Today my main set was
5 X 100 on 1:50 (wetronome set at 1.3) tried to keep pace at 19 - 20 BPL
5 X 200 on 3:40
1 X 500
I used the Wetronome to keep my pacing the same. i did pretty well throughout the 100's holding 19 and 20 beeps per length. However when i got into the 3rd 200 I was definitely doing more like 20 - 21 BPL. I also noticed that I wasn't necessarily doing each arm stroke the same. I think what I found is that when i breathe, particularly to my right I drop my hand so my stroke is actually much faster and it gets me off. The left side I do not feel like i lift my head or drop my hand nearly as much. This is a great area for me to focus on and improve my stroke and get a better catch and a more streamline position. I can almost feel the fatigue as i sit here in the top of that shoulder from pressing it down in teh water to get my head up.
Showing posts with label Swimming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swimming. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Three Swimming Sets for a Faster 1,500-meters
By Matt Fitzgerald Triathlete magazine
The 1,500-meter swim that constitutes the first leg of an Olympic-distance triathlon is a unique test somewhat different from the challenges presented by both shorter and longer triathlon swims. It's short enough so the well-trained athlete can sustain a very high intensity from start to finish, but it's also long enough so even the well-trained athlete must hold something back and pace evenly.
The main cause of fatigue during a 1.5km swim is muscular acidosis, or loss of pH balance in the working muscles, which inhibits further muscle contractions. Thus, you can improve your performance by decreasing your susceptibility to muscular acidosis through appropriate training.
There are two physiologically distinct ways to achieve this effect. The first is to increase your swimming-specific aerobic capacity--that is, to increase the rate at which your muscles are able to use oxygen to release energy during swimming--because aerobic metabolism does not produce the chemical byproducts that cause muscular acidosis. You can also enhance your body's ability to neutralize, or buffer, the metabolic byproducts that cause your muscles to lose their pH balance.
I asked three top triathlon coaches--LifeSport head coach Lance Watson, 2004 U.S. Olympic triathlon team coach Gale Bernhardt and former ITU triathlon world champion Siri Lindley--to share some of their favorite Olympic-distance swim sets, and they generously obliged. Be sure to warm up thoroughly before and cool down after each of these main sets.
Lance Watson's Lactate-threshold Test Set
Benefit: This main set divides the 1,500-meter race distance into three work intervals of decreasing length. By swimming each at maximum intensity and then recovering, you train your body to sustain a faster speed over the total distance.
Format:
800 TT (i.e. time trial, or 100-percent effort)
200 easy/recovery
200 TT
200 easy/recovery
100 TT
If possible, get splits at each 100 (and at each 50 for the 100) to monitor your pace. Also note your finishing heart rate after each time-trial swim.
Alternative main set if you want to trim some yardage: 200-400 TT, 200 easy/recovery, 100-200 TT, 200 easy/recovery, 50-100 TT.
Coach's comments: "This is a set I regularly use with my athletes to mark progress," says Watson. "It is usually on a Tuesday morning after a very easy recovery day on Monday that may or may not include a light swim to tune up. This set helps me determine my athletes' fitness at threshold and race start speed, which is crucial for getting out fast and getting a good draft."
Siri Lindley's 300s
Benefit: This main set enhances your ability to get a fast start and then ease into a sustainable race pace.
Format:
8 x 300Line up side-by-side with a partner of similar ability. The first 100 is done as fast as you can go, as in the start of a race. On the second 100 you hang on for dear life. If one athlete is slower than the other he can pop in behind the quicker swimmer and do whatever he can to hang on the other's feet for the second 100. The third 100 is an easy recovery swim. Rest for 45 seconds after the easy 100.
Alternative set: 3-4 x 300
Coach's comments: "This set is very race-specific. Get out fast and you can get away from the chaos and have a much quicker swim. If you go out too slow, you may get stuck behind swimmers that are slower than you."
