Swimming for Tri Beginners

career move

Day 1
200 easy
4*50 k with board (rest at each wall if needed)
4*50 fingertip
4*50 pb
4*50 pb & fist - this felt awkward at first and I wanted to kick my legs more even with the pb
4*50 fist
100m MAX 2:32 no pacer tonight so splits weren't as good 34,38,41,39 but I felt much more controlled and there was no swallowing water or hyperventilating
4*50 fingertip
4*50 pb
100m MAX 2:37 I was getting a bit tired so I did this before the last 2 drills
4*50 pb & fist
4*50 fist 2*50 fist, 50 sailboat and I changed this a bit
200 swim down

100m Time Trial|Nov '14|Dec|Jan|Feb|March|April|May|June'15
ainsyjnr|1:47|1:38||||||
strummer_ie|2:10|||||||
career move|2:49|2:38|2:32|||||
Rainbow Kirby|1:57*|1:53||||||
ToTriOrNot |2:09|||||||
bart86 |1:51|1.48||||||

Bart86

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I like sailboat too, it gives immediate feedback on rotation and keeping a straight line.

I did sailboat drill today,though I could not keep a straight line while swimming with it. It was between my crotch and my thighs as you said, but couldnt manage the drill..
My body lower body was moving from one side to another... Should I have kicked a bit?

Kurt Godel

Bart86 wrote: »

I did sailboat drill today,though I could not keep a straight line while swimming with it. It was between my crotch and my thighs as you said, but couldnt manage the drill..
My body lower body was moving from one side to another... Should I have kicked a bit?

No kicks- instead just move the board up a bit so its not hanging down so low. The idea of the drill is to give you an idea about rotation- your shoulders should rotate as you try and keep the board from rotating. Easier said than done!

career move

Day 2
200 easy
4*50 k with board (rest at each wall if needed)
4*100 off 2:40 (easy pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:30 (moderate pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:20 (steady pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:10 (fast pace, but not flat out)
1 min rest
200 easy
With the variance in peoples abilities, these times are used for guidance. Pace is more important, and there should be no more than 5-10 seconds rest between each of the 100's. More experienced swimmers do 5*100 of each. (2015 Beginners just do 3*100 of each)

I wasn't sure if I'd get away with being a 2015 beginner so I did the 4*100 of each. I was just going off effort because I forgot to bring my watch but I tried to increase the pace slightly for each set and it felt about right. Happily knackered now

career move

Day 3
200 easy = easy
4*50 k with board = found these better than usual. I had more energy or something. Still took 20min though
6*400, alternate swim and pb, minute rest after each = The first 400 I did at a fastish pace. I know that wasn't the brief but I've never done a 400m TT so I thought it would be fun just to have a marker and to see how my pacing would work. Happy enough with the time 11:24 and the splits: 38, 41, 42, 43, 43, 43, 43, 43, 43, 43, 44, 44,44,44, 43, 40. The others were fine. I find it much easier to breathe with the pb. I presume that's because I have a better line in the water and I don't have to raise my head as high. The last one with the pb I was just 'in the zone' and I did 600 by mistake
Av pace for each rep: 2:50, 2:33, 3:01, 2:39, 3:04, 2:36
200 easy
Keep an easy steady pace for these 400's- you should finish at a similar pace as you start.

ainsyjnr

Had a busy week at work along with a cold so have only swam with the club on Monday night this week so far. It was my first time with them. I am used to a quiet pool with only me in the lane...but wooohaaa...middle lane of three with 7 in each lane of a 25m pool. I don't think I actually thought about my technique once,just getting to the end of the set without, a) crashing into somebody in my lane in front or coming the other way b) swallowing water from the choppy water or c) clashing with the arms of somebody in the next lane. I was knackered at the end!

One thing it did do though was put me a little closer to how it will feel in a race.

I will try and get something in tomorrow, my shoulder has been a bit sore the last 10 days, I think I am not rotating enough when I breath on the left. I will probably do the 400s with the pb to try and work on rotation. I will also do some flexibility stretches.

My lads first swimming lesson tomorrow, hopefully it doesn't take him 38 years before he can swim 100metres.

Kurt Godel

Week 10
10 weeks in, by now people should feel confident in the water, and more aware of whats working for them/whats not working for them. This week, the most important thing is to swim at a steady, constant pace. Be aware of your form as you tire, and check to keep high elbows; steady head; thumb-to-thigh on exit; etc. Keeping good form when you are tired will make you a better Triathlete than going out like Phelps and dying over the latter stages of the swim.

