Hi, I just joined USMS last month. I swim for fitness, and I have been doing this for a long time. I am working on lowering my time in the 500 free because I would like to swim in meets someday. I train on my own almost exclusively, except for an occasional workout with a masters team. I have 2-3 hours a week to practice except during the summer months when I have a lot more time to train due to having summers off from my job as a teacher. My current time in the 500 free is 8:40. My goals are to bring this time down to under 8 minutes by the end of the year and to under 7 minutes by the end of next year. I am 6'1" and weigh 193 lbs. Any suggestions that will help me reach my goals are appreciated!
My flip turns are good. I do 4 or 5 sdk after each turn.
I have started following the weight-lifting routine recommended by Bo Hickey in the article "How to Build Your Power and Prolong Your Peak Performance," at www.usms.org/.../how-to-build-your-power-and-prolong-your-peak-performance, so I can swim my best as I age. The article was published on the USMS website in April 2019. I'll be doing this 2 or 3 times per week.
I don't run.
Lately I've been swimming long distances, hiit sets, and speed sets. My last set was 5200 LCM meters, all freestyle, in 2 hrs without stopping. The hiit sets are 2 min all out, 1 min easy, repeat 8 times. My last speed set was 10x50 SCY on 51.5. On the speed sets I use a Finis Tempo Trainer Pro timer, and I've been trying to gradually lower my 500 free time by decreasing the time for each length by a quarter of a second, or 5 seconds per 500 yards.
I'm 51 years old.
My flip turns are good. I do 4 or 5 sdk after each turn.
I have started following the weight-lifting routine recommended by Bo Hickey in the article "How to Build Your Power and Prolong Your Peak Performance," at www.usms.org/.../how-to-build-your-power-and-prolong-your-peak-performance, so I can swim my best as I age. The article was published on the USMS website in April 2019. I'll be doing this 2 or 3 times per week.
I don't run.
Lately I've been swimming long distances, hiit sets, and speed sets. My last set was 5200 LCM meters, all freestyle, in 2 hrs without stopping. The hiit sets are 2 min all out, 1 min easy, repeat 8 times. My last speed set was 10x50 SCY on 51.5. On the speed sets I use a Finis Tempo Trainer Pro timer, and I've been trying to gradually lower my 500 free time by decreasing the time for each length by a quarter of a second, or 5 seconds per 500 yards.
I'm 51 years old.
