speeding up

Thinno said:

Hi,

I swim 3 or 4 times a week for an hour. I've been learning TI freestyle
for the last couple of years and can swim reasonably smoothly (I think)
but I quite slow. Admittedly I do take the notion of practising form
perhaps a little too seriously and so I've never done any speedwork. My
best 'sprint' times are 30 seconds for 25 metres, 1:05 for 50m, 2:15
for 100m. I'm not much slower when I swim for longer periods.

You don't mention what your stroke counts are. Without knowing that,
it's hard to estimate how efficiently you're swimming.

Quoted message said:

A typical swim session for me (if I'm just swimming and no drills) is
15*150m on 4 minute intervals, obviously lasting 60 minutes. This
typically gives me maybe 15 or 20 seconds between each set, which I
feel I need. I've slowly worked up to this distance/speed and just
can't seem to get any faster.

What happens when you try to swim faster? Remember that speed is the
product of stroke rate and stroke length. Assuming that you've
succeeded in developing a long stroke length, the next thing you need to
do is see how much you can increase your stroke rate while maintaining
that stroke length. Try to consciously reduce the time it takes you to
recover your arm from your hip to your ear.

Quoted message said:

Given my current speed and amount of workouts, can anyone suggest how
to introduce speedwork into my routines? I'd really like to get to 2
mins per 100m, hardly ambitious I know but it would be a big
improvement for me! I can probably increase the duration of my time in
the pool slightly but I can't manage more than 3/4 sessions per week...

Your goal is to swim 100m at a pace that is equal to your current pace
for 25m. That isn't likely to happen unless you can improve your 25m time.

I'd suggest that, if at all possible, you have your stroke looked at by
someone who is familiar with TI freestyle. They should be able to tell
you whether you are doing anything wrong that is slowing you down.

You can also try swimming a series of 25s with different stroke counts,
as described in this article:

http://www.totalimmersion.net/2005articles/november/best-of.html

Another technique is to swim 100m as a series of 25s, resting long
enough between each one that you can swim it at your normal 25m pace.
Then work on gradually cutting down the rest periods while maintaining
that pace. When the rest periods are gone altogether, you will be
swimming 100m at a faster pace.

Quoted message said:

Many thanks! (By the way, I'm 34 and although I have a long term back
problem it doesn't really inhibit my swimming)

U.S. Masters Swimming keeps separate record times for each event and age
group. The 25-29 age group has the largest number of fastest record
times. The 30-34 age group is in second place on the number of fastest
record times. So at your age, you certainly aren't over the hill!

Bob

Robert W. McAdams said:

You don't mention what your stroke counts are. Without knowing that,
it's hard to estimate how efficiently you're swimming.

Hi Bob, many thanks for the reply. I swim about 17 strokes per 25m
length. This increases slightly to 18/19 as I tire. I have had my
stroke looked at by a TI coach who's only recommendation was to watch
that my hands don't cross the centre line - I do have a bit of a
tendency to do this which I am in the process of fixing. Apart from
that he said my balance and breathing etc was OK.

Quoted message said:

What happens when you try to swim faster?

I find it really difficult to go any faster at all without sacrificing
my form. I don't seem to be able to stroke/roll quicker. But I will try
thinking about recovering my trailing arm quicker as you suggest! I'll
also introduce a few 25m lengths at full speed with, say, 30s rest and
reduce this gradually.

I'm not looking to be ultra quick, but I do feel a bit slow...

Thanks again,

AJ

Dang, misery enjoys company ;-)

I use the Swim Smooth DVD out of Australia targeting Triathletes.
I atually took some above water video and I look great. Actually, just
OK, but not bad.

Now I do 50secs for 50yards in a small course.
I do about 18-20 strokes per 25yds (very gentle pushoff).
I cannot do better than 1:35 per 100yds when I do about 5-6 100yd
intervals on 2 mins (I am so glad when I am done).

I am not improving. Veeerrrrryyy frustrating.
The funny thing is, if I hammer for 100 I still do 1:35, very frustrating.

Thanks for the comment of the recovery time, I did start thining it was
time to start focusing on SR.

I am in NC, does anyone know of any good Coaches who can really tell me
where I need to improve.
Two have told me I look OK. Is it really just doing intervals?
It just seems to me if my stroke were OK, I could at least do one 100 in
say 1:20?????

Thanks
Lee

Thinno said:

Robert W. McAdams said:

You don't mention what your stroke counts are. Without knowing that,
it's hard to estimate how efficiently you're swimming.

Hi Bob, many thanks for the reply. I swim about 17 strokes per 25m
length. This increases slightly to 18/19 as I tire. I have had my
stroke looked at by a TI coach who's only recommendation was to watch
that my hands don't cross the centre line - I do have a bit of a
tendency to do this which I am in the process of fixing. Apart from
that he said my balance and breathing etc was OK.

Quoted message said:

What happens when you try to swim faster?

I find it really difficult to go any faster at all without sacrificing
my form. I don't seem to be able to stroke/roll quicker. But I will try
thinking about recovering my trailing arm quicker as you suggest! I'll
also introduce a few 25m lengths at full speed with, say, 30s rest and
reduce this gradually.

I'm not looking to be ultra quick, but I do feel a bit slow...

Thanks again,

AJ

"Lee B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:1150484893.59627@sj-nntpcache-3...

Quoted message said:

Dang, misery enjoys company ;-)

I use the Swim Smooth DVD out of Australia targeting Triathletes.
I atually took some above water video and I look great. Actually, just OK,
but not bad.

Now I do 50secs for 50yards in a small course.
I do about 18-20 strokes per 25yds (very gentle pushoff).
I cannot do better than 1:35 per 100yds when I do about 5-6 100yd
intervals on 2 mins (I am so glad when I am done).

I am not improving. Veeerrrrryyy frustrating.
The funny thing is, if I hammer for 100 I still do 1:35, very frustrating.

Thanks for the comment of the recovery time, I did start thining it was
time to start focusing on SR.

I am in NC, does anyone know of any good Coaches who can really tell me
where I need to improve.
Two have told me I look OK. Is it really just doing intervals?
It just seems to me if my stroke were OK, I could at least do one 100 in
say 1:20?????

Thanks
Lee

Thinno said:

Robert W. McAdams said:

You don't mention what your stroke counts are. Without knowing that,
it's hard to estimate how efficiently you're swimming.

Hi Bob, many thanks for the reply. I swim about 17 strokes per 25m
length. This increases slightly to 18/19 as I tire. I have had my
stroke looked at by a TI coach who's only recommendation was to watch
that my hands don't cross the centre line - I do have a bit of a
tendency to do this which I am in the process of fixing. Apart from
that he said my balance and breathing etc was OK.

Quoted message said:

What happens when you try to swim faster?

I find it really difficult to go any faster at all without sacrificing
my form. I don't seem to be able to stroke/roll quicker. But I will try
thinking about recovering my trailing arm quicker as you suggest! I'll
also introduce a few 25m lengths at full speed with, say, 30s rest and
reduce this gradually.

I'm not looking to be ultra quick, but I do feel a bit slow...

Thanks again,

AJ

Where in NC?