I saw this in a post: I will swim 200 laps in a 25 meter pool. All free style. Non stop. This is done in 3 phases , !st 64 laps is moderate speed 2nd 64 laps is distance the balance is for endurance.
My first reaction was WHY ? If you swim like this you will never know how good a swimmer you could be !
Reasons why.
1.- Your range of motion becomes less as your muscles fatigue and tighten up. This leads to the long, smooth stroke that your first few lengths have, deteriorating into a short, choppy survival stroke.
2.- You can only train one energy system, Aerobic, the anaerobic & lactic systems are untouched.
3.- You cannot improve your technique unless you use drills in a progressive manner.
4.- Why not put in some drills to check your technique. For example 10 strokes of head-up free every few lengths to check you hand entry ?
5.- By only doing Freestyle you are setting yourself up for injured shoulders, with all kinds of impingement problems.
6.-Where are the Kick sets and fly kick sets to improve core body strength and awareness ?
7.-What about the joys' of fly, back and
*** ?
I put together this poll to see how people out there are training.
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This is in response to Lindsay NB who I believe is a moderator.
I am NOT a moderator. I am however interested in the relationship between swimming and health both personally and as a member of the health and fitness committee of Masters Swimming Canada. I have to say that it is harder than one might think to get beyond "swimming is exercise, exercise is good for you".
I think this thread died out long enough ago that it has been resurrected more than hijacked.
I think one of the best arguments for swimming intervals is that you are more likely to improve your speed, and that most people find improvement to be motivating and are therefore more likely to keep up a program where they feel they are making progress.
Of course different people are motivated by different things, and the same person can be motivated by different things at different times. Sometimes I have enjoyed just getting in the water and going LSD. It can be a very zen/meditative experience. I would say that several of the times I have gotten out of the pool with a profound sense of wellness have been after LSD swims. I don't know if I would want to do it every day but some would I am sure.
It would be interesting to have more information about HOW exercise affects your health as I guess that might provide clues as to what approach to exercise would produce the most benefit.
With all the talk about diabetes in the news these days it would be good to have some info about how exercise relates to this disease.
I would require more information about the Okinawa study before I would leap to any conclusions, there are so many variables there.
This is in response to Lindsay NB who I believe is a moderator.
I am NOT a moderator. I am however interested in the relationship between swimming and health both personally and as a member of the health and fitness committee of Masters Swimming Canada. I have to say that it is harder than one might think to get beyond "swimming is exercise, exercise is good for you".
I think this thread died out long enough ago that it has been resurrected more than hijacked.
I think one of the best arguments for swimming intervals is that you are more likely to improve your speed, and that most people find improvement to be motivating and are therefore more likely to keep up a program where they feel they are making progress.
Of course different people are motivated by different things, and the same person can be motivated by different things at different times. Sometimes I have enjoyed just getting in the water and going LSD. It can be a very zen/meditative experience. I would say that several of the times I have gotten out of the pool with a profound sense of wellness have been after LSD swims. I don't know if I would want to do it every day but some would I am sure.
It would be interesting to have more information about HOW exercise affects your health as I guess that might provide clues as to what approach to exercise would produce the most benefit.
With all the talk about diabetes in the news these days it would be good to have some info about how exercise relates to this disease.
I would require more information about the Okinawa study before I would leap to any conclusions, there are so many variables there.
