I've come to realize....I'm one slow swimmer.
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1322 days
cg posted 3 years ago.
Soo, that you I am swimming with at the back of the pack!? Very frustrating because it make pacing yourself on the bike all that much harder when you feel like you are playing catch up.
Seems that no matter what I try the only thing that helps me out (this is my best year by far) is pool time. Laps and laps and laps.
Others please help me too with your advice...
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1693 days
driggins posted 3 years ago.
Guys...I can relate. This is my second season and I really struggled the first few races last year in the water. Here is my two cents:
#1: make sure you warmup in the water before your race. Do at least 200-300 meters.This is key to improving your time.
#2: with respect to training...more pool time AND smarter laps--like running , I added speed into my workouts after doing several weeks of base swimming.
For example, my first race this year was a 400 meter swim in the Bay. So, I threw in a couple of 200 meter reps at 90% effort in the middle of my 2000 meter workout. I also did a few workouts with 3-4 400's in succession (my race distance) to emulate, again, race conditions and race stress.
This really helped me when race day came, because I had the sharpness that you need in order to race at your best....and I beat my best swim time last season...so it works.
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1376 days
trithis04 posted 3 years ago.
Always hard to warm-up properly before a start! Even during training sessions I won't hit a good tempo for 300-400 meters. It is especially difficult to on race day. I can feel the pain for you shorter course guys! By the time your in a aerobic rythm the swim is over. I'm still trying to find a solution. Somedays are better than others, I have not found anything that works well yet. I just huff and puff until I settle in.
[FONT=Impact]-Jason
"Fatigue will make cowards of us all!"
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1323 days
ironmike12 posted 3 years ago.
Try this....during your warm up laps drag your thumb up your torso. This forces your elbows to get nice and high and puts your hands in a great position to enter the water. You can not do this drill fast, it's just not gonna happen. Do that for 400 or so meters and again to cool down. Good form = speed. Hope it helps.
IronM
1796
Member
1540 days
PrinceofClydes posted 3 years ago.
Thurber wrote:
TriFriends:I've come to realize something, I'm a darn slow simmer. I've worked all the Total Imm. drills, read a number of theories of glide vs. power swimming, etc.. I feel like I've got reasonably good form at this point, but just conisistently finish in the back 1/3 of the wave.
Anyone in a similar situation that has found ways to improve/break-out?
Thanks!
Thurber, I think it's hard to evaluate your situation with so little background info.
IF you continually finished in the bottom 1/3 with the same group of competitors, but the times kept getting better, then we could say, everybody is improving at the same rate. That's not so bad.
How long have you been training? You can plateau in swimming and stay at the same level for years. Because you are always facing the resistance of the water, which doesn't vary the way the wind does, and because the resistance increases with the speed, it takes a lot to break through to the next level.
If you have put in the hours building your swim fitness, then three possibilities occur to me:
1.) Your technique needs improvement. For this you may need outside help to see what you are doing at all times in the stroke.
2.) You can do specific weight training in the gym to make your stroke stronger, therefore generating more force in the water. Other things being equal you will go faster. It worked for the East Germans and the Chinese.
3.) Your bodyshape in the water represents a quantifiable resistance. Suppose you had a huge spare tire. I'm just saying, don't get upset now. :) Then as you trimmed down your water resistance would also be reduced. Your "position" in the water is a matter of technique, but your length and girth are not.
Lastly, there is tactics. It's hard to overtake swimmers in the race. If you were more aggressive at the start there would be many swimmers who would never pass you. This may not appeal to you as a style, but you can see it at every race. There are always some guys who like to battle it out over the first two hundred meters and their ferocity intimidates the rest into following them. Try working out with the water polo players to see what it takes!
Good luck with it,
PoC
"Pain doesn't last, chicks dig scars, glory is forever!"
- Shane Falco.
806
Member
1390 days
thehitman posted 3 years ago.
Although I'm sold on TI as a great way to learn basic swim techniques, I think there's been some valid criticism that swimmers using TI techniques tend to be slow. I'm certainly not fast, but would recommend a) more time in the water, b) more interval training, and c) work to maintain a reasonable and consistant stroke cadence -- no less than 70/minute.
thehitman
thehitman
“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” Mark Twain
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Thurber posted 3 years ago.
Thanks all for the great advice!! Noted several good things to try and consider.
Swim is certainly where I can make the most gains.
PrinceofClydes - Spare Tire?! I prefer to think of myself as fire-hydrant shaped! HA HA HA
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Member
1309 days
Ohreally posted 3 years ago.
Lots of good info and advice. That's what I love about these4 forums, they've really helped me alot as a beginner. Swimming is also my weakest link. I mean, I'm really crappy. It took me 20 minutes to do my first 500 meters (please don't laugh). I read that focusing on the weakest link on a 3:1 ratio, as opposed to working on all 3 events evenly helps. I took this advice and am spending alot more time in the pool swimming laps and doing drills, then getting to the ocean as well. The other day, I did that same distance in about 15 minutes! The fist drill, or swimming w/closed fists has really improved my performance. I'm swimming longer distances, breathing better, and taking fewer strokes. If I can improve, anyone can.
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Member
1400 days
EricbCook posted 3 years ago.
Hey great to here you have made such improvements. Swimming is also my worst leg. I have been working on technique as well! Not lately... surgery on abscess keeps me out of public swimming for a time, but techinque and alot of swimming has helped me a bunch also, and alot of good advice wherever I can get it! Like on trifuel!
Keep on tri-ing!
Eric
Keep on Tri-ing
EricbCook
TriFriends:
I've come to realize something, I'm a darn slow simmer. I've worked all the Total Imm. drills, read a number of theories of glide vs. power swimming, etc.. I feel like I've got reasonably good form at this point, but just conisistently finish in the back 1/3 of the wave.
Anyone in a similar situation that has found ways to improve/break-out?
Thanks!