Gray Guys/Girls Masters Focus Triathlete Forum (all levels welcome)--CLOSED (Page 28)

Happy late birthday Janet.  50 is a great age!

Thought I'd give a plug for two of my favorite apps that are fitness related.  I use these quite regularly as part of my morning routines.

Nike Training Club:  Lots of good workouts lead by high level female athletes.  15 - 60 minutes.  Lots of variety.  

7 Minute Workout:  My favorite app for this workout is from Johnson & Johnson.  I think I just like the clean look.

Happened to me last fall.  I was just riding along and all of a sudden I hear a hissing sound.  Looked down and the tire was flat.  Changing it became a workout in itself - I had only practiced on front tires and this was my rear one.  Also didn't help that the new tube had a hole in it. 

I'm finally feeling back to normal.  I think I'm going to try for a short run tonight and see how it goes then decide about the 10k on Saturday.  Weather may decide for me though - it's supposed to get snowy again over the next couple of days.  I'm so ready for spring! 

Thanks for the birthday wishes! 

glad you are normal!

50 is a great decade, BTW.

Hey everyone -

Hope training is going well.

Has anyone had any experience with Osymetric chain rings?  (See picture below)  As you can see, they aren't round.  My cycling coach has repeatedly suggested I begin using this chain ring.  I know Chris Fromme won the Tour de France last year using them. I also know I haven't seen many people using them on group rides.  Seems to me if 'they were all that' everyone would be using them.

That said, it appears there may be some fairly significant benefits to using them.

From the Osymetric website -

The OSYMETRIC ring is not an oval nor an ellipse – it is a twin cam shaped to win. This patented design reduces the gear and the effort needed to get through what is commonly called the “dead spot” in everyone's pedal stroke. Then it increases the usable gear during the power portion of the pedal stroke between the 1 and 5 o’clock positions of the crank so your body can take full advantage of its natural strength. This powerful tool can reduce lactic acid by 10% and increases power by 10% for anyone that uses them.

Just curious if anyone has used them or has any opinion of them; good, bad, or ugly.

Thanks!

(osymetric_black3850.jpg)

I am off tomorrow for a 12 day vacation (YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY). I will add up my points when I get back, including this week. I intend to do some good workouts, along with fun vacation stuff.

Have great races, training, and general all around fun.

I am..Panama. Hanging out in the mountains for a bit and on an island for a bit,

You got the table updated just in time for this weeks post 

Workout points = 19.25

no gain=                5

no weight changes

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                      24.5 points

So I went to a swim clinic yesterday....and there was very little positive said about my stroke.  Very discouraging.  I can do drills all freaking day long and those look decent, but when I swim the drills don't do a flipping thing to translate into the stroke.  Why bother?

I want to sign up with the Master's group that put on the swim clinic.  Just not sure the money is there.  I had private lessons a few years ago--and the things he did to correct my form are what was criticized yesterday.  I used to WAYYYYY over rotate.  He got me swimming flatter which took the wobble out as I made my way down the lane.  My recovery is symmetric but the elbow isn't high enough.  Still too short on the catch.....you name it the swim was torn apart.  However, the first drill station (kick people) were very positive then the second drill station (front quadrant drills) tore me a new one.

He suggested a tempo trainer for me--but I would have no clue how to set it to the proper tempo or what good it would really do if the mechanics are that bad how is a tempo trainer going to fix it?

Weight = .5 lbs lost = 5 points

No weight gain = 5 points

568 minutes of training = 19 points

Total = 29 points

Good afternoon everyone.  We are waiting for yet another big snowstorm.  I know there are folks in the single digits still.  Boy what a winter it has been.  It's likely there will be no school or work tomorrow.  At least I did all my grocery shopping yesterday and didn't wait until today.  The biggest problem w/ snow for me is that it messes up my bike commute.  Bummer.

I had planned a swim for this afternoon but realized I didn't have a car.  So did a power walk session with 3 lb weights in each hand.  My arms feel pretty tired!

So maybe find someone to film you with a GoPro camera while you are swimming?  That might really reveal to you what needs fixed and how to fix it.  I find it hard to translate or visualize what I read about stroke mechanics into what I might need to do.  But when I watch a video that is pointing out a particular flaw for a filmed swimmer I see what the issue is.  

This is PRECISELY why I am not a fan of drills.  Drills work on one aspect or piece of a stroke.   Unfortunately a proper swimming stroke, and especially freestyle, is not a single aspect or movement, it is a fluid movement through a range of motions all interdependent upon all the other things - to have a good catch you must have a good entry, to have proper extension you must have good body rotation, to have a proper pull you must have high elbows, and so on.

The absolute BEST thing you can do to improve is get with a coach a few times a month.  EXPERIENCED eyes on deck is more valuable than ANYTHING.  Meet with someone, have them give you input and corrections and work with your for an hour.  Take what he/she has given you and work on it for a week.  Then meet with your coach again and repeat.  It will take time to incorporate any changes and you need the constant input over time to make sure the changes 'stick.'  Also, as you make changes, other things will creep up and need attention.

If you can get someone to shoot some video, I will be more than happy to take a look and make some suggestions.  As long as you have been swimming, I suspect it is one or two 'little' things that are holding you back.  While I think I can help, what I may be able to offer is no replacement for eyes on deck.  If you can get in with a good masters team, that will be helpful provided the coach understands a) proper stroke technique, and b) that you are training for a triathlon so you don't necessarily need to train like 'swimmers' do.

Good luck!  I am happy to answer any questions you may have.