Hey, solo swimmers! :wave: Welcome to the thread for all of us who train solo. Whether you train on your own due to a lack of a Masters team in your area (or for any other reason), this is our virtual locker room. Please post training tips that you think would be helpful, or anything else you would like to share with the rest of us. Have a rant? Go ahead and vent here! :rantonoff:
I'll start with a tip:
The most frustrating thing for me training solo is not having a coach on deck to evaluate my stroke and keep me on track, so I bought a waterproof camera and enlisted the help of my husband to periodically shoot video of all four strokes. Shooting underwater video became a knee/back buster, so I bought a camera mount and attached it to PVC pipe, so my husband could stand up straight to shoot underwater video. The camera gets dunked underwater, and he twists the pipe to pan the camera as I swim by.
Today, I bought a 2-pack of 12-inch "Gear Tie" reusable rubber twist ties (available at Home Depot), so I can tie the PVC pipe to the pool ladder (located in the corner of the pool) and shoot video myself. (If I angle the camera just right and keep it on wide angle, I can video me coming and going.)
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After each video session, I upload the videos to my desktop computer and compare my stroke to my favorite Go Swim stroke videos to see what I'm doing well (or not). I also post them on the Forums for feedback.
Ok, solo swimmers, what's your tip?
Parents
Former Member
I don't like going over my head, either, though I've done it. I get to where I can swim pretty well and I'm ready to hit the deeper lanes, then something goes off on my shoulder and I'm out of the pool for a month. It takes me a while to get my breathing back to normal.
I know what that frustration feels like - you think you're all set up for lessons then something goes off and you're back to searching again. It's part of being in a new area.
I'm in AA so a lot closer to the Olympic Swim Center (though still 20 minutes away compared to 10 when I lived in Fairfax County).
Well, I try what is best for me which is a lot less yardage than the typical 10,000 to 15,000 a week for a masters swimmer. More like 5,000 yards a week and doing all the strokes with some sprinting. I want to prevent injury and worked more in a cycle with some weeks 5,000 and above and some more 4,000 and some when I very busy or need a rest around 2,000 to 3,000 a week. I swim every week. Doing lower yardage makes it possible for me to swim every week.
I don't like going over my head, either, though I've done it. I get to where I can swim pretty well and I'm ready to hit the deeper lanes, then something goes off on my shoulder and I'm out of the pool for a month. It takes me a while to get my breathing back to normal.
I know what that frustration feels like - you think you're all set up for lessons then something goes off and you're back to searching again. It's part of being in a new area.
I'm in AA so a lot closer to the Olympic Swim Center (though still 20 minutes away compared to 10 when I lived in Fairfax County).
Well, I try what is best for me which is a lot less yardage than the typical 10,000 to 15,000 a week for a masters swimmer. More like 5,000 yards a week and doing all the strokes with some sprinting. I want to prevent injury and worked more in a cycle with some weeks 5,000 and above and some more 4,000 and some when I very busy or need a rest around 2,000 to 3,000 a week. I swim every week. Doing lower yardage makes it possible for me to swim every week.
