From splasher to swimstar...I hope!
Options
Replies
-
Bruceapple, You still put me to shame. That will never happen for me in this lifetime. Good job.0
-
I loved reading this thread and reading about everyone's progress. I am another in progress swimstar.
I grew up swimming, it was the only sport/activity that I kept up with during the years of growing up.
I got out of the habit for a few years and now getting back into it.
I signed up for 2 open water swims this summer. 2.1 km and 3.1 km
I practice twice a week with a Masters swim group. Mostly drills that help with technique and speed (total distance is usually around 2800m). It definitely challenges me.
Went swimming today and swam 2100 metres continuously. I want to go on Sunday and attempt to swim 3 km straight. Current average time for 50 metres is 1 minute.0 -
I'm so delighted to be back swimming.
I went to the Commonwealth pool the other night - the only 50m pool in the city. I really enjoy the longer lengths. I swam 1km. I could have made it to a mile but it was getting late and I needed to get home.
I will have to find a time when I am not rushed so I can do a long swim but also when I have time in the evening.
We had our usual instructor - John - back at lessons on Sunday. We were doing breaststroke again - love it!
Working on the timing of the stroke and we also practice backstroke push off from the starting blocks in the deep end - great fun!
Planning at least 2 practice swims this week in between lessons.
Lxx0 -
Fantastic!!! I think you did the right thing regardless of the time factor - you don't want to jump in too heavy, you're better shaking the rust off & then building back to what you were doing.......0
-
Well, it was time to swim my nonstop freestyle mile and I was down another 37 seconds. That's a total of 2 min and 7 sec. My goal is another minute and 27 sec. I was very pleased because I really felt like I had a brick inside my suit. It seemed like hard work today.0
-
Since there were only 3 people at Masters last night, I ended up doing the Endurance groups set. (3100 metres)
It was tough and I struggled a little, but I managed to do it all. The next session I am going to try the Endurance groups set again. I liked that extra push and workout I got. My heart rate was up and I was panting at the end of each drill/set.
I am sure that a few of the swimmers in the Endurance group will lap me.
The Mid-distance is just not enough for me anymore.
I also wore fins for the first time in 14 years.0 -
Holly - That is a great job, you're definitely going to make your time!!!! It's funny, the days I feel the worst going in seem to be the says I get my best workouts in....
Ashen - That is a BIG step, congratulations. Isn't it a great feeling when what you've been doing is no longer enough? It's also great that you have a group at your workouts that you can move into for the next step. Don't worry about whether anybody laps you or not, you're not at practice as a competition with the other swimmers, you're there to keep beating the clock by bringing your time down......0 -
Good job Ashen. More than once my technique was not stellar going farther. However, you go farther than I do. You'll get there and good discipline on your part. Keep on pulling.
0 -
Hi everyone,
I've been a member of swimmers! group for quite some time but only recently got back on MFP and back to the pool. Was glad to find this thread, it's very interesting and useful!
I have a question about kicking for freestyle . I hate kicking with a passion and back a few years ago when I started swimming very regularly I read something about kicking not being important for long distances. So I think I used this as a good reason just to sort of "half kick" a very slow and often irregular kick. I usually swim around 2km and will mostly break that up into 4 sets of 500metres (20 lengths in my 25m pool). I swim for enjoyment but I would like to gradually work a bit on increasing speed and building up greater endurance. I figure I should do something about my kick but I often feel really uncoordinated with it, how fast should it be? Should there be a splash or should it be more or less completely underwater. Is it from the hips? I'm guessing so but how much if at all should there be a bend at the knee?
I'm finding it very difficult to reconcile this smooth action in my upper body with a completely different kind of movement in my legs. Any advice would be much appreciated0 -
electriq - The kick will also be a smooth movement, once you get used to it - especially when you're distance swimming. Yes, the kick IS from the hip, but not a great big up & down motion. You want to flutter your feet on the ends of your legs. I'm not sure how clear of a description that is, but once you feel it you'll know what 'm talk9ng about (it's obviously much easier to be able to show you in the water). The leg is straight, although not locked, a slight flex at the knee is OK if need be but don't kick up & down from the knee. Point your toes back toward the wall you pushed off of. As for a splash, it would be much more pronounced for a sprint as opposed to a distance swim because a sprinter is kicking (fluttering) the feet as fast as they can. For a distance swimmer it's a bit more controlled & rhythmic. Go to YouTube & search "2 beat kick freestyle" & you'll see some good videos. I know there are other swimmers in the group that can speak better than I can on which of the videos are the best. Kicking IS important for distance, it's just a different type of kicking than when you're sprinting. Without the kick your lower body sinks & drags, and the arms are doing all of the work. Your legs contain some of the biggest & strongest muscles in the body, you can either choose to put them to work or you can fight to drag them through the water. I hate kicking too, but it IS important. Work on the technique with a kickboard, if you have access to one, you can concentrate solely on the kick & it will become more comfortable......0
-
Thanks for your answer!
