So I got the swimming bug again after the World Championships so I decided yesterday to do a swim meet without having swam at all in 12 years. It was more fun than I expected and I swam about as fast as I was when I stopped swimming (at age 17).
What changed since then? (1) I have no cardio (i.e. died on 35-40m of the 50m LCMs I swam) and (2) 40 extra pounds of muscle with not a lot of extra fat.
I have always been of the view that strength/weight training is vastly underutilized in sports in general and am going to put it to the test in swimming.
My training will consist of only technique training, sprints, kick and very very little yardage (like ~1200 yards a WEEK).
I figure that will be enough to get my cardio to where I can sprint a 50 without dying and I figure all you need for a sprint is to be able to go all out for the whole race, with the remaining factors being power and technique which don't require much yardage I don't think.
Anyone ever try it?
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I agree completely with Jazz on this. Slow swimming, or "zero calorie swimming" as I like to think of it, is akin to yoga and can be an excellent cool-down or recovery workout for days when swimming is not the main focus. I almost always do a slow swim after a hard lifting session, since it helps to loosen me up. While I'm doing that I focus on technique and body position, while explicitly avoiding any significant muscular exertion. For me these recovery swims usually range from 400 to 2000 yards.
I "sink" without 'significant muscular exertion' hell I almost sink if i don't kick hard with a kick board!! In all seriousness though, I get what you guys are saying, but do not underestimate the exertion of even a slow swim.. it's nothing like walking.
I agree completely with Jazz on this. Slow swimming, or "zero calorie swimming" as I like to think of it, is akin to yoga and can be an excellent cool-down or recovery workout for days when swimming is not the main focus. I almost always do a slow swim after a hard lifting session, since it helps to loosen me up. While I'm doing that I focus on technique and body position, while explicitly avoiding any significant muscular exertion. For me these recovery swims usually range from 400 to 2000 yards.
I "sink" without 'significant muscular exertion' hell I almost sink if i don't kick hard with a kick board!! In all seriousness though, I get what you guys are saying, but do not underestimate the exertion of even a slow swim.. it's nothing like walking.
