Hi! I'm Elaine, a brand new USMS member located in Griffin, Georgia. Like many other members, I haven't competed since high school (1979). High school was my only competitive swimming experience and my "coach" was a P.E. teacher who didn't know how to swim- literally! Needless to say, I need a lot of help! Although I swam varsity, my best 100yd Breastroke was only 1:19.6. That is the only swim time I remember... (A recent 50yd Breastroke time was :42, diving in from the edge of the pool, due to no starting blocks, and being time by my husband.)
I would like to compete in a USMS meet on 3/27 and would appreciate advice for getting ready. I started swimming, again, last June, after moving into an adult community (Sun City Peachtree) with an indoor 25 yard pool. Until joining USMS, I was doing workouts totalling 2500 yds., every other day. A typical workout (just for fun and fitness) was:
500 free- easy- 10 min.
500 free- 8 min.
100 IM
100 back
100 ***
(no times on the above)
200 kicks- all strokes (that's it, because I don't find it as much fun as pull buoy) work!
5x100IM pull buoy (didn't time them)
500 free pull buoy- 8 min.
Mess around for a little bit of cool down...
Since it was just for fun and we don't have a clock, I didn't time much of my workout. But, I would typically get it done in 1 hour.
I've stepped up my workouts in the last few sessions to 3,000 yds. and I'm using a watch for sprint work. Any advice for workouts to do over the next month, based on my ability (as detailed above)?
Swimming every day is not an option, because I have had serious repetitive stress injuries (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and herniated disk in back- work related) and surgeries. Been there, done that; don't want to do it again. Instead, on alternate days, I do a 11/2 gym workout, including 50 minutes total of treadmill (4.2mph), elliptical (122 strides/min), and recumbant bike. That is followed by lower body weights and hand weights, as well as 200 various crunches and stretching. (I vary it, but the above is a typical workout).
Where do I go from here? So far, I have had my husband video my strokes, so I could compare them to You Tube videos. Hopefully, that is helping, because I do not have a coach. The nearest team is a 45 minute drive away and they workout at night; not good for me. So, I joined "unattached" and I'm on my own.
Workout advice would be great! I would also appreciate advice as to how to handle meet day. How much do I warm up before my events? I would like to compete in all breaststroke events.
Thanks!
Elaine
Parents
Former Member
Regarding attachment:
You may be able to "adopt" a team for a meet. My coach has picked up "strays" who are Unattached and do not train with a team when he did not have many swimmers to coach. That gives the swimmer some temporary teammates to hang with on deck, people to cheer/and be cheered by; and some feedback. Maybe even a social meal afterwards.
Sometimes the meet director can help with that. If there are some other swimmers you know at the meet, that helps.
We have also permanently attached some strays. We only see them at meets but it is still more fun for all of us. Understand that if coach has his swimmers in your heat, you may not get much feedback.
Regarding attachment:
You may be able to "adopt" a team for a meet. My coach has picked up "strays" who are Unattached and do not train with a team when he did not have many swimmers to coach. That gives the swimmer some temporary teammates to hang with on deck, people to cheer/and be cheered by; and some feedback. Maybe even a social meal afterwards.
Sometimes the meet director can help with that. If there are some other swimmers you know at the meet, that helps.
We have also permanently attached some strays. We only see them at meets but it is still more fun for all of us. Understand that if coach has his swimmers in your heat, you may not get much feedback.
