The FAF AFAP Digest

Freestyler Invaded My Body Tonight, Tuesday, June 30

Rate this Entry

6 Comments

, June 30th, 2009 at 10:28 PM (1140 Views)

Drove out to Mason for freestyle night. I usually succeed in avoiding Tuesday practice. But have been attempting to get more LC practices in, so there I was. Rather than wimp out and do backstroke, I bucked up and did the main set all freestyle. To my shock, this was probably one of my best freestyle practices ever. I started out briskly, and, to my astonishment, didn't die. Perhaps because I didn't lift weights this am?

Warm up:

400 swim
4 x 50 kick
200 IM drill

(I missed drylands -- bicycles, planks, and crunches -- and a 200 pull.)

Main set:

3 x through:

1 x 300 free @ 4:30
1 x 200 free @ 3:00
1 x 100 free @ 1:30
extra 30 seconds rest

#1 & 2 = swim, fins optional
#3 = pull

I used fins, as I always do on freestyle sets. No pulling for me. I find freestyle confusing and difficult when I'm doing anything other than an AFAP 50. Lately, I've tried switching to a loping freestyle, breathing every stroke to the left. This tends to correct my over-reaching/crossing over issue with my left arm somewhat. I've also been concentrating on kicking. Went around 3:52-55s on the 300s, around 2:32ish on the 200s (Can't remember times on the 300s and 200s precisely; I was concentrating on beating fast boys with big paddles/fins and got much more rest than I thought I would.) and 1:13, 1:13, 1:11 on the 100s. This is fast for me LC.

100 EZ

Speed set:

200 stroke (drill, scull, drill, swim)(I used all the 200s as recovery)
2 x 50 stroke fast @ 1:30
(did backstroke w/fins, went 30-31s)
(cramped on this, hadn't done that in awhile ...)
200 stroke (drill, scull, drill, swim)
2 x 50 kick fast @ 1:30
200 stroke (drill, scull, drill, swim)
2 x 50 stroke fast w/fins
(did 28 on fly & 30 on back)

100 EZ

Total: 3600 meters

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

Feeling very at the moment. I won't swim tomorrow; I'll try to bike and lift, if I have time for both. I've found I can't have a very productive swim practice the afternoon after a hard LC practice at night. Now, I'm off to eat more food and ice my shoulder.

Updated June 30th, 2009 at 10:42 PM by The Fortress

Categories: Swim Workouts

« Monday, June 29 Main Wednesday, July 1 »

Comments

Crazyman - July 1st, 2009 05:50 PM
Hi Fort, i'm still reading your blog and enjoy it. My q: do you take any supplements? I think this is very important part for swimmers especially when we are aging...
The Fortress - July 1st, 2009 06:43 PM
Originally Posted by Crazyman

Hi Fort, i'm still reading your blog and enjoy it. My q: do you take any supplements? I think this is very important part for swimmers especially when we are aging...

Thanks Crazy. Not really. I do take 3 vitamins: flax seed oil (for dry eye), omega 3, and a time released vitamin B in the am.

I talked to my ART doc about this the other day. He seems to think that, as we age, we need as much vitamin/nutrition as we can get. Not sure I'm getting everything.

What do you take and/or think is important?
Crazyman - July 2nd, 2009 12:32 PM
I would suggest to check for Spirulina. Good stuff, and it helps to recover muscles faster.
Look for Glutamine powder, AAKG, Tribulis.
You work out hard (gym, swim, run) You need more than vitamins, vitamins are anyway in the food you eat.As i see, you eat good, so most of good stuff you get anyway. I took those stuff mentioned above while hard training season, it was helpful, my muscles recovered much faster. With the age, we need more time of recovery, and those stuff minimze timing of recovery in order to keep hard training for 5-6 days a week.
The Fortress - July 2nd, 2009 02:09 PM
Originally Posted by Crazyman

I would suggest to check for Spirulina. Good stuff, and it helps to recover muscles faster.
Look for Glutamine powder, AAKG, Tribulis.
You work out hard (gym, swim, run) You need more than vitamins, vitamins are anyway in the food you eat.As i see, you eat good, so most of good stuff you get anyway. I took those stuff mentioned above while hard training season, it was helpful, my muscles recovered much faster. With the age, we need more time of recovery, and those stuff minimze timing of recovery in order to keep hard training for 5-6 days a week.

Thanks Crazy. Yeah, I'm not sure I'm doing enough and seem to struggle with recovery.

Never heard of any of those supplements except L-Glutamine. Will have to google! Found this on spirulina: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirulina-000327.htm. How does one ingest it exactly?

Updated July 2nd, 2009 at 02:15 PM by The Fortress
Crazyman - July 2nd, 2009 03:04 PM
I took 5 tablets of spirulina after practice. You can decide eventualy after gym or swim.
"I have consumed spirulina for more than twenty years in powder, capsule and tablet form. My favourite method involves adding 10 grams of Hawaiian spirulina pacifica to my post-workout protein shake, where it is mixed into a slurry in a blender with fresh raw bee pollen and whey protein isolate (among other things such as organic fruit, The Sport Oil, creatine, etc…). I also use a green mix which includes spirulina and chlorella. First time users should start out with 500-1000mg and build up gradually. It’s one of Nature’s most potent super foods, so ease into it just like exercise. Spirulina can be taken before exercise, between meals or combined with other foods. Get creative." http://www.coryholly.com/articles/article.cfm?id=21
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_s...efore_work_out
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/spirulina.html
The Fortress - July 2nd, 2009 06:02 PM
Originally Posted by Crazyman

I took 5 tablets of spirulina after practice. You can decide eventualy after gym or swim.
"I have consumed spirulina for more than twenty years in powder, capsule and tablet form. My favourite method involves adding 10 grams of Hawaiian spirulina pacifica to my post-workout protein shake, where it is mixed into a slurry in a blender with fresh raw bee pollen and whey protein isolate (among other things such as organic fruit, The Sport Oil, creatine, etc…). I also use a green mix which includes spirulina and chlorella. First time users should start out with 500-1000mg and build up gradually. It’s one of Nature’s most potent super foods, so ease into it just like exercise. Spirulina can be taken before exercise, between meals or combined with other foods. Get creative." http://www.coryholly.com/articles/article.cfm?id=21
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_s...efore_work_out
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/spirulina.html

Thanks Vlad. I am apparently a true novice at nutrition. Cross Fit seems to like spirulina too. http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/GlycemicNov02.pdf

I'm assuming one can find it at Whole Foods. I may try it and see if I notice a difference.