How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:21 GMT

I bought an underwater mp3 player (Dolphin). I found that it helps the laps go by MUCH faster and it gives my head something to do. It's also a good distraction--even though I still "think" and count and all that stuff. My workout is typically 3800-4000m. Now, I can't swim without it because it helps not hear the bubbles so much. I'm spoiled now.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:31:45 GMT

Additionally a lap counter (such as http://www.sportcount.com/) Thanks. Looks like nice lap counters. Are they adjustable to fit different fingers? And what does "Water resistant to 50 meters" mean--50m deep or long? Re variations: what about when you swim non-stop for more than 2000? Do you alternate strokes or not?

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:46:15 GMT

...so I wonder how come you don't get bored immersing yourself underwater doing the same basic thing repeatedly for an hour or more?.... breathing is a good thing to focus on. especially when under water for long periods of time. there are lots of Yoga practices that can enhance your understanding of breath. also... think of it as a zen meditation... focus on technique (as many have mentioned). not sure about what zen is about? try reading "Zen in the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel en.wikipedia.org/.../Zen_in_the_Art_of_Archery ...a quote from this link: Herrigel describes Zen in archery as follows: "The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconscious is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill, though there is in it something of a quite different order which cannot be attained by any progressive study of the art..." It has been some time since I read this text, but as I recall the key element is in the 'loosing' of the arrow... the letting go, which is in effect what Buddhism is all about (as I understand it anyway), particularly the letting go of the 'self', the ego. one lil' nugget that is permanently etched in my brain (again, as i recall it), is a bit about how the master brought the student (the author) into the practice hall (an indoor range) in the middle of the night... no lights, except a small lamp/candle to walk with. the master notches an arrow and 'looses' it at the target... it disappears into the blackness. he then notches a second arrow and releases it in the same fashion. they gather up the light and go to the target. the first arrow was dead center on the target... the second arrow split the first one. :eek: How's that for concentration (or the lack thereof?) and technique? the other thing i recall was him standing for interminably long periods of time, holding the bow and arrow ready for release, waiting for that self-less moment to 'loose' the arrow. talk about boredom? crikey! :o Good Luck! Have Fun! P.S. I can assure you it is depth resistance. I can't imagine releasing a product for in water use that is guaranteed to fail after 50m of distance. :eek: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity."

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:30:11 GMT

Try splitting the total distance in intervals. For example 100m free with & without fins, 100 m kicking on your back and all sorts of variations. Add breastroke so you can emphasize your legs. Working with all four strokes will help you improve on your balance and propulsion. Additionally a lap counter (such as http://www.sportcount.com/) works wonders since the counter keep track of the total amount of laps while you worry about the laps for each interval. Also add paddles to your training as well as short and long blade fins. I typically cover between 1500 m to 4000 m a day on a SCM pool. As a last suggestion check out some DVD about swimming technique.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:10:40 GMT

Got a related question: when you swim long distance, is it usually exclusively freestyle, or do you alternate, do some breaststroke, for example?

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:25:49 GMT

If I'm just swimming laps solo without a plan I really like using a waterproof mp3 player. Instead of having just one song stuck in my head I get to cycle through a bunch of songs. Tonight I took my H2O Audio Interval (it's basically a waterproof case with headphones that you can keep an iPod shuffle in) and just zoned out and let the time zoom by while I swam.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:52:02 GMT

I just love my SWIMP3 player,I can let my mind wonder and de stress from my day.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:16:40 GMT

Try swimming in a 50m pool. Get in a team or swim with friends. Try different sets; do some speed work and drills. Cheers

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:14:18 GMT

Think about the cute life guards...ahhh, I mean technique :D

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:03:49 GMT

I dunno. I routinely swim 5K at a time and don't consider the laps empty or mindless. I watched my 3K times in open water steadily drop as a result. In fact, it's a great mental challenge in my march for longer and longer distances. Being challenged and improving is not related to the distances swum. OW swimming is so much better and can't be boring, with all the views, currents, and sea animals :D--but above all, a destination, which you don't have when swimming in a 25m pool ;)

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:13:45 GMT

Thank you for the replies. Please note that the original question is about in the midst of continuous (nonstop) long-distance laps, so different sets and drills don't apply :cool:

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:03:06 GMT

My hardest swims are on days when I'm the only lap swimmer in the pool. I do much better when there are other swimmers to talk to-though that can backfire when we end up standing at the wall for 15 minutes talking....never mind!:blush:

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Rich B. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:46:46 GMT

Leaving aside different sets and drills, when I've swum long distance laps I've had two tracks. One track is trying to make each stroke and turn as technically good as possible, stroke after stroke, and counting the laps (which is also important of course if you are going to vary the pace at different points in the workout). The other track is just letting my mind go blank and notice what swims into view. This sometimes leads to useful insights about things unrelated to swimming.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

srcoyote — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:45:41 GMT

What would possess you to "just swim laps"? Interval training will keep you engaged, challenge you, and likely get far more accomplished in a shorter time block as compared to metronomic, empty laps. I watch the guys that do the mindless laps: they invariably do far less meters than I, swim far slower, and really appear to be miserable, bored and unchallenged. I dunno. I routinely swim 5K at a time and don't consider the laps empty or mindless. I watched my 3K times in open water steadily drop as a result. In fact, it's a great mental challenge in my march for longer and longer distances. Being challenged and improving is not related to the distances swum.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:29:49 GMT