Gale Bernhardt's Aerobic Set
Benefit: The first requirement for success in an Olympic-distance triathlon swim is a solid foundation of swim-specific aerobic fitness, and this main set provides it with a few little twists, such as lead changes and fist swimming.
Format:
900 steady swim. Change who leads the lane each 75
1- to 2-minute rest interval (RI)
3 x 600 steady swim, alternating 100 fist drill/100 swim
1- to 2-minute RI
400 pull (paddles and buoy)
1- to 2-minute RI
200 pull (buoy, no paddles)
1- to 2-minute RI
6 x 50 backstroke on 1:10
Alternative set: Cut everything in half
Coach's comments: "This workout is most fun if you swim the 900 with three to six other people that swim roughly the same speed," says Bernhardt. "Rotating the lead position makes the time go fast and help you practice drafting."The broken 600, alternating fist swimming and regular swimming, forces you to use your entire arm to catch water and can help increase cadence. Don't cheat on the fist portions. When you open your hands it feels like you're wearing paddles." Finally, says Bernhardt, "I like to add backstroke at the end to work a few different muscles."
By Matt Fitzgerald Triathlete magazine
The 1,500-meter swim that constitutes the first leg of an Olympic-distance triathlon is a unique test somewhat different from the challenges presented by both shorter and longer triathlon swims. It's short enough so the well-trained athlete can sustain a very high intensity from start to finish, but it's also long enough so even the well-trained athlete must hold something back and pace evenly.
The main cause of fatigue during a 1.5km swim is muscular acidosis, or loss of pH balance in the working muscles, which inhibits further muscle contractions. Thus, you can improve your performance by decreasing your susceptibility to muscular acidosis through appropriate training.
There are two physiologically distinct ways to achieve this effect. The first is to increase your swimming-specific aerobic capacity--that is, to increase the rate at which your muscles are able to use oxygen to release energy during swimming--because aerobic metabolism does not produce the chemical byproducts that cause muscular acidosis. You can also enhance your body's ability to neutralize, or buffer, the metabolic byproducts that cause your muscles to lose their pH balance.
I asked three top triathlon coaches--LifeSport head coach Lance Watson, 2004 U.S. Olympic triathlon team coach Gale Bernhardt and former ITU triathlon world champion Siri Lindley--to share some of their favorite Olympic-distance swim sets, and they generously obliged. Be sure to warm up thoroughly before and cool down after each of these main sets.
Lance Watson's Lactate-threshold Test Set
Benefit: This main set divides the 1,500-meter race distance into three work intervals of decreasing length. By swimming each at maximum intensity and then recovering, you train your body to sustain a faster speed over the total distance.
Format:
800 TT (i.e. time trial, or 100-percent effort)
200 easy/recovery
200 TT
200 easy/recovery
100 TT
If possible, get splits at each 100 (and at each 50 for the 100) to monitor your pace. Also note your finishing heart rate after each time-trial swim.
Alternative main set if you want to trim some yardage: 200-400 TT, 200 easy/recovery, 100-200 TT, 200 easy/recovery, 50-100 TT.
Coach's comments: "This is a set I regularly use with my athletes to mark progress," says Watson. "It is usually on a Tuesday morning after a very easy recovery day on Monday that may or may not include a light swim to tune up. This set helps me determine my athletes' fitness at threshold and race start speed, which is crucial for getting out fast and getting a good draft."
Siri Lindley's 300s
Benefit: This main set enhances your ability to get a fast start and then ease into a sustainable race pace.
Format:
8 x 300Line up side-by-side with a partner of similar ability. The first 100 is done as fast as you can go, as in the start of a race. On the second 100 you hang on for dear life. If one athlete is slower than the other he can pop in behind the quicker swimmer and do whatever he can to hang on the other's feet for the second 100. The third 100 is an easy recovery swim. Rest for 45 seconds after the easy 100.
Alternative set: 3-4 x 300
Coach's comments: "This set is very race-specific. Get out fast and you can get away from the chaos and have a much quicker swim. If you go out too slow, you may get stuck behind swimmers that are slower than you."
