How to gain swim strength?
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Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Hello... tri'n for a sprint in 4 weeks and have been swimming but just can't seem to gain endurance, speed and strength. Its frustrating to swim during the Y's swim team practice and watch 12 year olds flying by me! Any specific exercises in or out of pool to gain strength? What about endurance (or is that just a matter of doing it over time) and speed? Thanks... and believe it or not, as a teenager, I was a certified lifeguard but that was 25 years ago! |
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Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Those kids in swim team practice hours a day, 5 days a week, something that us grown-ups can't afford to do. So don't feel bad. ![]() Now back to your question: I find the use of a pull buoy to be useful. I know some people also use mittens, but I don't have experience with those. Also, swimming in choppy water help as well. |
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Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() For strength building I like to use a pull buoy with large Speedo paddles. You really have to watch your form, and you pull about 5000000% more water (at least that's how it feels). Other than that, you just have to swim swim and swim some more. And then keep on swimming. |
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Coach ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() BbMoozer - 2006-07-20 7:25 AM Hello... tri'n for a sprint in 4 weeks and have been swimming but just can't seem to gain endurance, speed and strength. Its frustrating to swim during the Y's swim team practice and watch 12 year olds flying by me! Any specific exercises in or out of pool to gain strength? What about endurance (or is that just a matter of doing it over time) and speed? Thanks... and believe it or not, as a teenager, I was a certified lifeguard but that was 25 years ago! They swim pass by you because they have better swimming technique and overall they are better swimmers and not because they have more strength. Do you really think a 12 y/o is stronger than you? Anyway, in your case I wouldn’t worry about strength, I would just spend more time in the pool working in swim technique, form and feel. Plus, spending more time in the water will supply you with plenty of strength training... |
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Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() The short answer is....swim lots ![]() The long answer is a little more complicated. It depends on a lot of factors, how experienced are you with swimming? When did you start your training? Do you always try to swim after another workout earlier in the day? Have you worked with a swim coach, master's program or Total Immersion? I ask these because to "get" swimming it takes work. Unlike the other two sports, swimming is not instinctual and takes ALOT of work on form. It also uses a totally different set of muscles and if they are not used to being worked in that way, they'll tire easily. But the first thing you should do is work on form and then speed will come. Once you've got that down then the distance will increase without any more (perceived) effort. It's also possible that you're using your kick too much, that will tire anybody out pretty quickly. Your kick should be used as your rudder and your stroke should be from your arms. I know for me, before I had a good base, if I wasn't in the pool 3 times a week then I would lose my "feel" for the water and I felt out of sync. It would take 200 or 300 yards before I felt comfortable again. Hope this helps some and best of luck! |
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Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Paddles do work for building strength and efficiency but make sure you rotate your body or your shoulders will hate you...it's a lot of added strain on them.. you need to have reasonable form for paddles to help... |
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![]() 2 words...Total Immersion (as mentioned above). If you are swimming with these techniques, strength becomes somewhat obsolete. Speed will come with lots and lots of practice. |
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Arch-Bishop of BT ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I struggled with swimming at first. I would shoot to swim for a certain distance, and I would get that distance by hook or crook -- using every stroke imaginable, and some that aren't...
