This may be the first time I've ever written a post just about swimming. I suppose the timing is right given I put in the most yardage in the pool ever last week-just shy of 14,000. Believe it or not, many triathletes swim further every week without batting an eye and it doesn't come close to the yardage of a swimmer. But still, I would be a liar if I didn't say I was kind of pleased with myself.:)
So it all started with some tightness in my shin that wasn't going away and I was given some time before my race to rest it without much cost to my fitness. What I love about triathlon is that if one thing needs a rest, don't worry, there's still plenty of work to do! So I channeled my energies into the water and feel like I made some technique gains and some observations along the way. Let's face it I have nothing to do but think with my face under water!
1. The 'feel'. After working with numerous swimmers in my sport psych practice, a swimmer's "feel for the water" was always a big subject. Before I kept thinking "how important is this really, don't you just get in, trust your ability and swim?" Little did I know, swimming is all about the "little things". Fine little muscles in your stroke that you don't use anywhere else need consistent maintenance. Like your forearms, wrist, lats, hips, and even parts of the core (I mean why wouldn't we activate muscles for moving through the water in our daily lives??). Apparently manipulating water to propel yourself takes a lot of consistency! I ended up spending 6 days straight in the water in some capacity last week before Master's practice on Sunday and even just a week of consistent work helped me feel in control of where my body went in the water.
While it comes more natural to some than others, beginners can get more comfortable in the water by starting with the support of fins, kick boards, and buoys to help stabilize them in the water. That and a good coach to guide them as they get the technique down. Most of my drills and warm up still involve these tools and they're great.
2. Slower can mean faster. A big part of technique I am working on is my reach. Oddly enough, you want to take less strokes to reach the other side than more. Distance Per Stroke, or DPS (the good kind that doesn't give speeding tickets) is what you want. You want to achieve the effect of "easy speed" or the act of gliding through the water instead of powering through it at 90 strokes per minute or something crazy like that. I finally began to feel dialed in on this last week as my splits are finally not all over the place. All I have to do is think "reach, finish, hips". It's probably the fine muscle development that enables me to remain stable in the water to do this. Precision is the name of the game.
3. You can grow gills. Ok, that may not be true, but at least I'm over that feeling of "OMG what if I run out of breath and I have half a length to go" feeling. Just like running or any other discipline, if you swim relaxed, the easier it is to breathe. Swim fitness obviously plays a big factor too. I haven't grown gills but muscles like, everywhere.I guess that's a product of using basically every single one in your body. I'm even almost happy with how the midsection looks!
My typical swim routine includes a distance day- for example I did 5000 yards this morning, nothing crazy fast but a strong pace-a faster day that usually is between 2500 and 3000 yards, and a recovery/drill day at Magnolia. In between I'll swim some mixed stuff and drills. Most sessions fueled with a PowerBar Performance bar-carbs and sugar ready to burn. The goal is to get in at least 4 sessions per week leading to the 1500 swim at Clear Lake. So far so good.
I still have lots to learn when it comes to this highly technical discipline. Hope you guys enjoyed the post and learned a little something in the process.
Stay the course.
7 comments:
I am struggling with a pissed off shin as well, and swimming a ton. When I did triathlons I read Total Imersion and it did wonders for my swim. The "glide" that they talk about, amazing, it makes swimming almost effortless. Great job!
You really should be pleased with yourself! You are reaching some awesome distances in your swim training. I typically don't swim much past 3,000 yards per session other than when I'm in Ironman training mode.
Swimming really is so much about technique that you can't really fake your way through swimming on pure athleticism without a poor result.
Thanks for the tips, I too struggle with my swim stroke and trying to perfect it to help gain confidence in the water. Good luck with your upcoming race, mine are over for this summer but I am planning on doing at least 1 next year again!
I don't think I swam that much in a week when I swam competitively in college. Seriously!! You are awesome!
I am finding that swimming and biking are truly saving my running! Of all three, I am really coming to love the swim and I too have read Total Immersion. I have attempted some of the techniques on my own with a feeling of success. I love feeling like I am pulling through the water, yet not working so hard! Very freeing and very relaxing!
You are an amazing athlete, A!
You are amazing! I am a one-trick pony and we don't have a pool here so I couldn't really swim even if I wanted to, but I am so impressed with you! Keep up the amazing work. You are going to be achieving big BIG things, I know it. :)
That is a ton of swimming. I bet you WILL grow gills!
It is interesting, isn't it, that you want fewer strokes, not more. I never really thought about all the little muscles you use to stabilize and propel in the water verses land. Sounds like you really got a lot out of your week. I hope your shin is happy for the "pampering".
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