1550y swim. 46:38. HR >150

Well last time I swam a personal best distance of 700y with my HR never going over 150, and I said it was "easy". My previous best distance before that was 500m. This was probably my 18-20th swim workout (ever).

I decided I'd just "up and swim a 1500" (tomorrow Pigg's PC Coach has me doing a workout of total distance = 2300y).

I swam it, it was easy .... and I mean that.

I feel as if I am a very good TI technical swimmer. That "knifing/gliding" feeling they talk about ... I feel it. The trunk rotation-reach-breath thing seems very fluid and effortless.

One major change I have made is the strength of my kick. For me, it's the kicking that wears you out. Before I was a fast kicker, flutter style. Now, I kick nice and slow and more range of motion (ROM). I compare it to kicking like a dolphin vs. kicking like a whale. The "whale-kick" (patent pending ... har Har) sometimes feels as if I am swimming with flippers on. I wouldn't joke about something like that.

Here's what has helped me ....

1. Breath as needed. Relax your face, breath of of mouth and nose ... fully, so that when you breath it's all inhale. Keep the air in the chest, not in the diapragm (sp?).

2. Trunk rotate by pushing you armpit towards the floor. This automatically encourages the arm to push forward (reach). The trunk rotation should initiate this movement.

3. I hold my arm out front for a 2-count, and with a nice, easy kicking motion, you can feel youjrself still propelling.

Repeat with the other side.

The easiest and most efficient stroke to swim is the side stroke. Swimming like I said above, with the holding of the arm out front for as 2-count while kicking almost seems to make this more of a side stroke than a freestyle ... but as you all have read in swimming books, more time on your side equals faster time and less effort.