Fred D Mentor Group - Part II (Page 27)

I use a Vittoria Zaffiro Pro trainer tire, works well and not terribly expensive as far as tires go.

Yep. You'll find out pretty quickly if you're lifting or turning your head to breathe.

For folks who have trouble getting a high elbow and anchoring it to pull their bodies forward, I use this analogy:

as you reach your arm out to begin the stroke, pretend you are sliding it across the top of a square package. In order to pull yourself across the top of that package using your arm, as soon as your elbow gets to the front of the package, you must bend it 90 degrees so that your forearm and palm are flat against the front. Then using your arm as a unit, press the box backward toward your feet in order to move your entire body forward.

Like Fred said (I think he did? Fever hallucinations I've got again?) do this as a one-arm drill to try and nail it down.

That's a ridiculously awesome analogy!

I'm sure it's a great drill but I would have zero chance of keeping a tennis ball under my chin for more than about 4 seconds!  As a kid, my coaches were all about getting the water line to be just above the goggles, looking forward and to this day that's what I do when I get tired.

Edit to add that the proof is in my avatar.  

TSimone - 2012-08-10 10:34 AM IMSG 70.3 now the 2013 and 2014 US Pro Championship. I like that change and want to see St George be relevant. There's something about the course difficulty that I like, at least as a "spectator".

It appears to be an awesome course.  Not that I care much but it is really getting annoying with the 'Championship' tag on every race under the sun now.  What exactly makes this a 'Championship'....a couple more entry fee's is all I can think of.  I think they are just trying to keep that race afloat at this point.

Completely agree.  I got a set of Shimano RS-10 wheels with cassette on craigslist for $70.  I threw a trainer tire on there (which is really hard to get on BTW) and now can just switch out rear wheels.  This makes going from trainer to road really easy.

Plus, the trainer tire is very quiet...no squeakiness.

Interesting.  That was a question I was going to raise when Fred brought that tennis ball drill up.  A coach that I occasionally do sets with said my head was way too low in the water.  I do this because I read so much that you should be looking straight down at the bottom of the pool.  When I look forward about 45 degrees is when it is just above the goggles. 

What is correct?  Or is it all preferential?  Thanks.

What I am doing in my avatar is not what you should do.  That is a picture from probably 4 years ago and I have worked hard to stop doing it.  I don't know what is correct but I don't think what I was taught as a kid is it.

It's really personal preference. The tennis ball drill is really just to pinpoint and make it obvious if you're lifting your head or turning it a lot to breathe ... it's not meant to address head position.

You'll see about 45-degree forward lookers to straight-down lookers among long-distance swimmers.

I was always taught that the standard was "hairline and the waterline". I drop below that position ALL the time in the pool. In open water with a crowd of people, I'm a little more heads up so I don't swim right up someone's butt.

Another good analogy for the pull is imagining a ladder horizontal in the pool. You want to pull yourself across on the rungs.

Yanti - you spell "tire" funny. 

Do you have this problem with all tires?
I am willing to bet that it might be the composition and/or the tread pattern of your current tire.

I agree that a trainer-specific tire is definitely the way to go (especially if it comes in a really cool color!) - even though I don't use one. We do have a couple of wheels that we use on the trainer, but I just put old tires on those wheels. I remember a couple of years ago I had a Continental Grand Prix 4000 that would do exactly as you describe. Right now we have a Rubino Pro Slick and a Michelin Pro Race 3 on our trainer wheels and they stay as clean as a whistle. A few months ago I only had my race wheels available and rode my Tangente tubular on the trainer (the horror!) and it was fine as well. So in my case anyway, it seemed to be specific to the tire. How about that for a little cum hoc ergo propter hoc?

I can do the one arm drills pretty well, but it's when I add in my blazing swim speed that the problems begin.  I think I just swim too fast..or maybe not.  I'll try the tennis ball drill.

So much to keep up with today...

I definately use a trainer tire when on that horrid machine.  And I agree that each power measurement (PT, Quarq, Trainer Road, KK, SRM) are their own.  You shouldn't be comparing them watt to watt, but comparing the improvements you make on each measurement individually.

Love the square package analogy.  I was watching the Olympic swimmers and that's one of the first things that pops out in the underwater camera.  How quickly they get their forearm to 90 degrees.

We just got our new team (cycling/tri club) kits.  We ordered from Champion Systems and they look awesome.  I just ordered a jersey for now, but another guy ordered a skinsuit that looks great.  I tried it on and it fits perfectly.  A few wrinkles near the shoulders when I get into aero position, but otherwise very slippery.  We're putting in a second order so I'm definately going for another jersey, skinsuit, and a couple of shorts.  Wanted to get a bib, but for some reason the Champsys bibs have very short shoulder straps.  I'll try to post some pictures tonight.

This is the description that finally clicked with me - it got me planting my hand and pulling myself forward instead of pulling my hand back. I don't know if that is what is really happening but we do a fair amount of drills that involve watching our hand location on entry and exit relative to the lane rope, and have even done some that involve pulling on the lane rope. All that causes terrible head placement though....

I started out on my own as a bottom looker. then I was taught to swim with my eyes looking forward, so much so that I could see my hands enter the water. My current coach has me working on getting my head back down to a happy medium - In my previous form I knew to keep my head down, so I would actually wind up ducking my head a bit to breathe - a double whammy, evidently. I still catch myself keeping my eyes way too high in open water - the old head position is just so ingrained...

Don't I remember Bryan writing something recently about he was working on bringing his head up just a bit? He must be one of those bottom lookers as well.

Go from one-arm drills (say 25 each, or are you in a LCM pool? Then 50/50, whichever), to catch-up, to 3/4 catch-up (which is some people's normal stroke), to your normal turnover. Once you can consistently do that smoothly every time, drop the one arm lengths ... then the catch-up ... then just swim that way.

Egads! I read somewhere on the internets that this was worse than riding gatorskins on box rims while wearing a styrofoam ladybug helmet...

Post the pics - cant wait to see it!

Did you read in TT that wrinkles are not aero ?

I need Botox.

hmmm...I was thinking of ordering a tri top.  But I can't do the mankini look.  Unfortunately they don't have a sizing chart for the tri top.  The bike jersey fit me well though...I may have to call to see if there is a difference.

Of course I did.

That being said, the wrinkles were not much worse than what's pointed out here...so I think I'm pretty safe.  The price of the standard skinsuit is $104.  They have a "high end" skinsuit that runs for $200+ which probably has better fabric.

(wiggins.jpg)

Probably has dimples (no I'm not joking).

NO! NO! NO! Those aren't wrinkles - those are dimples! And dimples are GOOD! 

You are such a sweetheart. {MELON PRESS}

Maybe I'll iron my tri tops ...