The Post Where I Do One of the Things I Swore I Wouldn't Do

Okay, I'll just go ahead and admit it. I got all my hair cut off. And 85% of the decision came because of my IM training.

I had super long hair that I've been growing out for about three years. But honestly, lately it has looked like this most of the time:

When I signed up for IMFL, I promised myself I would not cut my hair just for the sake of training convenience. That promise lasted less than two months.

The effort to make my hair look nice was more than the time I had available to do it. So, when I found myself saying "You know, I just straightened my hair this morning (which took two hours), so I'm not going to work out today. Or tomorrow" -- I knew something needed to change.

Let's face it, when you're swimming 3-4 times a week and running and/or biking about the same amount of times, there's not a whole lot of time left over for hair styling.When Captain Awesome saw me attempting to tuck that mass of hair under a swim cap one day, he also encouraged me to get it cut.

So I did.  The result:

It's pretty, but I already miss my long hair. I'm not worried about it. It'll grow back. And it already takes 1/4 the time to style it as it used to.

Most importantly, I don't hesitate to jump in the pool for a 30 minute swim because it will mess up my hair. That sort of stuff is for girls.

The Post with Week 4's Swim Homework

Week  4 Homework  12/3 – 12/10  

(Completed 2-3x before next week)

 

Warm-Up

200 Easy swim – no equipment

Set #1  ( Core Rotation Drive- Hand Hip Connection)

4 x 50m 12 Kick Switch w/ fins:   main focus on powerful switch drive  RI: 10

200 m swim w/ fins focused on hand –hip connection

2 x 100m One Arm freestyle drill w/ hand paddle – no fins   RI: 15

200 m swim w/ fins focused on hand –hip connection

Set # 2 (Focus Set)  - Complete on 50 at a time – only moving on to the next 50 if you have been

successful in being mindful of assigned areas and feel that your performance in those areas was accurate.

 2 x 200m???  (complete the set twice IF you have not had to repeat too many 50’s during the first set)

1^st 50m – Focus on Complete Rotation( Stretching into glide  & finish)

2^nd 50m - Complete Rotation + Front Quadrant Timing

3^rd 50m - Complete Rotation + Front Quadrant Timing + Hand/ Hip Connection

4^th 50m - Complete Rotation + Front Quadrant Timing + Hand/ Hip Connection + Catch position accuracy

Set #3 

3 x 100m Build  by 25’s  RI: 15

Cool Down

100 Side Kick Drill – no fins

100 Easy Swim

Total: 2000m ???

The Post Where I Almost Had to Swim Naked

From Geek:
So today was week 4 of my 5-week swimming (stroke-improvement) clinic. I've really learned so much, it's pretty amazing.  I feel tremendously more prepared for my training swims and the eventual 2.4 mile IM swim because of taking these classes.

Today, though, was not my finest swim-class moment. My daughter missed the bus so I had to take her to school, which meant I had to get my swim stuff together and out of the house 20 minutes sooner than expected.

I know better, of course. GET YOUR STUFF READY THE NIGHT BEFORE when you have an early morning swim/run/workout planned. We all know that, but we never do it.

I was rushed. It was a triple-whammy. Having to take least-favorite daughter to school meant I was going to be late to the pool. But then I grabbed the wrong bag, so I ended up with NO swim cap and a pair of kids' goggles.

AND I grabbed what I thought was my black speedo swimsuit, but actually turned out to be my maternity bathing suit from 12 years ago.

So I arrive at the pool: in a bathing suit that resembled a hefty bag, no swim cap, and goggles meant for a small Asian child.

Late AND unprepared. One is bad enough. Both?...Sigh.  I was in tears before I left the changing room.

But, everybody pooled together (see what I did there?) to help me out. One swimmer gave me an extra
swim cap, another showed me how to get the goggles to the largest setting, and my swim coach offered me the bathing suit off her body (which I gratefully accept and we ran into the locker room and changed).

Ended up being a great class. So glad that I went, even though I was a little late and that I waddled out to the pool in all my ill-fitting stuff, prepared to just sit out and watch. Because everything worked out.

Not sure there's any moral to this story except maybe "don't have kids". But let's face it, that's moral for any story.

The Post with Week 3's Swim Homework

Week  3 Homework 11/20 – 12/2   

(Complete 2-3x before class in 2 weeks)

 

Workout #1

Warm-Up

200m Easy swim – focus on tracking

100m Side Kick Drill w/ fins – Body Stretch

Set #1  (Stretch, Lift ,Tracking & Timing)

2 x 50m  “L” Drill w/ fins - lead with the same arm for the whole 50, switching lead arms each 50.  RI: 15

150m  Easy swim  w/fins – focus on recovery lift & tracking

4 x 50m  “L” Switch– pay attention to tracking & timing- don’t move head while arms are moving. RI: 15

150m Easy swim w/ fins focus on tracking & timing.

Set #2  ( Pull Power – Feeling Tension on the water) * Remember you must be well rotated to catch properly

3 x 50m w / fins  RI: 15

     1^st 50 – Swim with hands in a fist or use tennis balls – focusing on an accurate catch position

     2^nd 50 – Regular swim with hands open – feeling more tension than the previous 50m

     3^rd 50 – Swim w/ hand paddles – be careful with arm positioning – don’t drop your upper arm when initiating the catch! 

