View RSS Feed

The FAF AFAP Digest

Launching Taper Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 30

Rate this Entry
8 Comments
by
USMS MemberThe Fortress
, January 30th, 2009 at 06:08 PM (1734 Views)
SCY, solo:

Warm up:

700 variety swim-kick

Fly Work:

20 x 25 UW shooters
4 belly, 4 left, 4 right, 4 back, 4 fly spin drill
(When I was doing these on my side, I noticed that all the lap swimmers were swimming uphill and barely kicking.)
(Going to keep doing these regularly through taper, as they're fun and easy.)

5 x 100 single arm fly drill @ 1:45

10 x 50 dolphin kick @ 1:00
5 w/ board, 5 on back

Tried to do an AFAP 100 kick with my MF, as Val got me wondering what I could do. But I was sharing a lane at this point. I tried twice, but I was two paranoid about hitting my lane mate and went under the lane line somewhat and aborted the effort after a 25.

So it was really, 4 x 25 w/ MF, alternate AFAP, EZ

50 EZ

15 x 25 easy speed-fast fly + easy 25 DAB
(fly felt good, better as I went along actually)
(no interval, I timed my push off for when my lanemate was coming into the wall)

50 EZ

Speed work:

5 x (4 x 50) @ 1:00
#1 easy swim
#2 backstroke kick
#3 backstroke swim
#4 backstroke kick
#5 50 back @ 100 pace, about 90% (went 26.5-27ish with fins)

100 EZ

4 x 25 AFAP free + 25 EZ

100 EZ

Total: 4500

Did a bit more yardage than I intended, but much of it was easy to medium paced swimming as I transition into taper mode. Feels a bit weird doing that much medium paced work. Felt good in the water today for the first time in awhile.

Went to the gym -- did 35 minutes of weights and core. Decreased the amount of weight.


Taper:

After engaging in my usual penchant of asking questions (Ande) when I'm mulling something over, I've decided to generally follow the Chris/Tall Paul/Ande taper plan.

Week 1: I will drop the yardage slightly, maybe do around 3200-3400 (more than Ande's recommended amount, but I don't have his base). I'll do only really fast swimming (25s, 50s) and some gentle pace work. No hard aerobic/lactate work at all. This will be qualitatively different than what I have done in the past on week 1. Previously, as I recall, I've cut yardage more and done more speed work. Now, I'm planning on more/slower yardage and less speed work. I'm banking on the speed work and lactate work I've done for months.

Week 2: Gradually drop down to 1000 with even less speed work.

Weights: I'm going to lift tonight, only upper body and not as heavy. I'll probably lift very lightly a couple times next week (definitely on Sunday with my daughter, who I'm trying to get to do some light weights for her own shoulder health). If I don't lift at all for 2 weeks, I'm worried my shoulder will feel it. Plus, I'm just not convinced that women need to cut weights as soon as men as I said on the "Drop Dead Taper" thread. Could be wrong about this. But I feel I'm cutting back enough by lifting lightly. I won't lift on week 2, except perhaps doing RC exercises with my 3 pound weights.




_______________________________________

Submit "Launching Taper Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 30" to Digg Submit "Launching Taper Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 30" to del.icio.us Submit "Launching Taper Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 30" to StumbleUpon Submit "Launching Taper Tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 30" to Google

Updated February 10th, 2009 at 10:23 AM by The Fortress

Categories
Swim Workouts , Strength Training and Dryland Workouts

Comments

  1. qbrain's Avatar
    So.... starting tomorrow we get to hear about how much you just want to go for a run

    You are very consistent on the "weights and core" now. Not sure if it is the shorter time, or that all your commenters are watching you now, but good job.
  2. qbrain's Avatar
    Sorry, I totally left off the possibility that you have a new found love of lifting.
  3. The Fortress's Avatar
    Hahaha. I don't mind it as much in the shorter bouts. But, that said, I don't think I'll cry when I abstain for a bit. Now, the run ... yes, the moment it's sunny and above 40 degrees, I'll be pining. Especially during week 2 of taper. I hate week 2 the most. But, since I only do 2 two week tapers per year, I guess I shouldn't complain.

    Blogs are pretty fish bowl-ish. I don't mind that though, as I think the input from others is pretty invaluable.
  4. SwimStud's Avatar
    Les...try to stretch that urge for a run out of your system.
    Does Mini fort do the RC stretch: one arm out from the body sideways, hand on the wall shoulder height, elbow bent about 50degs push elbow forward slowly while holding the shoulder back?
  5. The Fortress's Avatar
    Hmmm ... I've never heard of the stretch, Rich. But, generally, I don't like doing any stretches at all on the shoulders. Mini-Fort, like me, has loosey goosey tendons that are made worse by those nasty hormones.

    Yes, I'm going to try to stretch a lot the next two weeks. Doing that in a bit, in fact.
  6. jim thornton's Avatar
    Leslie, forgive my shocking ignorance here, but what exactly are we tapering for? Another whack at the records in a SCM venue? Surely Colony Zones is not that imminent, is it?
  7. The Fortress's Avatar
    hahaha, Jim, you sporadic blog reader ...

    I'm tapering for the Auburn meet. It's SCY. I don't feel compelled to follow any normal "season" or only taper in the spring. I train consistently and feel I can taper whenever I want. I've decided not to do a full taper and make Colonies Zones my focus meet. I always swim a lot of relays at the meet, which can effect individual performance. Plus, I will be on vacation a couple weeks before that meet and that will throw off my training. So I'll just do a mini taper and have fun at that meet. CZ = 3rd week of April.
  8. The Fortress's Avatar
    Oh, as for SCM, I dunno ... almost no meets in our area. The Albatross Meet, which I may go to, is the same weekend as JOs. So I'm not sure how long I could stay ... It's a bummer. I prefer SCM to SCY.