Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:17:40 GMT

They are cheaper but in my area, they charge you a surcharge(well in LCM meets) if you send them in manually so I have to use to Team Manager software which is easy for me now. Then, there is a hassle of pool certification issues. If it is not certified, you have to plea with Aquatic Directors to measure them. Of course, if you are Dara Torres, people will bend over backwards and forwards and back again to get a pool measured, certified without even Dara knowing that the pool had to be measured and certified. I am guessing here!!! Dara and I are almost the same person, but my interest in USA-S meets is more race practice, not to get USMS times. I don't know if there are added fees if I don't submit using Team Manager, but I do know that we are talking about $3.25/event, vs $40 for max 5 events. That and there are half a dozen more local meets I can make, compared to the 3 local USMS meets. Plus, the competition at USA-S meets is so much better. I have been in a 200 free, 2nd to last of 5 heats, and lapped the person next to me. My time wasn't fast, the person next to me just had no idea what their entry time should have been and ended up entering a time way too fast. This happens a lot less when you are racing people who compete at least a dozen times a year.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

tjrpatt — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:19:18 GMT

Dara and I are almost the same person, but my interest in USA-S meets is more race practice, not to get USMS times. I don't know if there are added fees if I don't submit using Team Manager, but I do know that we are talking about $3.25/event, vs $40 for max 5 events. That and there are half a dozen more local meets I can make, compared to the 3 local USMS meets. Plus, the competition at USA-S meets is so much better. I have been in a 200 free, 2nd to last of 5 heats, and lapped the person next to me. My time wasn't fast, the person next to me just had no idea what their entry time should have been and ended up entering a time way too fast. This happens a lot less when you are racing people who compete at least a dozen times a year. We rarely have the 40.00 flat fee in the D.V.. Well, the FINS meet in Philly next weekend has a flat fee. One of the USA-S meets that I am doing in June will only cost me 10 bucks(I am only doing 2 events) and If I make finals, I can have a free race. :bliss: . With USA-S meets, they always offer the 200 fly and I have alot of competition which isn't always the case at local Masters meets. Plus, I like the idea of doing swimming meets with finals again.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

mctrusty — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:16:50 GMT

By the way, you had some very nice swims at nationals. Way to go. Tim Thanks Tim! Now, I just have to work on getting my altitude time down into that range so I can compete with you and Mike here at 5280.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

art_z — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:54:39 GMT

if you just want to swim faster, buy the suit. if you want to swim better, spend it on training.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:03:46 GMT

Just so everyone knows, McCrusty dropped 17+ seconds in his 400IM between the CO state meet and nationals. That's nothing!! Some folks drop that between their seed time and the swim!!!

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:47:18 GMT

Are the suits really the best $500 value out there ? Other ways to get faster for $500: I can think of a couple more that would help me more than a suit... (1) Buy a DVD. Personally (and this is not an endorsement) I would buy Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen's freestyle DVD. I've seen parts of it and it has good camera work. (2) Buy a digital video camera. Take it to the pool every couple of weeks. Have a swim buddy film you, then you film the swim buddy. (3) Go to a swim camp or clinic.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Animal — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:02:38 GMT

I will offer my spare bedroom for those who want to swim at 5430 above sea level to train. The drops in time are amazing going from a mile high or more.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

tjrpatt — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:01:30 GMT

Join USA-S for increased racing opportunities. USA-S meets are charged per event, so they are much cheaper to participate in, especially if you have one target race you need practice in. They are cheaper but in my area, they charge you a surcharge(well in LCM meets) if you send them in manually so I have to use to Team Manager software which is easy for me now. Then, there is a hassle of pool certification issues. If it is not certified, you have to plea with Aquatic Directors to measure them. Of course, if you are Dara Torres, people will bend over backwards and forwards and back again to get a pool measured, certified without even Dara knowing that the pool had to be measured and certified. I am guessing here!!!

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:39:31 GMT

Ehoch- what is swimmetrics (sp) http://www.swimetrics.com They were at Nationals in the warm-up pool -- I tried right after Rowdy (also looked at his video analysis) --- it's very good info, but I think you need a very good coach / follow-up and underwater video session on your own to really put it to use. They attach a small band to you and film you underwater while swimming - this provides you with a m/s or speed within any part of your stroke - frame by frame. For example - I could see that my left arm catch is not as strong as the right - I saw how I am losing speed while doing the S-type stroke and why my SDK is rather terrible. I am going to try to get them out for our team.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:36:12 GMT

What is the suit benefit? Est 1-2 sec drop per 100? Right now, I think I can drop about 3-4 seconds per 100 without the addition of a suit, so I think all your options are better uses of the money for me, rather then spend it on the suit now. Here is how I am spending some of my hard earned money on swimming this year. 1. Swimfest just to meet Ahelee, and maybe get filmed and have a dozen or so coaches tell me what I am doing wrong. 2. Weekend with SCAQ where ehoch supposedly trains and probably lots of other fast people I don't know about yet. I have another option to add, a cheap one no less. Join USA-S for increased racing opportunities. USA-S meets are charged per event, so they are much cheaper to participate in, especially if you have one target race you need practice in.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Tim L — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:18:46 GMT

I just spent that money on a trip down to sea level. This is the second year I've done that and my time drops both years have been way more than the altitude adjustment in Appendix B of the the USMS rule book, averaging close to 3.5 seconds/100 yards over all events from both years. I agree with you. Paying for the elevation drop is the easiest investment I can make to reduce my times. I think I get around 2.5 seconds per 100 benefit (around 1 second for a 100). I have tested it a number of times and it is a very consistent drop. Other than that, working harder and swimming more frequently seem to work as well as anything. By the way, you had some very nice swims at nationals. Way to go. Just so everyone knows, McCrusty dropped 17+ seconds in his 400IM between the CO state meet and nationals. Tim

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Former Member — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:55:02 GMT

Wouldn't you want to travel UP to altitude? If you go up in altitude, the air will be less dense, and your body will have more difficulty taking in oxygen. So, the times will drop because your body is less efficient, but over a week or two of altitude training, your body will adapt and become more efficient. When you return to your normal altitude, you will be more efficient and your times will be faster. If you just travel to sea level and swim once or twice, you won't be getting physically faster, but just taking advantage of the denser air. Am I wrong?

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

mctrusty — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:32:33 GMT

Think MCTRUSTY meant swimming in a meet away from home - at sea level for faster times. That can work and lots of athletes do it! Going UP to race at altitude rarely works... but training at altitude is challenging and coming down can be a huge relief - and makes for fast times. Yep, that's what I meant.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Karen Duggan — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:50:22 GMT

Ehoch- what is swimmetrics (sp) ?

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

tjrpatt — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:14:58 GMT

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Ahelee Sue Osborn — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:11:02 GMT

Wouldn't you want to travel UP to altitude? Think MCTRUSTY meant swimming in a meet away from home - at sea level for faster times. That can work and lots of athletes do it! Going UP to race at altitude rarely works... but training at altitude is challenging and coming down can be a huge relief - and makes for fast times.

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

mctrusty — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:39:58 GMT

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

aloha — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:00:31 GMT

buy some PEDs

RE: Where to spend $500 to swim faster ?

Bobinator — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:30:50 GMT

No thanks, I'll just buy the suit! :blah: