Is this a good workout?
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Ms_J1
Posts: 253 Member
Is this a good workout for general cardio fitness? I'm trying to improve my cardio fitness without feeling like I'm dying so I mix things up a bit by adding kick intervals after my warmup and before my sprints to give myself a "breather". But I'm wondering if doing kick intervals in the middle of my workout is a bad idea since it gives me time for my heart rate to settle down a bit.
I'm also curious if anyone thinks my butterfly sprint/backstroke kick intervals are a good cardio exercise set. I used to do 25yd butterfly + 25 backstroke kick and then rest for about 30 seconds before starting the next interval (because I was still out of breath at the end) but I've gotten to the point that I don't need the rest anymore to catch my breath. I don't know what I'm going to do when the kick part of the intervals become too much of a break from the sprints. I do the kicks partly to rest my arms after doing the fly. I guess I'll switch the kick to a full backstroke when that day happens. The alternative would be to increase the sprints to 50yds but I don't think,I would make it 50yds. I seem to be improving in the amount of time it takes me to recover after sprints but I can't seem to increase the length of my sprints.
Anyway, here's what I've been doing.... Any suggestions/opinions are appreciated.
1. 300yd freestyle warm-up, descending time (up to moderate pace)
2. 600yd (200yd freestyle/30 sec. rest, x 3, descending time)
3. 300yd (25yd breast kick/25yd free kick, no rest, x 6)
4. 500yd (25yd butterfly sprint/25yd back kick, no rest, x 10)
5. 200yd (100yd freestyle/100yd breast cool down)
One other thing... on the descending time intervals, I start SLOW which kind of makes me feel like I'm cheating.
I'm also curious if anyone thinks my butterfly sprint/backstroke kick intervals are a good cardio exercise set. I used to do 25yd butterfly + 25 backstroke kick and then rest for about 30 seconds before starting the next interval (because I was still out of breath at the end) but I've gotten to the point that I don't need the rest anymore to catch my breath. I don't know what I'm going to do when the kick part of the intervals become too much of a break from the sprints. I do the kicks partly to rest my arms after doing the fly. I guess I'll switch the kick to a full backstroke when that day happens. The alternative would be to increase the sprints to 50yds but I don't think,I would make it 50yds. I seem to be improving in the amount of time it takes me to recover after sprints but I can't seem to increase the length of my sprints.
Anyway, here's what I've been doing.... Any suggestions/opinions are appreciated.
1. 300yd freestyle warm-up, descending time (up to moderate pace)
2. 600yd (200yd freestyle/30 sec. rest, x 3, descending time)
3. 300yd (25yd breast kick/25yd free kick, no rest, x 6)
4. 500yd (25yd butterfly sprint/25yd back kick, no rest, x 10)
5. 200yd (100yd freestyle/100yd breast cool down)
One other thing... on the descending time intervals, I start SLOW which kind of makes me feel like I'm cheating.
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How long does that all take you?
I do sets of:
150 Meters Freestyle
150 Meters Breast
100 Meters Butterfly
Then I repeat those sets as long as I can without leg cramps. Leg cramps are the freaking bane of my existence. I do at least four sets, sometimes six in a good day. I try not to touch the pool floor at all during my 45 minutes-hour.0 -
How long does that all take you?
I do sets of:
150 Meters Freestyle
150 Meters Breast
100 Meters Butterfly
Then I repeat those sets as long as I can without leg cramps. Leg cramps are the freaking bane of my existence. I do at least four sets, sometimes six in a good day. I try not to touch the pool floor at all during my 45 minutes-hour.
It takes me anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much I chit chat with the person in the lane next to me.
I ALWAYS get a cramp on the bottom of my foot during the first back kick of my sprint intervals. I usually end up pointing my toes up and continue kicking as well I can. By the time I reach the end of the lap, the cramp is usually gone.
Are your sets sprints?0 -
I think how you feel after your workout should tell you if its a good one or not. If I feel gassed after mine then its a good one. if not then i guess i'm slacking.0
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I've gradually worked my swim workout to the following:
600m freestyle warm up!
Then 7 sets of IM with minimal rests in between!
1 set of IM equals:
50m butterfly
50m backstroke
50m breastroke
50m free
So total workout is 2000m
Takes me just over an hour!0 -
How long does that all take you?
I do sets of:
150 Meters Freestyle
150 Meters Breast
100 Meters Butterfly
Then I repeat those sets as long as I can without leg cramps. Leg cramps are the freaking bane of my existence. I do at least four sets, sometimes six in a good day. I try not to touch the pool floor at all during my 45 minutes-hour.
It takes me anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much I chit chat with the person in the lane next to me.
I ALWAYS get a cramp on the bottom of my foot during the first back kick of my sprint intervals. I usually end up pointing my toes up and continue kicking as well I can. By the time I reach the end of the lap, the cramp is usually gone.
Are your sets sprints?
I try to keep swimming at a good clip, but I don't sprint. I try to constantly keep advancing, but I try to increase my time slowly, because I don't want to get hurt.
I did change up my sets to 200 meters of all three strokes and now I do three sets, instead of 4 1/2 or 5 sets.
I find that this is working for me. I am getting a nice little bicep! even my husband is impressed. My *kitten* and legs are so hard they could crush diamonds.
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