Gale Bernhardt's Aerobic Set
Benefit: The first requirement for success in an Olympic-distance triathlon swim is a solid foundation of swim-specific aerobic fitness, and this main set provides it with a few little twists, such as lead changes and fist swimming.
Format:
900 steady swim. Change who leads the lane each 75
1- to 2-minute rest interval (RI)
3 x 600 steady swim, alternating 100 fist drill/100 swim
1- to 2-minute RI
400 pull (paddles and buoy)
1- to 2-minute RI
200 pull (buoy, no paddles)
1- to 2-minute RI
6 x 50 backstroke on 1:10
Alternative set: Cut everything in half
Coach's comments: "This workout is most fun if you swim the 900 with three to six other people that swim roughly the same speed," says Bernhardt. "Rotating the lead position makes the time go fast and help you practice drafting."The broken 600, alternating fist swimming and regular swimming, forces you to use your entire arm to catch water and can help increase cadence. Don't cheat on the fist portions. When you open your hands it feels like you're wearing paddles." Finally, says Bernhardt, "I like to add backstroke at the end to work a few different muscles."
Monday, August 20, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Final swim lesson
Ok it's time to make some decisions!
What am I going to do? Am I going to do a 2 beat kick a 6 beat kick? WHat am I going to think about?
It's funny that in many ways my biggest concern for the race is my swim. It's the thing that is probably the most technically easy thing for me because the distance isn't overwhelming. It's the first thing so I know I won't be tired, under hydrated, over-hydrated, not enough electrolytes, etc. etc. All those millions of things you have to really start thinking about post swim. The swim is easy you hop in the water and swim 2.4 miles and that's it! There's no real equipment failure concerns. I guess I could get kicked in the face, lose my goggles, but those are all things outside my control.
So why am I concerned. Because I want to pull of an improved swim and I'm a bit afraid that if I don't do it that it could affect my attitude for the rest of the race. So let's put this into perspective shall we?
My last 2 Ironmans I swam in about the same time ~1:19. That is a 1:53/100 yard pace. If I go slower than that next Sunday what is it really going to mean? Will it mean all my hard work in swimming was just wasted time? Will it mean that I am going to have a crappy race for the rest of the day? Does it mean I'm a loser that I couldn't possibly that SLOW!
No it doesn't. It is what it is! It is just not even 1/3 of the race really! It is 1.5 hours out of basically a 14 hour day. That really is only 10% of the day. I need to keep it in perspective.
So here's my plan!
- 6 beat kick
- keep elbows high at the beginning
- find position at beginning of race and then settle into my pace
- don't slack off, don't get too comfortable
- Focus on one thing at a time
- Come out with a smile on my face and ready to ride!
It really is easy! That's all I have to do. I know I won't go too hard on the swim. I know that I am likely to be cautious versus overly aggressive. So there we go.
Just swim!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Swimming: Basics.... again
Today I had a swim lesson with Laurie. We went back to the basics.... as Laurie called it it was a "come to Jesus" session. She had me start by just pushing off the wall on my back and moving to my front. She wants me to flip turn almost like my back turn and spin to my front and come right into my stroke.
The biggest thing is to use my core to move side to side, not just to keep my balance from the front to back.
I could definitely feel it when I used my core to propel through the water instead of muscling my way through the water with my arms. It is definitely different.
So it's back to exercising patience again and working on my technique. Get out of pace mode and work on using my core. It was so much smoother when i used my core for rotation instead of using my legs.
The biggest thing is to use my core to move side to side, not just to keep my balance from the front to back.
I could definitely feel it when I used my core to propel through the water instead of muscling my way through the water with my arms. It is definitely different.
So it's back to exercising patience again and working on my technique. Get out of pace mode and work on using my core. It was so much smoother when i used my core for rotation instead of using my legs.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Open Water Swimming
At my lesson Friday Laurie had me use a tempo trainer. This is basically a metronome. It fits on your goggles and you establish your stroke rate based on the beat.