Day 1
200m warm up
4*50k (try one without the board!)
100m
200m
400m
600m
800m
(up to a minutes rest between each as needed. Try to pace steady)
200m swim down choice

Day 2
200m warm up
50m breathe every 2
50m breathe every 3
50m breathe every 4
50m breathe every 5
50m breathe every 6
50m breathe every 7
50m breathe every 8
50m breathe every 7
50m breathe every 6
50m breathe every 5
50m breathe every 4
50m breathe every 3
50m breathe every 2
(20 seconds rest between each)
All of these should be done at a slow controlled pace. Exhale slowly and constantly. Try and keep a streamlined position. Take on air in a controlled manner- you should not be gasping. Relax and you will do better.
3*200m pb, breathe every 3, 20 seconds rest between each.
200 swim down choice

Day 3
200m warm up
4*50 kick
50 ripple
50 catch up
50 armpit
50 fist
30 min TT (swim as far as you can in 30 minutes, record the distance. Steady pacing throughout- if you find your form dropping as you tire, try to slow down and regain better form)
200m choice swim down

Kurt Godel

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Day 3
30 min TT (swim as far as you can in 30 minutes, record the distance. Steady pacing throughout- if you find your form dropping as you tire, try to slow down and regain better form)

Its important to do this 30 mins in one go, no stopping, so be sure to pace it correctly. Start slow if required; you can always speed up.

Another very, very, important issue is turning at the wall.
The wall is not:
1. A place where you stop, adjust goggles, sip water, at leisure;
2. A place where you chat;
3. A place where you grab, take several breaths, use 10 seconds to turn like a tanker, before proceeding with caution.

If you can tumble turn, great, none of the above will likely be an issue for you. If you touch-turn, the idea is to treat the wall like it is burning hot, ie you want to touch and turn with as minimal contact and time as possible. This 30 minute test is designed to mimic a straight OW swim, as much as possible in a pool. To that end if you have to adjust goggles, or stretch a cramp, try and do so in deep water away from the wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oqodu1S1vA

iwillhtfu

100m Time Trial|Nov '14|Dec|Jan|Feb|March|April|May|June'15
ainsyjnr|1:47|1:38||||||
strummer_ie|2:10|||||||
career move|2:49|2:38||||||
Rainbow Kirby|1:57*|1:53||||||
ToTriOrNot |2:09|||||||
bart86 |1:51|||||||
iwillhtfu |###|1:36|1:42|||||

Bit of a wake up call. Enough of the excuses.

Fecker turned off the clock in the middle of my 400 TT so will update Fri

Cheers KG for all the drills etc I feel like a school kid who hasn't been doing his homework

Kurt Godel

Week 11

Day 1
200m warmup
4*50 kick 20 sec rest
Main set: Drills- repeat 4 times
{50 ripple
50 shoulder tap
50 sailboat (use a high elbow)
50 pull
50 fist
50 swim
30 sec rest}
8*50 as 25 MAX effort, 25 easy, 15 sec rest
200 swim down

Day 2
200m warmup
4*(25 kick, 25 catch-up)
3*200m easy pace, 20 secs rest
3*200m steady pace, 20 secs rest
3*200m fast pace, 20 sec rest
(the idea is each set of 3 is about 10 secs or so faster than the previous)
400m pb
100m kick
200m swim down

Day 3
200m warmup
100m kick
50m fist
100m pb
50m fist
200m pb
50m fist
300m pb
50m fist
400m pb
50m fist
500m pb
100m swim down
Be aware of the limited arm area for catch that a fist drill gives. Compare that to the increased area when you can use your hand during the pb swims.

Enjoy

career move

My upper right arm was getting sore from swimming so I only did 2 swims last week. Did my 30min TT this morn. 1k in 31:49 I think I kept good form all the way. When my arm started to hurt I found that if I was touching my thigh with my hand in the recovery phase it made me rotate more and it hurt less. I'm very happy now. In less than 3 months I've gone from struggling to swim 50m to swimming 1k easily without stopping. Thanks Kurt

Kurt Godel

career move wrote: »

In less than 3 months I've gone from struggling to swim 50m to swimming 1k easily without stopping.

That's fantastic progress, well done on your hard work and determination! The swim part of Tri's will be no bother to you now, onwards and upwards

iwillhtfu

This I did..

