Author Topic: Cross Training: Swimming (Read 19315 times)

simonp · « **Reply #25 on:** 02 March, 2011, 10:19:02 pm »

Ah, same routine as I went through. I built up by doing odd/even freestyle/breast stroke then 2:1 ratio and then 100% free once I was comfortable with 2:1.

Tonight I went for it on 500m, and it was around 9-10 minutes. Oxygen debt kicked in by about 12 lengths in. Getting faster though. I really should learn how to turn properly.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #26 on:** 03 March, 2011, 05:44:49 pm »

Tumble-turning is fun once you realise that you have to breathe out through your nose all the time you are doing it. A nosefull of water is a very good teacher.

simonp · « **Reply #27 on:** 03 March, 2011, 07:20:25 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 03 March, 2011, 05:44:49 pm

Tumble-turning is fun once you realise that you have to breathe out through your nose all the time you are doing it. A nosefull of water is a very good teacher.

Nose clips ftw.

My problem is finding my head at the bottom of the pool and my feet in the air. Doing that makes me slower than just touching and turning.

mike · « **Reply #28 on:** 03 March, 2011, 09:08:55 pm »

i can never end up with both arms facing forward - normally finish with one down by my side.... Not ideal, but it seems to work.

I cant wait for the lakes to warm up a bit so I can get back in the wetsuit. Swam dodging is amazing and, once you get your head round it and stop panicing, makes swimming so much more fun.

simonp · « **Reply #29 on:** 03 March, 2011, 09:31:07 pm »

Swans?

mike · « **Reply #30 on:** 03 March, 2011, 09:54:32 pm »

Quote from: simonp on 03 March, 2011, 09:31:07 pm

Swans?

no, it's fantastic at their level - the swim from the Mill up towards granchester (round dead-mans corner

) is absolutely beautiful. Swans ignore you completely [so far]

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #31 on:** 05 March, 2011, 03:41:44 am »

Quote from: simonp on 02 March, 2011, 05:40:28 pm

It took me a long time after adult swimming lessons (about 10 years) before I was able to do 1500m freestyle. Just could not maintain it for long enough.

I'm afraid I am going to have to beat you by 9 years and 11 months here...

Today I did my first entirely freestyle endurance session and did 70 lengths (1750m) freestyle in 55 minutes (they chuck us out of the pool for aquarobics after 55 minutes), with tumble-turns, which, while not always perfectly executed, were getting pretty good by the end.

However, I am sore now. Plus it will take me a very long time to be as fast as you are, if indeed I ever manage speeds like that - although being chased by swans might do it!

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #32 on:** 09 March, 2011, 01:19:11 pm »

Managed to get time to do a longer swim yesterday, in fact my longest yet by far: 100 lengths (2.5km) non-stop freestyle in 1hr 20. I am trying to swim slower and more efficiently, but I was absolutely f*cked for a few minutes when I got out of the pool, in fact I thought I was going to faint. I think I have to eat more in the mornings if I am going to do a longer one.

mike · « **Reply #33 on:** 09 March, 2011, 01:42:41 pm »

excellent!! how do you keep count? I always get lost after about a dozen..

simonp · « **Reply #34 on:** 09 March, 2011, 02:17:32 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 05 March, 2011, 03:41:44 am

Quote from: simonp on 02 March, 2011, 05:40:28 pm
It took me a long time after adult swimming lessons (about 10 years) before I was able to do 1500m freestyle. Just could not maintain it for long enough.

I'm afraid I am going to have to beat you by 9 years and 11 months here...

Today I did my first entirely freestyle endurance session and did 70 lengths (1750m) freestyle in 55 minutes (they chuck us out of the pool for aquarobics after 55 minutes), with tumble-turns, which, while not always perfectly executed, were getting pretty good by the end.

However, I am sore now. Plus it will take me a very long time to be as fast as you are, if indeed I ever manage speeds like that - although being chased by swans might do it!