I realized I needed help. And I started doing the 3 month beginner swim plan here on BT. It had 3 workouts/week. One drill wo, one endurance wo, and one combination. It was amazing how much the drills helped. My total distance on workouts now goes to 1400m. I can live with my time, and I feel comfortable in the water. I am by no means done but I like where I am headed. Doing drills and endurance training over four weeks will help some... but mainly it will get you in the pool building base and things may snap more quickly for you. Peace, |
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Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Thanks everyone! Lots of great info...now I gotta google stuff..total immersion, swim paddles and pull buoys! ![]() Yeah, I think I try to hammer out too fast and burn out...then go to breast stroke, back stroke, back to freestyle... take a break..or two or three. But I'll keep at it. Got to! |
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Extreme Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I started swimming this past February. I couldn't perform the front crawl to save my life. I used the Total Immersion techniques and basically taught myself the technique, which I am still practicing even today. However, five months ago I couldn't even make it to the end of a 25 yard pool without having to stop and catch my breath. After swimming for at least 3 days a week for the past couple of months I am finding my endurance to finally increase. So to echo what others have said, swim, swim and swim some more. Practice, Practice, Practice. Good luck. |
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Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() From just looking at your logs, it really looks like you need to get in the water more often - and for longer periods of time. If you get tired (or when), take a break and then get back at it. The only way to build strength is to do it. Go ahead and plan three to four workouts a week in the water. You'll definitely start to see improvement then! And, yeah, I was a former lifeguard. If you stop swimming, it's like starting over (almost), but you can do it. ![]() |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() I returned to swimming recently, and found myself frustrated. All of the on-line swim coaching stuff, pictures, tutorials and whatnot were useless to me. So, I found a swim coach and I've only taken 2 lessons so far, but in two weeks she has helped me catapult my swimming way ahead of where I might have been if I'd tried to tough it out on my own in the pool. Besides, she's showing me stuff I'd never learned before - if only I knew swimming could be this enjoyable I might have done more of it over the years. |
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Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() that total immersion looks like it might help. and yeah, been thinking about calling the y for a 'coach' - just to show me how it's all done etc... |
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Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() One other thing that will help, is when you are swimming, at least now, don't worry so much about your speed. That will come, particularly as your form increases. I've found that my speed has improved greatly from taking Dori's advice from Finding Nemo " Keep on Swimming, Keep on Swimming" Also, at least for me anyway, Focus hard on one portion of your stroke at a time. Trying to fix improve all of them simultaneously is difficult. You need to concentrate on the item that you are working on. For me, it was the "zip" of the stroke first, followed by bilateral breathing. Then I started with the kick... etc, etc. I'm far from the best swimmer in the pond, but I'm improving with each workout. It DOES take time! GOOD LUCK
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Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Utt...what's the zip of the stroke????????? Just ordered the Total Immersion Freestyle DVD... do I need hand paddles or those buoy things now? Maybe I can 'borrow' them from the Y. |
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Regular![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I am not a great swimmer, but I've been at it for a little while now. I go to the master's workouts at my Y. It's good because you can get tips from the coach, and you can also watch the faster swimmers and pick things up. I also took a 30 min lesson at the Y (it was less than $20), and I learned a lot there. |
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Extreme Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Hey have a look at the other threads in this group there is an excellent one called swim fear with loads of technique/ struggle stories and one on strokes and breathing .. it helps to hear what others have gone through to "get" swimming. Hang in there and it will come. |
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Champion ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() The three most important things to think about if you want to improve your swimming speed: Technique, technique ... and technique. Oh, and swim lots! (I know ... I am sort of quoting Merckx here ... but I just had to!) |
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Coach ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() THis isn't a stregth issue at all, it is 100% form. While running & bicycling dramatically benefit from improvements in power to weight ratio, swimming is about overcoming drag first adn foremost. I wouldn't say that you need to swim lots, or even swim longer, but you need to swim "right". Looking at your recent times and distances, I'd say that spending the next 4 weeks working 100% on form would be your best time investment. You will not get any slower or lose any distance. Speed and endurance come after good form is developed. It sounds like you are already thinking about ways to work on your form (TI, coach, etc). You'd be surprised at what little changes to your form do for your "endurance" in the pool. If you can grab one of those 12 year olds, ask them to give you one tip...you might learn something! Until you're form is dramatically improved, I would not work with the paddles or pull buoys at all...you will only be working on bad neuromuscular habits instead of learning balance on your own. THey will be useful to you soon, bu tdon't think that those alone will solve your problems. Stick with it and good luck! |
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Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() the zip drill is performed when you swim freestyle and as your arm returns to the top of the stroke (ie back up to your head and out in front of you) you deliberately zip the water up - ie drag your fingers across the top of the water. the benefit of this is to force your elbow high thus improving your stroke entry. |