The FAF AFAP Digest

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 various
100 scull
100 chest press fly
8 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :45
100 EZ

Main sets:

4 x 25 overkick free @ :40
50 EZ

6 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

1 x 50 AFAP fly w/fins (23)
200 EZ

10 x 25 AFAP @ 1:00
-- fly w/fins
-- all 10s
300 EZ

4 rounds: (think I did 4 rounds, might have been 3 ... brain fart)
4 x 25 IM order @ 100 pace @ :30
1 x 25 fast kick @ :30
75 EZ

100 EZ

Total: 3100


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pretty tired after that effort. The 10 x 25 AFAP @ 1:00 is not as easy as you would think, especially if you're not breathing. I think tomorrow, I'll try to get in an easy recovery swim and I have a 90 minute massage booked. Need it! Then I think I'll start resting for the Auburn meet. I haven't had an easy week+ in a long time, so it will probably be good for the body too.

Sunday:

Went to a 75 minute vinyasa flow class. I can still do back bends fairly easily, but ouch they hurt my wrists so I don't hold them for longer than 10 seconds. I'm definitely leery about doing the straight arm side plank with the leg in the air. Can do it, and did it for a few seconds, but I think it's likely bad for the shoulders. And mine were a little sore today ...


Monday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

usual 900

Main sets:

8 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

4 x (5 x 50 @ w/fins 1:30 + 150-200 EZ)
1 = 15 AFAP + 35 EZ
2 = 25 AFAP + 25 EZ
3 = 35 AFAP + 15 EZ
4 = EZ
5 = AFAP

-- 2 x breast, 1 x fly, 1 x dolphin kick
-- pretty darn tired by the end

6 x 50 DPS free w/paddles
100 EZ

bungee cordz work: (call it 200)
-- breast & free & back w/paddles
-- some streamline jumps off the wall with the cord tight
100 EZ

Total: 3650


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


My shoulder are a little fatigued and sore, so I may wait to do my rehab exercises until tomorrow.

Article on the lack of strong scientific proof for USRPT. Not as cool as Jazz's epic post, but interesting. http://www.swimmingscience.net/2015/...-evidence.html. I noticed that in another article Mullen wrote questioning Rushall's dryland stance, Rushall kind of went after Mullen in his comment: http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com...land-training/

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 variious
100 scull
100 chest press fly
4 x 25 shooters w/fins
100 EZ

Main sets:

5 x 30
-- 5 forward starts off the block @ 100 pace, cruise back
100 EZ

4 x (25 AFAP fly w/fins +75 EZ) @ 3:00
-- 10 lows
100 EZ

5 rounds:
75 @ 100 pace
:15 rest
25 @ 100 pace (couldn't go any faster)
100 EZ

4 x 50 DPS backstroke w/paddles
50 EZ

Total: 2900


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was still really sore today. Wasn't sure if I could do any AFAP work, but I managed a few 25s fly. I might take tomorrow (my usual day off) off. I'll see how I feel.

I saw a couple college kids doing an interesting thing with the bungee cordz today. They looped it up to about 1/5 of it's typical length and then did streamline pushes off the wall. They didn't go very far; the cord was too short. But it was an interesting in water plyo that I might try.

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 various
100 scull
4 x 50 chest press fly
50 EZ
4 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :45
50 EZ

Main Sets:

50 x 25 @ :30
odds = fly w/fins @ 100 pace
evens = EZ
250 EZ

4 rounds:
4 x 25 @ 100 pace @ :30
1 x 50 EZ @ 2:00

200 EZ

Total: 3300


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am really really sore today from yesterday's drylands. I may have overdone the new exercises ... Or it could be that my drylands have been so stagnate that they were due for an infusion of new exercises with the resulting soreness.

I wasn't sure I'd be able to do any race pace work today. But the 100 pace 25s seemed to work. I was just cooked after four rounds of the second set though and stopped.

This was kind of interesting: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-m...ing-out-2015-1

Drylands:

rehab ex
single leg deadlift w/20 lb DBs, 3 x 10 each leg
zercher squats, 55-85 x 5 x 8
landmine rainbows, 55 x 4 x 15
rear delt fly, 45 x 3 x 20
barbell roll outs, 3 x 15
straight arm dips, 75 x 3 x 25
skull crushers w/BB, 50 x 4 x 8
good mornings, 85 x 4 x 6
saxon side bends, 3 x 15
streamline crunches, 2 x 50

stretching/yoga, 15-20 min


Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Just cruised around for maybe 1800 before coaching.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Whew, I'm much more tired from drylands than usual. My upper back and shoulders are sore/fatigued. I did a couple different exercises today -- the zercher squats and landmine rainbows. I kinda like the zercher squats bc they seem to recruit the upper back and spine more, so more core work.