This was going from not being able to swim more than about 10m. From being able to swim 1 length breast stroke to 100 lengths breast stroke was about 2 weeks.

But I never really got into crawl until fairly recently. Pacing was always the issue.

Greenbank · « **Reply #35 on:** 09 March, 2011, 02:28:13 pm »

Quote from: simonp on 12 February, 2011, 01:05:47 am

I've seen butterfly done gracefully. My attempt is not.

I regularly came last in the butterfly events in the yearly swimming galas at secondary school. I won every one of them though as the other 5 people would always be disqualified. I was the only one that could hold it together to do 50m or 100m butterfly.

(Years of swimming coaching and practice might have had something to do with it though...)

citoyen · « **Reply #36 on:** 09 March, 2011, 02:41:31 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 09 March, 2011, 01:19:11 pm

Managed to get time to do a longer swim yesterday, in fact my longest yet by far: 100 lengths (2.5km) non-stop freestyle in 1hr 20.

Well done. That's good going.

I really want to get back into the habit of going for a swim before work myself, but I find it hard to get up early enough. Sigh.

d.

simonp · « **Reply #37 on:** 09 March, 2011, 11:03:27 pm »

33 minutes.

I had a stitch for the final 500m.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 March, 2011, 12:33:31 am »

Unfortunately I have now come down with an evil cold, courtesy of my son. I was feeling things weren't 100% when I did my 100 lengths. Now I am shivery and my nose is running and my throat is sore...

simonp · « **Reply #39 on:** 13 March, 2011, 05:23:27 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 10 March, 2011, 12:33:31 am

Unfortunately I have now come down with an evil cold, courtesy of my son. I was feeling things weren't 100% when I did my 100 lengths. Now I am shivery and my nose is running and my throat is sore...

That's bad timing. I clearly am copying you as 24h after the 1500m PB reported on Wednesday I'm throwing up in a dark corner of a train station car park.

GWS and don't rush back to the same effort level. I'm recovered now but very heavy legged.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #40 on:** 14 March, 2011, 05:51:52 pm »

Quote from: simonp on 13 March, 2011, 05:23:27 pm

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 10 March, 2011, 12:33:31 am
Unfortunately I have now come down with an evil cold, courtesy of my son. I was feeling things weren't 100% when I did my 100 lengths. Now I am shivery and my nose is running and my throat is sore...

That's bad timing. I clearly am copying you as 24h after the 1500m PB reported on Wednesday I'm throwing up in a dark corner of a train station car park.

GWS and don't rush back to the same effort level. I'm recovered now but very heavy legged.

I have been taking it very easy. My lungs are almost back to normal, so I think I will go for a run today, and swim again tomorrow for the first time in a week. Annoying, but there's nothing worse that rushing back to training too early and injuring yourself.

Hope you are similarly recovered!

citoyen · « **Reply #41 on:** 15 March, 2011, 10:22:37 am »

Managed to get up in time for a good brisk 60 lengths this morning. 1.5km in about 35 minutes. Pretty pleased with that. Would have happily carried on but had a train to catch. I did consider just carrying on anyway and being late for work, and might do that another day - there are certain days of the week I could get away with it, but not today, alas. Shame the pool doesn't open earlier, really.

I do alternate lengths of breaststroke and crawl. I used to be able to do that kind of distance wholly crawl but not at current levels of fitness. Maybe if I can make a habit of this, I'll get fit enough to do it all crawl, then I might have time to fit in 80 lengths.

Might also shave off a bit of time if I can learn to tumble-turn as well, though I'm not sure tumble-turns are allowed in morning lanes - it can get quite congested.

