Fun, and Fast

Thanks, ya, I tend to just get to business if I can... keep in mind this was with paddles, and mine are rather large... Although I have to admit, that was the fastest in practice for me so far this training cycle... The last 100 fast was negative split. 27.0, 26.94 By the way, You have a cool avatar! This is a really neat workout. Short and intense. Outstanding finish by the way. Sorry Fort, I couldn't talk my coach into doing the previous work-out you posted. I only swim with a group monday/wends. So I'll try it thurs or fri, dryland routine tomorrow. My coach says to me, "you know what, you could be faster if you didn't breath on the turns." I'm like, "I breath when I'm not doing race pace." He's like, "You're hard to coach." I'm like, "wow, thanks." SCM 250 broken swim-kick-drill-choice-swim 150 drill 2X(4x100 on 1:40 descend 1-4, at 90% from push +100 easy) 1st 1:18 2nd 1:15 1:14 1:13 1:12 1:10 :58.7 :59.5 9x50 IM ladder on 1:10 4x50 free cruise average on 1:00 held 32's 200 easy

2X(4x100 on 1:40 descend 1-4, at 90% from push +100 easy) 1st 1:18 2nd 1:15 1:14 1:13 1:12 1:10 :58.7 :59.5 I notice there is quite a big gap between your 6th and 7th times. (1:10 to 58.7). Is this the right way to go about this kind of set or should you, ideally, descend more gradually? I ask this because I tend to do the same thing and I wonder if I am not defeating the purpose of the set. In other words go for a better average of times than for some slow times and then one or two pretty quick times. Yesterday I did a set which I posted earlier on this thread (SCM 6 x 200: descend 1,3 and 5 / 2, 4 and 6 recovery). I went 2:41, 2:31 and 2:11 on 1, 3 and 5 respectively but, afterwards, wondered whether I wouldn't have gotten more benefit if I had gone, say 2:35, 2:25 and 2:15. Any thoughts?

The cross-training routine that was previously posted on this thread had a variety of advice. Although quite a few people have mentioned to me that they prefer to swim, and don't really want to lift weights. That's understandable, but attempting to compromise I suggest these 4 critical exercises, 3xweek. This could take as little as 15 minutes, but will have significant impact on your swimming base times. Here's why: Ankle flexibility is crucial, as this is the anchor on your ship. Even if you don't improve power or strength, having your ankles flexible will reduce the drag and improve body position. So, I recommend a minimum of 6 minutes (3x per week), on the bike with your toes pointed. This is primarily to warm up the ankles as well as training the range of motion. 1194 Don't be discouraged if you can't do this next stretch right away. When I started 8 years ago I couldn't get my knees off the ground, and my SDK was ineffective. Just have patience, and after several months you should notice a gradual improvement. Not everyone is gifted with natural mobility in the ankles, but the good news is this can be earned. Try and hold the stretch for 3x20 seconds. 1195 Moving up the body line, core stability is critical for maintaining the right trajectory while swimming. Be sure to bring the elbow all the way around the knee, and tighten the core as you go through the motion. Pick a weight that enables you to do 3x12 reps on both sides. 1196 This last exercise is great for your core, but I've noticed it is also really good for the upper body, especially the catch phase of the stroke, as well as engaging the lats on the horizontal axis. Again, 3x12 reps, and these four exercises can be made into a short mini-routine that most aspiring swimmers should at least consider. 1197 I have duplicated this post onto the first page for easier reference, also you really should see the last attachment, on PAGE 1. This new feature is incredible, being able to convert detailed images into a smaller byte format, not to mention the background effect. My hat, errr, swim cap is off to the moderators/owners. forums.usms.org/showthread.php Happy swimming, 1198

Really good suggestions here. Stretching the ankles makes an invaluable contribution to one's kick. And when I was younger (quick er silver) that ab wheel was the ultimate dryland exercise for swimming. Just got back into using it again. It's like doing condensed sit ups...while working the lats and inner arms. I would stand upright...roll that thing out... and come down onto the to the floor. Then roll right back up to a standing position. Eight pack abs are great for sprinting.

Yes, the ab wheel works the forearms and shoulders as well as the abs. I still think the Plank is the ultimate ab exercise, though. When I started doing it I could barely hold the position for 20 seconds. Now I can stay there for 2 mins. Check out tw.youtube.com/watch for a video

Another valuable (but painful) test set today. Here is the full workout. 1000 warmup (though I missed 600 of it) using various drills, swim, kicking, strokes Warmup pyramid set (I did freestyle "up" and backstroke "down," nothing really hard, trying to warm up the legs for the next set) Base interval: 1:25 per 100 for faster group 50-100-150-200-200-150-100-50 TEST SET: 5 x 100 KICK on 4:00, from a push, times recorded, fastest possible average. I did all with backstroke 15 SDKs off each wall then kick flutter to the wall, and 50 recovery between repeats. 300 recovery The next set was stroke or IM (I did fly); if IM, then leave off one stroke on successive repeats (eg the 150 is fly-back-***) 200 strong, get time at 150 100 easy free (whole thing on 6:00) 150 faster than previous 150, get time at 100 100 easy (whole thing on 4:30) 100 faster than previous 100, get time at 50 50 easy (whole thing on 3:00) 50 fast from blocks (could really feel the effects of the kick set on this) 100 easy Last set was for the diehards; I went for DPS and to make the interval susing paddles and pullbuoy 4 x 150 on descending intervals: 1:50, 1:45, 1:40, 1:35. Drop to 125s (or 100s) if necessary. Warm down

Every Friday is "broken mile" Friday. The idea is to go significantly better than what you would in a race over that distance. There are usually two groups, one on a 1:20-1:30 per 100 base, another 1:40-1:45. Our coach makes it a point of pride not to repeat the same broken set. He has made it 1.5 years without repeating. Here was today's workout (SCY) 800 reverse IM swim/kick/drill/swim by 50s 8 x 25 on 0:30 choice 6 x 50 on 0:55, descend 1-3 to mile pace, hold 4-6 at pace Broken mile (hold best possible pace) 4 x 200 on 3:00 3 x 150 on 2:15 4 x 100 on 1:30 recovery 200 4 x ??? kick on 3:00 moderate kick or faster choose a distance giving 10-15 sec rest (I did 225s dolphin kick with board, just wanted to work kick/core endurance without worrying about breath control) easy 100 100 fast on 2:00 50 easy on 1:30 2 x 50 faster on 1:00 50 easy on 1:30 4 x 25 fastest on 0:30 50 easy on 1:30 repeat different stroke (I did back on the first, fly on the second) warm down

Every Friday is "broken mile" Friday. Gross... I mean that in the nicest way possible... Chris, how often do you race the mile?

4 x 100 IM on 1:40 100 kick on 2:00 4 x 100 free pull on 1:20 100 kick on 2:00 4 x 100 stroke on 1:40 100 kick on 2:00 4 x 100 IM on 1:40 100 kick on 2:00 20 x 25 with fins, 3 easy on :30, 1 AFAP on 1:00 This was a good work-out, thanks for posting.

Gross... I mean that in the nicest way possible... Chris, how often do you race the mile? In a pool, I haven't raced it in 25 years. However, I do a couple open water swims every summer. (I was considering doing a couple 1000 swims in SCY season.) The "broken mile" sets are really not any worse than any set that lasts about that long, you just have to keep track of your time and it is something that pushes you. Everyone does them, even the sprinters and the non-competitors.