We played around with it and found that somewhere between 1:04 and 1:00 was a good rate for me.
However, today while swimming I discovered something. I'm dropping my hand again when I breathe. Particularly on the left side, when i breathe to the right. So I'm getting only a fraction of the pull that I should be getting. I think that is exactly what I was doing in the race last weekend too. I wasn't thinking about going long. So I think I need to go back into counting my strokes per length again and trying to take that feel into the open water.
I think I'm going to try to go to klineline again Wed and swim some with a wetsuit and then without and see how it feels. It's kind of like swimming with a fist and then swimming with your full hand. The wetsuit takes away so much sensory experience it is really hard. It gives you added buoyancy but if I lose my technique in the process it's not good.
We played around with it and found that somewhere between 1:04 and 1:00 was a good rate for me.
However, today while swimming I discovered something. I'm dropping my hand again when I breathe. Particularly on the left side, when i breathe to the right. So I'm getting only a fraction of the pull that I should be getting. I think that is exactly what I was doing in the race last weekend too. I wasn't thinking about going long. So I think I need to go back into counting my strokes per length again and trying to take that feel into the open water.
I think I'm going to try to go to klineline again Wed and swim some with a wetsuit and then without and see how it feels. It's kind of like swimming with a fist and then swimming with your full hand. The wetsuit takes away so much sensory experience it is really hard. It gives you added buoyancy but if I lose my technique in the process it's not good.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Swimming Faster
I'm sure I'll eventually get back to my race report but right now I'm processing my race and trying to figure out how I can improve.
So my swim was slower than I wanted it to be at Lake Stevens. Particularly since IM races typically have accurate courses and there was this very handy yellow rope that you could follow which means I was right on course.
This was my typical 1.2 mile swim 39 minutes. That means that my pace is 1:50/ 100 yards.
So the question is: why do I swim so much slower in open water than in the pool? I have a theory. I am a trained seal! I swim in pools all the time. I know where the walls are. I can tell how fast I'm going by the feel of the water and the bottom of the pool. All the things that I use as a reference for speed are completely removed in open water.
So how do I get beyond that? Well I think one thing I can do is no longer warm up. I am going to jump in and start swimming pace. I think that is part of my issue. I have trained myself to get in swim about 1000 leisurely yards and then get ready for the Heart Rate set and then main set. Well that's not what an IM race is going to allow for. It's too long of a day to hop in and do 1000 yards off the bat! As a matter of fact the only warm up I'll have that day is getting into my wetsuit.
The other interesting thing is that with a wetsuit you lose your feel for the water. You go faster because you're more buoyant but you don't get that lovely sensory input of the water on your skin. So one suggestion Sybil had was to get the feel by body position. Get used to where my arms/shoulders are when I pull and then also figure out a tempo that works well for turnover. So I've got to find a song I can play in my head that won't drive me nuts for 140.6 miles!
So my swim was slower than I wanted it to be at Lake Stevens. Particularly since IM races typically have accurate courses and there was this very handy yellow rope that you could follow which means I was right on course.
This was my typical 1.2 mile swim 39 minutes. That means that my pace is 1:50/ 100 yards.
So the question is: why do I swim so much slower in open water than in the pool? I have a theory. I am a trained seal! I swim in pools all the time. I know where the walls are. I can tell how fast I'm going by the feel of the water and the bottom of the pool. All the things that I use as a reference for speed are completely removed in open water.
So how do I get beyond that? Well I think one thing I can do is no longer warm up. I am going to jump in and start swimming pace. I think that is part of my issue. I have trained myself to get in swim about 1000 leisurely yards and then get ready for the Heart Rate set and then main set. Well that's not what an IM race is going to allow for. It's too long of a day to hop in and do 1000 yards off the bat! As a matter of fact the only warm up I'll have that day is getting into my wetsuit.
