The Swimming Thread - Pool/OW

[jfire]

Yes nice little earner that but assuming yours is also council so you're subsidising your own membership with tax and your kids' lessons!

[SVS]

Has anyone been to The Swim Show?

Is it new for 2019 to breathe more life into swimming? Do you think it will sink or swim?

This year’s Swim Show is the weekend of 9-10 November in London. I hadn’t realised a swim expo even existed, but perhaps I need to crawl out from under my rock more.

[FunkyNige]

Bit of a dumb question but I can't find the answer online - how do you take a training plan to the pool with you?
I'm doing the Swimathon 5k again this year and they've put some training plans online ( link ) and I thought I'd give them a go to break things up and make a change from swimming up and down until I get bored.

This week's plan is:
Warm Up
4 x 150 Swim as 50 freestyle
/ 50 backstroke or breaststroke
/ 50 freestyle (30 SRI)
Skill
6 x 50 Freestyle swim with Hip Driven
Rotation (20 SRI))
Main Set
6 x 200 Swim (30 SRI)
Cool Down
4 x 50 25 Swim with strong kick / 25 swim moderate (20 SRI)

I'll never remember that lot, so how do I take the list to the pool? Paper will get wet and fall to pieces, taking my phone will get me arrested, I'm a bit lost as to what people do as I've never seen people take plans to the pool I use (it's a pool attached to a gym).

[Scabutz]

FunkyNige said:

Bit of a dumb question but I can't find the answer online - how do you take a training plan to the pool with you?
I'm doing the Swimathon 5k again this year and they've put some training plans online ( link ) and I thought I'd give them a go to break things up and make a change from swimming up and down until I get bored.

This week's plan is:
Warm Up
4 x 150 Swim as 50 freestyle
/ 50 backstroke or breaststroke
/ 50 freestyle (30 SRI)
Skill
6 x 50 Freestyle swim with Hip Driven
Rotation (20 SRI))
Main Set
6 x 200 Swim (30 SRI)
Cool Down
4 x 50 25 Swim with strong kick / 25 swim moderate (20 SRI)

I'll never remember that lot, so how do I take the list to the pool? Paper will get wet and fall to pieces, taking my phone will get me arrested, I'm a bit lost as to what people do as I've never seen people take plans to the pool I use (it's a pool attached to a gym).

My coach gives me sessions I print them and laminate them. Last for ages. You can buy laminator s from Amazon for not much.

Failing that put them in a poly pocket and selotape it up.

[dirty boy]

My kids are without a permanent coach at the moment, so they're doing some extra training on their own accord (shame that I have ot drive them an hour to a pool once a week!)

Because there's no plan on the whiteboard to follow, we've been laminating a set and gaffer taping it to their kickboards! (they have slightly different ones).

It's tough for them as it's during a public session, but it's laned and 50m pool so normally a bit of space.

Fingers crossed their club can appoint a new Head Coach soon!

[Juanco20]

Any recommendations for a watch for tracking swimming activity/performance?
Are they worth it or do you spend more time messing with the watch that actually focussing on your swimming?

[RobM77]

Juanco20 said:

Any recommendations for a watch for tracking swimming activity/performance?
Are they worth it or do you spend more time messing with the watch that actually focussing on your swimming?

I use my Garmin 735 multisport watch which gives me the basics, such as lengths, distance and SPL, which is all I need. I'm very happy with it. I used to use a FINIS, which I bought about 7 or 8 years ago, and it did exactly the same thing (apart from GPS in open water). The FINIS worked well, but is now surplus to requirements because I wear the Garmin all the time and it also does running, cycling, SUP and windsurfing, plus of course GPS tracking when swimming in OW. The Garmin also does heart rate if you buy a swimming monitor (other sports are done by the watch itself on your wrist).

[dirty boy]

Garmin Fenix

Tracks the lot.

[chandrew]

Can anyone recommend a good place to get a first swimming wetsuit in London?

I live in Switzerland but most of the open water swims here don't need wetsuits. I've got a few long swims in the UK in the summer which mean I need to purchase one. Given I'm relatively regularly in London for work I thought it might be best looking there.

My priority is to have help with fitting as I don't really know what to look out for.

[Scabutz]

chandrew said:

Can anyone recommend a good place to get a first swimming wetsuit in London?

I live in Switzerland but most of the open water swims here don't need wetsuits. I've got a few long swims in the UK in the summer which mean I need to purchase one. Given I'm relatively regularly in London for work I thought it might be best looking there.

