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Elise's Fitness Fun

Maintenance Swimming

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9 Comments
by
USMS Memberelise526
, March 26th, 2009 at 09:07 PM (1073 Views)
Have been a little light on the swimming this week. It has been hard to hit the indoor pool with the wonderful weather we have been having. The pool where I swim is 40 years old - I like to call it "The Dungeon." In another two months, I guess I can hit the outdoor pool where we belong.

Warm-up: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull

7 x 100 back on 2:00 - focus on quicksilver stroke technique

6 x 50 hard on 1:15 - odds are fly and evens are free

300 kick with fins - 100 kick on back, 100 kick on side, 100 kick on front

8 x 25 - hard on :45 - alternate 2 x 25 fly with 2 x 25 free

4 x 25 - 12.5 all out, 12.5 easy (Do 2 free and 2 fly)

100 easy

Total yards: 2000

Immediately followed by a 3.7 mile easy run which was done in 34:43.

Thoughts:

1. Interesting how one basic technique change in your stroke can make all the difference. I've been focusing on what quicksilver said about keeping the shoulder "high and dry" on backstroke. I feel like my rotation is so much better and that I am "swimming downhill" now. Kind of excited about swimming backstroke again and can't wait to try it out at a meet.

2. I wonder if SDK is for everybody. I noticed in the Olympics that Dara did not make much use of it on her 100 free. You could really see the difference between her style and Natalie C. who really took advantage of it. I've tried doing it on my 50 fly in prior years (back in 2001) and I didn't see an advantage. I don't have good flexibility in my lower back, so maybe I'm not getting as much out of my kick as others would.

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Comments

  1. The Fortress's Avatar
    Yep, think you need a lot of flexibility to really excel at the SDK.

    When is your next meet?
  2. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    Yep, think you need a lot of flexibility to really excel at the SDK.

    When is your next meet?
    I'm thinking it will be the Athens (Georgia) meet in early June. IMO that pool is even better than Auburn's.

    Seems the SDK on my back during backstroke events works wonders, but it doesn't seem to help a ton on my fly or free. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong or if it is a flexibility issue.

    I wonder why Dara doesn't make more use out of it.
  3. jim thornton's Avatar
    When I interviewed Dara, I asked her about it. She said that she and her coach tried it, but it just never worked for her. She also told me she breathes almost every stroke on 50s! It might be the case of an older dog having trouble learning new tricks, or maybe just that she is in such total mastery of her "old school" stroke that tinkering with it at this point isn't helpful. She did say that she had to learn to keep her head down, another major change in philosophy from the days when she started swimming.

    I have been adding a single SDK off the walls when I do slow practices on my own. I started by doing sets of slow 50s with this. It took quite a while, but it is finally starting to feel normal to me. I have used it in dinky meets and may try it in the 50 and 100 at CZ. Not sure if I can keep it up for a whole 200.
  4. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by elise526
    I'm thinking it will be the Athens (Georgia) meet in early June. IMO that pool is even better than Auburn's.

    Seems the SDK on my back during backstroke events works wonders, but it doesn't seem to help a ton on my fly or free. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong or if it is a flexibility issue.

    I wonder why Dara doesn't make more use out of it.
    Lucky you with the fast pools!

    I've read that masters are better SDK-ing on their backs. Can't remember the physiological reason.

    Aside from what Jim said about Dara, I think it's not quite as useful for free because freestyle above the water (unlike fly and back for some) is usually faster than SDKs.
    Updated March 27th, 2009 at 12:57 PM by elise526
  5. quicksilver's Avatar
    With your stature and lean build...backstroke should be a perfect fit.
    Hope you do well.

    I'm working on getting better at it myself. I was very good at it in a past life.
  6. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by jim thornton
    When I interviewed Dara, I asked her about it. She said that she and her coach tried it, but it just never worked for her. She also told me she breathes almost every stroke on 50s! It might be the case of an older dog having trouble learning new tricks, or maybe just that she is in such total mastery of her "old school" stroke that tinkering with it at this point isn't helpful. She did say that she had to learn to keep her head down, another major change in philosophy from the days when she started swimming.

    I have been adding a single SDK off the walls when I do slow practices on my own. I started by doing sets of slow 50s with this. It took quite a while, but it is finally starting to feel normal to me. I have used it in dinky meets and may try it in the 50 and 100 at CZ. Not sure if I can keep it up for a whole 200.
    It makes me feel better that Dara tried it and decided it was a no go for her.
  7. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    Lucky you with the fast pools!

    I've read that masters are better SDK-ing on their backs. Can't remember the physiological reason.

    Aside from what Jim said about Dara, I think it's not quite as useful for free because freestyle above the water (unlike fly and back for some) is usually faster than SDKs.
    Makes sense about the freestyle. Interesting about the masters - wonder if has something to do with the spine.

    If you are wondering why it says I edited your comment, I accidently hit "edit" on your comment instead of "quote." Nothing was actually changed.
  8. elise526's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by quicksilver
    With your stature and lean build...backstroke should be a perfect fit.
    Hope you do well.

    I'm working on getting better at it myself. I was very good at it in a past life.
    Thanks, quicksilver! It appears that you are quite good at backstroke in this life!!
  9. quicksilver's Avatar
    Thank you.
    Starting over has been fun, and a humbling experience.

    It's taken a while to erase the 'record board' in my head.
    Something all masters swimmers seem to do during their rediscovery of the pool.