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Week 11

Day 1
200m warmup - Felt fine
4*50 kick 20 sec rest - Legs felt this
Main set: Drills- repeat 4 times
{50 ripple - No problem
50 shoulder tap - No problem
50 sailboat (use a high elbow) - Problem I just can't seem to make this look effortless like in the youtube clips. It's like the mind loses it with turning/breathing/moving arm forward/ I don't know I gave up anyway. Wrong thing to do but very frustrating
50 pull - I was looking forward to this on each set
50 fist - Feels restrictive and clumsy but I guess it's supposed to
50 swim - Ahh relief
30 sec rest} - probably took longer tbh
8*50 as 25 MAX effort, 25 easy, 15 sec rest - Heart popping on the way up/ limp mode on the way down
200 swim down - Stuck for time so 50M kinda backstroke/floating

This I did not do

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Enjoy

Legs felt very tired. Swimming in a different pool now aswell which must have gotten a bundle of chlorine for christmas. Anyway roll on Wednesday. Felt like a good work out. Thanks KG (I think )

Kurt Godel

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Enjoy

This I did not do

Sounds like the swim parts went well, thats what the tough kicks and drills are all about!

FWIW I enjoyed your suffering Nothing like a good max 25 to slow time right down!

ainsyjnr

Ah... Really missing out at the moment as want to give my shoulder a good rest, a few fun sets there.

Question to Kurt on coming back after two weeks off, would you just jump straight back into it (providing shoulder is 100%) or would you still come back at 70% volume in week 1 then 85% week 2 and back into the program at week 3. Will I have lost too much fitness in that time? ( I am doing strength work that doesn't aggrevate the shoulder).

Kurt Godel

ainsyjnr wrote: »

Ah... Really missing out at the moment as want to give my shoulder a good rest, a few fun sets there.

Question to Kurt on coming back after two weeks off, would you just jump straight back into it (providing shoulder is 100%) or would you still come back at 70% volume in week 1 then 85% week 2 and back into the program at week 3. Will I have lost too much fitness in that time? ( I am doing strength work that doesn't aggrevate the shoulder).

I'm not going to comment on your specific case as no-one on the internet can advise what's right for an individual's shoulder pain...BUT...

In general, swim fitness is lost much, much faster in swimming than it is in bike or running. However, "swim fitness" is much more about your body's overall feel for the water, than it is about muscle strength. You should be able to jump straight back in at the same volume, but will probably notice a decrease in times. That'll sort itself out after a few swims.

Here's a decent USA Swimming article on shoulder pain, and stretches that swimmers can do to stave off shoulder injury. Do these exercises at home, ie not just before swimming.

Here's some stretches anyone can do just before/after the pool, to increase flexibility. Google will have loads more.

(PS A very common cause of shoulder pain in newbie swimmers is from pulling with too straight an arm. Remember to have a slight elbow bend when pulling)

Steroo

Q: When going to the pool to do the drills are we working from Memory or taking something out with us to remember the sets etc?

rainbow kirby

Write it on a sheet or print it out and put it into a freezer bag

Kurt Godel

Steroo wrote: »

Q: When going to the pool to do the drills are we working from Memory or taking something out with us to remember the sets etc?

I was always told that a set you can't remember is too complex...

Doesn't stop me sticking a post-it note to my water bottle for each and every set;)

zico10

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Write it on a sheet or print it out and put it into a freezer bag

Cut up old race numbers and write the sets out on that, they're water proof, rip proof and virtually indestructible. No faffing about with plastic bags and you can keep the sets to dip into later.

and still ricky villa

I'm using the label printer in work and sticking them to my bottle. By the time I'm finished they're wet enough to peel off! (4 swims a week to catch up, halfway through week 3)

Bart86

Day 1
200 easy
4*50 k with board (rest at each wall if needed)
4*50 fingertip
4*50 pb
4*50 pb & fist - I could´t not move forward...
4*50 fist
100m MAX 2:00 min
4*50 fingertip
4*50 pb
4*50 swim. as I could not managed pb & fist before
4*50 fist, much better than the first 4*50
100m MAX : 2:00 min
200 swim down

I did 100m, 10 seconds slower than last month!!! .. I may need to find some time to hit the pool to work with more drills.