My priority is to have help with fitting as I don't really know what to look out for.

To get the fitting right its best to try a few on and find the most comfortable. Some places have endless pools for this, if you can wait to OW season starts and look for a lake. Many lakes also sell wetsuits and usually let you try a few on. Its important to get a suit that fits well.

Try
https://www.londonsroyaldocks.com/open-water-swimm...

Or slightly outside of London look at Sheppperton or Bray Lake.

[WinstonWolf]

Can anyone think of a way to keep an ear 'really really dry' while swimming with the head immersed?

I've had to keep my ear totally dry since surgery back at the start of November and I'm itching to get back in the water again. I use vaseline and cotton wall plugs in the shower, but I reckon that'll come out with all the movement involved in crawl.

My skull cap always seems to ride up when I'm swimming so that's not gonna help hold the plug in

[Scabutz]

WinstonWolf said:

Can anyone think of a way to keep an ear 'really really dry' while swimming with the head immersed?

I've had to keep my ear totally dry since surgery back at the start of November and I'm itching to get back in the water again. I use vaseline and cotton wall plugs in the shower, but I reckon that'll come out with all the movement involved in crawl.

My skull cap always seems to ride up when I'm swimming so that's not gonna help hold the plug in

Probably custom made ear plugs.

I've had a similar issue, not as serious. I kept getting swimmers ear. The Dr said she wasn't a fan of putting things in ears and recommended some Vaseline around the ear canal and adding swim ear before and after (this is an alcohol / vinegar mix which dries the ear and makes environment bad for bacteria), and drying my ear with a hair drier at arms length. Doesn't sound like any of these will suit you as it sounds like you mustn't get it wet in the first place, for me it was about not leaving it there.

I tried normal ear plugs but they were crap, they wont seal 100% and so eventually some water will get in and then it can't get out because of the plug

[WinstonWolf]

Scabutz said:

WinstonWolf said:

Can anyone think of a way to keep an ear 'really really dry' while swimming with the head immersed?

I've had to keep my ear totally dry since surgery back at the start of November and I'm itching to get back in the water again. I use vaseline and cotton wall plugs in the shower, but I reckon that'll come out with all the movement involved in crawl.

My skull cap always seems to ride up when I'm swimming so that's not gonna help hold the plug in

Probably custom made ear plugs.

I've had a similar issue, not as serious. I kept getting swimmers ear. The Dr said she wasn't a fan of putting things in ears and recommended some Vaseline around the ear canal and adding swim ear before and after (this is an alcohol / vinegar mix which dries the ear and makes environment bad for bacteria), and drying my ear with a hair drier at arms length. Doesn't sound like any of these will suit you as it sounds like you mustn't get it wet in the first place, for me it was about not leaving it there.

I tried normal ear plugs but they were crap, they wont seal 100% and so eventually some water will get in and then it can't get out because of the plug

You've just given me an idea, I have an old custom fit hearing aid mould as a result of the condition that needed the surgery, I *might* be able to douse that in Vaseline as it has a tab that gives positive location. I'm also on antibiotic drops which I could use after a swim

[Otispunkmeyer]

Scabutz said:

Juanco20 said:

Any advice on how I can stop getting calf cramps when pushing off the wall?

I've only been back swimming 3 weeks so assuming it will get better in time but I can't do proper turns yet as it just causes an onset of cramp as soon as push off, especially later in the session.

Are you just swimming or do you run as well? I get calf cramps swimming when my legs are tired from running.

Stretching your calves may help. When swimming you feet are in an unnatural position.

Stretching yes... However, I get this when low on salts (electrolytes), drinking those isotonic drinks normally sorts that. Otherwise I start getting cramps in my toes, arches and calf muscles.

[Otispunkmeyer]

FunkyNige said:

Bit of a dumb question but I can't find the answer online - how do you take a training plan to the pool with you?
I'm doing the Swimathon 5k again this year and they've put some training plans online ( link ) and I thought I'd give them a go to break things up and make a change from swimming up and down until I get bored.

This week's plan is:
Warm Up
4 x 150 Swim as 50 freestyle
/ 50 backstroke or breaststroke
/ 50 freestyle (30 SRI)
Skill
6 x 50 Freestyle swim with Hip Driven
Rotation (20 SRI))
Main Set
6 x 200 Swim (30 SRI)
Cool Down
4 x 50 25 Swim with strong kick / 25 swim moderate (20 SRI)

I'll never remember that lot, so how do I take the list to the pool? Paper will get wet and fall to pieces, taking my phone will get me arrested, I'm a bit lost as to what people do as I've never seen people take plans to the pool I use (it's a pool attached to a gym).

