6000 yards today (120 laps). My new "short" swim.
My Sundays are progressing. 4 miles a couple weeks ago. 5 miles (8km) last sunday. If the weather sucks this coming Sunday I may push for the full 10KM plus one lap. 10KM is 219 laps but the Monk in me has to make it 220.

1000m all swim lesson drills.

Tamois wrote: »

Never worry about other people behind you in the pool. They will slip out and overtake you. Swim in the direction everyone else is and you'll be fine. I was nervous as well when I started a couple of weeks back that I'd be getting in everyone's way. But you want to get fit for you and sometimes a little selfishness is needed! Good luck in your next swim - we can both do this!

@ Newoutlook -
Most pools will have a designated direction for circle swimming - the rule at my pool is swim in the direction of everyone else and always join in the shallow end.

We have one lady who is visually impaired on one side so we have to go Counter Clockwise when she joins in so she can keep her good side facing the ropes to keep track of where she is in the pool. So we have stopped and changed direction just to do the right thing.

If the lanes at your pool have designated speeds pick a lane that match's your speed. If you are constantly catching up to people move up to a faster lane. If more than 50% of the people are passing you might want to move down a lane. Just let the other swimmers know that you are new to Lane Swimming and let them know what you will be doing when you get to the end of the lane.

Sometimes the slow lane will be full of snorkel swimmers and floaters so you maybe forced up to the medium speed lane. I initially started in the designated slow lane but was running into to many of these floaters going sloooowww - so I moved into the medium lane. Seemed strange as a "new swimmer" to be in the medium lane but it all worked out. I would start to watch where other swimmers were when I made a turn and if they were close I knew they would either pass me down the middle of the lane or catch me at the next turn. Most of the time they would do it at the turn. Remember to take a little peak under your center shoulder ( just like shoulder checking when you drive your car) when getting close to the wall to see if you have anyone passing or close to passing.

I can keep up to the 80% of the average swimmers in the medium lane. It's only when the fast lane is full and we get some Swim team/Triathlon speeders that we have people passing each other, or when I have to get in the fast lane because there are already 6 people in the medium lane.

Here are a few links to other discussions on Circle swimming and pool etiquette.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1315215/pool-frustrations-just-venting#latest

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/558937/circle-swimming-ettiquette#latest

A little Humour.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/944929/you-know-when-you-are-a-swimmer#latest

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10009605/strange-things-swimmers-do#latest

Not posted for a while - been doing some 'chugging along' swims - 1k or a bit more. Decided to go back to this (after trying pushing the length, amount of butterfly and doing one all crawl) to rest my back for a bit as I was getting lower back discomfort. I've been to a sports therapist who tells me I am most likely not engaging core enough, so possibly swimming with a slightly kinked back and also my side glutes are very weak. I have certainly built up the main bum ones through swimming tho!

I am booking some Alexander technique based swimming lessons.... Am trying to concentrate on remembering i might have a core when swimming... And am doing some (only some) core based excercises in the water - leg lifts to side type thing. Not much point suggesting I do dry land / gym type stuff as it won't get done! I might just get myself to a Pilates class (would Thai Chi be any good?)

So help please:

Are there any swimming drills for developing side glutes?

And any hints on how to remember about engaging / feeling that core?

Thanks!

Unexpectedly able to go to the pool today (the work from this week has been in flux with the snow we've had, so I'll have to pay the piper on that later on). All freestyle: 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 1500, 1000, 500, 250.....

Macstraw wrote: »

Unexpectedly able to go to the pool today (the work from this week has been in flux with the snow we've had, so I'll have to pay the piper on that later on). All freestyle: 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 1500, 1000, 500, 250.....

Nice! This is gonna be my new goal set. Along with the elusive, deadly 100x100.

Cheshire - that's my long day's sets, when I'm going every day (which should hopefully start back up in a week or 2) I alternate days with the other set I use - I knock out the 2 1500's in the middle & do some IM's with a freestyle set break in the middle of them. I had started with 5 x 200 IM's, followed by a 500 free, followed by 5 x 100 IM's. I started to build up the IM's by dropping 100 off of the freestyle set in the middle & making the 6th IM a 200, etc. I had built up to where I was doing the 1st 5 x 100 IM's, followed by a 200 free, followed by 3 x 200 IM's & 2 x 100 IM's. I'll be curious to see where I'm at when I get back to the days with IM's (just sticking to the all freestyle sets on the days I can get to the pool right now just to keep from getting too rusty - my ultimate goal is to get to 10 x 200 IM's straight through with no freestyle set in between....

