James G Group - CLOSED (Page 4)

So I hope the above swimming info is useful? I would like to propose for those who are interested that I run a weekly update on the seven key elements of technique including a description of each, how to do probably including drills to correct stroke. And we focus on these elements in our swim sessions that week.

The first three points, Streamline, Focus on the tiles, Don't cross the centreline I will include in week 1 these are small things which can be combined. The other items will be a 1 week focus each. If this ok with all I will start week one for next week?

Molly - Yes swimming just all clicks one day, don't get too hung up that you can't combine it all patience is the key. Sounds like you had a hectic X-mas.

Tom - An update on your feet falling a sleep. I think I have the answer. In My Ironman book Iron Fit Don Finks say numb feet are often caused by pushing on shoes that are too fexible. I think form memory you are using cages with running shoes, this may be your issue running shoes are flexible, if and when you upgrade to clip on pedals and bike shoes you should be ok. Make sure when you do but these you get a big platform for the pedals and a stiff shoe. Drop me a line here as I can give you a good recomendation.

So this weekend I wil post the first weeks swimming drills to use from next Monday.

If anyone has any questions please post them.

Finally what Triathlon related goods did everyone get for X-Mas?

My Family  Brought me.

1/ Yoga Blocks and stretch cord.

2/ Hat running light for early morning training.

3/ A really cool strap on Ice and Heat Bandage.

4/ A Collage of all my favourite 2007 tri pics.

5/ Finallt brought myself some trail shoes and two new pairs of Asics 2020 running shoes for IM training this year.

Aaron that book by Joel Friel is excellent, really good value for money. I also have by the same author and co-authored by Gordo Byrne "Going Long" in my opinion the best IM training book out there. I think Joel makes things very easy to understand...

Gordo Byrne has a really cool website with very useful articles in if you google Coach Gordo should give you the website.

Molly - Yes this is a dilemma and as Aaron says training with someone is a lot easier training with someone than training by yourself. However this is only productive when they are of a similar pace and fitness levels.

My advice for what it may be worth is. Don't sign up for the race with your sister, you have already planned out your season and by adding another race is taking away a quality training week in terms of taper race day and a couple of days recovery. I also gathered from your post that this race is not an ideal race for you and you will mentally start behind the eight ball come race day. I had a similar experience with Park City in Bridgeport this year I would never do this race again for all the money in China. Now you should however in my opinion go and watch your sister race and support her on race day.

In terms of the training, I would recommend you sit down with your sister show her your plan and the BT website and make it clear you have set times and disciplines to work on on different days. Invite her to join you for the runs it sounds like you guy's run similar paces and have already been training and invite her to swim with you it is very easy to split a lane in half and that way if she is a slower swimmer than you she isn't going to slow you up. It sounds like your biking is further progressed than hers why not invite her on your shorter sessions and just ride by yourself on long days or fast days.

Hope this helps.

Hey Guy's

You may remember one of the first things I posted was about bike fit. Check out this conversation on Slowtwitch tri forum.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Its_all_about_fit%3A__A_saga_of_properly_fitting_a_P3C_P1611501/

I particuarly refer your attention to the following comment by the original poster. 

"(crap, I bought the wrong bike and my wife is going to kill me for wasting $4500.00!)."

This guy brought a P3C which was the wrong fit he needed the next size up or a bike less agressive for him i.e. the P2C. Basically flushed $4,500 down the drain. Best case scenario for him is he sells the P3C for probably $3,500 and get's a new P2C so he has lost a $1,000 just by wheeling an incorrectly fit bike out of the shop.

Should have spent the $150 for a bike fit up front and the shop would have refunded thsi anyway when he brought the bike...8-)

Wishing you all a very safe and happy new year for 2008.

Jan 1st is a great time to kick off and stick to your programs. remember. CONSISTENCY is the key in my books at least..

Cheers

JG 

The adivce I received was..."if you can breathe, its too loose.".....I kid you not! BUT, it was actually pretty true for me. I bought a wetsuit that was much smaller than I thought I should buy, and lo and behold, in the water it was perfect.

Sorry I've been MIA. I really bagged my workouts between Christmas and today because of the holidays, relatives over and basically just needing a break. Started day 1 of my new program today, and looking forward to getting back into a routine.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!!

Hey Molly happy New Year very good question as Kristen says the tighter the better. Have a look at the attached as a general over-view of what to buy and the benefits.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/index.asp?catid=69

The decision on whether to buy a wetsuit or not is a bit of a no-brainer. You will go faster in a wetsuit. For me there is a huge difference as I am tall so get maximal advantage of the neoprene surface over a bigger area also I have a small kick so the added buoyancy in the legs waist really gives me an advantage.

Molly you are correct now is the time to buy a wetsuit as you say end of season sales Often get for half price. For a wetsuit you should try before you buy. Most sellers will let you try it and ship it back if it is the wrong size. Key is for snugness particuarly in the shoulders and waist but not so tight of you put on a few punds you have flushed $400 down the toilet. Also vice versa on weight Loss. I have an IM Instict full length suit that is actually profiled in the article I brought it this year for 2007 and am probably going to have to buy a new one this season due to weight loss...

Happy New Year all. 

I have a training plan question. I am just starting the Intermediate Olympic 21 week program. On the run and bike days there may be drills or not, but there is only a time requirement, not a distance requirement. On the swim days, there is usually a distance and a time requirement which brings me to my question. I am a slow swimmer (great endurance,  bad speed), so should I shoot for the time or the distance?