I can't find it now, but I had a piece of stiff card that had a like a matte laminate on it. You could write on it with pencil and then rub it off again. Worked a treat.


Also

If anyone is interested, I can post up a few training sessions? Won't go mad, just put up some of the good ones we've done. Masters level.

Had two really good IM based ones recently:

5 rounds of this:

1 x 25 FC - on 45
1 x 50 BR-FC - on 60
1 x 75 BK-BR-FC - on 90
1 x 100 IM - on 2 min
1 x 75 FLY-BK-BR - on 90
1 x 50 FLY-BK - on 60
1 x 25 FLY - on 60

After that, 100 IM Max.

From a session where we only have 2 lanes, so everyone does the same times to make it manageable. These repeats suit just about all people capable of 100m FC in < 1.20. For the slower people its more about just making the time with minimal rest. For the faster guys, we put a bit of steam into it and try to hold a fast pace (i.e. so you get a decent rest, but equally, you need it!)

the other was:

4 rounds of this:

1 x 25 Stroke on 30
25 EZ on 30
2 x 25 Stroke on 30
50 EZ on 60
3 x 25 Stroke on 30
75 EZ on 90
4 x 25 Stroke on 30
50 EZ on 60
50 Max Stroke 1 to Stroke 2 (except last round, which is 100 IM) on 75
100 EZ on 2 min

So round 1 is Fly, 2 is BK, 3 is BR, 4 is FC except instead of 50 Max its 100 IM Max. The 50's are Fly-Bk, Bk-Br, Br-Fc

I really enjoy this kind of set because with changing strokes all the time you're not fatiguing one set of muscles, but spreading the load around a bit so you can keep up some serious CV effort for longer.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Friday 15th February 13:35

[Juanco20]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Stretching yes... However, I get this when low on salts (electrolytes), drinking those isotonic drinks normally sorts that. Otherwise I start getting cramps in my toes, arches and calf muscles.

The more I've been going to the less common cramp has become. I have been doing more stretching and do use 2 hydration tablets in my water bottle. It seems to be my foot that suffers most and just comes on randomly, sometimes right at the start of a session. It's a difficult place to stretch to get rid of it too, usually just have to manipulate it a bit

[Jambo85]

Otispunkmeyer said:

If anyone is interested, I can post up a few training sessions? Won't go mad, just put up some of the good ones we've done. Masters level.

I’d be keen if you can explain the acronyms and timings for a muppet please

RE taking training programs into the pool, I’ve seen folk with it taped/rubber banded to their water bottle which seemed a decent idea.

[SVS]

I tape them to my armbands

[Otispunkmeyer]

Jambo85 said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

If anyone is interested, I can post up a few training sessions? Won't go mad, just put up some of the good ones we've done. Masters level.

I’d be keen if you can explain the acronyms and timings for a muppet please

RE taking training programs into the pool, I’ve seen folk with it taped/rubber banded to their water bottle which seemed a decent idea.

Sorry!

FC = front crawl / freestyle
BK = backstroke
BR = breaststroke
FLY = butterfly
RI = rest interval
EZ = easy swimming
IM = individual medley (whatever the distance is, spread equally over the 4 strokes, in this order: fly back breast free)
K = kick

There’s more but will explain when they crop up.

“Stroke” is just a place holder to sub in a stroke of your choice or if the set calls for different strokes each time round the loop.

Rest interval is straightforward forward. You swim, you have that much rest each time.

If it’s “on” a time or a “repeat” then it’s combined swim and rest time. For aerobic work you might do repeats where you get maybe 5-10 rest at the end of each 100 or 200 whilst swimming fast enough to have a HR in that cardio zone (160-170 ish?). Hard but the rest is just enough to let you maintain the pace.

For example we used to do 40x100s FC on 1.20 quite regular, quite easy to start out getting 7-10 rest but by the time you’re settled in to it, it’s more like 5 seconds rest.

I won’t be posting any like like that though! I think I’d die of Boredom these days.

[Jambo85]

Many thanks. I take it if you’re not that fast you just adjust the times accordingly. I haven’t broken 40s for 50m yet so I won’t be doing any of your 100s on 1.20