Two swimming questions

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aribloch

2015-10-13 1:08 PM

Subject: Two swimming questions

Hi. So I have two swimming questions...

1. When you do various drills other than regular swimming (sculling, 6-1-6, superman, etc) do you count those lengths towards your pool mileage? (Presently I don't because anyway they are not on the Garmin).

2. When does lung capacity improve?

I mean, I find myself short of breath on some drills. Is it simply a matter of doing it for long enough to improve?

Thanks

nc452010

2015-10-13 1:35 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Expert

2852

Pfafftown, NC

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

I count EVERY FREAKIN LENGTH!

I'm seeing gains....finally.....after a few months. I still feel I could drown in any session, though. I don't think it will (nor do I expect it to) ever get easy.

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Toffels

2015-10-13 1:36 PM

in reply to: #5146429

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

I'm not sure about the second question, but as to the first: Yes, I count my drills into my total workout yardage. Mu Garmin doesn't keep track of some of my drills (especially kick sets), but if I swim 2,000 including drills and someone asks me how far I swam, I tell them 2,000 yards, not 1,500 plus drills. But, that's just me.

H2OhNo

2015-10-13 1:41 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

Originally posted by aribloch

1. When you do various drills other than regular swimming (sculling, 6-1-6, superman, etc) do you count those lengths towards your pool mileage? (Presently I don't because anyway they are not on the Garmin).

Yes, I count any distance swum towards my mileage/workout plan. Not sure why you wouldn't. To be fair though, I don't do those drills. Maybe I should.

2. When does lung capacity improve?

I mean, I find myself short of breath on some drills. Is it simply a matter of doing it for long enough to improve?

Lung capacity improves with time, but only to a certain point. We are human after all. Being "short of breath" is okay. Being "out of breath" means you are trying to swim past your capabilities. To me, you should train at three speeds - your "race pace" - which is a speed you can maintain for a very long distance without stopping. You should train at interval pace - which is a speed you can complete interval work, and need about 10-15 seconds to recover and go again. You may end up waiting longer due to the plan, but you could go at 10-15 if need be. And lastly, speed/hard interval pace - this is basically your max speed that you can hold for 100 yards/meters. Doing sets at this pace should require 20-25 seconds to recover before pushing off again.

I know there are folks on here with much more knowledge on this, just my $0.02

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3mar

2015-10-13 1:48 PM

in reply to: aribloch

1502

Katy, Texas

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

Whether or not you log it, doesn't matter, your body counts it. That's what matters.

But yes, I log everything. The Garmin 920xt has a "Drill Log" that you click when you start and when you finish, and then enter the distance. I use it for drills and kick sets.

Regarding breathing. I don't think it's a lung capacity issue. It's either a fitness issue or breathing technique. If you are losing your breath when swimming regular freestyle; are you exhaling while your face is under the water so that you can immediately breath in when your mouth gets above the water?

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Atlantia

2015-10-13 1:54 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Master

2429

Falls Church, Virginia

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

1. I count everything. Some days I do more drills than swimming, others the reverse. But at the end of it all, I put the yardage covered into my log and that's that. I can't be bothered to count out what was drilled and what wasn't.

2. I'm way too much of a beginner to give this a proper answer. I do wonder if you are out of breath because of lung capacity or more because you aren't yet good at the drill? For myself, I'm currently in swim class learning breast and fly. I can swim a 1600yard recovery workout of mostly freestyle and back and feel great. Then I try for 100 yards of breaststroke kick and I'm gasping. When did you start swimming and what kind of background do you have?

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RedCorvette

2015-10-13 1:59 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Champion

7036

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

1. Yes.

2. Drills are generally a combination of skills and conditioning, plus some drills are more strenuous than others. The more you do, the easier they should get. It also may have to do with your breathing pattern during the drill.

Mark

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mike761

2015-10-13 2:01 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Member

1748

Exton, PA

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

1. count what you want

2. your face is under water while working out, of course your out of breath. It's a matter of what level of discomfort you can tolerate for the given distance you are swimming.
Your lung capacity will increase to a point, that is based on your health and your genetics.
If your out of breath after only a couple laps of slow swimming that's a good indicator that your technique needs a lot of work.

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nc452010

2015-10-13 2:04 PM

in reply to: RedCorvette

Expert

2852

Pfafftown, NC

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

I can tell you this......ANYTHING (and drills, especially) that varies from your normal breathing pattern.....will cause me (as a fledgling) to get out of breath, more quickly.

I just view this as part of the adaptation process. Drills SUCK, for this reason, alone.

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JoelO

2015-10-13 2:34 PM

in reply to: aribloch

Member

622

Franklin, TN

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

Drills tend to get the heart rate up a bit since you're generally having to kick more while you're doing the drill. Catch up, single arm, etc... will require more kicking so you're going to be working harder than a moderate swim of the same length.

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Finding Freestyle

2015-10-14 9:16 AM

in reply to: 0

Extreme Veteran

586

Richmond

Subject: RE: Two swimming questions

1. Yes, drills count.

2. When and how/how much lung capacity improves is not relevent. Do aerobic work and you will get better aerobically. You can't address one specific thing like that. It's the same as a runner saying, "my legs are fins but my lungs are burning" OR "my legs are trashed but my breathing is fine".. SO "How should I train to fix this (alleged) problem".

Answer - You don't. You train and eventually all these things come together for every athlete, because they arent really separate things at all. Building fitness hits us each a little differently in terms of what we experience / how it feels, but it is ALL simply BUILDING FITNESS.

Edited by Finding Freestyle 2015-10-14 9:17 AM

dmiller5

2015-10-14 9:24 AM

in reply to: Finding Freestyle