Swimming
posted on August 28, 2008 by TryScott
For 6 weeks before my first tri, I logged an average of 2858 m/week. Result was finishing 81/160 for the swim. In my last triathlon I did not swim a single time for 6 weeks, and was 64/121 on the swim. I was mid pack both times, so either 3k of swimming per week isn't enough to make a difference, or my swim training isn't effective.
However, I promised myself that I'd follow a HIM training plan, and it called for a 50 min swim on the first day. It was dark by the time I got to the pool, and the pool may of been closed. I walked behind the employee in the clubhouse while he was running the sweeper, and "snuck" into the pool. 28 min of swimming in a dark pool where I could barely see the line at the bottom, and I called it quits.
Maybe I'd have more motivation to swim if I thought it was helping to drop my time. Maybe if I wasn't cruising at 2:15 per 100m, and I was swimming more than 1300m per workout, my times would drop...
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4 comments.
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jhudalla posted 44 weeks ago.
Swimming well takes time. I'd recommend joining a masters group or finding a coach.
Or both. Good luck.
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hipfan posted 44 weeks ago.
Simming is more about improving your form than just slugging hour after hour in the pool. There are a lot of programs out there like total immersion that will give you drills to improve your technique if you can't find/afford a coach. Lots of posts on this topic in Trifuel.
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mdd posted 44 weeks ago.
I think you kind of answered your own question here. To be honest 3k of swimming a week is not even close to enough. I am sure other people will have their opinions but most people will do 3k per session and have 4-5 sessions a week.
Also you mentioned cruising your 100s at 2:15. While your specific pace doesn't matter, what does matter is your intensity. Having some long aerobic sets is great but you also need to work in tempo stuff and drills and other things. It is almost like run training where you would have a track day, tempo day, hill day, long slow day, etc.
Of course it is just a matter of your goals. If you are having fun and your swim times are fine with you then I would just stick to the occasional swimming and not worry about. The bottom line is that you enjoy what you are doing and don't start doing a bunch of meters because you think you have to. If you want to get more serious with swimming then it would be good to get a lesson or two from a club pro who can point you in the right direction and give your training some focus.
Good luck!
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danpatgal posted 44 weeks ago.
Unless you're training for an IM, I think 3K a week is enough swimming, it's intensity and form work that probably needs to be increased. I do two sessions of swimming a week, each about a mile in total distance. I usually do 1/3 warmup, 1/3 form, and 1/3 speedwork. Two sessions a week won't get me improving a lot, but I try to make my drills focused and suplement with swimming specific weight training, I'm still in the top third of swimmers - and I really can't train more than that now. And as hipfan noted, swimming is more about form, keeping that form, and not just hours in a pool. I've only had two coaching sessions in the pool, but they both yielded big gains in speed for me.