Learn How to Swim Training Group (Page 5)

betyoursilver - 2010-09-27 2:37 PM

I've just reviewed the learning to swim program, and I am considering starting the month 1 workouts.  In the workouts for month 1, some seem too easy relative to where I'm at, while others seem challenging.  For instance, some of the workouts call for 200m continuously, but I'm not yet at the point where a continuous 200m is do-able.  I can swim 150, but my 150m looks like this:  continuous 75m ok, briefly stop & take 1-2 breaths, +25m, stop and now I'm REALLY gasping for air & require about 4 breaths, +25 = 150m and by the end of 150 I'm a hot mess.  My instructor will ask "how did that feel?"  and I can barely utter "uh ...uh...uh".   By the end of 150, my breathing is heavier than when I am climbing steep hills for 5-6 miles on my bike.   During that last 25 it feels like my form has completely fallen apart.  However, my swim instructor swears otherwise - claiming I am maintaining my form throughout.  To me, it feels awful.   Has anyone else experienced this?  Right now, I feel like I'm simply not making any progress on endurance.   I have decided to take a few rest days, and resume swimming on Wednesday. 

m2tx - 2010-09-27 12:46 PM
Have you tried slowing down after 100m?  Just slow it way down and make yourself do the distance regardless of the pace.  I've noticed that I get in this 'panic' mode sometimes and start increasing my swim cadence since I want to breathe more frequently - which causes me to get tired and want to breathe even more frequently.  I make myself do a few catch-up strokes to force myself to slow down cadence and then ensure that I am exhaling underwater (which I forget to do sometimes).  This worked for me but I really had to slow down (like 15-20 seconds slower per 100/m).

betyoursilver - 2010-09-27 1:21 PM

Good idea.  Now if only I can stop experiencing that sinking feeling when i go slow.

tkd.teacher - 2010-09-27 3:56 PM
When you breath, do you ever hold your breath at all? You should never be holding your breath while swimming (With the exception being in the middle of a flip turn, even then I'm breathing out fairly soon after I turn).

betyoursilver - 2010-09-27 4:24 PM

Holding my breath was one of the first things my swim instructor corrected when I began lessons.  At this point, I am now exhaling underwater.

tkd.teacher - 2010-09-27 7:42 PM
Make sure that you are fully exhaling underwater, in a controlled fashion. I don't want to step on your instructors toes at all, but one thing I've noticed when I've corrected that problem is that newer swimmers tend to adhere to a breathing pattern regardless of whether they actually need to breath again or not, and they still end up exhaling a bit out of the water.
John

betyoursilver - 2010-09-28 9:25 AM

At Saturday's session, I communicated my breathing problem, and my instructor observed that i was coming out of the water too late for my breath, which resulted in me getting some water in my mouth and this inclination to swallow.  So, we worked exclusively on the timing issue during the lesson.  I'm taking a couple rest days right now, but tomorrow I plan to focus on breathing earlier when I resume swimming.  As far as stroke form goes, my instructor says it's fantastic. With that said, i feel like I am kicking too much, though the instructor doesn't think that's really my issue.  She's in the water with me, flms me, etc., so she really does pick apart every aspect of my form.

betyoursilver - 2010-09-28 6:25 AM

At Saturday's session, I communicated my breathing problem, and my instructor observed that i was coming out of the water too late for my breath, which resulted in me getting some water in my mouth and this inclination to swallow.  So, we worked exclusively on the timing issue during the lesson.  I'm taking a couple rest days right now, but tomorrow I plan to focus on breathing earlier when I resume swimming.  As far as stroke form goes, my instructor says it's fantastic. With that said, i feel like I am kicking too much, though the instructor doesn't think that's really my issue.  She's in the water with me, flms me, etc., so she really does pick apart every aspect of my form.

KOM - 2010-09-28 7:00 AM

Wow, sounds like great lessons.  Thus far the workouts have been relatively easy to complete.  There was only one workout with 200s and I was getting tired but did 25 yds of breaststroke to recover after 125.  I figure there is a master plan here and will just do what is planned even if I know I could go longer.  My longest swim this summer was .9 mile (33:32) in an Oly but I used a lot of breaststroke and my goal for off season is to master freestyle with endurance.  I just need to keep at it!

tkd.teacher - 2010-09-28 7:41 AM
Most excellent. You have an awesome instructor, be sure to recommend her in your state forum!

John

betyoursilver - 2010-09-28 10:50 AM

She has received excellent reviews on the San Francisco Bay Area's Yelp.com site.

Chatagirl - 2010-09-28 11:56 AM 
betyoursilver can I ask who/where you are taking lessons? 

Started swimming in June and while I completed the swim a my first race on Sun (1mi around the Santa Cruz wharf....couldn't do 50m when I started so anything is possible) I was one of the last ones out of the water with a 44 min swim.  I know my technique is awful and figured it's time to learn to swim the right way. 

betyoursilver - 2010-09-28 3:36 PM

I am taking lessons at Menlo Swim from Juliette Applewhite.  She's awesome!  Also, she does have weekend lessons available.

Chatagirl - 2010-09-29 9:18 AM
That's perfect.  My office is a block away.  Has she done any of the video taping with you that's mentioned on her web page?

Thanks!

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-10-05 7:48 AM How is everyone doing? Please check in and let us know how things are progressing!

tkd.teacher - 2010-10-05 7:52 AM

One thing did strike me though. My 4x100 set was on 1:50, and I did each 100 in 1:30. All of it on form alone.
John

kairous1 - 2010-10-05 4:58 PM this is a great group.  Glad I found it.  I just posted on the California site of how my LA Tri Oly Swim result was very discouraging for me.

This was my first Oly distance and thought I was ready for it. I've been training in the pool for over six months and got to the point that I could do 1300m continuously. thought that would translate well to the OWS but was I wrong.  I was nervous before the swim and it showed in my result.  I had hoped I would finish in about 35min but it took me 49min to finish the swim and I was one of the last in my wave to finish. During the swim I felt I could never get rhythm going and that I was constantly out of breath.  Very disappointed and discouraged at my results (along with being humbled by the great big ocean). 
I'm taking a week off from swimming to try to refocus and determine how to improve.  From reading Sara post, I'm going back to basic and starting month 1 and focusing on breathing.

Any advise or suggestions would be appreciate.  Already learned a lot by reading the previous posts.

Jeff

betyoursilver - 2010-10-05 1:05 PM

I wish my 100m was @ 1:50.  On Sunday I managed roughly 100m @ 2:12-ish.  Just started Month 1, Week 2 and went through w/o #1 this AM.  My first stab at 200m.  The last 50 m wasn't purdy, but I did it.