Yes, 2 miles @‌ 65 minutes

gentlygently wrote: »

Not posted for a while - been doing some 'chugging along' swims - 1k or a bit more. Decided to go back to this (after trying pushing the length, amount of butterfly and doing one all crawl) to rest my back for a bit as I was getting lower back discomfort. I've been to a sports therapist who tells me I am most likely not engaging core enough, so possibly swimming with a slightly kinked back and also my side glutes are very weak. I have certainly built up the main bum ones through swimming tho!
And any hints on how to remember about engaging / feeling that core?
Thanks!

Yep swimming is good for them bums, no doubt about it
As for the back pain, I used to get it abit when I went for really extended distances, and was never really sure what led to it, but as I've continued working on posture, etc don't get it much anymore, so as your sports therapist said, it's probably requires you to engage the core more.
I find that the core is what enables me to retain good posture in the water (aside from the benefits to propulsion, etc).

What helps me to visualize the posture is to stand (on dry land) with my hands straight up and stretch all the way up - even stand on tip toe if I can, with stomach tight and really stretch the whole body up!
Ideally, I believe that is the posture you are trying to maintain while swimming, and you need to visualize and keep that posture in mind even while in the water.
To retain that posture while swimming, you are automatically engaging the core. Maintaining that posture is not easy, especially as fatigue sets in, but that is where the points are won.

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

5x1000y free, a little under 1:45. (Last one was u-g-l-y.)

Was gonna be 4, originally...I hit about 3750 and thought, "You know, I don't want to be almost done." I was not having the same thought at 4750.

LOL! Glad you pushed through the pain barrier! I had to do the same with my swim today!

Macstraw wrote: »

Unexpectedly able to go to the pool today (the work from this week has been in flux with the snow we've had, so I'll have to pay the piper on that later on). All freestyle: 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 1500, 1000, 500, 250.....

Welcome back to the water!

cw106 wrote: »

managed a 24 hour gap tween exercises,so a theoretical rest day achieved.
1275 m in 1 hour dead.

He lives

fishgutzy wrote: »

Rest day? What's a rest day?
6000yrd. 120 laps. I might take sort of a rest day Saturday. That means weight room

LOL...No words!

2.5km 57 min

Macstraw wrote: »

Cheshire - that's my long day's sets, when I'm going every day (which should hopefully start back up in a week or 2) I alternate days with the other set I use - I knock out the 2 1500's in the middle & do some IM's with a freestyle set break in the middle of them. I had started with 5 x 200 IM's, followed by a 500 free, followed by 5 x 100 IM's. I started to build up the IM's by dropping 100 off of the freestyle set in the middle & making the 6th IM a 200, etc. I had built up to where I was doing the 1st 5 x 100 IM's, followed by a 200 free, followed by 3 x 200 IM's & 2 x 100 IM's. I'll be curious to see where I'm at when I get back to the days with IM's (just sticking to the all freestyle sets on the days I can get to the pool right now just to keep from getting too rusty - my ultimate goal is to get to 10 x 200 IM's straight through with no freestyle set in between....

Ooh, this is similar to me--I switch between long free days (although I will have to get *substantially* faster before I can make all 6500 in my usual morning time slot--I'm eyeing a Saturday for that, when the pool is open for more than 2.5 hours straight) and interval free/IM days. Of course, it's not really a question of 10x200 IM but 10x50 fly, right?

My plan last semester, which was working, was to build up to 12x100 IM and then start switching them over to 200s one by one, adding an extra every now and then. I hit the reset button being out of the pool for so long, but I'll get there.

Awesome!

What helps me to visualize the posture is to stand (on dry land) with my hands straight up and stretch all the way up - even stand on tip toe if I can, with stomach tight and really stretch the whole body up

We actually have the kids do this as part of their stretching before we get them in the water at practice, it also helps them get the feel for a good streamline

Of course, it's not really a question of 10x200 IM but 10x50 fly, right?

No doubt lol.....

@Turtle - GREAT job!!!!!

Great swims, everybody!!!!

Stayed with all free today (job got pushed off again, so today was another bonus day in the pool): 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 1500, 1000, 500, 250

1000m free @ noon.
Hoping to make it to 8:00pm lanes.
Great swims everyone.

Macstraw thanks for all the Great tips.

@girlwithcurls2 glad to hear it is clicking in
Just finished 5 week stroke improvement 1 lessons, looking fwd to 2nd 5 week set.

Yes, 2 miles @‌ 69 minutes