Fun, and Fast

The sub-30 was breaststroke. Breaststroke?!! You don't need my advice, in fact, I'd like to learn how to improve this event, any suggestions, or do you have video of this?

I could probably make one. They make fun of me when I whip out the camera at practice, but I could suffer through it I guess. To be honest, though, I watch a ton of videos of the Olympians swimming breaststroke. My dryland workout is geared specifically towards breaststroke as well. It probably helps that I swim 5 days a week doing a LOT of breaststroke. Apparently most people don't work out that much, but I don't get sore and while my muscles tire during an exercise, they're fresh again after a minute or so rest. I've always been like, much to the chagrin of my workout partners. I just got this thing that lets you submerge a camera, so I'll try to take an underwater video. My dryland workout is pretty extensive, so I'll only post it if you want. As far as suggestions, I'd recommend reading this. That really helped a lot. I really just took a lot of Wayne's tips and applied them using the philosophy that if you do it slow but correctly, as you gradually speed it up, you'll continue to swim it correctly, and your speed will increase.

My dryland workout is pretty extensive, so I'll only post it if you want. Mike, I'm always interested in other points of view on training, sure, post your dryland routine. As far as suggestions, I'd recommend reading this. That really helped a lot. I really just took a lot of Wayne's tips and applied them using the philosophy that if you do it slow but correctly, as you gradually speed it up, you'll continue to swim it correctly, and your speed will increase. Thanks for the link on breaststroke! I've printed it off, and I'll study it a little more extensively.

Here's my dryland workout: Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday 3x20 pull-ups with neutral grip 1,000 sit-ups 3x20 standing shoulder extension (vertical chop) with medicine ball 3x20 standing triceps extension with medicine ball Wednesday/Friday 7 minute warm-up on bike 3x20 leg press 3x20 leg extension 3x20 leg curls (hamstring machine on stomach with a curve in the middle) 3x20 iso-lateral pull downs 3x20 standing pull downs 3x20 butterfly 3x20 inclined chest press 3x20 standing shoulder extension (vertical chop) with medicine ball 3x20 standing triceps extension with medicine ball 2x100 side crunch ab roller (basically a sled that lets you get those "swimmer hips") 10 minute walk warm down Sunday I take off completely. I swim Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, as well as on my own either Wednesday or Friday depending on the week. When I work out solo, it's pretty much exclusively breaststroke.

Here's my dryland workout: Interesting, most of it seems pretty familiar to me, although the 1000 sit-ups... that's different... Do you do a circuit, or just 1000 straight with no break? You find that works well? Also, you mentioned your dryland routine was breaststroke specific, which do you think are the critical "breaststroke" exercises, and why?

I really just took a lot of Wayne's tips and applied them using the philosophy that if you do it slow but correctly, as you gradually speed it up, you'll continue to swim it correctly, and your speed will increase. Hey, that shrugging your shoulders during the breastroke pull-out, and during the in-sweep, that really works well. I can feel the reduction in resistance, for sure. Thanks again, as I've never really trained breastroke or thought much about the event until last season when I decided to improve my over-all Pentathlon time. So I bought an XLT FS2 last night, along with a Speedo Aqua V - Cap, and placed an order for the XLL LZR. I decided it would be good to have the FS2 during "regular" meets, and the LZR for Personal Best attempts. I swam warm-up with the new gear, and was very impressed. The streamline felt way smoother, and the roll during the freestyle was quite noticeable. Although it did take some getting used to, the straps over my shoulders, especially in the butterfly. However, I think the new swim cap/gear is certainly an upgrade, in terms of resistance reduction. I'm looking forward to racing in a sanctioned competition. 1233 Also, I'm still interested in purchasing the B-70, but my retailer doesn't carry the suit, perhaps they could order it, but I was wondering if anyone has a better connection? The Swim SCM 5x200, swim,pull,drill,kick,swim 40x50 on :50 done as: 10 breathing every 3 on freestyle/DPS Averaged 35's 10 breathing every 5 on freestyle/DPS Averaged 33's 10 as 25 free/25 back, working the SDK Averaged 34's 10 kick with fins, dolphin on back on 1:00 Averaged 36's 2x200 easy