I entered the Auburn meet. It will be my first meet in 10 months, so hopefully will shake off some racing rust. Having been spoiled in PV, I"m still not used to traveling for every USMS meet. But channeling Patrick and Stewart and Mark, I'm going to view it as business travel.

Monday:

Spent almost an hour doing my rehab exercises and stretching/yoga. I did so much stretching that I was a bit sore today!


Tuesday: Swim/SCY/Solo

Warm up:

600 various
100 scull
4 x 25 torque drill w/paddles
50 EZ
4 x 25 shooters w/fins
100 EZ
3 x 100 done as: 25 chest press fly + 25 single arm fly + 25 fly + 25 EZ
50 EZ

Main Sets:

4 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

10 x 30
-- did 10 starts off the blocks, working on kick count and breakouts. did SDK at both 100 pace and AFAP. did a 50 EZ after each couple starts
100 EZ

5 x (25 AFAP + 75 EZ) @ 3:00
100 EZ

4 x 50 AFAP backstroke kick w/fins @ 1:30
-- went 23s
-- ouch that hurt, quads were burning
200 EZ

5 x 50 slow DPS free w/paddles @ 1:00
50 EZ

Total: 3350


Stretching & rehab ex, 30 min


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I was googling to see what the specs were on the University of West Virginia pool where the Y meet is this weekend. I had been hopeful that it might be a decent pool. But it is only 4 feet deep in the start end. I can't do a decent back or fly start in the depth. Last time I tried, even though I modified my start, I crashed on the bottom. So that meet is out for me. I'm just not a fan of the Y league. I would really like to find a meet to swim in before the Albatross meet or it will have been almost a year since I have competed. I will have to travel to throw off the racing rust. I am considering the Auburn meet. https://www.clubassistant.com/club/m...1582&smid=6079. It works well bc it's the weekend before I leave for Paris. I would probably swim 100 IM, 100 breast and 50 fly on Saturday and 50 back and 50 breast on Sunday.

World's most expensive recovery system. I saw Natalie Coughlin was using it. http://www.normatecrecovery.com/product.shtml

Saturday: Drylands

rehab ex
seated row negatives, 80 x 3 x 8
extreme angle squats on stacked steps, 50 x 4 x 8
kneeling ab crunches, 140 x 4 x 12
explosive leg press 105-110 x 3 x 15
rear delt fly, 45 x 3 x 15
hip abducor, 120 x 4 x 5
overhead crunches w/24 lb plate, 3 x 15


Stretching/yoga, 15-20 minutes


Sunday:

Swim/SCY @ Sewy w/Jim, Bill & John

600 various
4 x 25 power kick
8 x 50 w/fins @ :50 (mixed it up)
8 x 25 SDK to 15 m + cruise
50 EZ

Then the group was doing some fairly short rest stuff that I didn't want to do. I did some 25 and 50 flys w/fins @ 100 pace and a few AFAP 25 breasts with easy swimming in-between.

Finished with
12 x 25, 3 x IM order @ 100 pace @ :45
100 EZ

Total: calling it around 2500


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I was planning on going to yoga today, but am feeling too tired. I aim to get in some foam rolling and stretching this afternoon. I may skip weights on Wed this week. It's been a long time since I had a week off weights. Then I reboot and get in 3 solid weeks of training before leaving for Paris.

I see that Jim quoted Water Rat and me in his latest article for Swimmer. Somehow, he reduced my rotator cuff tear to an impingement. But at least I am more "well adjusted" than Mark. :-)

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 various
100 scull
4 x 25 shooters w/fins
50 EZ
4 x 25 torque drill w/paddles
50 EZ

Main sets:

4 x (10 x 25 @ 100 pace @ :45 + 150 EZ)
R1 = SDK to 15 m @ 100 pace then cruise
R2 = fly w/fins
R3 = fly w/fins
R4 = breast
extra 100 EZ

2 x (25 AFAP belly shooter from the blocks + 25 EZ)
-- these didn't go so well, I was too tired from the prior set
50 EZ

5 x (25 scull + 25 DPS free w/paddles)
50 EZ

Total: 3050


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was somewhat tired from yesterday's effort, so decided to do 100 pace work. Will hit the gym today.

