Today, I had a pretty fun combo: 500, 1k free. Times inside.
Former Member
So, remember when I ranted about not being able to swim these events last weekend because of the other two teams opting out due to the weather (just a little drizzle, jeez, what a bunch of wimps)? Well, this weekend I finally got to swim these events!
Last year the last time I did the 500 free was in April and I got a time of 7:29 something. Today I got a 6:35.01. All of it flipturns, streamlined past the flags every time.
But before I did that, I did the 1000 free. I got a 12:58.19. This is the first time I've ever done the 1000. As soon as I dove in the water, my left goggle started leaking and by the halfway mark, it was useless and just pressed down into my socket every time I flipped. Plus I had air in my cap. Meh. All flipturns, streamlined past every flag. Forgot to cooldown afterwards, was too busy cheering on my teammates anyway.
I have made my new goal times. What's the wisdom on these events? Tips? For a guy who started a year ago at age 20, are these times good? There aren't very many other dudes that started at 20, so it's difficult to compare!
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Former Member
Excellent suggestion, Jim, but, unfortunately, I don't pick my events. My coaches do. So what they say I swim, I swim. *shrugs*
Thanks for the encouragement, everybody! You guys are awesome.
I am going to take a hike now. Literally, I mean. My kicking can still be so much better, so any cross-training that involves moving my legs (hiking, running, jumping, spinning) should help, right? I mean, at least, that is what cross-training is, right?
i have not found that cross training helped my kick much if at all. i do other sports but only for the fun of it. there is one sure way to kick better, kick more often and with more intensity. i'm not an awesome kicker either but i have improved quite a bit in the last year just by doing more kick sets and also more recently following Ande's program kicking all out for time. one thing i have noticed is that most of the improvement so far has come not so much from increased leg strength but finding the most efficient kicking motion. it can be counter-intuitive because the most powerful feeling kick is not always the fastest due to drag.
anyway, congratulations on your improvements so far. you are sure to get even faster if you keep up the work.
Excellent suggestion, Jim, but, unfortunately, I don't pick my events. My coaches do. So what they say I swim, I swim. *shrugs*
Thanks for the encouragement, everybody! You guys are awesome.
I am going to take a hike now. Literally, I mean. My kicking can still be so much better, so any cross-training that involves moving my legs (hiking, running, jumping, spinning) should help, right? I mean, at least, that is what cross-training is, right?
i have not found that cross training helped my kick much if at all. i do other sports but only for the fun of it. there is one sure way to kick better, kick more often and with more intensity. i'm not an awesome kicker either but i have improved quite a bit in the last year just by doing more kick sets and also more recently following Ande's program kicking all out for time. one thing i have noticed is that most of the improvement so far has come not so much from increased leg strength but finding the most efficient kicking motion. it can be counter-intuitive because the most powerful feeling kick is not always the fastest due to drag.
anyway, congratulations on your improvements so far. you are sure to get even faster if you keep up the work.
