The Jazz Hands training log, an alternative swimming experience
Former Member
Whenever I mention something about how I train, somebody flips out and asks for clarification. "Jazz Hands," they say, "do you really bathe in ox blood before workouts?" Or, "Jazz Hands, how many grams of testosterone do you inject weekly?" I hope to answer these questions and many more in my training log. I'll be covering water workouts and weight workouts, and I'll answer questions about both, as well as questions about my nutrition and supplementation.
I hope my alternative swimming experience will give other swimmers ideas for their own training, and expand everyone's idea of just what kind of preparation a swimmer needs to go fast.
I typically list weights this way: weight x reps. I list swimming sets this way: reps x distance. They are kind of the reverse of one another, but each one is the standard for each particular activity.
I'll start with some recent workouts.
Evening weights
Saturday December 8, 2007
School mostly finished for me on Friday, so I decided to celebrate with some sumo deadlifts.
Warmed up with 135, 205, 275, 345.
Attempted 415, felt good and fast but something went wrong. I lost control of the bar and it swung and hit me in the right shin, leaving a big red rectangle.
Finished up deadlifts with a bunch of singles at 345, and a few more at 365.
Did a set of alternating negatives on the calf machine with 140.
Evening weights
Sunday December 9, 2007
Started with 90x4 on dips. I try to do dips as deep as possible.
Did several sets of 185 on bent-over barbell rows. Didn't count reps. I mostly focused on form: back flat and parallel to the ground, no jerking and swaying. My form improved with each set.
Finished with 90x5 on dips, a new personal best. My brother watched and said I went really deep on all of the reps.
Morning swim
Monday December 10, 2007
Started with 4x25 sprint flutter kick on my back, with several minutes rest. Went 19, 18, 16, 16.
Did a couple 25s sprint free, my mind was wandering though. I was thinking about how Paul Smith says I can't do a good 100. Why not start it today? Back in the day, I used to do a 100 fly from a push every week or so just to see if I could keep up my endurance while I was swimming mostly 25s. If I remember correctly, I did about a 57 at my best. Pretty cool considering my best time in competition (high school) was a 58.
So, 100 fly! I breathed every stroke, and finished in 59. The first 50 felt really good, but I died just about as bad as I ever had on the last 25. It felt like I was actually going backwards. My friend in the other lane watched me and said I split 26 at halfway. Twenty-six to 33 is not good, and I felt like I was going to throw up for the next half hour. I hope to improve on that a lot in the coming weeks.
Former Member
If you are blowing chow, you know you are doing something special in the water that day.
Not to mention something special in the gutter.
I'm going on record as stating I believe this to be a hoax thread. It's too ridiculous to be characterized any other way. And, I will admit to being sucked in from my self imposed banishment.
I think you are a hoax person. No one could really be this mean spirited.
You haven't read enough old threads yet... :bolt:
I suggest that as you age you will find to maintain peak swimming times you will not be able to do that by swimming a 200 as a total workout. Lastly, for those of us that enjoy swimming, hopping in the pool for 3 or 4 minutes would really not be much fun.
That is my problem with your work-out too. I enjoy my 2500-4000 yard work-outs. It is a pleasure in my day to get in the pool and destress with a work-out. Just like I enjoy my weight lifting, yoga, cycling and step work-outs. It is much more than just trying to train for a time.
Backing out now, because this is your blog, have a good day.
But I think that people overestimate the training volume necessary for that kind of effect.
And I think you're underestimating how many of us do speedwork and low yardage workouts on a regular basis.
That was an interesting study. I'll be curious to observe your progess. Do you plan on doing any underwater work?
I just want to say that keeping this training log has been a much more stressful experience than I expected. I've never had to deal with so many people telling me I'm wrong, stupid, naive, uneducated, lying, whatever. Last year I did my 1x50 plan privately. If it failed, no one would know. Now I feel like if I don't swim a decent 100 this season, I will subject to a lot of ridicule.
I'm testing some extremes of training that I'm curious about. Many people on this board have said "this will not work for the 100," but I think it might. The curiosity is why I'm doing this. I proved to myself that I can do a great 50 by training in a way that's fun for me. Can I extend it? I don't think anything is guaranteed, but I love training this way. Suppose I step up for a 100 at nationals and totally bomb it. Then what? The only thing I can say is that I tried something new and it didn't work. I anticipate that the only thing many of you will want to say is, "I told you so!"
It's funny that so many of you have said that I won't be able to do this when I'm older. I can't imagine doing anything else. I can't stand those long monotonous workouts I used to do. I can't stand doing thousands of yards without having time to focus on technical aspects of racing. This is much more sustainable for me.
...but if you get a chance to meet any of us (including Sir Geek) you would probably be surprised to find our bark is worse than our bite.
Yes this is true...we're a good crowd and Geek is really more of a "prarie dog"
www.youtube.com/watch
this is what he does when he hears my name...
:rofl:
Your training is certainly a little unorthodox...and perhaps that's why it being challenged to such a degree.
Your 50 time is impressive, but the approach is so contrary. The high intensity regime is working for you and that's all that matters.
One comment...20 year olds are more or less invincible.
When (if) you take some time off later in life and return to this routine...your body might not agree with the same methods.
I just want to know which artist you listen to before stepping up onto the block.
I think you probably have more weight training experience than anyone here.
Making assumptions like this are extremally naive...especially on this forum.
Its interesting to me that a renowned author and coach makes a post on your blog and you bascially blow off a chance to engage in a dialogue with him and possibly get some great advice....yet are drawn to more advice on weight lifting...
I just want to know which artist you listen to before stepping up onto the block?
At 2007 nationals I was listening to the album Visions of Gandhi by Jedi Mind Tricks. About an hour before I raced, I went for a walk with my iPod on the trail behind the aquatic center.
