Swimming - Page 2

How many strokes are you familiar with? Do you tread water? You can try front crawl, head up front crawl, breast, frog legs only, stroke only, flutter kick only, arms only, butterfly, dolphin swim (like butterfly without the arms), backstroke, scissor kick x2 (1 each side) and underwater laps for 1-2 laps each one after another. Then tread water from one side of the pool to the other. Or you may consider speed trials. Or the 1000m challenge (should take around 20 minutes) or the 2000m challenge (should take around 40-60 minutes). You can always google for lifeguard swimming training routines (no need to get hardcore or anything) or pm me if you want to know what we did for lifeguard pool training.

By far the worst thing about swimming alone is how boring it can be. A couple things I like to do to relieve the monotony:

1 - Pyramid, i.e. 50, 100, 150, 200, 200, 150, 100, 50. Makes 1000 yds feel like nothing for some reason. Going up to 250 gives you 1500.

2 - Intervals, maybe 50 seconds per 50 yd free. Swim down and back (assuming short course) at a good pace, ca. 35-40 secs, rest for 15-10, start again. x10. There's another 500 yds.

3 - Boring, but I like to do some 400s or 200s

Add kicking and you're at 2500. It's great exercise.

I'd first get someone to ensure you have proper technique instead of writing you workouts. You can look those up online.

I was an All-American in the 100 breast in high school, but I hated practicing. The best thing you can do for a swimming workout is to get a partner of similar speed and race them. Racing is the only fun thing about swimming.


Workout:
Warmup: 6-1-1 (600 free, 100 kick, 100 scull or pull)
Set 1: 4x200 (alternate 100 free 100 back)
Set 2: 6x100 (50 sprint 50 slower)
Set 3: 200 kick (25 sprint 25 slower)
Warmdown: 100 free or back


I'd recommend getting some professional stroke help, as well. Swimming is a lot more fun when you can do IMs and have four strokes to choose from.

I'd agree with Socal - you should be able to go online and get a bunch of varied workouts within your range. And you should be able to find a coach that push you a bit. I think that's more important than just writing out a workout. I'd want the coach to gradually increase difficulty and to push me to work harder intervals and keep my intensity high.

Well, if you really want to get the most out of your workout and avoid injuries, I'd say so. Good technique can help maximize stroke/water displacement, oxygen intake, lung capacity, stamina, etc... and that's good for everything, not just your times. It's true with just about everything fitness related. My gym has Infinity Wave pools, I can't recommend them enough. It will keep you from getting bored if you have the option available to you.

Yes, because I doubt you want to screw up your shoulders.

Manton,
Join a swim club or buy (or borrow) a book. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193...WP0E9KJR13DYCF

Would you go to the gym and use the equipment with the chair too high or too short or grip the bar at the wrong spot?

I'm sure your pool has a Master's swim that you could eventually join at some point. What's your base?

I thought one of the advantages of swimming was that you didn't screw up your body like with running. if Manton has been doing this for a while, and can swim for a solid hour, is there really risk of him damaging his joints if he keeps doing what he has been doing?

I swam competetively in high school and you can definitely injure your shoulders swimming. Maybe not so likely swimming 7500 yds a week vs. 50K to 60K, as cometetive swimmers do.