I have heard variations on the practice like you race idea since I was an age grouper and had always thought I was good at it but I just had a couple of realizations about how I created problems for myself.Lately I had noticed I was having a stall sometimes at the breakout of my BR pullout.I couldn't figure out what was the problem until I realized that one of my favorite sprint sets is 25s with a turn at the end.I would,of course,stop after the pullout and my body was learning to stop there.I'll now do 2 more strokes after each pullout.
At the meet yesterday I was shocked to realize that at the finish of my 100 BR I had my head up instead of down in complete streamline.In workout today I noticed I had gotten in the habit of lifting my head to look a the clock as I finished.
So how about you,any insights you have noticed about practice and meets?
I'm going on record here to say that I'll never be able to "practice like I race" in a workout in terms of speed in the same way I can for a meet. Maybe I'm selling myself short, but I just don't find the same enthusiasm for working out, nor can I seem to muster the same energy systems in a workout as I can in a race. I just find myself so much more psyched to race in a meet than in workout. I'm certainly working on working out harder/faster, but I find myself a much different and better racer these days in meets than in workouts.
Practicing great technique in workout ... absolutely trying to
Feeling like I'm going race pace in workout ... absolutely trying to
Actually going race pace in workout ... almost never delivering
Maybe I need a 3rd or 4th shot of espresso before my morning workouts!
Or, you could just talk to your lanemates about your desire to finish each swim to the wall, as you would in a race.
As someone who is routinely at the end of the lane, I will tell you Doug's approach gets results where yours does not.
Finish to the wall no matter what. If people are in your way, you will run into them at a high rate of speed and they will remember it. That will serve as incentive to get out of the way when somebody else is finishing.
It's not being cruel or hard-headed, it's about others showing courtesy to others in your lane. Be awake and clear some space for those behind/faster than you.
Reinforcing behaviors (good or bad) create habits.
They'll learn soon enough... :bump:
Or, you could just talk to your lanemates about your desire to finish each swim to the wall, as you would in a race.
As someone who is routinely at the end of the lane, I will tell you Doug's approach gets results where yours does not.
To each his/her own. Crashing into people at a high rate of speed just does not sound like a good idea to me.
Well I think it is fair when you have ignored polite requests. It isn't my first method, but I am not particularly sorry when I smack someone who is in the wrong place. What would you prefer when asking doesn't work?
Agreed. When I have swimmers who are congregating at the end of the lane and getting in others' way I begin by explaining how discourteous that is. Just because they are at the front of the lane, they don't get to be the only ones to finish to the wall. Then, after some have listened and some haven't, I inform all of them that the swimmers at the end of the lanes have my permission to run over anyone in their way. That usually takes care of the problem.
To each his/her own. Crashing into people at a high rate of speed just does not sound like a good idea to me.
Well I think it is fair when you have ignored polite requests. It isn't my first method, but I am not particularly sorry when I smack someone who is in the wrong place. What would you prefer when asking doesn't work?
