15 is in you right now, maybe not just in practice.
I, too, believe in drills but not for the sake of doing them; make sure they are specific and correct at all times; take your time. Interval sets are crucial to building stamina to withstand 200, 400, 800 swims. And if your goal is distance (how did you know this was my first love?), then once you feel your technique is relatively solid, you can do what we all call engine building. Training for distance is different from training for shorter pool swims. In addition to being able to hold intervals, you must also be able to change gears during the interval (increasing the speed). And a swimmer who chooses distance, must get used to swimming alone for longer periods of time. Some of us find this as "freedom", others find it boring.
donna
Thanks for your reply! Now I have a better idea to structure my own workout.
I did 1:17/100yd at a recent meet, a day after my 18-mile run. I would like to think I can break 1:15 with a good rest. I don't enjoy swimming a long distance (straight) in a pool. I can't wait to resume swimming in a lake!!
