2x100s down the pool tonight.

I’ve been looking through the sessions I used to do last year. 5x 50s at the end of a session, leading to me wanting to vomit! Things have moved on a bit.

400m warm up
8x kicking
8x drills (Underswitch, spearswitch, zenswitch)
4x 100 at 2 mins (1:35, 1:35, 1:40, 1:40)
4x 100 at 1:55 (1:40, 1:37, 1:40, 1:35)
4x 100 at 1:50 (1:35, 1:37, 1:33, 1:35)
200 cool down.

Those times are 10 seconds faster per 100m than I was doing 12 months ago, and I’m doing 12 of them now, rather than the 4 I was doing then.

Someone recommended the swim-smooth website to me, so I’ve been looking at the Mr Smooth swim console, and subsequently at some elite level swimmers, to look into more advanced techniques. I’m an over glider, according to Swim Smooth, and they recommend increasing my rate, whilst keeping the stroke long, and less patient lead hand. I’ve upped the rate a bit, and I’m trying to change my timing a wee bit. I think what I really need is a session with Graeme so he can see what he thinks about my stroke.

Quick Swim

A long day at work, but we managed to fit in a short session in the pool by the evening.

Not a lot of time, but the snorkel speeds up the drills considerably.

4 x warm up
4 x Superman flutter
8 x UnderSwitch (!) – doing this with the snorkel is great, focusing on keeping the head down, and the shoulders out, but not too rotated
ZenSwtich – 4 x elbow, 4 x forearm, 4 x wrist, 4 x dragging – SPL doing the last 8 lengths is 14 with the snorkel. Being able to focus on the rotation, and not the breathing, helps loads.
12 lengths of swimming, then I had to get out.

One thing I do struggle with is getting the timing right when I first get it. I SPL way over, and it’s just feels too rushed when I do those warm up lengths. This time I was able to put the brakes on after a length, and try to calm down, but even by doing that it’s only after the drills that I ‘get’ it.

Positive side – breathing is getting better. I really feel I’m breathing out of the pocket now.
Negative side – still not managing the tumble turns very well. They’re too flappy, splashy, and over excited. I really feel spluttery after the tumble, and take 4 strokes to get back into my rhythm. I will persevere.

Tried on some Mizuna Wave Rider trainers – it appears running shoes have come on some way since I got my Saucony Trigons 8 years ago. I wonder if Saucony know what a Trigon actually is….?

Swim, don’t sink

First chance to swim with the snorkel today. The genius of it is that it’s not that long, so if my head goes too deep, I’m breathing water. I like it – it allows me to really concentrate on the technique, rather than worrying constantly about breathing. SPL is better with the snorkel – down to 14, nice long strokes. Zen switch is much better with the snorkel, allowing me to really focus on the switch, and not reaching for a breath all the time.

Once the drills were done with I could try to get on with some pyramids. They are definitely getting easier – I did 3 this time, and I even threw in the occasional tumble turn, on the 2 length limbs usually (The tumbles wipe me out, can’t get relaxed enough on them, need more practice).

The swimming was nice and relaxed today. SPL is still pretty much 16, but I’m able to string more and more lengths together now, and certainly it’s feeling better.

PW tells me it’s looking smoother now, so that was a really nice boost for me today. I do actually find myself breathing in the pocket created by my head now. Today was the first time I *really* felt that I actually might be able to swim a mile without stopping in 4 months time.

I’ve been doing alternating lengths breathing every 2 and every 4 strokes – the 2 stroke lengths are good for practicing the breathing, and give me back some energy; the 4 stroke lengths make me more patient with the strokes, and feel the glide a bit more. Nice.

I need to get some more running shoes, and I need to sort myself out with some better cycle shoes (Coach has ideas on these, but is not back until the weekend, so I’m virtual window shopping until then)

Tomorrow – more snorkel, more nodding practice, and more pyramids with tumble turns.

Toys

Only two toys are allowed in Total Immersion – fist gloves, and a central snorkel. My snorkel arrived in the post today! Fist gloves may be some way down the line, I suspect.

Will I train with Mrs Dundeechest at 9, or sneak in an extra session at 6…..

4 forward, 2 back…

90 minute session in the pool with Coach.  Clever sod.  He set me up (in the nicest way) for a fall, letting me get on with 12 lengths however I wanted to, and I went off like a rocket, got totally breathless within 5 lengths, and then felt very very stupid.

The last few times in the pool by myself, I’ve started with drills, and not swum any “real” lengths until really settled.

I felt very much that I’d stepped back a long way from the end of the last session.  I have to admit to being somewhat disheartened by it.  Coach was, of course, encouraging, but the undercurrent of “I told you so..” with a dash of “You’re  a wally…” was just detectable.  Just.

We used the only acceptable toy in the pool today: central snorkel.  Very strange sensation: I managed to get water in my sinuses, despite breathing through my mouth.  I’ll get used to it.  I’ve bought one from off of Amazon.

First pyramid today.  I suspect I’ll be doing a lot of them from now on.

And the tumble turn exercise is ridiculous.

Hopefully I’ll get a shot in the pool on Sunday after my on call.