Mike - I lose count by around 30, so if I have time, I'll do a couple of extra lengths, just in case I've over-counted. Though sometimes I suspect I under-count. So when I say I've done 60 lengths, it could actually be anything from 56-64...

d.

simonp · « **Reply #42 on:** 16 March, 2011, 11:34:07 pm »

citoyen: that seems pretty quick for alternating front crawl / breast stroke (though there are plenty people that are faster at breast stroke than I am at crawl). What sort of time have you done crawl only?

citoyen · « **Reply #43 on:** 17 March, 2011, 11:09:18 am »

Quote from: simonp on 16 March, 2011, 11:34:07 pm

citoyen: that seems pretty quick for alternating front crawl / breast stroke (though there are plenty people that are faster at breast stroke than I am at crawl). What sort of time have you done crawl only?

My breaststroke is respectably quick. It's certainly faster than the epileptic windmill impression that passes for crawl from some of the plodding old duffers I see regularly at the local pool.

There are a few among the regular crowd who are quicker than me, though - there's a trio I've christened Phelps, Foster and Adlington. I went again this morning and again did 60 lengths in about the same time. And I had a good opportunity to assess my speed because I found myself swimming just behind Foster for a while. It turns out my crawl just about matches his - mine might even be slightly quicker - and I only lose a couple of seconds per length to his crawl when I'm on breaststroke. Phelps and Adlington are both considerably quicker than me.

I'm not a thrasher - I think my technique is quite good on the whole - a legacy of when I was in a swimming club many years ago. I would like someone to assess my technique properly, though - I've probably picked up a few bad habits over the years.

d.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #44 on:** 21 March, 2011, 12:29:09 pm »

It does seem quick, but as you say, you used to be a club swimmer. I am meant to be training for endurance not speed, so I am trying to ignore the times you guys post!

I did 100 lengths (2.5km) again on Thursday, but this time I mixed it up with 40 freestyle (in about 30 minutes), followed by 20 breaststroke and 20 backstroke in just over 35 minutes, and finally 20 freestyle in just under 15 minutes. It was actually a slower 20 freestyle until I decided to pick it up for the last few lengths. I didn't feel in any way like I did the last time I swam 100 - I reckon that must have been the oncoming illness which has all gone now.

This week I have to go to Berlin. Luckily the city is full of excellent public pools!

citoyen · « **Reply #45 on:** 21 March, 2011, 02:33:11 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 21 March, 2011, 12:29:09 pm

It does seem quick, but as you say, you used to be a club swimmer. I am meant to be training for endurance not speed, so I am trying to ignore the times you guys post!

If I upped my distance to 100 lengths, I'd have to slow down considerably...

Tbh, the main benefits I got out of club swimming were technique and stamina rather than speed - training three times a week meant I was very fit, but I was always a long way from being good enough to be allowed to compete. And it was a very long time ago.

d.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #46 on:** 31 March, 2011, 10:30:03 pm »

Woo-hoo! Today I managed both 80 lengths (2km) in 45 minutes and a total of 120 lengths (3km) overall - both for the first time! I am very happy and I don't hurt either.

This is all down to learning to use my legs properly in this week's lesson on Tuesday...

citoyen · « **Reply #47 on:** 31 March, 2011, 11:01:02 pm »

JJ · « **Reply #48 on:** 01 April, 2011, 01:19:25 am »

Quote from: mike on 09 March, 2011, 01:42:41 pm

excellent!! how do you keep count? I always get lost after about a dozen..

I bought myself one of these http://www.swimovate.com/ because I can't keep count, and if I wanted to be able to compare times reliably. There's a bit of a grudge match going on with Mrs J. The key difference being, she can swim, and I'm like Huffy the chuffy puffy tugboat (down to where the river meets the sea. Toot! Toot!)

I'll say this for swimming though. It's great in one's later middle age, to take up a sport at which one is really really crap. That way there's scope for improvement!

citoyen · « **Reply #49 on:** 05 April, 2011, 11:32:53 am »

Did another 60 lengths this morning. At least, I think it was 60 lengths. Completely lost track by the time I'd done about 20, so just kept going until I'd been in the pool long enough to have done about 60...

I might have to get one of those Swimovate things - does it really work?

d.