1k freestyle times

Meathlass · 01-02-2013 12:27pm #1

I swim for pleasure 3 times a week. I haven't had lessons since primary school so my technique wouldn't be great.

At the moment I am doing 1km freestyle non-stop in 31 minutes in a 20m pool. I'm not training for anything but I'd like to increase this to 2km and improve my speed but I don't know what times I should be aiming for. I'm 33, female, very overweight.

Thanks

okane1 · 01-02-2013 5:01pm

The number one factor to prevent faster times in distance swimming is stroke technique. Several steps follow and then we have fitness/conditioning.

If you want to improve your time, you need to work on technique. You need to get a very efficient stroke, increase stroke length and get your stroke rate down. You need to be pulling as much water as possible with each stroke.

Get a good streamline body position. You do not need to be lean for get a good streamline. Get your hips and bum onto the water surface and your legs up. Ensure as you kick up, your foot should almost break the surface.

In terms of conditioning, you averaged 186sec per 100m (3mins 6sec) for your 1km swim. Start doing sets of 100m and look at coming in on 2mins 30sec per each 100m. Rest and swim again. You should rest just enough to recover. Don't take 2mins nor 20secs.

If you find coming in on 2mins 30sec easy, aim for a lower time. These are not sprints but you should be feeling the effort during the last length.

By all means do some speed work at the end of the session, 50m with good rest.

Meathlass · 01-02-2013 5:53pm

The number one factor to prevent faster times in distance swimming is stroke technique.

I've gotten a few tips at the gym and they mentioned the importance of this also i.e. you should aim to cover the length in as few strokes as possible.

Start doing sets of 100m and look at coming in on 2mins 30sec per each 100m. Rest and swim again. You should rest just enough to recover. Don't take 2mins nor 20secs.

I was led to believe that it was better to cover the distance and then work on the speed aspect of it. I can do 100m in 2 mins flat but I would be very out of breath afterwards and need to rest for 1m or so. I just don't know how I would sustain that speed continuously.

fionn_mac · 01-02-2013 6:26pm

Meathlass wrote: »

I was led to believe that it was better to cover the distance and then work on the speed aspect of it. I can do 100m in 2 mins flat but I would be very out of breath afterwards and need to rest for 1m or so. I just don't know how I would sustain that speed continuously.

i'd take good heed of okanes advice, he knows what he is talking about.

Most swimming sessions regardless of level are broken down into blocks off a set time as opposed to going in and seeing how long/fast you can swim for without stopping. Breaking it down into 100m/200m blocks taking the 10-15seconds rest in between will help you improve your pacing&conditioning and keep your stroke form for longer. When you hop in and swim straight you probably flying at the start and slowing down as you go on. There should not be that gap between your max effort/100m (~2min) and continuous swimming pace/100m (+3min). As okane said your limiting factors are 1. technique 2. conditioning. Its easy work on the conditioning side of it.

If your 100m flat out is 2.00 then for example aim for 10 x100m off 2.45, coming in on 2.30. (you may be able go quicker, use the pool clock to judge.). It will feel easyish to start but you will feel it by number 7/8. This straightaway would have you doing 1000m in 27min30secs, much quicker than normal. Over time you can then add repetitions 12x100m etc off same time or try reduce the time.

There is no set time you should be aiming for, its all relative:) Everyone wants to get faster/go longer. But if your max is 2:00/100m you should be able hold closer to 2.30 comfortably over longer distances, not over 3:00. Once you are able to do 1000m straight 2000m won't be an problem.

Add in an improvers/advanced adult class to the mix would be of benefit as well.

Meathlass · 02-02-2013 8:59pm

Thanks very much, both of you, for all the advice.

This morning I did 8 x 100m (couldn't do more as too many kids in pool, also my legs and arms were aching as I did a 10k on Thursday). My times were quite slow (ranged from 2.47 to 2.39) but I was concentrating on my stroke technique and timing. Definitely did a lot less strokes than usual and more gliding, I just need to increase the power of my stroke now to get maximum benefit out of this.

YouWantWhat · 05-02-2013 11:37pm

Excellent advice from the other two. But it can be difficult to do what they say when you are on your own, and you might think you are doing things correctly, where in fact you probably are not. I'm new to swimming myself, but its the Total Immersion technique that brought me on leaps and bounds. You should buy the book and follow the drills in it. There are about 16 drills to do, which start with just floating on the water, and by the time you reach drill 16 you are doing a full stroke. Don't be tempted to buy the dvd, the book is much better and explains everything. If you put the time in, say go to the pool 4-5 times a week, you'll be doing the full stroke within 2-3 weeks. Its well worth it.

Meathlass · 06-02-2013 3:09pm

YouWantWhat wrote: »

But it can be difficult to do what they say when you are on your own, and you might think you are doing things correctly, where in fact you probably are not.

This is exactly the problem. I have no idea if I'm doing the stroke right. I've seen some you tube clips of the total immersion technique but short of someone videoing me in the pool it's hard to know if I'm executing it properly.

YouWantWhat · 06-02-2013 3:49pm

Meathlass wrote: »

This is exactly the problem. I have no idea if I'm doing the stroke right. I've seen some you tube clips of the total immersion technique but short of someone videoing me in the pool it's hard to know if I'm executing it properly.

If you follow the TI book in detail it explains everything, why do do certain movements, where body parts should or should not be etc. The book teaches a self-taught method. The drills as I mentioned are progressive, i.e. one leads on to the next until you are finally doing the full stroke.

fionn_mac · 08-02-2013 11:46am

Sorry didn’t mean to suggest you shouldn't concentrate on stroke. Just thought that based on times given there was scope for improvement on the 1k time based solely on improving pacing/conditioning/endurance. When people (mainly adults) start out with swimming they approach it like someone new to running, they focus only on distance– “today I swam 20 lengths straight, will I ever get to 40 etc”.

If you are only doing the threshold/strength endurance sessions then you will reach a plateau, limited by your technique. Slowing the whole thing down, perfecting technique would be ideal but I think it’s actually harder to do a worthwhile drills session on your own than conditioning set. Getting coach / good swimmer to look at you swim is probably best bet, and try copy other good swimmers in the pool or figure out what you can do to emulate their technique. Haven’t seen the TI book but have used the youtube videos, they are very good. There are also similar progression drills to build up your stroke here http://www.enjoy-swimming.com/learn-how-to-swim.html.

You still need to put in the hard work to progress. Pick just one thing then to concentrate on then when doing the longer sets can help. Sometimes you are in the middle of a session trying to hang on or make a time(which is where being in a group can help, or training with fins) and it all clicks together in terms of your feel for the water…until you lose it again

Like anything else practice/consistancy is key, once you enjoy it thats easy:)

1k freestyle times

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