The other interesting thing is that with a wetsuit you lose your feel for the water. You go faster because you're more buoyant but you don't get that lovely sensory input of the water on your skin. So one suggestion Sybil had was to get the feel by body position. Get used to where my arms/shoulders are when I pull and then also figure out a tempo that works well for turnover. So I've got to find a song I can play in my head that won't drive me nuts for 140.6 miles!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Hagg Lake Swim
Hagg Lake swim.
I'm pretty sure the course was long so I'm not so worried about the time. Even sub 1hr swimmers thought they were about 7 minutes slower.
Other than that I learned a couple things:I can free up the restriction on my shoulders by making sure my wetsuit is pulled all the way up. Make sure I free up my arms by pulling the arms up a bit more too.Do not velcro the neck at all.
I can swim with a kick and it still feels very easy. And I can site with barely lifting my head between strokes. I just peak.
I felt very comfortable breathing every 3 strokes but then I also had lots of open water around me.
My HR was avg of 133 for first loop and 135 (when I turned on kicking) for the second loop.
I think to go faster I need to figure out how to pick up the rhythm in my hips and catch the water better.
I'm pretty sure the course was long so I'm not so worried about the time. Even sub 1hr swimmers thought they were about 7 minutes slower.
Other than that I learned a couple things:I can free up the restriction on my shoulders by making sure my wetsuit is pulled all the way up. Make sure I free up my arms by pulling the arms up a bit more too.Do not velcro the neck at all.
I can swim with a kick and it still feels very easy. And I can site with barely lifting my head between strokes. I just peak.
I felt very comfortable breathing every 3 strokes but then I also had lots of open water around me.
My HR was avg of 133 for first loop and 135 (when I turned on kicking) for the second loop.
I think to go faster I need to figure out how to pick up the rhythm in my hips and catch the water better.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Free Form
I'm still working on my Free form. Today was "IM" day for our masters crew. Instead of working on stroke I did drills during the stroke set and used the particular stroke to work on a particular stroke focus.
The other thing I figured out today was that I can use a modified fist drill. When I breathe I close my hand into a fist so that if I start pressing down early it doesn't have nearly the benefit. Yet if I extend it is a huge benefit.
I guess I could modify that to breathing only to one side and keeping that hand closed.
The other thing I figured out today was that I can use a modified fist drill. When I breathe I close my hand into a fist so that if I start pressing down early it doesn't have nearly the benefit. Yet if I extend it is a huge benefit.
I guess I could modify that to breathing only to one side and keeping that hand closed.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Swim Focus Week
This week I'm concentrating on my swim. I am working on my form. It feels like this is a never-ending process for me.
So today I did mainly 25's working on that feeling of swimming downhill. I really think that between than and getting my hips into the picture for my rotation I'll start improving.
The thing that I find really helps me to think about using my hips is to think about a roll onto my side especailly when I breathe. I think about continueing to extend my hand underwater as I breathe. That seems to inhibit the desire to jerk my hand back and lift my head.
Today the PAC kids were swimming and some of them are just so effortless looking. That's what I want to look like. Like all I'm doing is really just gliding. You can really tell the difference between those kids who just glide and those that are working to keep it up. It's amazing the effort they expend.
SO I will just keep working at it. I get impatient and want to push it but I know that it's going to come eventually. The more I practice it the more it will come. I still have a lot of time before Canada. No need to stress about it.
So today I did mainly 25's working on that feeling of swimming downhill. I really think that between than and getting my hips into the picture for my rotation I'll start improving.
The thing that I find really helps me to think about using my hips is to think about a roll onto my side especailly when I breathe. I think about continueing to extend my hand underwater as I breathe. That seems to inhibit the desire to jerk my hand back and lift my head.
Today the PAC kids were swimming and some of them are just so effortless looking. That's what I want to look like. Like all I'm doing is really just gliding. You can really tell the difference between those kids who just glide and those that are working to keep it up. It's amazing the effort they expend.
