The Swimming Thread - Pool/OW

[944fan]

I know there are a few swimmers on here, although most probably hidden in the Triathlon thread. According to Sport England's latest survey it is still the most participated in sport despite numbers dropping from last year. Open Water swimmer is getting more and more popular each year.

I love swimming. Only started a couple of years ago and couldn't swim very well then. Getting good now.

This year I am swimming Coniston end to end in September. Also doing a 3Km Sea Swim at Eastbourne in July.

Anyone else?

[944fan]

Cos18 said:

What's the date of the Eastbourne swim? Sounds like a good one!

11th July. Info here:

http://www.mcsuk.org/support_mcs/Fundraise+for+MCS...

Only 30 notes for the longer distance.

[944fan]

boyse7en said:

Hi guys,

Sorry to butt in, but I've dropped back on my running training recently, and I am thinking about doing a bit of swimming so I don't completely lose my fitness.

Can anyone recommend a plan for a beginner to follow? I can swim OK, but don't have much upper-body stamina so need to build up. Not going to be doing any races/competitions or record attempts

There are a few on the web and there is usually some in Triathlon magazines. However, I think these plans are too messy and focus far too much on kicking and pulling. There is also the Speedo/British Gas website which has some plans on. Not looked at those.

I have a swim coach whom I see every couple of months, he checks my technique and gives me a plan. Sessions vary between endurance, speed, technique, and threshold.

Some of my workouts will look like this:

5 x 400m with 30-40 seconds rest. Aiming for 6:40.
18 x 100m with 10 seconds rest
4 x 100m 30 seconds rest @ 70%, 6 x 75m with 20 seconds rest @ 80%, 8 x 50m with 15 seconds rest @ 90%

The key with any workout is to know what the appropriate pace is. So for example when I am doing 18 x 100m I go off every 1:50. I am aiming to complete the 100 meters I between 1:35-1:40. You need to find a pace where you can complete the full set with the allocated rests.

I've been swimming 5 times a week for sometime now so those workouts might be a bit much for you. Start with maybe 10/12 x 100m with 20 seconds rest. and 3/4 x 400m with 40-50 seconds rest in between.

You can do something called a Critical Swim Speed test (CSS). You CSS is your threshold pace, which is suppose to indicate how fast you could swim each 100m of a 1500m. Checkout the swim smooth website for details on that. Basically you do a 400m time trial and then a 200m time trial and do some maths with the results of those.

[944fan]

Sarkmeister said:

I'm currently training for an Ironman as well (Outlaw in July), so will be spending a fair amount of time in the pool over the next few months.

I learnt to swim "properly" a couple of years ago when I fancied doing triathlons. I went from never having done any front crawl/freestyle to being able to "get round" the swim stage of triathlons by having a few sessions with a coach. Sadly, I never really trained enough, or continued the coaching so I'm still pretty slow (a 1500m OW swim takes around 33mins).

I'm pretty sure my technique is awful, so I've got a 90min session in a continuous pool (with cameras etc) with a coach at the end of next week. Hopefully doing that a couple of times, and actually swimming more regularly will make it all a bit easier/quicker.

I'll report back on how the session goes.

Technique is so important in swimming. I've not done the continuous pools before but know people who have. Having someone find the flaws in your technique and giving you drills to correct them is invaluable. A couple of years ago I couldn't do two lengths at the pool. A couple of coaching sessions and I could do 400m in 6:22. Hoping to break that 6 minute mark this year :-)

[944fan]

madbadger said:

Last weekend.
1.5 degrees.

Mentalist.

I had a panic attack in the Thames when it was 16 degrees. :-) Must MTFU for this season

[944fan]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Did anyone here do the ASA T30 challenge?

How far you could swim in 30 minutes. None of us are really that fast where I train, but one guy managed 2400m. I decided it might be fun to see how far I could do if I did backstroke. Managed 2100m. No it wasn't fun.

When I was younger I'd have been able to do closer to 3000 m (freestyle). I remember a training session once that had 3 x1500m in it. We had them done and dusted within the hour no problem. It'd be cool to see how far people like Sun Yang could go in 30 minutes. I am guessing he'd be well beyond 3km.

Not heard of that. Hardest part I imagine is knowing how to pace yourself. I am so used to having a set distance and target time and pacing myself accordingly. Not knowing what distance to aim for will make that hard.

Still going to try it though :-)

[944fan]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Hardest part is counting! I was sure I was way above 2000 m but when I got out I was glad I put the little spurt in during the last 2 minutes to bag another 150 m otherwise it would have been very tight!

Hopefully the Garmin Swim will take care of the counting. I checked my current training plan and every 4th week I am suppose to have a recovery week and one of my swims is dropped for a 30 min TT. I had been ignoring that for a while!

Will try that next week

[944fan]

Pretty good week in the pool. Clocked my biggest ever volume at 12.7km and also squeezed out at a PB in the 400m at 6:18.6. 3 and a bit seconds off. Feel like I can go faster still.

Really hopping I can break 6 mins by the end of the year

[944fan]

I know what you mean. I'm 6'5'', with 6'8'' arm span, quite well built with good strength. I am probably faster than most "recreational swimmers/triathletes" in the pool but then sometimes the local clubs have some lanes as well and there are tiny girls in their late teams who aren't just faster than me but absolutely shoot past me and probably lap me over the course of 100m. It amazes me because I think my stroke is pretty good but how can theirs be so much better than mine. How can they be that much fitter, especially when they probably haven't finished growing.

18 months ago I was trying to go under 7 mins and now I am doing 5 x 400 repeats at 6:40 with 30 secs rest. I have seen some pretty good improvements. Only started swimming just under two years ago and couldn't even swim 400m at all back then.