Yes, I probably could have phrased that more appropriately rather than saying that kicking wasn't important - I'm aware about the need to have this part of the body elevated and made use of but I seem to really struggle with the speed of the kick - I either kick too quickly in which case I can only swim 2 lengths instead of my usual 20-30 or I feel like I'm not really making use of it and don't quite know what I'm doing with my legs. Thanks for the suggestion about the 2 beat kick, that looks like something I might quite like, any suggestions from others on good youtube videos to watch for this stele of kicking much appreciated.0 -
Electriq's post is a good one. I just got back from swimming tonight.
Kicking is super important, the coach noticed we all are poor kickers so she has us doing a lot of kicking drills.
Basically we kick any where from 25-150 meters on timed intervals.
By doing those drill there has been noticeable improvement in my kicking when I am swimming laps. I think about it more and make sure I am kicking. By kicking more it is giving me more propulsion.
My coach has me kicking with some splash and as fast as I can. She actually keeps telling me to kick faster. When I started doing drills I couldn't make it across the pool, now I can almost make it across the pool. :laugh:
@Holly
Great job on the increase in pace0 -
Way to go Ashen. I know exactly where you are coming from. I never thought I'd be able to sprint 25M. Hang in there and you'll be the swimstar.0
-
It's just a matte of doing the drills because, in addition to building up the strength in your legs & improving the technique, the more you do it the more your body will find the proper pace of kicking that suits you.......0
-
I didn't do any drills yet, I don't have a kick board or any other "props", so I just tried the 2 beat kick while swimming and that seemed pretty good. I probably need to watch some more videos and ideally get someone to watch me swim to take a look at what I am doing, its a little hard to tell myself. I am a bit put off thought because I signed up for some classes last year and I found the instructor really abrasive and essentially just about speed and yelling at us to go faster. I know this works for some people but for me it just put me off swimming. I'm not concerned about going super fast, I'm concerned about having a good technique and endurance.0
-
I agree with you. The more someone yells at me the more I shut down. You can practice just kicking without a board if you stretch yourself out like bodysurfing and kick, kick, kick. Of course just lift you head when you need to breath, no drowning allowed .
Any practice will help just keep at it.0 -
I agree with you. The more someone yells at me the more I shut down. You can practice just kicking without a board if you stretch yourself out like bodysurfing and kick, kick, kick. Of course just lift you head when you need to breath, no drowning allowed .
Any practice will help just keep at it.
haha, ok will try that ...breathing included0 -
I agree with the no yelling. That would make me upset. I am not in it to go ultra fast. I try to make sure that my form is good, my arms are strong, I am hitting the most resistance that I can during my kick and catch. I want it to work for me and work every itty bitty muscle that I have.
Speed is not important, but I do keep getting faster.0 -
I agree with you. The more someone yells at me the more I shut down. You can practice just kicking without a board if you stretch yourself out like bodysurfing and kick, kick, kick. Of course just lift you head when you need to breath, no drowning allowed .
Any practice will help just keep at it.
I agree with Holly completely except for 1 thing: Don't pick your head up when it's time to breathe, instead use that time to practice turning your head to the side to breathe. Even if you already have the breathing down pat don't pick your head up, it's VERY easy to get in the habit & you'll start to pick it up while you're swimming the full stroke.....
As for the instructor who is a yeller - that might work well when coaching a team, but not when instructing. I'm sure you can find another instructor, when you find a good one you'll look forward to both lessons & practicing what they teach you because you will see marked improvement....0 -
Not sure if you have this option, but all the pools I have been to, have had kickboards that you can use. You may have to ask a lifeguard if they don't have them in a bin, or by the pool.0
