Hello to all! Just registered for the forums, and why I didn't do this sooner -- I don't know.
So, the only swimming lessons I have ever had were the very first lessons you get as a child. Fast forward to the spring of 2006 and my decision to start training for my first triathlon in 2007. I swam the 1500m for the Philly Olympic Tri in a little over 30mins. I got to that level -- surely not anything great -- simply by doing 1 arm finger tip drag and pulls, 15x100's, alternating arm catch-up drills, and simply putting in the race yardage with non-stop freestyle. Now, I would certainly like to improve on my time from last year since I am again racing Philly Oly Tri this year, but I have some questions in my mind that hopefully people can comment to.
What are the priorities for learning technique? For example, should one first learn a proper kick, then good elbow position, followed by good head position?
I ask this, because I am sure that I don't have solid fundamentals all around. But, with what my technique consisted of getting me to my race level last year -- if I take that and build on it EVF, would that be okay? I have seen a couple forum threads from Slowtwitch and here about the Tech Paddles, and I am wondering if working on EVF with these would be right for me. Yes, no one can give a precise answer to this without seeing me in the water, but making some general assumptions of typical "failures in technique" from a fairly athletic individual who can get to 30mins / 1500m in 6wks of training alone could give one a rough idea maybe?
If the answer is, "No, don't worry about EVF at this point," then can someone outline the priorities for working on the basics, please? If yes, then aside from Tech Paddles, would purchasing a pair of fins to work on kicking be a postive ROI too?
I am possibly going to take some swimming instruction from Holden Comeau & Tucker Brown here in the Philadelphia area. Has anyone taken any instruction from either and have any comments?
Thanks & cheers! (Unfortunately, I'll probably being making future posts with naive, mundane and basic questions -- please bear with me. :dunno: )
Parents
Former Member
Anytime I read about EVF I want to respond. It's important to note that, unless you're not using your arms and hands, EVF is present in everyone's stroke. You can swim with a straight arm and at some point, unless you're a contortionist, your hard and arm will get vertical.
If you're a tugboat or the sleekest crewing boat, unless you have propulsion, you're not going anywhere. I am an advocate of streamlining (efficient body position) but it's not the a chicken or egg (what comes first) question. You can swim with the worst body position in the world but without propulsion from the arms and legs, you're dead in the water. You can and must work on improving both your body position and propulsion.
Getting in better physical shape (strength, stamina, body-type) will help you drop time. While you're getting more athletic, I put the following elements into priority order if you want to get the most bang for your buck, as far as improvement is concerned:
1. Slow drills that build muscle memory. If you can't watch and analyze what you're doing, you're performing the drill too quickly. Drills should include but are not limited to:
A. Streamlining drills
B. Propulsion Drills and Efficiency drills (DPS) Kick/Pull/Swim
C. Breathing drills (Efficient exchange of O2).
2. Timed sets
A. 25's at race pace Kicks/Pulls/Swims - If you're 25 get's faster I'll bet you a gazillion dollars that every distance from a 50 yards to 10K gets faster.
3. Pain tolerance set*
Approximately once a week do a pain tolerance set (increasing the distance and time where you can keep your pulse at it's Max Heart rate). A set at 92% to 95% Race Pace with distances between 50 and 200, examples are:
6x50 on 8:00, best avg. goal = approx 92% of best 50 time
6x100 on 8:00 best avg. goal = approx 92% of best 100 time
6x200 on 8:00 bst avg. goal = approx 94-95% of best 200 time
4. Pace sets
Two to three times per week do "Pace" sets where you take your goal time and take enough rest that will allow you to maintain a broken swim (e.g. I want to break 6 min. for a 500 yard swim so I will begin by swimming 5 x 100 with 1 minute rest because that's how much rest I need to repeat 1:10's). I lower my rest interval when I acquire a training response. As the season progresses I want to reduce the interval of rest to 5 seconds which will equate nicely to a confident 5:59 swim or better. You can do this for any distance from 50 to a 10K.
