I'm new to US Masters Swimming and am a fitness swimmer trying to get faster and build endurance. Anyone who's ever swam (swum?) in a meet should stop reading right now. Because my fastest 50 is about 53 seconds and it takes me about an hour to swim an 1,800. I'm 53 years old, working hard on technique (I have a friend who's a swim coach, and am using Emmett Hine's book "Fitness Swimming", plus a training snorkel at times. I can't wear fins because my feet cramp.). I do some 50s on 1:15 with the pace clock almost every time I swim now and seem to be a little faster. Learning a lot and it feels great. Will begin strength-training this week, too.
So, do you have any advice for a fitness swimmer--what helps with speed?
thanks!!!
Sari
Parents
Former Member
Do much shorter distances and take way more rest. All-out sprinting. Ten yards or so might be a good distance to start with, and build distance from there over several days/weeks/months. Don't use a clock, just start each repeat when you are rested.
Edit: I should add that this is much more fun if you can do it while working on technique. A coach can watch you do each repeat and give you a focus for the next one. Gives you something to think about other than counting.
Do much shorter distances and take way more rest. All-out sprinting. Ten yards or so might be a good distance to start with, and build distance from there over several days/weeks/months. Don't use a clock, just start each repeat when you are rested.
Edit: I should add that this is much more fun if you can do it while working on technique. A coach can watch you do each repeat and give you a focus for the next one. Gives you something to think about other than counting.
