I posted a version of this on the non-swimming related posts, but I'm posting here again because I'm trying to figure this out more specifically.
I want to swim faster but I want to do other stuff in my life. This week I went to hear Emily Elbert at Berklee College of Music as part of its Rock and Pop night (she is awesome!), practiced speaking bad Spanish with a neighbor, but this was fun nonetheless, went to an African dance class and then walked from this class to the pool, where I proceeded to swim wearing a T-shirt and tights for drag, which is supposed to help me improve my catch. At home, pretty wiped out after dance/drag swim combo.
I want to see if I can get faster and stronger as a swimmer, but this takes much dedication. I am not of the elite variety but qualify for distance events at nationals and probably at long course nationals. So I want to train for long course nationals.
But I don't want to be obsessed. My exercises to keep my arms attached to my shoulders, my back in line, and my knees strong take me about an hour. I'm supposed to do them every day. I give practice my all and generally am a noodle for the rest of the day. I have a book project due that I have procrastinated because of "fatigue" from swimming (nice excuse).
Swimming makes me happy but I want to do other things. It's sailing season, for example. And tennis is fun. And doing more creative work is a goal. Is it possible to be well rounded and not be obsessed with swimming, but still get stronger? As in, a lot stronger? Without devoting all my spare time to it?
I do seem to have plenty of time to watch America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, other trashy TV. I'd like to read more books and ditch the TV. That will be tough.
Sleep also is a goal. Hard to come by. I do continue to write my soldier (never met) in Afghanistan and realize I have no reasons to complain about anything in my life, given what she is up against.
Still, balance? Swim speed = intense swim focus? I swim four times a week, about 14,000 to 16,000 yards a week.
Now, as for my thoughts on swimming:
You're swimming enough QUANTITY already to go faster
Focus more on two aspects of QUALITY
Technique -- you'll see more gains more quickly by getting more efficient/effective in your strokes than by doing more yards. Get critiqued and video'd; think "perfect stroke" as much as you can in your workouts; seek as much feedback on your technique from your coaches, swimming friends, etc. as possible (and then apply it back in your training)
Speed -- once you have honed your technique, spend more of those ~15K yards swimming fast and less swimming slow
It's really that simple ... (harder to do, but that simple in direction)
Very good advice. I find myself thinking "I can't go sailing because then my arms will be too tired for swimming" (this is very true!), or after practice I find myself sinking into my bed instead of working (freelancer) because I have swum my butt off, and there are all these great drills on this forum, and great ideas for swimming faster, and good ideas for technique, and, well, you get the idea. I get tired.
I've gone to morning practices a few times and I am toast the rest of the day.
I wasn't like this before I started masters swimming. Hmmm. Is it an addiction?
Now, as for my thoughts on swimming:
You're swimming enough QUANTITY already to go faster
Focus more on two aspects of QUALITY
Technique -- you'll see more gains more quickly by getting more efficient/effective in your strokes than by doing more yards. Get critiqued and video'd; think "perfect stroke" as much as you can in your workouts; seek as much feedback on your technique from your coaches, swimming friends, etc. as possible (and then apply it back in your training)
Speed -- once you have honed your technique, spend more of those ~15K yards swimming fast and less swimming slow
It's really that simple ... (harder to do, but that simple in direction)
Very good advice. I find myself thinking "I can't go sailing because then my arms will be too tired for swimming" (this is very true!), or after practice I find myself sinking into my bed instead of working (freelancer) because I have swum my butt off, and there are all these great drills on this forum, and great ideas for swimming faster, and good ideas for technique, and, well, you get the idea. I get tired.
I've gone to morning practices a few times and I am toast the rest of the day.
I wasn't like this before I started masters swimming. Hmmm. Is it an addiction?