5. Threshold Swims*
Every day do a some swimming sets designed to keep the pulse rate at a less than comfortable range (if the target HR is 220 minus your age) about 1/4th below your target HR. I'm 54 so my target HR is about 166, so I subtract 25% which gives me about 124. I should be going just slow enough where I can concentrate on my stroke but fast enough to know that I'm getting some decent work. Examples of these sets are repeats between 300 and 1000 yards (i.e. 4 to 8x600 R:30 or 4 to 8x300 R:20).
* = Taken from the USA Swimming Training Categories and Training Design Guidelines 1995.
Above all else, learn to train smarter. If you want to get faster you need to realize drops in your practice/training times. Improving your endurance is important but I think improving your DPS times are more important. I feel that weight training, running, bicycling, can help you become more athletic and that in and of itself will help your swimming to improve. Read the following article about Dara Torres, a 40yr. old swimming phenom who sometimes trains more out of the water than in and is one of the fastest female swimmers in America.
www.nytimes.com/.../18torres.html
Good luck, Coach T.
Anytime I read about EVF I want to respond. It's important to note that, unless you're not using your arms and hands, EVF is present in everyone's stroke. You can swim with a straight arm and at some point, unless you're a contortionist, your hard and arm will get vertical.
If you're a tugboat or the sleekest crewing boat, unless you have propulsion, you're not going anywhere. I am an advocate of streamlining (efficient body position) but it's not the a chicken or egg (what comes first) question. You can swim with the worst body position in the world but without propulsion from the arms and legs, you're dead in the water. You can and must work on improving both your body position and propulsion.
Getting in better physical shape (strength, stamina, body-type) will help you drop time. While you're getting more athletic, I put the following elements into priority order if you want to get the most bang for your buck, as far as improvement is concerned:
1. Slow drills that build muscle memory. If you can't watch and analyze what you're doing, you're performing the drill too quickly. Drills should include but are not limited to:
A. Streamlining drills
B. Propulsion Drills and Efficiency drills (DPS) Kick/Pull/Swim
C. Breathing drills (Efficient exchange of O2).
2. Timed sets
A. 25's at race pace Kicks/Pulls/Swims - If you're 25 get's faster I'll bet you a gazillion dollars that every distance from a 50 yards to 10K gets faster.
3. Pain tolerance set*
Approximately once a week do a pain tolerance set (increasing the distance and time where you can keep your pulse at it's Max Heart rate). A set at 92% to 95% Race Pace with distances between 50 and 200, examples are:
6x50 on 8:00, best avg. goal = approx 92% of best 50 time
6x100 on 8:00 best avg. goal = approx 92% of best 100 time
6x200 on 8:00 bst avg. goal = approx 94-95% of best 200 time
4. Pace sets
Two to three times per week do "Pace" sets where you take your goal time and take enough rest that will allow you to maintain a broken swim (e.g. I want to break 6 min. for a 500 yard swim so I will begin by swimming 5 x 100 with 1 minute rest because that's how much rest I need to repeat 1:10's). I lower my rest interval when I acquire a training response. As the season progresses I want to reduce the interval of rest to 5 seconds which will equate nicely to a confident 5:59 swim or better. You can do this for any distance from 50 to a 10K.
5. Threshold Swims*
Every day do a some swimming sets designed to keep the pulse rate at a less than comfortable range (if the target HR is 220 minus your age) about 1/4th below your target HR. I'm 54 so my target HR is about 166, so I subtract 25% which gives me about 124. I should be going just slow enough where I can concentrate on my stroke but fast enough to know that I'm getting some decent work. Examples of these sets are repeats between 300 and 1000 yards (i.e. 4 to 8x600 R:30 or 4 to 8x300 R:20).
* = Taken from the USA Swimming Training Categories and Training Design Guidelines 1995.
Above all else, learn to train smarter. If you want to get faster you need to realize drops in your practice/training times. Improving your endurance is important but I think improving your DPS times are more important. I feel that weight training, running, bicycling, can help you become more athletic and that in and of itself will help your swimming to improve. Read the following article about Dara Torres, a 40yr. old swimming phenom who sometimes trains more out of the water than in and is one of the fastest female swimmers in America.
www.nytimes.com/.../18torres.html
Good luck, Coach T.