[944fan]

Du1point8 said:

I do breast stoke (4km a week) as it gives the most exercise to my ankle and stops it freezing up (shatter leg and dislocated ankle) however Im a head above water guy as I can't see crap with my glasses off (-3 and -3.25).

Can someone recommend me a set of prescription googles and nose clips so I can move on and stop this not being able to put my head under?

I wear contacts with googles. You need a decent pair of goggles otherwise if they leak you contacts go wonky and usually fall out.

Best goggles I have ever had are Speedo Fastskin3 Elite. They are a bit more expensive than most but the don't fog as bad as most, even after weeks of use, and they don't leak. They also don't have to be on head crushingly tight to not leak either.

[944fan]

Don't have cracking fingertips but I itch like I've been bathing in itching powder.

I use the Tempo Trainer too. I find it quite good, although it is disheartening when you can't keep up with it. I also struggle to stay on the beeps. My pool has a marker half way up the lane so I set it to beep twice per length. I can then adjust my pace before the length is over and that helps me stay on pace.

[944fan]

TheAllSeeingPie said:

Never ever wear contacts when swimming: http://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/faq/swim-in...https://www.bcla.org.uk/public/top-faqs-about-cont...https://www.specsavers.co.uk/ask-the-optician/wear...

TLDR?: Swimming with contacts can potentially make you blind.

st, thanks for this. I had no idea. Reading those links I think the risk is fairly low for me as I always wear goggles and they never leak and I wear daily disposables but still will stop wearing them. In the pool I can probably do with out them. I use a swim watch rather than the clock and I'm only -2.0 in both eyes so will still be able to see the black line.

Need to do something for the lakes and river swimming though. Guess I need to get some prescription lenses.

[944fan]

I've got another cold and don't feel like I will get much benefit from swimming. On a recovery week anyway so will have a couple of days rest and then pick it up again end of the week.

[944fan]

Greg66 said:

I get the cold feet thing too, but mine are from many years of cycling year round in thin cycling shoes and no socks. I think I've buggered up the circulation. Great.

But on the subject of feet: any ideas why I get cramp sometimes in the arch of my foot or my big toe whilst swimming? Or, for that matter, why sometimes my adductors give me a little crampy twinge on a push off the wall or when I get out? V weird, as it is always the same places, and they aren't (so far as I can tell) bits of me that are doing a lot while I'm swimming.

I get the same. Particularly in right leg. I have flat feet and have always had problems with my arches (that's why I swim and not run) . For me it often comes in the middle of a long set, e.g. 5x400m. Can usually relax it and shake it off but once I had to stop and get out it hurt so much. Think it might just be down to having your ankle fully extended for a long period of time

[944fan]

Phelps is potentially going to be allowed to swim at the worlds now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/swimming/31725258

Does this get shown in the UK? It looks like BBC2 have shown it in previous years so I hope so

[944fan]

I had a recovery week last week and at the end did a 30 min TT. Still felt quite achy despite having had a couple of days off.

I did 1700m. Was reasonable pleased with the distance although when I had finished I felt like I hadn't put everything in to it so think I could have squeezed a bit more out

[944fan]

vanordinaire said:

I swam breast stroke at county level as a teenager 40 years ago but never was much good at crawl. Now in my 50's I've started swimming again (since Christmas I've built up to 1500m in 30 minutes three mornings a week). I fancy some open water swimming but I realise breast stroke isn't ideal, can anyone give me advice on improving my crawl or does anyone have any experience of the 'Ocean Walker' stroke and how to learn it?

Edited by vanordinaire on Tuesday 10th March 20:33

I see some people doing breaststroke and the less completive OW events.

Probably the best thing to do for your stroke is get someone who knows what they are doing to have a look at it. They can then give you tips and drills on how to improve it. I went from not being able to do more than two lengths to where I am now with only about 5 sessions. I could recommend someone but I notice in your profile you are in Scotland so the geography wont work. Sure you can find someone near by.

[944fan]

krallicious said:

First swim after finally clearing my cold. Felt like hard work and only managed just over 2.6k in 50 minutes but it was good to get in the pool after missing 3 weeks.

That first swim after even a short period off feels like you are dragging a dustbin behind you. I find I get back into the swing of things after a couple of sessions.

The Tri season must be starting soon. It was 8 to a lane this morning. Few fatties with M dot tattoos clogging up the fast lane.

[944fan]

I've had some hit and miss sessions the last couple of weeks. Hitting my motiviation a bit.

I did a session of 5 x 400m with 25 secs rest aiming for 6:40. I hit every one on 6:41 / 6:42. Felt great. Next day 18 x 100m off 1:45, hit 1:35 or les son each one. Next day ached like hell, did 2 x 1000m and half way through the second almost gave up, finished 45 seconds slower than usual.

Perhaps I need some more rest.

Got another 1-2-1 coaching session coming up next week, with a dreaded 400m TT. Hoping for a 6:15 PB.

[944fan]

Otispunkmeyer said:

944fan said:

Pretty good week in the pool. Clocked my biggest ever volume at 12.7km and also squeezed out at a PB in the 400m at 6:18.6. 3 and a bit seconds off. Feel like I can go faster still.

Really hopping I can break 6 mins by the end of the year

Good target, you should be able to do that by the years end!

I had a coaching session last night and then first thing we do is a 400m TT to check progress. Felt ok and thought I would do well. Clocked 6:04, way better than I thought. Still went out a bit fast on the first 100 and so the middle 2 were a bit slow. Probably could have been a couple of seconds faster.

Going to try and break 6 mins by end of the summer now.