Interesting, most of it seems pretty familiar to me, although the 1000 sit-ups... that's different... Do you do a circuit, or just 1000 straight with no break? You find that works well? Also, you mentioned your dryland routine was breaststroke specific, which do you think are the critical "breaststroke" exercises, and why? Lots of the workout can be used for other strokes, and you can find a lot of it in any workout book or whatever. But, the leg extensions and curls, the isolateral pull downs, and the butterfly transfer very closely to motions you do in the pool. The extensions and curls are basically the motion of the kick, the isolaterals is great for your lats for any stroke, and the butterfly is almost the same motion as the insweep. As for the situps, I do them straight through. I started at 250, went up to 300, then 500, and now I do 1,000. A strong core helps a lot in swimming, and strengthening your abs can't hurt. I find it helps my have stronger rotation in the water during freestyle so that I can engage my lats more. Hey, that shrugging your shoulders during the breastroke pull-out, and during the in-sweep, that really works well. I can feel the reduction in resistance, for sure. Thanks again, as I've never really trained breastroke or thought much about the event until last season when I decided to improve my over-all Pentathlon time. So I bought an XLT FS2 last night, along with a Speedo Aqua V - Cap, and placed an order for the XLL LZR. I decided it would be good to have the FS2 during "regular" meets, and the LZR for Personal Best attempts. I swam warm-up with the new gear, and was very impressed. The streamline felt way smoother, and the roll during the freestyle was quite noticeable. Although it did take some getting used to, the straps over my shoulders, especially in the butterfly. However, I think the new swim cap/gear is certainly an upgrade, in terms of resistance reduction. I'm looking forward to racing in a sanctioned competition. Also, I'm still interested in purchasing the B-70, but my retailer doesn't carry the suit, perhaps they could order it, but I was wondering if anyone has a better connection? The Swim SCM 5x200, swim,pull,drill,kick,swim 40x50 on :50 done as: 10 breathing every 3 on freestyle/DPS Averaged 35's 10 breathing every 5 on freestyle/DPS Averaged 33's 10 as 25 free/25 back, working the SDK Averaged 34's 10 kick with fins, dolphin on back on 1:00 Averaged 36's 2x200 easy Shrugging is definitely the most underrated motion in the breaststroke. :dunno: I didn't realize how effective it was until it shredded 4 or 5 seconds off my 50 time. I also realized today that I naturally do the whip kick. If I try to do the out and around kick, I slow down a lot, so I just let my legs do their thing. I tried to take a video of myself today, but the water at the gym pool is too murky to see anything. We didn't have practice today, so I couldn't go to the good pool. I have a meet next Saturday, so I might just get a video there. If you still want it, I'll post it. You can always order a B70 online from swimoutlet.com. Blueseventy will work with you over the phone for size as well, so you can figure out the size you should be and then order it online. If it doesn't fit, just return it and get a new size. I just got a TYR Aquapel full body suit from SwimOutlet. I tried it on, and it took about 6 minutes to get it on, so I guess it's the right size. I haven't tried it yet, but the jammers TYR makes are great so I'm assuming it will be just as good. I hope to be able to get a B70 at some point, because every review I have read has been awesome, even from swimmers normally against technical suits.

As for the situps, I do them straight through. I started at 250, went up to 300, then 500, and now I do 1,000. A strong core helps a lot in swimming, and strengthening your abs can't hurt. I find it helps my have stronger rotation in the water during freestyle so that I can engage my lats more. Whoa, holy smoke and mirrors, 1000 sit-ups straight... hmmm... even at 1 sit-up per second, that would take over 16 minutes. Do you put your feet in a brace, or just on the mat? Shrugging is definitely the most underrated motion in the breaststroke. :dunno: I didn't realize how effective it was until it shredded 4 or 5 seconds off my 50 time. Interesting, I'll have to keep training this concept. I tried to take a video of myself today, but the water at the gym pool is too murky to see anything. We didn't have practice today, so I couldn't go to the good pool. I have a meet next Saturday, so I might just get a video there. If you still want it, I'll post it. Yes, please share your video here, this is a great way to analyze the stroke, but also increases credibility. On another note, check out this car, the lines on it are amazing, but would you believe me if I told you it runs on water? 1234 Here is the article to read more about it. ca.autos.yahoo.com/.../supercar-runs-on-water .

Whoa, holy smoke and mirrors, 1000 sit-ups straight... hmmm... even at 1 sit-up per second, that would take over 16 minutes. Do you put your feet in a brace, or just on the mat? Interesting, I'll have to keep training this concept. Yes, please share your video here, this is a great way to analyze the stroke, but also increases credibility. On another note, check out this car, the lines on it are amazing, but would you believe me if I told you it runs on water? 1234 Here is the article to read more about it. ca.autos.yahoo.com/.../supercar-runs-on-water . If I'm doing the sit-ups at the gym, I hook them under one of the spinning bikes. If I'm at home, I hook them under the entertainment thingy in my workout room. It takes a while for me to do 1,000 straight, but if I break it up, I don't feel anything. I'm increasing the number soon because I get to 1,000 now and feel like I can keep going for a while. Wayne's articles about breaststroke at his website are great. I have taken advantage of them a lot. While I don't agree with everything (shaving a week before the meet and breathing every other stroke--I find that when I don't come up to breathe, it slows me down), the majority of what he says makes sense to me and has helped. As far as the car goes, I hope they continue with this alternative technology. I'm happy that Chevy is releasing a hybrid-type car that gets 40 miles per electric charge. I don't drive more than 40 miles a day usually, so I'd have to fill up once a month maybe. That will be great. On a related note, the gas station near my house has regular for $1.99/gallon.

If I'm doing the sit-ups at the gym, I hook them under one of the spinning bikes. If I'm at home, I hook them under the entertainment thingy in my workout room. It takes a while for me to do 1,000 straight, but if I break it up, I don't feel anything. I'm increasing the number soon because I get to 1,000 now and feel like I can keep going for a while. God bless ya! There is no way on this green earth that I would ever try to do this!