How to get stronger

I saw it and thought it might be the reaction I get from (S)he the first time we meet in person...with or without said tutu! Swimming completely torn down is no fun..unless you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday morning after a very painful lactate set I could only muster a 1:06 100 free (LCM)!!! Sam Perry threw down a 1:07 in his backstroke for pete's sake...but I know this, with the pain comes strength when I'm fully rested...and I can wait. Already fantasizing about our first encounter, eh? Knowing that, my response is indeed, :eek: I thought you didn't let yourself get completely torn down.

:doh::doh::doh: Was that REALLY necessary? The other ladies who PM'd me found it quite amusing. Sorry to say I cannot post their follow up responses.

Fort, this is a great point and one that I should be more detailed in my posts when discussing. It doesn't have to be nationals, it can be a regional or a small local meet...the more important point is that its good to cycle your training. How often do you see fitness swimmers getting in the pool and swimming their 40 laps for example? Or masters swimmers who train hard year around but never vary their routine by either resting or taking 2 one week breaks a year? Periodization will improve anyones overall fitness level regardless of what if any actual event they want to train for. I do what you are suggesting, but since my meet attendance is limited, I always find myself wondering how to get times in all the courses. To even attempt to get more than a few times, I have to swim pretty fast year round whenever a meet I can attend arises. I'm already gnashing my teeth that the LC season is so short and I can only go to one meet. Plus, the "old fashioned taper" is difficult to achieve when you are besieged with kid stuff. You just can't sit on your butt and rest up. OK, so before Hulk squeals on me, I'll just say that you lifters are probably right. I'm "man" enough to admit when I'm wrong. I just dropped significant time for PBs today at my meet with only 4-5 weeks lifting, a few days rest and no caffeine IV or long nails. lol It ain't all the suit. Definitely strength gains. Hulk watched my 100 back and said my turnover was slower, but that I was more powerful. So, it's clear that more strength is a key path to improvement for me. We'll see if I can overcome my dislike of it.

This is a bit off the recent thread emphasis, but I wanted to float the idea nonetheless. While I'm rehabbing my shoulder, I'm doing a ton of kicking in the pool, which has kept up my feel for the water quite well. However, I've noted that the leg work I've done in the gym (squats, deadlifts, etc) do almost nothing for my kick. I'm sure there are other benefits (starts, breakouts...) but it would seem that strengthening the kick is not one of them. The drill that's improved my kick power the most has been vertical kicking with a 6 lb. medicine ball.

To say that a woman will get tank like if she lifts is ridiculous! Muscle takes three times the energy to maintain than does fat. Thus, to keep your metabolism up, create muscle! Aerobic training is a quick fix for calorie burning....but a few hours after activity, you go back to your resting metabolic rate. If you have more muscle, your resting rate is highter, and your burning more calories. This hardly equates to Tankhood. Also, if you're an older woman (or man) and swimming is your only activity, osteoporis is a concern because although our sport is phenomenal for general health...it is not weight bearing, so your not taxing your bones and encouraging them to stay dense. Weight training counters this. I'm a middle-aged woman with fat tendencies. Trust me; there is no way I'm going to throw myself into an activity (other than the local Chinese buffet on occassion) that is going to make me bigger. I have NEVER seen a woman become bulky from lifting. EVER. For a woman to become "masculine" by weight training, there's a concentrated effort on her part of changing diet, taking various 'supplements' and having a solid focus on becoming "huge". On the level you seem to be talking about here (having weights compliment your swimming by lifting a few times a week) there is nothing at all to worry about. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. And Leslie....I've seen you. You are gorgeous!

OK, so before Hulk squeals on me, I'll just say that you lifters are probably right. I'm "man" enough to admit when I'm wrong. I just dropped significant time for PBs today at my meet with only 4-5 weeks lifting, a few days rest and no caffeine IV or long nails. lol It ain't all the suit. Definitely strength gains. Hulk watched my 100 back and said my turnover was slower, but that I was more powerful. So, it's clear that more strength is a key path to improvement for me. We'll see if I can overcome my dislike of it. Glad you outed yourself there, Fort. I really wish I had video'd your swim. I think that would have really shown you how much stronger your pull is now. I think that if you combine that with a slightly higher turnover, you will see even more improvement. Good luck with the 50 back tomorrow. I expect to see low 33. Spliting 34.29 to the feet should prove to you that you can do it. On a side note: I attempted to bribe the IGLA officials to redact my 100 back swim from the results but no luck. So if you want to see a death of epic proportions keep an eye out. It was REALLY bad.:frustrated: :frustrated: :frustrated: :frustrated:

Side note: to get into one of those new $#@($*^$ Speedo Laser Pros, you do need incredible arm strength. One more reason to lift!

We don't all go to Nats every season! Fort, this is a great point and one that I should be more detailed in my posts when discussing. It doesn't have to be nationals, it can be a regional or a small local meet...the more important point is that its good to cycle your training. How often do you see fitness swimmers getting in the pool and swimming their 40 laps for example? Or masters swimmers who train hard year around but never vary their routine by either resting or taking 2 one week breaks a year? Periodization will improve anyones overall fitness level regardless of what if any actual event they want to train for. Tom, I don't see any real gains in kicking "power" from these types of lifts...definitely fa better off the blocks and walls and overall strength. I believe that if you want a more powerful kick it comes from doing lots of hard kicking....adding in things like wearing sneakers, kicking using a bungee, fin work, etc. etc.

Well said Laura. I'm in total agreement. Congratulations Leslie on the amazingly fast swims! :cheerleader:You've worked hard! Best of luck to you tomorrow and please keep us all posted with how you do. To say that a woman will get tank like if she lifts is ridiculous! Muscle takes three times the energy to maintain than does fat. Thus, to keep your metabolism up, create muscle! Aerobic training is a quick fix for calorie burning....but a few hours after activity, you go back to your resting metabolic rate. If you have more muscle, your resting rate is highter, and your burning more calories. This hardly equates to Tankhood. Also, if you're an older woman (or man) and swimming is your only activity, osteoporis is a concern because although our sport is phenomenal for general health...it is not weight bearing, so your not taxing your bones and encouraging them to stay dense. Weight training counters this. I'm a middle-aged woman with fat tendencies. Trust me; there is no way I'm going to throw myself into an activity (other than the local Chinese buffet on occassion) that is going to make me bigger. I have NEVER seen a woman become bulky from lifting. EVER. For a woman to become "masculine" by weight training, there's a concentrated effort on her part of changing diet, taking various 'supplements' and having a solid focus on becoming "huge". On the level you seem to be talking about here (having weights compliment your swimming by lifting a few times a week) there is nothing at all to worry about. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. And Leslie....I've seen you. You are gorgeous!

I find this discussion about being broken down very interesting. Like several others on these forums, I have been working very hard in the pool and weight room since I returned home from SC Nationals, where I swam well. I increased my swimming workouts from 3 to 4 per week, and recently started attending the early morning workouts (which are long course). For the last couple of weeks I have been completely worn out and unable to keep the usual pace in the pool. It seems like I am paying for all of that hard work - at least I hope that is what is happening.