SO I will just keep working at it. I get impatient and want to push it but I know that it's going to come eventually. The more I practice it the more it will come. I still have a lot of time before Canada. No need to stress about it.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Thursday Swimming
So after my day of just taking care of myself and not working out I feel MUCH better. The soreness seems to be gone and my energy is higher.
Today during swimming we had our dreaded "test set". This is a set that we used to do with Andrew periodically.
4 X 100 1:45
2 X 100 1:35
4 X 100 1:40
2 X 100 1:30
I made all of them until the last 100 on 1:40. I sat out a 50 and then did the last one on 1:30.
On the 1:45 I was holding 1:35. On the 1:35 I was on 1:35. On the 1:40 I was holding 1:38.
So not too bad. I know I could do the set if I started at 1:50. SO this is a good stretch for me.
I'm planning on doing the Bridge of the Gods loop this weekend so I need to keep that in mind these next couple days.
Today during swimming we had our dreaded "test set". This is a set that we used to do with Andrew periodically.
4 X 100 1:45
2 X 100 1:35
4 X 100 1:40
2 X 100 1:30
I made all of them until the last 100 on 1:40. I sat out a 50 and then did the last one on 1:30.
On the 1:45 I was holding 1:35. On the 1:35 I was on 1:35. On the 1:40 I was holding 1:38.
So not too bad. I know I could do the set if I started at 1:50. SO this is a good stretch for me.
I'm planning on doing the Bridge of the Gods loop this weekend so I need to keep that in mind these next couple days.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Swimming Lesson
OK. So now that I've done the philosophical part of the lesson how about for the physical aspects of my swimming lesson.
- Keep hips high and press chest.
- Take time to roll for breath. I won't lose momentum if I glide there. Pushing down to get my breath interupts the flow and take alot more effort.
- Drill: Swim with best technique of high hips and core power. When entering my hand reach my hand toward the 15 or 25 (the angle on the pace clock).
- Watch my right arm. Pop the elbow on the recovery. When I straight arm it I get more of that need to press down to breath.
So for now I am going to set aside my ego and really try this new stuff. What do I have to lose. If it doesn't work then I will go back to my usual style. What do I have to lose at this point? I will be able to go back to my old style. I just need to trust in the process.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Swimming Lessons
Wednesday I had another swimming lesson with Laurie. It was a really good lesson. I finally feel like my balance in the water is much better. I don't feel like I am pushing down in the water when I breathe and that my stroke is projecting me forwards instead of upwards.
Laurie had me work on switching my hand position. She wants me to think about taking my hand out of my pocket at my hip and then thrusting it forward into the water as if I'm going to shake hands. Once my hand is entered and the other hand is getting ready to enter tilt my hand inwards, pop the elbow and then anchor in the water pulling my body over my hand.
We did some drills I have never done before. Most of these were swimming without breathing to really work on body position. First we had fins on and we literally swam free underwater. This really makes you aware of your body position. Eventually we gradually brought more and more of the recovery out of the water. So one drill was with the whole recovery submerged and then the entire hand.
I'm not sure why it made such a difference but it did. So who am I to question.
Yesterday during swim practice I really concentrated on keeping this same feeling and I think I did a pretty good job. I could feel when I would break my flow but for the most part I felt kind of like I was flying because my hips were high and I felt like I was on top of the water instead of pushing through the water.
I want to keep working on this. I don't know that I am any faster yet but I certainly see the potential once I get it.
Laurie had me work on switching my hand position. She wants me to think about taking my hand out of my pocket at my hip and then thrusting it forward into the water as if I'm going to shake hands. Once my hand is entered and the other hand is getting ready to enter tilt my hand inwards, pop the elbow and then anchor in the water pulling my body over my hand.
We did some drills I have never done before. Most of these were swimming without breathing to really work on body position. First we had fins on and we literally swam free underwater. This really makes you aware of your body position. Eventually we gradually brought more and more of the recovery out of the water. So one drill was with the whole recovery submerged and then the entire hand.
