General Discussion Triathlon Talk » swimming half a length? Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2013-12-18 4:25 PM

User image

Champion
5312
5000100100100
Calgary
Subject: swimming half a length?
A number of times I have seen different people who have been merrily swimming along, just stand up half way through a length, turn around, and swim in the other direction. I think they usually just finish up their workout.

Much that goes on in pools is a mystery to me.

Is there a purpose to this?

Next time I see it I am asking.



2013-12-18 4:29 PM
in reply to: BigDH

User image

Master
3205
20001000100100
ann arbor, michigan
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?
I have seen this with people circle swimming. If you are creeping up on the person in front of you it can create space if you simply turn around and swim the opposite direction.

Every once in awhile the kids will do this in swim practice if they too far BEHIND the person in front of them. This lets them get back in the draft of the people in front of them and finish the set near to the others.

I suspect that neither one of these situations applies to your question.
2013-12-18 4:33 PM
in reply to: BigDH

User image

Coach
9167
5000200020001002525
Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?
Maybe they are practicing something besides getting from point A to point B? Many times I'll have my swimmers do some thing like this if we are working on a particularly subborn aspect of form:

4x pushoff & glide
4x pushoff & glide & 3 strokes
4 x pushoff & swim 1/2 length
2 x swim 25

But somehow I feel this probabaly doesn't apply to your swimmers either.
2013-12-18 4:36 PM
in reply to: BigDH

User image

Pro
6191
50001000100252525
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?

Cutting the cooldown short? Maybe?

I do this when we're limited by pool time constraints at masters...

2013-12-18 4:52 PM
in reply to: ratherbeswimming

User image

Extreme Veteran
2098
2000252525
Alberta
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?

Obviously they had to pee so they turned around and went straight to the bathroom! 

2013-12-18 4:59 PM
in reply to: BigDH


1660
10005001002525
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?

It's a common practice in a circle swim where one of the circlers is way too slow compared to the other two and also won't yield at the wall. You either have to sprint past the slow one when the oncoming lane is clear (which can be tricky if there's more than 3 swimmers) or cut your lap short and turn around before they do so you end up in front of them. 

 

If they're doing that in a non-circle lane, I have no idea what the advantage would be. 



2013-12-18 5:18 PM
in reply to: BigDH

User image

Member
5452
50001001001001002525
NC
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?
Didn't think they could make it there and back?

2013-12-18 5:54 PM
in reply to: Goosedog

User image

Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?

Originally posted by Goosedog Didn't think they could make it there and back?

I've actually seen that happen...

Mark

 

 

2013-12-18 7:07 PM
in reply to: BigDH

User image

Master
2621
2000500100
Mechanicsburg, PA
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?
Maybe they are afraid of the deep end........
2013-12-19 7:09 AM
in reply to: thor67

User image

Member
1748
100050010010025
Exton, PA
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?
Originally posted by thor67

Obviously they had to pee so they turned around and went straight to the bathroom! 




They're peeing in the pool and don't want to swim through it!!
2013-12-19 7:27 AM
in reply to: mike761

User image

Veteran
2842
200050010010010025
Austin, Texas
Subject: RE: swimming half a length?

Sharks?

If they leave right after, I'll go with cutting the warm-down REALLY short, although I've never understood why folks even bother with a 25 cool down, but they do...  

If they keep swimming, then push-off drills.  Otherwise, I'm sticking with sharks.  

Matt

(and the "couldn't make it all the way" had me laughing - like the old English Channel swimmer joke)



New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » swimming half a length? Rss Feed  
RELATED POSTS

Swimming pools' length tolerance

Started by Plissken74
Views: 3390 Posts: 13

2008-07-06 4:22 PM MDHillSlug

would you vote to change the swim length? Pages: 1 2

Started by cobannero
Views: 1624 Posts: 46

2007-11-09 6:13 PM Aikidoman

First IM Length Swim today!!!

Started by southwestmba
Views: 621 Posts: 3

2006-06-16 12:45 PM JohnnyKay

HIM swim length

Started by schwartz1
Views: 754 Posts: 5

2006-06-02 10:25 AM meredith

Swim - Strokes Per Length (SPL) Pages: 1 2

Started by megerj
Views: 4043 Posts: 27

2004-10-16 1:31 PM keepitup
RELATED ARTICLES
date : March 18, 2011
author : garyhallsr
comments : 0
How important is it to decrease your stroke count?
 
date : November 17, 2008
author : mat steinmetz
comments : 7
I just started doing tris this summer and I have two under my belt, both sprints. Is it reasonable to build up for a Oly in early ‘09, with a HIM in Oct of ‘09
date : September 3, 2008
author : Tri Swim Coach
comments : 0
Discussion on getting faster than 1:35/100m, IM swim training, counting strokes and improving an Olympic distance swim.
 
date : August 21, 2008
author : vm354
comments : 1
How Pilates training helped a wanna-be triathlete realize the goal of completing a half-Ironman, Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island.
date : June 14, 2007
author : Tri Swim Coach
comments : 1
This month, we’re changing up the drills and they are a bit more complex. Stroke length and getting more into changing speeds is introduced.
 
date : September 4, 2006
author : Tri Swim Coach
comments : 0
Discussions on leg dragging, swimming with fins, body rotation, keeping the elbow up, kicking benefits and stroke length.
date : January 29, 2006
author : sl2302
comments : 0
I just had a couple of problems, I could count the number of triathlons I had contested at zero. Secondly, I could count on one hand the number of times I had been swimming in the last 17 years.
 
date : August 30, 2004
author : sherrick
comments : 40
This half Ironman plan covers many weeks of challenging, but attainable training for someone who has some endurance experience, and ideally some Olympic distance races within the past season.