Tri with Seren - CLOSED! (Page 3)

I've always stuck with simple crunches and mountain climbers. 

I actually have to figure out a way to work this into my routine.  Right now I'm swimming in the morning m/w/f, and biking/running in the evening tu/th/sa, and Sunday is my recovery day.  I think I'm going to switch the biking/running to the mornings as well.  I'm pretty much up every morning at 5 since my wife leaves for work at that time, but I don't have to be at work until 9.  That gives me three hours to do my workout, get ready for work, and take care of the dogs.

I don't do specifc core exercises, but I do full pushups.  With good form, they are similar to planks.  I need to work my core more.  Last weekend, I swam 1200m, then rode 25 miles, and my core was killing me by the end.

I am not experienced as a triathlete, so take this with a grain of salt.  One of the things that was necessary for me to increase my swimming distance was to not kick hard.  I started gently kicking from the hip, and it really helped.

I am not a good swimmer so I might not be a good person to answer this but I don't use my legs that much.  I will sometimes use a buoy when I swim so I am strickly pulling and I swim just as fast with a buoy as when I kick.   When I use a kick board, I am really slow.  I had a friend of mine evaluate my swimming; he was a college swimmer, and he basically told me my kick was not very effective and not to worry about kicking too much for a triathlon.  Save the legs for the bike and run.  

decline planks are my favorite.  I put my ankles on a abs ball and forearms on the floor.  I also like V-ups.  

 I am just learning swimming so I may not be a great resource.  The information I'm telling you is from a dvd I bought from triswimcoach.  You need to use your legs in swimming but in the correct way.  Most of the power comes from the hip with not much knee bend.  The feet need to be flexible so they push you forward.  Try holding a board and only using your legs.  Do you move forward?  If not, there is something wrong with your kicking mechanics.  You can get help with that from youtube, coaching, or a dvd.

That website has a lot of good information.  Thanks for mentioning it.  I can use all the help I can get when it comes to swimming.  My #1 hobby is SCUBA diving, which means I'm used to using my legs only for propulsion (typically bent at the knee though to minimize my body length), and not exhaling through my nose so the adjustments to this swim style is challenging to say the least.

This is a site question.  I tried help but it was no help.  

I entered a try a tri and a duathlon in 2012.  Is there a way I can put the results into my race log?

I would say swimming freestyle is about 75% arms and 25% legs.  Try using a kickboard and you will see how slow you get across the pool.  Then try crossing your legs and just using your arms... much faster.  Having said that, I don't think you should keep your legs still to save energy for the run and bike.  Still use them to give yourself that extra 25%, but most of your concentration should be on what the rest of your body is doing.

I have never worked too hard on my core, which may be one reason why my posture suffers.  Lately I have been putting more into it.  I like that cheesy 8 minute abs video from like 1990 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e83IDHmN3R0).  I also like hanging leg lifts, Russian twists, and for the back, I like supermans (lie on your stomach and raise your arms and legs off the floor), and another exercise which I don't know what it's called, but you get on your hands and knees and then raise your right arm and your left leg off the floor, say 15 times, then repeat with the left arm and right leg.

Hi Seren,

My name is Steve, and I would also like to join if your mentoring group is still open. I work a strange schedule so I also will be working out in the strange hours of the morning/night!

I spent seven years in the military, and so I come to this with all sorts of nagging injuries: knees, ankles, neck... but I've found that training harder has helped more than hurt!

Current training: I'm trying for a half iron-man on June 9 and September 6(?). I'm doing a marathon in April, and a few half marathons throughout the summer. I'm really just aiming for strong completion at this point.

Past training: A marathon and a few half marathons. Also, I swam competitively in high school and college, so I'm hoping this will help me in the train-up.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you and build toward our goals together!

-Steve

 I know you can add races that haven;t happened yet but not sure on entering those gone by.  Did you try searching for the races? 

The group is right on with this.  My first year I raced without kicking and got tendonitis of the shoulder.   Now I kick.  I don't go all out unless I'm trying to pass someone.  But you did want the kick to originate from the hips NOT the kness.   I am a SCUBA diver too and it took some time to get used to.  Use the  kick board and do kick drills. 

Also just a side note.  I always had a bad habit of looking slight forward when I swam....you know to see where I'm going.  COach told me NO!  Look at the pool floor otherwise  the hips begin to sink and you expemd more energy than is needed.   At some point you will want to work on sighting.  Not so crucial in the pool but there is no black line in the ocean, lake or pond.

Welcome aboard.  Sounds like great goals for this year.   Nothing will keep you in better shape than triathlon.....and the cross training aspect of it helps cut down on overuse syndrome

Thanks.  I tried it last week and I kept getting a vibration like feeling when I pulled my hand through the water.  Does this happen to you?  Does it mean my fingers are spread too far apart?

I just started swimming this year.  I'm working on technique but it's moving slowly.  I bought a dvd that is helping.  I'm trying to focus on balance and streamlining right now.

Hi Seren,

I am signed up to do the sprint triathlon 2575 in Miami on March 10th. I was wondering whether you would know of any forums where I could find a group of people to train with in Miami or in Hollywood/Hallandale.

Thank you,

Beatrix

General question for the group. 

I went swimming today and a lady got in the single shower at the pool that you use to rinse off before getting in the pool.  I was waiting for her to get done when she started to shave her legs.  I really didn't want to wait so I jumped in the pool.  I could have asked  if I could jump in really quick but really didn't want to make any enemies at the pool. 

Question:  Should I have waited or was it ok to jump in without showering?

My personal opinion, you were fine with just jumping in without showering.   At my gym's pool I never see anyone shower before getting into the pool.

The reason that you are asked to take a shower before swimming it to wash off bacteria that may be disease causing.  You have billions of bacteria on your skin but most of them aren't pathogenic.  Besides, the pool is treated with chemicals that kill bacteria.  If you had open, infected sores or klingons, it would be best to take a shower.  If not, you're probably fine.

I think showering before swimming is the courteous thing to do, like wiping off equipment at the gym after you use it.  But if your pool only has one shower, they can't expect everyone to wait in line.  I would have probably done the same thing if I was in your shoes.