What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"

Thanks Ande! I'll make some decisions and get some more info to you soon. I just found out that the YMCA in Norman OK, has masters swim classes two days a week, and a regular masters swim clinic! I'M SO EXCITED! I've been looking for swimming guidance off and on for about 3 years now, so this is huge to me! woohoo! i plan on going tonight (if I can make it), and next week too.. Once I get some sort of plan, and events worked out, I'll be back on this post to tell you more, (and probably ask for more assistance, as I can use all of it that I can get!) Thanks again! Jeanette.

Originally posted by ande Isn't there anyone else here who wants to make a MAJOR swimming BREAKTHROUGH? Post a question, I wanna help YOU SWIM FASTER FASTER. Ande I am training alone (without a team) at the local YMCA. Not a fast pool but very close to my house. With kids and work, I have about an hour and 15 mins. from 5:45 am to 7:00 am 4-5 days per week. I get in about 3500 - 3700 scy per workout. I am 40, 6'0" and 199 (which I'd like to turn in to 185). I can hold 1:20 per 100 for 5 - 10 reps on the 1:35. I confess I haven't competed in a meet in 23 years. So my question is this: what are people doing to turn in qualifying times for nationals if qualifying is 24.00 (roughly) in the 50 free and a 54.00 (roughly) in the 100 free for my age group 40-44? I swam 50 flat as a 14 year old but that seems very far off right now. I want to enter a meet in San Antonio in June but am crawfishing because I have NO idea where I am competitively. Thoughts?

just do a "MEET" in a couple of your practices and get some times so you have some sort of clue where you are. warm up and do a 50 for time on a watch warm down rest 15 minutes and do a 100 for time Ande Originally posted by Fred Johnson I am training alone (without a team) at the local YMCA. Not a fast pool but very close to my house. With kids and work, I have about an hour and 15 mins. from 5:45 am to 7:00 am 4-5 days per week. I get in about 3500 - 3700 scy per workout. I am 40, 6'0" and 199 (which I'd like to turn in to 185). I can hold 1:20 per 100 for 5 - 10 reps on the 1:35. I confess I haven't competed in a meet in 23 years. So my question is this: what are people doing to turn in qualifying times for nationals if qualifying is 24.00 (roughly) in the 50 free and a 54.00 (roughly) in the 100 free for my age group 40-44? I swam 50 flat as a 14 year old but that seems very far off right now. I want to enter a meet in San Antonio in June but am crawfishing because I have NO idea where I am competitively. Thoughts?

Just wanted to share another discovery with you, guys...I just lowered my 50 m. breaststroke by 2 more seconds and was curious what I did that gave me that edge.I have been trying very much to streamline and "ride the glide" after every kick, but the main change I noticed is that my hips and my entire body are a lot higher now while I glide(actually at times I feel my butt slightly breaking the surface).I also feel like my feet are grabbing water better, I doubt that the kick got stronger, it seems that before I was kicking too deep, but now my feet are closer to the surface, too, than they used to be. I would like knowledgeable breasstrokers out there to comment on that one and let me know if that makes sense...

congratulations sounds to me like you improved your breastroke technique keep working on fine tuning your streamline body position Ride the Glide ande Originally posted by hooked-on-swimming Just wanted to share another discovery with you, guys...I just lowered my 50 m. breaststroke by 2 more seconds and was curious what I did that gave me that edge.I have been trying very much to streamline and "ride the glide" after every kick, but the main change I noticed is that my hips and my entire body are a lot higher now while I glide(actually at times I feel my butt slightly breaking the surface).I also feel like my feet are grabbing water better, I doubt that the kick got stronger, it seems that before I was kicking too deep, but now my feet are closer to the surface, too, than they used to be. I would like knowledgeable breasstrokers out there to comment on that one and let me know if that makes sense...

i think the 2 best places to train are 1) at the blossom athletic complex / josh davis pool or 2) the university of incarnate word here’s info on a meet in june www.aaaa-sa.org/.../2005 Capital Challenge.pdf for more info drop by http://www.aaaa-sa.org email Aquatex101@aol.com live close to where you train and work san antonio is a huge city ande Originally posted by Seagurl51 Ande I need your help! I am going to San Antonio this summer to train (yay!) and I need help picking a team. I e-mailed the coach of the university team that I'm hoping to make and got some ball park times. Needless to say I have A LOT of work to do. Should I join the Master's team (M.O.S.T-Masters of South Texas), it's a good team, or should I join the USS team? Either way I'm going to have people push me and get a good workout and good coaching , but the USS team has 2 a days where the Master's team doesn't. Any ideas?

Ande I need your help! I am going to San Antonio this summer to train (yay!) and I need help picking a team. I e-mailed the coach of the university team that I'm hoping to make and got some ball park times. Needless to say I have A LOT of work to do. Should I join the Master's team (M.O.S.T-Masters of South Texas), it's a good team, or should I join the USS team? Either way I'm going to have people push me and get a good workout and good coaching , but the USS team has 2 a days where the Master's team doesn't. Any ideas?

Thanx Ande. I e-mailed Susan (the address you gave) yesterday and she was the one who suggested maybe joining a USS team. I've checked out that site before also. They are both wonderful programs. I was just wondering which you think would benefit someone more. Training with younger kids (I have a complex about getting passed by little kids thanx to snowboarding) or a Master's team that may not be quite as intense? Either way I stand to benefit. Thanks for your help!! p.s. The place I am staying at is closer to the Master's program, but I will have a way to get to the USS program, so it really isn't that big of an issue.

Kyra, there may be some younger kids that you swim with but there may be kids in college there that are home for the summer. Swimming wise you are probably better off with a USS team, however, two a days are rough especially when you aren't used to them at all. You might not be able to get through the workouts for the first few weeks. However, you will get better faster with a USS team workingout twice a day than with a maters team. Does the masters team only have morning workouts? Perhaps you could go to a few sessions of both and see what you think. Also, since you are only 19 (Happy Birthday!) you will probably find more people closer to your age on the USS team. If you can I really recommend trying them both.

Thanks H/Keather (and for the Happy Birthday too). I was thinking about trying both. The Master's team only has morning workouts, so I was thinking maybe doing master mornings and age group evenings. Downside of that is it's twice the money. I'll see what I can do about trying both though. p.s. I see you never made it to work today.:p