0 to 1650

I don't feel qualified to comment on the plan, but I'll tell you this.  You'll hear it here a million times but it's technique, technique, technique.  I did a fair amount of swimming over the last year and got marginally faster.  From 3:00/100M to 2:30/100M.  The last 3 months I have made about 4-5 technique changes to my stroke and dropped that to 2:00/100M and I'm still getting faster as I've only done two swims with my latest improvement.  It is RIDICULOUS what a difference the right technique can make compared to just logging lap after lap after lap.  Read, watch videos, hire a coach, attend a class, whatever you have to do improve your technique before/while spending your time doing laps.

I did the program, and it works. Your technique might still suck, I know mine does, but I also know I can swim a mile. I was in the same boat as you, not being able to swim more than 40 meters without being exhausted.

From your logs it looks like you are trying to do each set within a certain amount of time. I'd suggest not worrying about that until your distance is a little higher. It sounds like you are almost at a sprint pace (please correct if I read things wrong), and might be hard to build distance and focus on technique if you are gasping for air.

Edited by danielle860 2006-12-13 1:28 PM

Yeah you are right. I am swimming these reps as quickly as I can and usually by the last two repeats I struggle through the last 25yds. Would you reccomend doing these repeats at a slower pace (like 2min per 75 yds) or not even worry about the pace clock?? THanks

Richard

Id also add that, one of my friends who teaches swimming classes at the local YMCA tells me that my stroke looks good when she watches. THe only thing is that she only sees me swim like 25 yds at a time, while everything seems to go fine but once I get over 50yds or later in a workout everything is more labored and I struggle to keep "good" form. Also I thought that if I did this six week program it would at least give me the stamina for when I complete the program that I would be able to focus more on technique since I would have the stamina.


Does this make sense????

thanks

I cannot vouch for the program, but as a former lifeguard/instructor, I usually tell people to slow down and work on a nice, easy, effortless stroke. (Think of taking a walk in the park...)

You don't start training for a 5K by running 50-yard wind-sprints (do you?), so why would you try that in the pool?

Ditto.

The idea is to do shorter swims at a slow/moderate pace with short rests, as opposed to sprints with longer rests. as you progress you will be able to string together the longer swims into a non-stop 800m/1500m swim without any problem. One of Gale Bernhardt's programs for Oly distance has no individual repeats longer than 100 yards at a time, even the longest session before the race.

The key is pacing.

Of course you need to have good technique first. Sure you can learn to swim a mile with horrible technique, I see the "old folks" at the Jewish Community Center do it all the time and I'm amazed at their stamina. Part of me wants to give them pointers, but another part of me recognizes that they are probalby getting a better "full body workout" than I am!

Anyway, the point is that minor improvements in technique can enable you to swim much further without any significant improvement in fitness.

Try deliberately slowing down your 25 yd pace by 2-3 seconds and then seeing how that 2nd 25 goes...you should be able to keep yoru form longer that way.

hey you can not be as bad as me. 56 min for my first .5 miles. 5 weeks later and I brought that down to 32 miles. 5 months later is down to 24 mins and I am not even tired. I could barely do .5 mile and now I can do 2.4 miles.

ONe thing I learnt is slow down take your time and you can go alot farther than you think you can. people always start out too fast. Your better off starting slow and get faster as you get used to it or your feel you can. For on your form it is huge difference.

Sounds like this plan might be worth a shot. I'll start on it next week and see how it goes.

It is very reasonable.  One thing that you'll find with swimming, is getting started is a struggle.  But once things fall into place, you'll find that distance comes quickly (not speed).  Your ability to just keep going comes on and you can sustain your distance easier.  Eventually your form falls apart and you might get bored but you can do it.

I used it when I first started swimming. As stated before, it doesn't do a thing for from or speed, but it does get you to a mile, which is a huge confidence builder.

Not the one who originally gave the advice to slow down a bit. But I would recommend the same. For base building and technique work, just take some of the swims slower and not try to finish in a defined time period. Focus on swimming with good strong form and proper breathing technique. I wouldn't ignore the time clock but just take X number of seconds of rest after you finish the distance. Like 4X50 with :10R after each 50. Or 4X100 with :10R after each 100.

There are a place for sprints or timed swims in workouts but IMO for base building, really focus on form and just keep the swim moving (no 3 minute breaks at the walls).

Is 1650yds really considered a "swimmers mile"? This may seem silly, but if I train to swim 1.2 or 2.4 miles what distance is that really?

This just seems a bit odd to me. The straight math says that 1760yds is a mile, so why the difference?

When you are swimming your first Olympic distance triathlon, an extra 100 yards won't matter.

If you are swimming consistently and your technique is not awful, it may just be a mental game. Swimming is boring, there is no way around it, esp if you are doing it by yourself and not with a group. The plan should work but you may not have to even go that crazy, just increase a little more each time but make your total for the day 1650. Kind of confused by that, heres what I mean.

Make sure that the total that you swim is 1650. So the first week it may take 16 sets of 100yds and a 50 just to finish. The next week maybe it will take 4 sets of 200 and 8 sets of 100, and so on until you increase to one set of 1650.

Just my opinion, and advice.

I started where you were and was told over and over that it was all about technique.  first i learned the proper body position then worked on bnreathing rythm.  Then i did drills.  25 m catchup.  rest.  25 m zipper.  rest  repeat over and over again.  make sure to rest after each length if you are tired.  try to swim slower and just think about the drill.  last night I swam 4000m continuos and I did it again tonight.  Just try and swim slower but more efficently and you'll endup swimming effortlessly and you can boost that with speed later.

I am not a life guard, never was , but learned to start this way or at least try to build toward a slow smooth stroke. Then started to build speed a little while getting to the pool as much as possible

That plan looks fine but I will second (or third or fourth...) the people who say that technique is the main thing in swimming.

Get some lessons and you'll be amazed at what improvements you'll make.

When I was swimming my but of in my teens all major PBs usually came after an adjustment to technique.

Good luck with it.