General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Upping swim intensity...how? Rss Feed  
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2013-12-17 7:49 AM

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Subject: Upping swim intensity...how?
This may seem like a lame question but I hate higher intensity swim, but I'd like advice on how to do exactly that.

I do masters 3x week and am in a 2min/100m lane. I tend to swim towards the back because I really hate the pressure that I feel with someone in my toes, although I am easily faster than a few. I also hate to push myself too hard, I don't like the feeling of anxiety and racing heart. I start to feel like I am failing. Yet I can push thru a tough run or a hot hilly bike. I don't get my hold out on swim. It's the same stress I felt in high school...the overwhelming pressure to perform for the team. I need to figure out how to shake the feeling of desperation.

Can someone please advise me as to how to get over this? I can swim faster short distances...long distances I find myself steadily slowing.

In my first two sprints this year, I did finish the swim near the FOP.


2013-12-17 8:00 AM
in reply to: dace

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?

I don't like that feeling of someone being behind either. I'll try to get in a reasonable spot. It won't be perfect every time, but just deal with it. Swimmers I'm with have been good about that. We'll just switch spots if one keeps catching up to another. Focus more on going after the person in front and/or in the next lane. Have your sights on something to go after rather than something to avoid.

2013-12-17 8:02 AM
in reply to: brigby1

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?

Originally posted by brigby1

I don't like that feeling of someone being behind either. I'll try to get in a reasonable spot. It won't be perfect every time, but just deal with it. Swimmers I'm with have been good about that. We'll just switch spots if one keeps catching up to another. Focus more on going after the person in front and/or in the next lane. Have your sights on something to go after rather than something to avoid.

Exactly what I was going to suggest.

2013-12-17 8:28 AM
in reply to: axteraa

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
In my masters workouts there's a young lady that likes it when I'm in the lane next to hers, she says she likes to pace off of me. She knows that if she keeps up, she's working pretty hard. Now of course the table has turned and I struggle with keeping up with her.
2013-12-17 9:04 AM
in reply to: reecealan

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Perhaps one swim per week you could avoid Masters and find some pool time that would allow for more 'freedom', less folks in the lanes. You can focus on you then. Do a nice interval, high intensity swim workout with no fears at all. Have the Master's coach/lead provide a workout on paper for you or something. Just my 2 cents.
2013-12-17 9:38 AM
in reply to: #4914334

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Thanks folks, good suggestions. I especially like the advice to focus on catching who is in front of me rather than avoiding those behind me. I know it is all mental! Maybe just that simple switch in mindset will help me.


2013-12-17 9:49 AM
in reply to: dace

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?

I can use the clock to make me go faster.

When I am in okay swim shape, I rest up to 2:00.

As my swimming improves, I have gotten to resting to 1:50

And just mix in to every swim. trying to swim a 1:30.

2013-12-17 11:15 AM
in reply to: 0

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Master
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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
X2 on maybe doing a workout each week without the team. Try to hit challenging times for the swim and/or the rest interval. I almost never train with anyone, outside of a few weeks a year in the US, and I can get to that "clinging to the edge and gasping" feeling almost every time! Often prefer that to swimming with a group. My endurance is much better than my sprint speed, so at master's, it's inevitable that on a long set, I'll start out struggling to keep up in my lane (usually the second fastest of a not very high-powered group; the ex-collegiate fish are miles ahead in the next lane), and eventually be tapping toes and lapping people by the end. It's much easier to keep a steady, challenging pace for long stuff if swimming solo.

It also helps to change up the order of people within the lane. For example, everyone knows that my strengths are distance, kick, and pull, so I usually lead those. If it's sprints or stroke, particularly breaststroke, I'll tuck into the back. You probably shouldn't be going in the same order for every set.

Edited by Hot Runner 2013-12-17 11:16 AM
2013-12-17 11:49 AM
in reply to: dace

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
If it's the people behind you that are causing the stress a good option might be to move up a lane and swim in the back. That lane will likely be a bit faster than is comfortable and trying to keep pace with them will push up the intensity of your workout without the additional stress of having swimmers behind you.
2013-12-19 4:54 AM
in reply to: Gitterdone

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Originally posted by Gitterdone

Do a nice interval, high intensity swim workout with no fears at all.

Interval work is the best way to build endurance. Try 10 x 50 with 10 seconds rest after each. From there you can slowly build up the reps or the distance (or both!) and you'll feel your endurance getting better.

Also, I definitely agree with the others on here about taking one workout a week by yourself. Although I enjoy the competitive nature of a group practice, I always get annoyed if someone is on my feet. Don't stress yourself out so much with the masters workouts. There is no sense in doing them if you aren't enjoying it somewhat!
2013-12-19 4:10 PM
in reply to: Dunn Right

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
This may not help with your feeling in the pool, but doing 15 minutes of tubing work 3x a week has been helping me lately. I would agree with taking one day to just have fun swimming.


