and I think it makes sense, I hope it works. I raced in a SCY meet back in late Feb. I swam pretty well since I wore my practice suit (forgot racing suit), was not shaved or rested or anything else, but my times were still a little slower than i had hoped. I have decided to focus on the 50 free and 50 fly for nationals, with my entries in the 100 free/fly/IM on days 2 and 3 just being an excuse to stay in Arizona longer. So for the past 4-5 weeks I have done three things differently.
1) I have focused on speed work in practice more than ever, making almost every set into speed work. If I'm given 8x125's I will do them as 75's or 100's and focus on sprinting different portions of them. Always working on EVF, always working on SDK, always working on all the other stuff I always do
2) I am incorporating a ton of explosive type weight sets on my off days. squats, lunges, bench press etc.....
and I'm hanging my hat on this last thing making the biggest difference, and is why I named the thread what I did.
3) I want to lose 20 pounds before nationals. I raced at my meet a month ago at 195. That very day I dropped coca-cola cold turkey. I had a 4 can a day habit, maybe more on the weekends. I have had maybe a total of three cans in a month an I have gone from 195 to 184 as of this morning. Starting tomorrow I cut all fried and fast foods from my diet as well, as I'm not sure the no coke thing will make the last 9 pounds go away.
So could racing at 175 and not 195 with the same or better strength make a huge difference?
and I think it makes sense, I hope it works. I raced in a SCY meet back in late Feb. I swam pretty well since I wore my practice suit (forgot racing suit), was not shaved or rested or anything else, but my times were still a little slower than i had hoped. I have decided to focus on the 50 free and 50 fly for nationals, with my entries in the 100 free/fly/IM on days 2 and 3 just being an excuse to stay in Arizona longer. So for the past 4-5 weeks I have done three things differently.
1) I have focused on speed work in practice more than ever, making almost every set into speed work. If I'm given 8x125's I will do them as 75's or 100's and focus on sprinting different portions of them. Always working on EVF, always working on SDK, always working on all the other stuff I always do
2) I am incorporating a ton of explosive type weight sets on my off days. squats, lunges, bench press etc.....
and I'm hanging my hat on this last thing making the biggest difference, and is why I named the thread what I did.
3) I want to lose 20 pounds before nationals. I raced at my meet a month ago at 195. That very day I dropped coca-cola cold turkey. I had a 4 can a day habit, maybe more on the weekends. I have had maybe a total of three cans in a month an I have gone from 195 to 184 as of this morning. Starting tomorrow I cut all fried and fast foods from my diet as well, as I'm not sure the no coke thing will make the last 9 pounds go away.
So could racing at 175 and not 195 with the same or better strength make a huge difference?
My answer...Maybe. It will probably help, but may not answer everything.
I know that for myself I would just suffer if I had to give up all the sodas, fast food, fried stuff, etc. If I didn't eat this stuff, I may not eat at all some days!! :) I'm sure I could drop a ton of weight too (already have since a year and a half ago from 220 to 191 now). I'm happy where I am, and am going to keep eating my fast food. I figure that's what makes me swim fast anyway. :bliss: 3 breakfast burritos and 2 hashbrowns from McDonald's the morning of the swim meet usually does the trick for me...as long as it's a couple hours before the meet. :)
Oh...and as I'm typing this I'm drinking a 44 oz. Mountain Dew, and snacking on a big bag of Sour Cream n Onion chips... Yummy!!!
and I think it makes sense, I hope it works. I raced in a SCY meet back in late Feb. I swam pretty well since I wore my practice suit (forgot racing suit), was not shaved or rested or anything else, but my times were still a little slower than i had hoped. I have decided to focus on the 50 free and 50 fly for nationals, with my entries in the 100 free/fly/IM on days 2 and 3 just being an excuse to stay in Arizona longer. So for the past 4-5 weeks I have done three things differently.
1) I have focused on speed work in practice more than ever, making almost every set into speed work. If I'm given 8x125's I will do them as 75's or 100's and focus on sprinting different portions of them. Always working on EVF, always working on SDK, always working on all the other stuff I always do
2) I am incorporating a ton of explosive type weight sets on my off days. squats, lunges, bench press etc.....
and I'm hanging my hat on this last thing making the biggest difference, and is why I named the thread what I did.
3) I want to lose 20 pounds before nationals. I raced at my meet a month ago at 195. That very day I dropped coca-cola cold turkey. I had a 4 can a day habit, maybe more on the weekends. I have had maybe a total of three cans in a month an I have gone from 195 to 184 as of this morning. Starting tomorrow I cut all fried and fast foods from my diet as well, as I'm not sure the no coke thing will make the last 9 pounds go away.
So could racing at 175 and not 195 with the same or better strength make a huge difference?
My answer...Maybe. It will probably help, but may not answer everything.
I know that for myself I would just suffer if I had to give up all the sodas, fast food, fried stuff, etc. If I didn't eat this stuff, I may not eat at all some days!! :) I'm sure I could drop a ton of weight too (already have since a year and a half ago from 220 to 191 now). I'm happy where I am, and am going to keep eating my fast food. I figure that's what makes me swim fast anyway. :bliss: 3 breakfast burritos and 2 hashbrowns from McDonald's the morning of the swim meet usually does the trick for me...as long as it's a couple hours before the meet. :)
Oh...and as I'm typing this I'm drinking a 44 oz. Mountain Dew, and snacking on a big bag of Sour Cream n Onion chips... Yummy!!!