For example, tomorrow's scheduled swim is supposed to be a WU of 200y, a main swim of 1700-2000y, and a cooldown of 4x50y......the time allotted for this workout is 30 minutes.....are you kidding me?!?!?!? I did a 30 minute recovery swim today and managed to swim 1200y; I uynderstand that my effort has to be a little higher tomorrow, but there is no way I'm even coming close to 2400y in 30 minutes.

Thoughts?

Ok so as promised first few focus points of swimming per my earlier posts: Now is a good time to get in the pool and work on swimming in the off-season while it is cold and wet outside. For those of you following one of the BT Plans you will already have schedules swims with workouts in them you may want to do the drill sessions based on the 7 Key elements but over to you, for those that aren’t following a program I would suggest adding in 30% drills in your swim workouts this time of year. As mentioned in my initial observations if you want to improve swimming you need to actually swim consistently don’t go out in week one and swim 3 x 3000 yard sessions build up from 2 to 3 sessions if you have the time.

Remember Key is to concentrate in your drills on one thing at a time to avoid confusion from trying to do too much at once. Repetition becomes habit.

1/ Streamline

2/ Focus on the Tiles.

3/ Don’t cross the Centre line.

These are small things that can make a huge difference to your swimming.

1/ Stream Line: The longer you are the fewer strokes you need to take down the pool increasing efficiency and speed. Concentrate when pushing off the walls with your arms out and hands crossing over each flat at the end of your strokes with your head looking down at the bottom of the pool. This can be combined with number 2. See attached video for how done.

http://www.goswim.tv/drilloftheweek_comments.php?id=4702_0_20_0_C

2/ Focus on the Tiles: Combine with number 1/ above most of us were taught as kids to swim looking forward with the water hitting our eyebrow line. Modern thinking has changed and more benefit occurs by looking directly down what this does is remove the arch from your lower back and raises your hips and butt up out of the water and hence reducing drag. Looking forward results in your hips sinking. Good drill to try is swim half a lap looking forward and then half a lap looking directly down at the tiles. You should feel the difference.

So these three focus points above are quick wins would suggest combining 1 & 2 together in one work out and 3 as a separate workout. The focus points I have taken from Karlyn Pipes Nelson. I have her DVD and it is very good see attached. She has a very unique/effective swimming style. As always this works for me and maybe contrary to Total Immersion etc. So pick and choose what you do and try.

http://www.goswim.tv/productreviews_reviews.php?id=2909_0_19_0_C25

Finally for those  who currently aren't on a program there is a very good beginner swim workouts in the articles section of BT website they are however performance members only so I have copied the first one in here 4 weeks concentarting on working up to 750yds and they progress. Notice the swim guy says swim 3 times a week 8-) Let me know if you want teh more advanced ones they step up in distance.

700 Yard Introductory Workouts
Practice these three workouts each week for 4 weeks.
Don’t worry about going fast yet. Just complete the workouts and notice the changes to your stroke.

Day 1
Warm Up: 200, alternate kick/swim by 50. Kick on your side
Drill: 4x50’s, Shark Fin, rest 0:15 between 50’s
Main: 4x50’s Distance Per Stroke- focus on stretching out long strokes.  How many strokes does it take to get to the end of the pool?
Warm Down: 100, breathe every 3 strokes

Day 2
Warm Up: 4x50’s, focus on head position: keep your head from moving as you swim, look down at the pool bottom. Rest 5 seconds between each 50.
Drill: 4x50’s, swim with hands in fists. Focus on hip rotation to move forward as opposed to pulling. Rest 0:15
Main: 2x100’s. Count strokes per length and keep stroke smooth and long. Rest 0:10 between 100.
Warm Down: 100, breathe every 3 strokes

Day 3
Warm Up: 2x100’s: #1 Shark Fin Drill #2 Freestyle
Drill: 200 alternate 50 Fingertip Drag, 50 Freestyle. Focus on high elbow recovery
Main: 8x25’s. Count strokes and see how low you can go. Focus on hip rotation and arm extension rather than kicking harder to lower your stroke count. After the first week, practice going faster as you lower your stroke count. You can also break the set up into 2 sets of 4 25’s.
Warm Down: 100, breathe every 3 strokes.

Glossary of Terms:

Fists- Swim freestyle with your hands in fists
Finger Tip Drag – Drag your finger tips through the water on recovery. You will need a bent elbow to do this properly.
Shark Fin- While kicking on your side, extend one arm. Slowly point elbow of trailing arm up towards sky, hand almost touching your side, making a “shark fin.” Slide hand back down, breathe, repeat.

Shi* that is hard 8-) I couldn't do that fast in a training session.

Just concentrate on time is my advice that is what I am doing for IM...

Thanks! That was the answer I was hoping for!

If its going to be close I'll finish the distance (like I did on Monday took 54min instead of 45), but in this case, its not going to be close at all, so I'll modify distance to swim for around 30 minutes.

Fortgot to mention I will post updated swim drills discussion on next weeks focus point over the weekend.

 Also I have asked my mentor to do a piece on cycling and answer some of your questions. Also have asked a guy who I woudl consider the best runner on BT to do a piece on running. These guy's are really good and will be able to supply way more useful stuff than I ever could. So look out over teh next couple of weeks for this.

Happy training every one, really try to stick to your programs, if you don't have one get one even if it is a couch to a 5k...let;s all try and focus on consistency...

Ok All - Adam (Gearwhore)will be posting tomorrow his thoughts on riding. Adam was my initial mentor when I joined BT in Jan 2007. He knows bucket loads so if you have any questions after reading his piece he will watch the forum for a little while to answer these.

Cheers JG