200m Easy swim focus on tension in the catch – no equipment
 

3 x 50m w /  Pull buoy  RI: 15

     1^st 50 – Swim with hands in a fist or use tennis balls – focusing on an accurate catch position

     2^nd 50 – Regular swim with hands open – feeling more tension than the previous 50m

     3^rd 50 – Swim w/ hand paddles – be careful with arm positioning – don’t drop your upper arm when initiating the catch!

200m Easy swim focus on tension in the catch – no equipment

Set #3  ( Breathing patterns)

300 Easy Swim – Working on Breathing Pattern- Swim broken into 100 m thought segments:

     Odd number 100’s  - Breathe every 5 to 6 strokes – forced long exhale

     Even number 100’s- Breathe every 3 to 4 strokes.

Total: 1900 meters

Workout #2

Warm-Up

2 x 100m Swim Easy

2 x 50m 12 Kick Switch Drill w/ fins

2 x 50m  Pull with Buoy working on switch timing

Set #1  (Hand /Hip connection)

4 x 50 One Arm Freestyle w/ fins   RI: 10

200 Swim – no equipment – focus on initiating the rotation at the same time your wrap your arm to catch

*Set #2  ( Powerful pull w/ proper rotation)

3 x 300m – Each 300 broken into:   

1^st 100 -  Pull w/ buoy and hand paddles – (hand hip/ connection)

2^nd 100 -  Extended Finish Hold  (no buoy) Hold glide/ finish position 3 counts

3^rd 100 -  Pull w/ buoy and hand paddles – (hand hip/ connection)

 

* Really focus on getting well rotated before initiating a strong catch in this set.

*Set #3  ( Technique to Power)

3 x 100m Build  by 25’s

* On this set I want you to start off slow thinking about technique and then try to put more umph into your catch and rotation to drive yourself faster through the water each 25m.

Cool Down

Easy 100m

Total: 2100 meters

The Post with Week 2's Swim Homework

Week  2  Homework 11/12  - 11/18

(Complete 2-3x before next week)

Reminder: Leave every wall in a stretched and tight streamline position.

Warm-Up

250m Easy swim – focus on long exhale forcing bubbles toward the bottom of the pool.

100m Streamline Kick on Back w/ fins

Set #1  (Alignment & Tracking Focus)

2 x 50m  Side Kick Drill w/ fins - lead with the same arm for the whole 50, switching lead arms each 50.  RI: 15

100m  Easy swim  w/fins – focus on glide arm staying up while breathing

3 x 50m  12 Kick Switch w/fins – pay attention to tracking- don’t move head while arms are moving! RI: 15

150m Easy swim w/ fins focused on tracking and keeping head centered.

Set #2  (Tracking &Rotation Focus)

3 x 50m Double Touch  w/ fins – keep recovery arm next to the body and pay attention to your switch timing.  RI: 15

200m Easy Swim w/ fins – focused on keeping the recovery arm next to – not on top of the torso.

3 x 50m Flow Drill w/ fins – Keep head centered, stretch and rotate. RI: 15

200m Easy Swim w/ fins – focused on stretch and pressing your rotation forward into the glide arm.

Set #3 (Rotation Focus)

3 x 100m   Swim w/ Pull buoy & Hand Paddles.  Work on keeping the bodyline long and stretched while rotating around a well-positioned and relaxed head.  Work the core as a unit focusing on the lower abdominal muscles.  RI: 20

 

Set #4

350 Easy Swim – Working on Breathing Pattern- Swim broken into 50 m thought segments:

     Odd numbered 50’s  - Breathe every 5 to 6 strokes – forced long exhale

     Even numbered 50’s- Breathe every 3 to 4 strokes.

Total: 2200 meters

The Post With Week 1's Swim Homework

Week 1 Swim Clinic homework: 11/5 – 11/11

(To be completed 2-3x before Week 2)

Reminder: Leave every wall in a stretched and tight streamline position.

Warm-Up

200m Easy swim – focus on long exhale forcing bubbles toward the bottom of the pool.

Set #1  (Alignment Focus)

6 x 50m  Side Kick Drill w/ fins – lead with the same arm for the whole 50, switching lead arms each 50.  Rest Interval (RI): 20

100m  Easy swim regular swim w/fins

Set #2  (Rotation Focus)

4 x 100m   Use fins and hand paddles if you have them.  Take long slow strokes with a slight 

hesitation at the finish. Make sure your arm finished under the water by pressing water toward your feet and that your arm is next to not over your body at the finish.  Glide arm out front should be stretching forward keeping the hand in line but not on the same level as the shoulder.

                    

 * When your finish arm hand reaches the mid-thigh point your torso should be well rotated- so that the shoulder on the finishing arm side is out of the water and the same side hip is close to the surface.   RI: 45

200m Easy swim – no fins – focus on keeping head still and rotating the body.

Set #3 (Rotation Focus)

4 x 100m   Swim w/ Pull buoy between thighs.  Work on keeping the bodyline long and stretched while rotating around a well-positioned and relaxed head.  Work the core as a unit focusing on the lower abdominal muscles.  RI: 30

Set #4

400 Easy Swim – Working on breathing every 3 to 4 strokes.  Long slow exhale- deep inhale; use pull buoy                  

Total: 2,000 meters