Advice needed. Training Plans etc

IrishLad1996

Hey.
I am a fairly good swimmer. I have 6 months pool + gym membership. I need to be able to do 200m freestyle and 200m breaststroke all under 8 minutes around March.
Advice I need:
1. Swimming togs. Where can I buy them tight ones for cheap.

2. How often should I be training. Gym and pool or just pool. Pool straight after pool etc.

3. Goggles always fog up. How much for a decent pair that won't fog up.

4 Eating. I just eat everything and anything. Mainly healthy. Any foods I should be eating in particular?

5 Any more tips?

I appreciate any help.

James

biomed32

Not much of a swimmer myself so wouldn't know how I could help you improve times but this is what I can tell you.

I use a book called swim workouts for triathletes. Its a great book and even better waterproof and can be taken poolside. It has helped me a lot with technique and improving speed and distance.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swim-Workouts-Triathletes-Practical-Endurance/dp/1934030759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388330745&sr=8-1&keywords=swim+workouts+for+triathletes

I use these googles which work fine for me both in the pool and in the open water. They have not fogged up on me.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/speedo-rift-pro-mask/rp-prod80743

I get my swimwear in sports shops but particularly at this time of year you may well get some good deals on jammers and what not in the sales online such as:
www.wiggle.co.uk
www.chainreactioncycles.com
www.swimshop.co.uk
http://www.swimcyclerun.com/

I am doing my first 10 Km OW swim in September after doing my first 2 Km one this year. I will be using a combination of swimming, cycling and lots of core work which I hope will help me.

As for food... After being plagued with cramps particularly after a tough session I drink an electrolyte drink (High5 Zero) after or the next morning on the way into work if its a very late session. I usually have a chocolate milk and a banana after a swim. In terms of meals I would say continue as you are, it takes a body time to adjust if you radically alter diet speaking from experience.

My last and final tip would be to enjoy every moment of it because the more you enjoy swimming the better you will get. Always mix it up, perhaps give waterpolo a go if you can, combine it with other sports such as rock climbing or cycling. The more you repeat one sport you tend to get bored and can fall disinterested.

Best of luck

promethius

Some good stuff there from Biomed I will try to add to it

IrishLad1996 wrote: »

Hey.
I am a fairly good swimmer. I have 6 months pool + gym membership. I need to be able to do 200m freestyle and 200m breaststroke all under 8 minutes around March.
Advice I need:
1. Swimming togs. Where can I buy them tight ones for cheap.

Tight fitted togs, faster and help you figure out body posn etc better. Speedos or longer legged ones fine as long as they're fitted. boardshorts or football shorts a big no no.

2. How often should I be training. Gym and pool or just pool. Pool straight after pool etc.

You get out what you put in. You have a specific goal, I would focus mostly on swimming to do this and keep other stuff going on in the background.

for a swimmer of your level specificity is important, you need to be swim fit. one swim a week keeps the level you already have for most swimmers, I'd try and swim three sessions if you can a week, many short sessions better than one long session. loads of online plans available.

I find it very hard to swim properly after doing weights, I am stiff and can't extend properly etc but I'm not an expert on that side of it.


3. Goggles always fog up. How much for a decent pair that won't fog up.

I use aquasphere cayenne 25 quid, whatever you get, check fit in shop, push onto eyes without putting strap around your head. if they stay on for a few seconds the fit is good. get anti fog drops and follow instructions.

4 Eating. I just eat everything and anything. Mainly healthy. Any foods I should be eating in particular?
All I can say on this is don't swim hungry but don't overdo it either. not the best bit of advice ever possibly :-)

5 Any more tips?

I appreciate any help.
Have you tried this yet and if so what time have you clocked?
huge gains to be got from simple things. push off the wall and streamline (stay small), quickly turn at the wall, don't stop for a breath, proper breast stroke underwater strokes at wall, get your body position high in the water (youtube for tips) will get you a chunk of time.

Get a good swimmer or coach to take a look, they will point out simple things you can quickly fix.

pacing is key for you, you must aim to have a steady pace all the way through to give you your best time.

good luck and you can do this, just box clever you know yourself.



James

IrishLad1996

Thanks so much for the help guys.