triOK's group - The best group - Closed (Page 13)

Well, since it's Saturday, I guess I'd better offer up my goals for next week.  My plan calls for S:38, B:58, and R:38, but I'll go a little above that since I'm feeling pretty strong:

Swim: 60 minutes
Bike: 80 minutes
Run: 45 minutes

I also pledge to do 2 sessions of yoga this week, at least 15 minutes each.  Since I'm in the yoga "challenge" this month, I need to get busy with it:

Yoga: 30 minutes

The book is gone....  Lynn (lmscozz) from CA, gets it.  I guess she has been lurking, but not posting. 

How many others out there joined the mentor group, but have just been lurking????  Anyone, anyone????

You are completely right about swimming beginning at the hips. It is also very, very important to have a strong core. I recommend always doing a couple of sets of crunches before you get in the pool. It activates your core and makes you aware of it while you swim.

For beginners, don't even try for yardage. The first drill is to focus on floating. Learn how to stay calm in the water and learn about body position. Don't worry about how you look or what people may think. Get in a lane and do this drill (I was on a div-1 swim team and we would do this all the time):

Best to do this with a snorkel at first if you are not comfortable breathing to the side comfortably.

1. Float with your face in the water. Keep your arms at your sides and barely kick for forward propulsion (use zoomers or fins if you need them).

2. Focus on finding balance in the water without kicking or pulling. Think of your body as a lever on a fulcrum and your head is the counterbalance of the rest of your body. The slightest change in your head position will cause your hips to sink or float. Pushing your face  and forehead down and forward slightly in the water will make your hips pop up and lifting your head will make you hips sink. (If you don't believe me, while you are reading this put your hand up to your forehead, and then slightly push your head against your hand. You will feel your lower abs tighten. In the water, pushing your forehead slightly forward like that will engage your core and help lift your hips). Don't push down too hard, it is a very subtle movement. The water level should hit your forehead, not the top of your head. Play with the body position until you feel comfortable. DO NOT RUSH IT.

3. Once you feel like you have found balance and are comfortable, start adding a slow hip and shoulder rotation. When swimming, you are really mostly on your sides, not your stomach. Imagine a stake drilled through the top of your head that goes all the way down your spine. You are just going to rotate on that stake. Lead the rotation with your hips. Twist you hip to point to the bottom of the pool and the shoulder from the same side follows to come under your chin. Hold it there for a couple of seconds. Then using your hips, rotate to the other side slowly. Adjust your body position to maintain your balance. (Doing this will make you understand why the core is so important in swimming)

4. Once comfortable doing that, you need to add breathing. Get rid of the snorkel. When twisted on your side, you are just going to rotate your head on the imaginery stake. Don't lift it! This is a balance exercise. Your are just shifting that slight push down in the water that you were doing with your forehead and face to your cheek when breathing.

I hope this helps. Anyone, please feel free to ask me questions about swimming. I will try to help.

I definitely recommend going to a class at the local Y or something. Always good to have a teacher show you the positions and move you.

Online a good resource is definitely www.yogajournal.com

lmscozz - 2008-01-12 6:21 PM I'm so glad I got in on this group, barely though. Anyway, did a run/walk today of 7 miles -- about 5 1/2 of it was running. I"m doing the 1/2 marathon next Sunday, but plan on walking about half of it. I'm running about 3 x per week now between 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours a time, with some walk breaks. I'm swimming 2x per week, about 45 minutes to an hour, 1 to 1.25 miles each and then biking 2x per week at 45 to 1 hour per time, mostly indoors. I need some help with swim workouts and how to do the brick workouts correctly. And, of course I'm focusing on the transitions and how all that will work. I have a few sprint tris to choose from: One is April 20th and there's a super sprint May 5th. I'm not crazy about cold water swimming though and that one's in the bay. I'm looking forward to any/all help and support and I'd like to offer the same. I can be a great cheerleader (without pom poms). Lynn

D@mn Lynn!!!  Your training is going great.  You are going to sail through your Sprint Triathlons.  I am sure two weeks is long enough between events, but I balk at the thought of swimming in Mission Bay....  Yuck.

Anything over 20 minutes is "worth it".  I think you should forget about the distance thing, and go for time.  I think you would also benefit from taking advantage of the plans available to you through the site.  I went back and read your goals, and you said you want to do a sprint in April right?  If you download the "Couch to Sprint" 12 week plan, that would work out perfectly.  I am pretty sure that plan is based on time not distance also (except for maybe the swim part).  Alan's advice about a HRM is good.  I also need to get a HRM.

Hope that helps a little.

Bennet

Yes, the plan will download into your log.  It is pretty easy.  Go to the programs page, and all the information is there, and a tutorial. 

It looks like the race for a cure event is a just a bit shorter, but it will be a great way to cut your teeth on a triathlon, and then do the Danskin in June!!!  So, SIGN UP!!

Ooooohhh goodie more bike porn!!!