Some of you swim like 3km or 10km without stop. It's good feat, but even when I swim for 200m I get bored, so I wonder how come you don't get bored immersing yourself underwater doing the same basic thing repeatedly for an hour or more? If I walk long distance I can still have views to look, but swimming in a 25m pool?? What would possess you to "just swim laps"? Interval training will keep you engaged, challenge you, and likely get far more accomplished in a shorter time block as compared to metronomic, empty laps. I watch the guys that do the mindless laps: they invariably do far less meters than I, swim far slower, and really appear to be miserable, bored and unchallenged. If you want to train like this, would it not be more appropriate to take up treadmill running and develop a rich and fulfilling fantasy life? At least that way you have no chance of drowning.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:04:50 GMT

I agree... I seldom do more than a 200 as part of a set..most every day is timed interval swimming..... just do a 30 minute swim about every three months... long swims in open water are never boring... I am usually trying to stay out of peoples way and keep head above water.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:52:08 GMT

Sometimes it's the untransmitted mental equivalent of Twitter. Sometimes I compose the day's first rush of correspondence. Sometimes it's ideas about new photoshop techniques for renderings. Sometimes I think about what's going to be for breakfast. Sometimes I watch the other swimmers in the workout. I try to keep count accurately....but get lost occasionally. A stimulating set, perhaps with fartlek-type speed changes, is useful.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:25:59 GMT

During one thirty minute swim recently completed, as I touched the wall at the end, I knew exactly how I felt concerning the priviatization of social security, as I had worked thru it the last 20 minutes of my swim. I have a hard time concentrating on stroke technique etc the entire time...I think I am just relaxed and therfore just zoning out.:bliss: That is exactly what I do too, solve most of the world's problems. I am shocked that no one has asked me for advice. Another thing one can do is check splits. Especially if you are doing a 3000 straight. Which I actually doubt very many people on this board do. I mean what is the point of doing that?

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:06:36 GMT

Sing underwater. Or hum. But, usually, sing... no SwiMP3. I'd like to think it's helped my breath control and built lung capacity -- don't know -- just excuses, really, to do what I want to do anyhow. I've also been guilty of being so "one with the water" that I've fallen asleep on many occasions, only to have coaches yell at me on long swims when everyone else stops but me (autopilot). Not the best way to work on technique, but on the other hand, I certainly wasn't bored!

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:04:40 GMT

In doing some distance training last summer, I did the long *boring* sets with lots of other swimmers on a team. I was actually never bored. In surrounding myself with people much better than I, I was fascinated by watching what they did to go so fast. Each long set had multiple purposes. The intervals were always changing so you actually had to think about when you would be leaving next; your speed would need to vary to make the intervals; some parts of the set would be descend or build; some parts would be active recovery so you could focus on DPS and stretching it out. A great coach can come up with some very creative sets. I found that the time would fly by. . .

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:52:00 GMT

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:46:09 GMT

Last, if you can swim in the open water that will not be boring. Especially if there are man-eating predators in the neighborhood.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Rich B. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:23:34 GMT

Focusing on technique; I find it takes lots of concentration. And in a group workout, there is a lot else to think about, like where I am in the queue, am I making the intervals, and trying to remember (it's not that easy!) what the heck the number on the pace clock is supposed to be when I'm supposed to start the next rep. Swimming on my own there is more potential for monotony, and so I try, at least, to tighten up the intervals and suffer a little extra. It's tough to get bored when I think about how much I love swimming. My worst times aren't times of boredom but the off days when almost nothing feels right and I just can't seem to hit the splits I ought to be doing.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

Bobinator — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:08:21 GMT

Sometimes it's good to not think. The feel of the water, physical exertion, and being alone helps me to decompress and become a decent human being again. Another suggestion: You need to do more than just swim laps. Interval training (with or without at team) is not a bit boring. You can challenge yourself in more ways than I could ever list. Stroke drills are good for breaking up long workouts too. Try to declare what your goals for swimming are, then create some interesting ways to achieve them! Have fun! ps....I know alot of people who swim with music (headsets) and claim it breaks up the monotomy. They claim they are easy to use and stay in place very well.

RE: How not to get bored swimming lap after lap without stop?

ourswimmer — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:57:13 GMT

In doing some distance training last summer, I did the long *boring* sets with lots of other swimmers on a team. I was actually never bored. I concur 100%. I get bored swimming by myself even if I make up a complicated set. But swimming with a team is not boring. Anyway, the only time I swim 3K or more without stopping is in an OW race, in which I have plenty to think about as I cover the distance.