Day 2
200 easy
4*50 k with board (rest at each wall if needed)
4*100 off 2:40 (easy pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:30 (moderate pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:20 (steady pace)
1 min rest
4*100 off 2:10 (fast pace, but not flat out)
1 min rest
200 easy

wrecked with 4*100 (fast pace)



100m Time Trial|Nov '14|Dec|Jan|Feb|March|April|May|June'15
ainsyjnr|1:47|1:38||||||
strummer_ie|2:10|||||||
career move|2:49|2:38|2:32|||||
Rainbow Kirby|1:57*|1:53||||||
ToTriOrNot |2:09|||||||
bart86 |1:51|1.48|2:00|||||

Kander

I just stuff a piece of paper into an old latex swim hat. Works for me though I like the sounds of the freezer bag option.

iwillhtfu

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Week 11Day 2
200m warmup
4*(25 kick, 25 catch-up)Felt comfortable
3*200m easy pace, 20 secs restno problem
3*200m steady pace, 20 secs rest tiring, very tired toward the end
3*200m fast pace, 20 sec reststarted fine but fatigued quickly
(the idea is each set of 3 is about 10 secs or so faster than the previous)
400m pb rest time but still tiring
100m kickNo problem kicks feel ok
200m swim down

No major issues today other than pacing I need to invest in a watch of some sort. I can go slow very well Legs felt tired but had a spin class yesterday so probably that. Hip flexor are tight so a bit more stretching/rolling required.

and still ricky villa

I'm still behind the rest of the class but am loving the sessions and catching up slowly with 4 swims a week.
Based on a rough TT I did in November I've shaved 10 seconds off this morning so am delighted and really starting to feel the difference.
Thanks for posting Kurt and please keep it up, I know there are more using these sessions than are replying here


100m Time Trial|Nov '14|Dec|Jan|Feb|March|April|May|June'15
ainsyjnr|1:47|1:38||||||
strummer_ie|2:10|||||||
career move|2:49|2:38|2:32|||||
Rainbow Kirby|1:57*|1:53||||||
ToTriOrNot |2:09|||||||
bart86 |1:51|1.48|2:00|||||
andstillrickyvilla |2:38|||||||

iwillhtfu

Day 3 - Done

Shoulders and arms were more than a little tired.

Kurt Godel

Week 12

Day 1
200m warmup
4*50 kick 20 sec rest
4*50 as 25 MAX, 25 easy, 15s rest
Main set: Over/Under what your steady pace would be
4*400, alternate each 25 fast/25 easy. 1 min rest between the 400's
200 swim down, alternate backstroke/choice

Day 2
200m warmup
4*(25 kick, 25 catch-up)
4*200m easy pace, 20 secs rest
4*200m steady pace, 20 secs rest
4*200m fast pace, 20 sec rest
(the idea is each set of 4 is about 10 secs or so faster than the previous)
100m kick
200m swim down (incorporate some easy backstroke)

Day 3
200m warmup
400m steady
30s rest
600pb steady
30s rest
800m steady
30s rest
600pb steady
30s rest
400m steady
30s rest
200 warm down alternate backstroke/choice

Quite a few people have mentioned shoulder pain lately- backstroke at the end of a set can help.

Weekly-freebie-bonus: 1 min plank, done at any time of the day, every day this week

RacoonQueen

Steroo wrote: »

Q: When going to the pool to do the drills are we working from Memory or taking something out with us to remember the sets etc?

I write sets on a record card. Pack of 100 cards is about 1.50 so lasts for ages.

rainbow kirby

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Day 3
200m warmup
100m kick
50m fist
100m pb
50m fist
200m pb
50m fist
300m pb
50m fist
400m pb
50m fist
500m pb
100m swim down
Be aware of the limited arm area for catch that a fist drill gives. Compare that to the increased area when you can use your hand during the pb swims.

Enjoy

Did this one on Monday (modified for a 30m pool - 180 swim, 120 kick, 60 fist, 120 pb, 60 fist, 180 pb, 60 fist, 300 pb, 60 fist, 420 pb, 60 fist, 480 pb, 120 backstroke to wind out the shoulders at the end). The last couple of 60 fist reps felt a bit like swimming through jelly...

and still ricky villa

Feedback

Just back from week 5 - Day 1 - 'streamlined means less drag' and noticed such a better feel for the water.
Really concentrated on lying on top of the water and when things started to feel choppy just repeated the mantra until things flattened down again.
Everything seemed to feel better and more controlled. I'm still slow but can feel myself improving and had no issues completing the set.
Really enjoying this and sorry I didn't start with everyone else but I'll catch up eventually