2013-12-19 11:43 PM
in reply to: Gitterdone

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Main set of 60 x 25 like this

20 @ 45 extra 30 sec rest
20 @ 40 extra 30 sec rest
10 @ 35 extra 30 sec rest
10 @ 35

Bring a bucket to store your puke.... if you dont come close you are not going hard enough. The last 2 or 3 of the 3 and forth rounds should be at near vommit effort.
2013-12-20 2:52 AM
in reply to: simpsonbo

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Originally posted by simpsonboMain set of 60 x 25 like this20 @ 45 extra 30 sec rest20 @ 40 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35Bring a bucket to store your puke.... if you dont come close you are not going hard enough. The last 2 or 3 of the 3 and forth rounds should be at near vommit effort.
Can you explain this to an old fart, please? What do you mean by extra 30 sec rest? Is it just at the end of each set of 20 / 10? Thanks.
2013-12-20 6:53 AM
in reply to: triosaurus

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Mind games: See the person in front as chocolate, Chateauneuf du Pape, or anything else that motivates you. Tell yourself, "I'll just push myself this 100." and repeat each 100. Try swimming with paddles for a bit but keep up the same cadence.
2013-12-20 7:49 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?

Originally posted by triosaurus
Originally posted by simpsonboMain set of 60 x 25 like this20 @ 45 extra 30 sec rest20 @ 40 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35Bring a bucket to store your puke.... if you dont come close you are not going hard enough. The last 2 or 3 of the 3 and forth rounds should be at near vommit effort.
Can you explain this to an old fart, please? What do you mean by extra 30 sec rest? Is it just at the end of each set of 20 / 10? Thanks.

Yes, an extra 30 seconds at each of those points. Otherwise it's the # of reps @ send-off interval. Set 1: 20 x 25 leaving every 45 sec. Rest an extra 30 sec. Set 2: 20 x 25 leaving every 40 sec. Rest an extra 30 sec. Etc.



Edited by brigby1 2013-12-20 7:49 AM
2013-12-20 11:29 PM
in reply to: brigby1

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Originally posted by brigby1

Originally posted by triosaurus
Originally posted by simpsonboMain set of 60 x 25 like this20 @ 45 extra 30 sec rest20 @ 40 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35 extra 30 sec rest10 @ 35Bring a bucket to store your puke.... if you dont come close you are not going hard enough. The last 2 or 3 of the 3 and forth rounds should be at near vommit effort.
Can you explain this to an old fart, please? What do you mean by extra 30 sec rest? Is it just at the end of each set of 20 / 10? Thanks.

Yes, an extra 30 seconds at each of those points. Otherwise it's the # of reps @ send-off interval. Set 1: 20 x 25 leaving every 45 sec. Rest an extra 30 sec. Set 2: 20 x 25 leaving every 40 sec. Rest an extra 30 sec. Etc.

Thanks for the confirmation.


2013-12-21 3:22 AM
in reply to: dace

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?

You've gotten lots of good suggestions and good luck. Probably from overtraining in swimming to the point of occasional (mental) trauma as a teen (not an unusual experience among competitive athletes, unfortunately), I really dread that horrendous I'm-gonna-die feeling (we won't, but it feels that way) ... I actually feel like I have to take a big dump and pee and puke all at the same time and may not be able to control it!

What's helped me is (another focus on the positive instead of the negative type of approach) to focus on FORM rather than pure effort/survival when it gets really tough. It takes my mind off the awful and on something I CAN do or want to try to do. Focusing on breathing and swimming from the core seems to help me particularly.

Another thing I do is to mentally focus on the purpose of the set/repeat. This may not always be possible in Masters, but usually if you ask the coach (maybe after when there's more time) you can start getting a good idea of why you're doing XYZ (that's causing you pain!) and embrace the purpose as a means to getting the result you want.

Finally, if for some reason I'm stuck in a set that has both intense and quite a few reps, I focus on a different aspect of form each rep or every few reps. It beats just beating my arms against the clock

2013-12-29 5:21 AM
in reply to: simpsonbo

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Originally posted by simpsonbo

Main set of 60 x 25 like this

20 @ 45 extra 30 sec rest
20 @ 40 extra 30 sec rest
10 @ 35 extra 30 sec rest
10 @ 35

Bring a bucket to store your puke.... if you dont come close you are not going hard enough. The last 2 or 3 of the 3 and forth rounds should be at near vommit effort.


I have been in a rut at the pool with swimming the same basic sets over the past months and also feel like I have not been progressing. I thought the 60 x 25 set would be good to try at my next pool session. I have been doing these for a week now. After a warm-up of 200 freestyle, 200 breast-stroke and 200 pull; I started this set.

The first set (20@45) seems very slow but it allows me time to concentrate on form and bi-lateral breathing.
The second set (20@40) also seems slow but I start to feel winded near the end.
I am doing the final set (20@35) with only breathing to one side.

I like the grouping and plan to continue the main set for a month. Then I will cut 5 seconds from each or go to 50 yard intervals. Is time shortening or longer distance a better approach?

Bill
2013-12-29 9:51 AM
in reply to: flalamb

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Subject: RE: Upping swim intensity...how?
Shorten the send off times. I do them on :25.
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