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

850 various

Main sets:

6 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
50 EZ

5 x (25 AFAP from the blocks + 75 EZ)
2 x free (11s), back (12), fly (12 flatfish), breast (14)
100 EZ

8 x 50
odds = fly w/fins @ 100 pace @ 1:00
evens = EZ @ 1:30
100 EZ

8 x 50
odds = back @ 100 pace w/fins @ 1:00
evens = EZ @ 1:30

4 x 25 back, work on wider entry
4 x 25 chest press fly
50 EZ

stretch cordz swim out to resistance and then ... (calling it 200)
2 x :20 fast backstroke kick
2 x free w/paddles, 15 fast strokes
2 x breast, 10 strong strokes
100 EZ

Total: 3300


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, the Pitt head coach was there early and he gave me a few technique tips. Backstroke -- I'm very smooth and moving through the water nicely but am overreaching, need a wider entry. Fly -- hips are too low, need more of a chest press on that 100 pace. Starts were too flat -- I knew this while I was doing them. Probably rusty from not doing them in awhile when Pitt was closed or so long.

Drylands:

rehab ex
deadlift, 75 x 4 x 8
face pulls, indeterminate weight (#5) x 3 x 25
seated leg curls, 90 x 4 x 8
back extensions, 150 x 4 x 8
plate loaded rows, 80 x 4 x 8
altitude drops, 10
extreme angle iso squat, 2:30
ab work: streamline crunches, med ball crunches, yoga ball roll outs


Stretching, 15 min



Swim/SCY/Solo:

500 various
100 scull
4 x 25 shooters w/fins
50 EZ
4 x 100 DPS back w/fins & paddles, focus on technique @ 2:00
100 EZ
4 x 100 DPS free w/fins & paddles, focus on technique @ 1:50
100 EZ
4 x 50 breast w/fins & paddles @ 1:15
50 EZ
3 x (25 shooter + 25 breast kick on back)
50 EZ

Total: 2200


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to lift at Pitt today. This was a good call because then I could get in an EZ technique type swim afterward.

I was very excited to hear that the Albatross meet will be held on March 21, so I will rest some for that. I will either swim 50 back/50 breast, 50 fly or 50 back/100 back/50 fly. Those are the lineups I've swum the last 8 years. And, since they never change the order of events, I won't either! Note to Jazz: 50 free is out because it is 10 minutes after 50 fly.

Mr. Fort and I were pondering the fate of aging for masters athletes last night. The go to trainer here in Pitt says that the 50s is the decade where athletic performance declines the most and injuries are most likely to rear their ugly head. We have certainly had the most injuries then. In the last four years, I've had a labral tear, elbow tear and RC tear. Mr. Fort has had quite a few injuries too. One of mine was sheer stupidity, but the others were probably age and fragile shoulders.

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

600 various
100 scull
4 x 25 shooters
100 EZ

Main sets:

8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

4 rounds:
8 x 25 @ 100 pace @ :45 + 150 EZ
R1 = back (15 lows)
R2 = breast (17 high-18, 17 is a bit too fast)
R3 = free (14s)
R4 = fly w/fins (11high-12)

5 x 50 DPS free w/paddles @ 1:00
100 EZ

Total: 2950


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was my 7th workout in a row, and I was tired after the sets of race pace 25s. I'm taking the day off today and getting a long overdue massage.

Saturday: Drylands

Was at the gym for an hour. Stretched 20 minutes after.


Sunday:

I decided not to go to the Y meet. It would have been along drive, and I didn't see the point. Instead, I went for a swim and to yoga.

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 various
100 scull
8 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :45
100 EZ

Main sets:

8 x 25, SDK @ 100 pace to 15m then cruise @ :45
100 EZ

16 x 25 fly w/fins @ 100 pace @ :45
250 EZ

-- did a few backstroke starts, working on entry and then 50 EZ

5 x (25 AFAP + 75 EZ) @ 3:00
extra 50 EZ

Total: 2550



I was home for about an hour and then went to the 75 minute vinyasa flow class. No need to stretch tonight.

I need to start thinking about my meet plan for the spring. The Albatross meet is not on the schedule yet, but I'm hoping it will be. I will swim at the Y league meet at the U of W Va on Jan. 25. At least there I can be assured of not crashing on the bottom on my backstroke start.

Thursday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

I was super bummed when I walked in and saw the competition pool was closed. Had to swim in sh*tty shallow hot pool and thus wasn't motivated to do much.

