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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Happy swimming,
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So I finally have my video on FLOSWIMMING here it is
100 free SCM - 51.60 which converts to 46.02 SCY
swimming.flocasts.org/.../65295
Keep it simple, do what feels good to you. Variety is what makes break throughs in swimming. There is no one way to sprint except dive in and swim like hades.
Sorry Chris, I can only watch in awe with what you can still do in training.
You posted some very fast times yourself.
I kept a log over the summer -- not something I usually do -- and found that I average just over 4000 yds per workout, which is not really all that much. At least, I know a lot of masters swimmers who do that much or more.
Perhaps the most unusual thing I do -- relative to a typical masters swimmer, anyway -- is butterfly sets. But I contend that, especially for a 200 butterflier, a set of 100s fly should ideally raise no more eyebrows than if I said I did them backstroke or freestyle.
Today's swim
SCM
4x(100 free,+50 kick, +50 drill)
3x200 free with paddles
6x100, 3 easy 1 strong, 1 easy, 1 strong on 1:50
strong was 57.8, 57.2 (from push)
200 easy
6x50 breastroke on 1:15, 5 drill, 2 kicks 1 pull, 1 strong 38.5
(My coach says there is still hope for me yet, I listened to his advice)
2x100 drill free
That's it, that's all. Sorry Chris, I can only watch in awe with what you can still do in training.
Nothing like a little chiding from your peers, eh? You're 200 could be even more phenomenal! I'm looking forward to watching, be sure to have someone record your top races this season.... please.
A pretty typical kind of workout for us, the only difference is that I don't usually like to post my own times (I suppose that was a result of chiding, just to show that we actually do swim fast in practice).
I don't consider this a blog but a place to share workouts and training strategies, so I don't like to post my own workout times unless it is to make a point (eg to compare to race pace).
I'm sorry that I can't promise any videos. If someone is on hand and s/he records and posts a race, great. I don't own a video camera and would never ask someone to film one of my races, unless it was my coach and he wanted to give me some instructions (and even then I would not post it online). Sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just really not my thing.
(Actually, I have been considering purchasing a video camera so that I can video my son's swimming and give him some feedback.)
TOTALLY AWESOME!!
Thank you, Ande. The 50 & 100 times were not too unusual, for fast swims -- I've matched them in the past -- but the 150 was a little shocking to me. I expected 1:27-28 at best.
For some reason I was able to stay under a little longer on the underwaters without getting tired or going into oxygen-debt, and I believe that was the difference. I've been working hard on high intensity SDK sets at a longer distances than previously (75s & 100s instead of 25s & 50s), as well as a more intense dryland core routine, maybe that's all helping.
Nothing like a little chiding from your peers, eh? You're 200 could be even more phenomenal! I'm looking forward to watching, be sure to have someone record your top races this season.... please.
Ande,
Thanks for posting... Most people aren't aware that the new features have brought the ability to attach complex pictures, and the program automatically downsizes the data, so that you can still have a really cool picture. I know that there has been a lengthy discussion about some of the other unfortunate impacts of the changes, but we really should look at what has/is improving.
Check out this underwater picture of Phelps. You can actually see the bow-wave!
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I often wondered if this was possible, being able to capture an image of the water actually curving around the body.
My thanks goes to Lindsay Patten of www.mymsc.ca for extracting the picture from video.
hey chris,
those are some excellent swims
way to go
ande
Today's workout
1000 warmup (I missed half)
6 x 50 warmup on 0:52 (why? I dunno, using fancy digital clocks I guess) descend to mile pace
Broken mile on 1:20/100 intervals (there were other paces available)
1 x 300 on 4:00
2 x 200 on 2:40
3 x 150 on 2:00
5 x 100 on 1:20
This is the fastest base interval we use for broken miles, though our coach was making wistful noises about 1:15 base. It may happen some day if attendance is light.
Kick set, start moderate and build.
1 x ?? on 4:00 (I did 300 dolphin with a board)
30 sec rest
1 x ?? on 3:00 (225 dolphin with a board)
30 sec rest
1 x ?? on 2:00 (150 dolphin with a board)
30 sec rest
1 x ?? on 1:00 (100 backstroke SDK, 15 kicks underwater off each wall)
Pretty much cruised the first 3 kicks, starting about 1:17/100 average but didn't descend too much, then went hard on the last kick (0:59).
100 recovery
2 x 50 on 1:00 recovery
150 RACE PACE on 2:00, from a push. Goal was to go the same speed, or faster, as the last 150 of your fastest or goal 200 time. I went backstroke, went 1:25-low. (I was motivated to beat a 15-year-old who earlier had done 1:27 on this.)
50 EZ on 1:30
100 drill on 2:00
100 RACE PACE on 1:30 from a push. As fast or faster as last 100 of 200 race. Backstroke: 54.7
50 EZ on 1:30
100 drill on 2:00
50 RACE PACE on 1:00, from a push. Everyone just went as fast as they could. Backstroke: 25.4.
50 EZ , 100 drill, hit the showers
hey chris,
those are some excellent swims
way to go
ande
1 x ?? on 1:00 (100 backstroke SDK, 15 kicks underwater off each wall)
Pretty much cruised the first 3 kicks, starting about 1:17/100 average but didn't descend too much, then went hard on the last kick (0:59).
150 RACE PACE on 2:00, from a push. Goal was to go the same speed, or faster, as the last 150 of your fastest or goal 200 time. I went backstroke, went 1:25-low. (I was motivated to beat a 15-year-old who earlier had done 1:27 on this.)
50 EZ on 1:30
100 drill on 2:00
100 RACE PACE on 1:30 from a push. As fast or faster as last 100 of 200 race. Backstroke: 54.7
50 EZ on 1:30
100 drill on 2:00
50 RACE PACE on 1:00, from a push. Everyone just went as fast as they could. Backstroke: 25.4.
50 EZ , 100 drill, hit the showers
I guess that's how these showed up? Someone took the liberty of documenting history, I'm glad they did, these are good to watch.
50: www.youtube.com/watch
100: www.youtube.com/watch
200: www.youtube.com/watch
If someone is on hand and s/he records and posts a race, great. I don't own a video camera and would never ask someone to film one of my races, unless it was my coach and he wanted to give me some instructions (and even then I would not post it online). Sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just really not my thing.
(Actually, I have been considering purchasing a video camera so that I can video my son's swimming and give him some feedback.)
