guncollector's group -- FULL! (Page 10)

Welcome to the group, Jules! 

We had a fantastically warm weekend, but are back to sub zero temps and freezing fog, so back to the gym tonight. It always amazes me when parents can get that heated about children's games. Unsportsmanlike comments with 7 year olds? Just let 'em skate about, for the love of Pete LOL.

Hmmmm, I wonder if we can get that here... 

Hey Scott,

I just checked out you logs, IMHO, you need to break up doing just 400x4, that would drive me crazy! I too have a mentally hard time putting in laps in a pool, even more so once I start OWS. I find that if I break things up and follow a plan or make some up myself I have a better swim.  During the summer I started swimming using the A or B sets in the Workouts in a Binder: Swim Workouts for Triathletes, and that helped me a lot.

I worked with my Swim Coach, Lorine, at my athletic club pool today.  It was one of those Good News, Bad News days.  Good News is I'm a stronger and fitter swimmer than our last one-on-one (maybe 6 months ago).  Bad News, is I still suffer from the same maladies (though presumably not to the same extent) as before...missing "the Catch", dropping elbows, crossing the centerline.  Sheesh...sometimes I really hate swimming!

Anyway, the point of my post is, it reminds me of a great article by ST's Dan Empfield entitled "The High Cost of Good Form".  Mentees, this article is now mandatory reading.  You will be quizzed.

You see, for me (and I hope others...either that or I'm just a lost cause in water), holding "good form" requires a sustained, extra effort, both physically and mentally.  When concentrating hard on holding this "good form", I freely admit to being limited to about 50m-100m at a time--before faltering back to my...let's just call it "not-necessarily good form" (NNGF^tm)!  What's frustrating is I can hold the NNGF for an long time.  But, I know in my heart of hearts, that to improve I need to pursure "good form".  Damn!

The article is good reminder that the pursuit of good form does not necessarily entail a "linear" progression.  There are ups-and-downs, and yes, even sideways progress. 

The important thing is to recognize the need to pursue both good form and volume in our training--all the while realizing often (though not always)--good form and volume--are mutually exclusive for us mere mortal AG'ers!  Here I quote Dan:

"...So, back to the question. Do you swim only what you can while holding good form? Or do you swim the proscribed yardage, even if your technique falters? Any triathlete, and any triathlon coach, and any single sport coach, has experienced these quandaries, and heard the accompanying questions from his or her disciples. The answer in practice is, you do everything. You swim with proper technique. And you swim the proscribed yardage, even if you can’t do it with proper technique. And you swim it as fast as you conceivably can. You do all this even if you can’t really do any of it perfectly. Eventually things work themselves out...."

I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming... 

I believe that is the key to fast swimming, having good form and having the strength to maintain that good form up until the finish. At my masters swim I am a  mop swimmer and am blown away by the others that have paid their dues swimming in college. It is night and day difference between them and me. They make even practice interval sets look effortless.

   I go for my 1 on 1 tune up next week, I have been seeking coaching an all four swim strokes.

I have found some bliss in my swim form lately I starting using Finis freestyle paddles last Sept for a bit then again this month. It has totally taught me proper stroke form from the catch, pull to follow-through, because if you don't it's hard to swim with them. Since I'm only getting back into swimming I've been doing sets of PB & Paddles then PB only then Free, repeat. By the end I'm still swimming good and am building great muscle memory.  IMHO, they are a great tool to build the proper technique.  A friend told me to start using them and lent them to me.  He became a faster swimmer than I and was wondering how!

Good call, Don.  You know, originally I was kind of "anti" swim aid/toys--as a result of being too T/I indoctrinated, I think. 

But, last few months, I've revised my approach and have been using paddles as an aid to formulating proper entry & catch.  Our club paddles aren't quite that fancy, but I do believe they serve similar purpose.

Awww! How did he do?

Happy Friday, everyone  

Pollywog, glad you had a good time :lol:

Hagerman, rest assured that your 5k time is considerably better than mine! LOL 

Right on, bro!

I'm not familiar with that particular model, but along the same lines, my die-hard Tahoe buddies who train on ice/snow-covered roads swear by Yak Trax. HTH!

Great job!  I encourage you and everyone to share and celebrate those PR's!  It's important to do so.  Remember, all glory is fleeting.  So we need to celebrate not only crossing finish lines, but all notable achievements to keep ourselves motivated!