Warm up:

700 various

Main sets:

8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

7 x 50 breast @ 1:30
-- 5/6/7/8/7/6/5 strokes fast
150 EZ

10 x 25 flutter kick w/board @ 100 pace @ :45 (mostly 17 highs)
200 EZ

5 x 100 DPS backstroke w/fins & paddles @ 1:45
50 EZ

8 x 25 w/chute @ 1:00
100 EZ

Total: 2800


-- Went home and did stretching/yoga/foam rolling and rehab ex for 45 minutes


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Friday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

500 various
100 scull
8 x 25 shooters w/fins @ ;45
100 EZ

Main sets:

8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00
150 EZ

5 x (50 AFAP + 150 EZ) w/fins
breast (27), 3 x fly (23s), 1 x dolphin kick (23 high)
extra 100 EZ

6 rounds:
4 x 25 IM order @ 100 pace @ :40
1 x 25 EZ @ :40

100 EZ

Total: 3200


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was pretty happy with the AFAP 50 flys. My turnover get ever so slightly slower than usual, but times were on par with what I've done pre-RC tear. I'm off the to gym today. Supposed to swim in a Y meet tomorrow, but not sure if I will bother since the pool sucks and is over an hour away. You must swim in 3 Y meets to qualify for the championship meet, but I'm not sure whether I'm planning on that one either, though it is at Spire.

Tuesday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt

Warm up:

usual 900

Main Sets:

8 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

4 x (25 AFAP from the blocks + 75 EZ)
100 EZ

Pyramid 50 frees: 9 x 50 @1:30
-- 5/6/7/8/9/8/7/6/5 fast strokes
250 EZ

broken 100s w/fins (4 x 25 @ :30):
broken 100 AFAP breast + 150 EZ
broken 100 fly @ 100 pace + 150 EZ
broken 100 AFAP back kick +1 50 EZ
broken 100 fly @ 100 pace + 150 EZ

Total: 3400



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Wednesday:

60 minutes of drylands


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I actually felt surprisingly decent in the pool on Tuesday. Times seemed to be fairly fast too -- faster than I was going in the shallow hot pool. The pyramid 50 frees were my first fast strokes of free since early August. I finally feel like I might be able to get back to swimming free and fly more regularly. I'm not sure what my next USMS meet will be. The Albatross meet is not on the PV schedule yet ... I will likely have some anxiety about it after being injured and not competing for so long.

I'm very excited too -- I just booked my trip to Paris to visit my BFF. I leave on Feb. 14. Can't wait. Have the list of Paris pools that Patrick kindly gave me, so hopefully I can tear myself away from the sights to go swimming a couple days! I was disheartened to read about yesterday's psychotic terrorist attack there, and hope things settle down before I leave.

Saturday Jan. 3

60 minutes of drylands and 20 minutes of stretching/yoga


Sunday:

Swim @ Sewy with 5 other Sewy masters

I was pretty tired, so cruised most of it. I also wanted to go to yoga later, so saved up some energy.

600 various
8 x 50 @ :50
8 x 25, SDK to 15 m and cruise @ :45
Jim's silly pyramid set:
lengths: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 @ :30 per 25
-- I did them with fins. First length of each segment fly@ 100 pace then cruise backstroke kick
100 EZ

Total: 2900


Vinyasa Flow, 75 minutes

I haven't been to a yoga class in simply ages. I rather prefer the bikram poses, but I just can't stand the bikram heat. The vinyasa temp of 85-90 is just so much nicer. And this studio is only 5 minutes from my house. I can do the bikram stretches on my own. Several of those are really good for opening up the chest and pecs.


Monday:

I was due for a day off after 7 days in a row. And I welcomed a day home alone in my house after all our holiday company. I did stretch and do my rehab exercises for 45 minutes. I feel better since I recommenced stretching, and I'm going to try to get to yoga once a week. My left shoulder is finally feeling better too. I am really psyched to swim in a cold deep pool tomorrow at Pitt. It's been along three weeks of crap pools.

December 31:

Was at the gym for an hour. Stretched for 15 minutes afterward.


January 1: Swim/SCY@ Sewy

Warm up:

1000 various

Main Sets:

Jim and Bill and John were doing 10 x 200. I did:

8 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

8 x 25 fly w/fins @ 100 pace @ :45
50 EZ

8 x 25 breast @ 100 pace @ ;45
50 EZ

5 x (25 AFAP kick + 50 EZ) @ 1:20
75 EZ

Then, while they did 5 x 100 free @ 1:30, I did w/fins:
5 x 50 @ 1:30
1 = fly @ 100 pace
2 = dolphin kick @ 100
3 = EZ
4 = fly @ 100 pace
5 = flutter kick @ 100 pace

They did 5 x 100 free @ 1:40. I did backstroke kick w/fins and went
1-3 = EZ to recover from last set, 4 = fast (53), 5 = EZ

They did 5 x 100 free @ 1:50. I did 2 EZ, and 3 with the first 25 @ 100 pace
100 EZ

Total: 3500



Jan 2: Decided to stay at home so I wouldn't be gone for so long, since my mother and Fort Son (and his GF) are still here.