I'm not sure why it made such a difference but it did. So who am I to question.
Yesterday during swim practice I really concentrated on keeping this same feeling and I think I did a pretty good job. I could feel when I would break my flow but for the most part I felt kind of like I was flying because my hips were high and I felt like I was on top of the water instead of pushing through the water.
I want to keep working on this. I don't know that I am any faster yet but I certainly see the potential once I get it.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Swimming
Last night I swam and worked on the drills Laurie gave me. I was a bit frustrated because I wasn't feeling that feeling that I was doing it right.... the whoosh!
But this morning during workout I definitely felt it. I focused on extending my arm straight out in front and not over extending. I am definitely stronger on one side than the other. I breathe much more smoothly on my left side than my right which I think is ironic.
I was able to cut my strokes down to 15 strokes per length with this technique while keeping a good rhythm. This definitely keeps me on my side more whereas over-extending keeps me more on my stomach.
But this morning during workout I definitely felt it. I focused on extending my arm straight out in front and not over extending. I am definitely stronger on one side than the other. I breathe much more smoothly on my left side than my right which I think is ironic.
I was able to cut my strokes down to 15 strokes per length with this technique while keeping a good rhythm. This definitely keeps me on my side more whereas over-extending keeps me more on my stomach.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Swimming Lessons
Yesterday I had my first swimming lesson with Laurie. It was great. I really think that the best training device in swimming is a coach and I have swam without a coach for SO long that I am sure I could use a trained set of eyes watching me.
So Cate and I went for our swimming lesson. It was interesting because Cate and I are definitely in two different places in regards to swimming but no worries Laurie handled it beautifully.
I got several drills that I will try to explain accurately to work on my body position. The biggest thing for me to get my hips up more, which means looking down more and not bob my head all over the place. The other thing that really helped is she kept focusing on a "solid core" and engaging my abdominal muscles.
Drills:
Kicking on side in sweet spot with abs engaged
1 stroke switch alternating sides in sweet spot keeping eyes focused downward and not lifting head. Focus on keeping head in alignment with rest of body.
3 stroke switch alternating sides in sweet spot. Keep eyes focused downward and not lifting head. Keep head in alignment with rest of body.
Hand position: Keep lead hand out front until you engaged your abs to roll to the other side. It is a whoosh, whoosh feeling.
Then today at practice I did these drills alot. They are exhausting. It was not an easy workout. But by the end of the workout I felt like my hips were lifted up higher (except when I got tired) and that I was extending well but not over extending my front hand and that I wasn't pulling too soon and pressing down in order to lift my head. I didn't count my strokes but I would guess that they were way down.
I could definitely feel how much less drag this caused but it was tiring. I am guessing my endurance will increase over time.
So Cate and I went for our swimming lesson. It was interesting because Cate and I are definitely in two different places in regards to swimming but no worries Laurie handled it beautifully.
I got several drills that I will try to explain accurately to work on my body position. The biggest thing for me to get my hips up more, which means looking down more and not bob my head all over the place. The other thing that really helped is she kept focusing on a "solid core" and engaging my abdominal muscles.
Drills:
Kicking on side in sweet spot with abs engaged
1 stroke switch alternating sides in sweet spot keeping eyes focused downward and not lifting head. Focus on keeping head in alignment with rest of body.
3 stroke switch alternating sides in sweet spot. Keep eyes focused downward and not lifting head. Keep head in alignment with rest of body.
Hand position: Keep lead hand out front until you engaged your abs to roll to the other side. It is a whoosh, whoosh feeling.
Then today at practice I did these drills alot. They are exhausting. It was not an easy workout. But by the end of the workout I felt like my hips were lifted up higher (except when I got tired) and that I was extending well but not over extending my front hand and that I wasn't pulling too soon and pressing down in order to lift my head. I didn't count my strokes but I would guess that they were way down.
I could definitely feel how much less drag this caused but it was tiring. I am guessing my endurance will increase over time.
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