I did about 20 minutes with DBs, the power wheel and the kettle ball. Did a 3 mile jog on the treadmills and stretched/yoga for 15 minutes


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope everyone has had a great holiday season!

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Sewickley

Warm up:

usual 900

Main sets:

3 rounds:
4 x 25 SDK to 15 m @ 100 pace @ :30 + 50 EZ @ 1:30

100 EZ

20 x 25 burst dolphin kick to 15m then cruise @ :45
-- some with board and some in streamline
250 EZ

3 rounds:
6 x 25 fly w/fins @ :45
50 EZ @ 1:30

100 EZ

3 x (50 AFAP breast + 100 EZ @ 4:00)

5 x 50 backstroke kick w/fins, UW 15 m each length @ 1:00
100 EZ

Total: 3700


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Decided to try a little fly today. I've only taken a few strokes since early August and it has felt very discombobulated. These didn't feel too bad, and hopefully my shoulder won't bark at me. Should probably hit the gym tomorrow. I'm going to lay off any overhead work bc I think that may have been what caused the pain in my left shoulder.

Haven't done much the last four days exercise wise. I got in a workout at Sewy last Friday night. Did about 3000 with some sprinty stuff. The weekend consisted of getting ready for a big holiday party, having fun at the party and recovering from the party. Today, I journeyed to Sewy. There were a lot of very pissed adults. Half the pool was closed down for 50+ kids at 1:00 instead of the usual 3:00 and it was crowded. Nothing posted on the doors or online. And the temperature seemed even warmer than usual. Trying to do holiday workouts here in Pitt is torture. Mr. Fort and I have decided that we're going somewhere warm between xmas and new years next year.

Warm up:

550 various
100 scull
150 fly drills
4 x 25 shooters w/fins
50 EZ

Main sets:

8 x 25 burst SDK + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

3 rounds:
10 x (25 @ 100 pace @ :40 (2 kick, 1 breast) + 100 EZ)

With people hovering for lanes, stopping was not a good idea, so I reverted to:

3 x (500 backstroke kick w/fins @ threshold + 100 EZ)
-- wanted to be under 6:00
- went 5:50, 5:48, 5:54

Total: 4100


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At least I did some calorie burning ...

Tuesday: Swim/SCY @ Sewy w/Jim

Warm up:

700 various

Main sets:

16 x 25 power kick to 15m then cruise @ :45
100 EZ

6 x 100 backstroke kick w/fins @ 2:00
1 = cruise
2 = fast last 25
3 = last 50 @ 200 pace
4 = cruise
5 = all fast (53 high)
6 = EZ

5 x 100
-- done as 75 smooth @ 1:15 + 25 fast @ :45
100 EZ

10 x 50 @ 1:00
odds= fast @ 100 pace
evens = EZ
100 EZ

Total: 3000


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was my last swim for a couple days. I'm going to try to hit the gym today. Merry Christmas everyone!


Wednesday quickie drylands:

rehab ex
good mornings, 85 x 4 x 5
deadlifts, 85 x 4 x 5
seated row, 70 x 4 x 8
explosive leg press, 105 x 3 x 15
rear delt fly, 65 x 3 x 12
hip abductors, 110 x 3 x 5
kneeling ab crunches, 150 x 3 x 8
straight arm dips, 75 x 3 x 25

Swim/SCY/Solo @ Sewy

Warmup:

500 various
100 scull
10 x 25 shooters w/fsin @;45
100 EZ

Main Sets:

Did a little speed work to not get rusty:

6 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00
100 EZ

4 x (25 AFAP + 50 EZ) @ 2:00
100 EZ

1 x 50 AFAP + 150 EZ

Texas A & M kick set:
3 rounds: (college kids did 5)
1 x 75 kick @ 1:50
1 x 100 kick @ 1:50
1 x 125 kick @ 1:50, make it
100 EZ
-- I did all backstroke kick, Made the 125s by about 8 seconds

extra 100 EZ

5 x 50 backstroke kick w/fins, UW 15 m each length @ 1:00
100 EZ

Total: 3450


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be very happy when Pitt re-opens. I've been scrapping along the bottom on all my UW work. And yesterday the pool was very warm. Off to have a swim with Jimby!