Need some help with my swim workouts. Before this Jan. swimming the length of the pool was a long swim for me. Did duathlons last year moving to tris this year. I read what people are writing about swim workouts and it makes me cringe. The first time I swam a 1000 yds in a single workout I was flat on my back with extreme lower back pain. I dropped my workouts back down to 750 3 times per week. I can handle this but my back is still sore afterwards. I can’t join a masters swim club my job interfers, the guy who coaches at the Y were I swim is never in unless he is teaching, then he leaves again and I can’t seem to get hold of him. So basically I am trying to teach my self to swim by reading books and talking to y’all. My current workout has been 250 warmup, 250 kickboard, and then 250 with paddles or closed fist (ala total immersion) or various strokes if I am tired. Once every two weeks I do 750 or 1000yds straight. Any suggestions?
The question is: are you just desperate OR are you motivated?
Start with this. Got any friends that do triathlons? Know anybody that swims faster than you? Talk to the coach at the local masters team (the one that you can’t normally attend). Offer to hire the coach for private session(s) of one-on-one coaching. Or offer to hire a friend or aquaintance or stranger that swims or races tris (who appears to be at least somewhat articulate) to watch you swim once a month, once every few weeks, whatever, and give you tips on what appears right and wrong with your stroke.
I’m going to start swimming at Island Lake or Kensington in a couple of weeks, you are welcome to come down on a saturday and swim with me. Maybe I can help you there. Bring your wetsuit.
jaretj
Good comments from Greg. Why is your back hurting? It shouldn’t hurt from swimming so either you’ve got a bad back that you need to work on, or your swimming form is really bad.
#1 No more kick sets.
#2 No more paddles.
How about a workout like this:
200 warmup
Drill Set, each drill is 50 yards. After 50 yards, change to a different drill
5x (100 yds drills, 50 yds backstroke)
200 easy swim
Drills means no paddles, no bouys, no toys. If you are really struggling to do the drills, then get a set of blue zoomers and use them only to make you fast enough to do the drills correctly. As soon as you can, stop using the zoomers.
Think about trying some swim golf or add-ups
I spent years floundering in the pool until I attended a Total Immersion workshop. I couldn’t master the drills from the book, let alone the stroke. Since the workshop, which I attended in September 03, I have gone from a pathetic 41 minute 1500m to about 27 minutes. Most importantly though, the stroke requires minimal effort and leaves me fresh for the bike and run. I know some advanced swimmers think TI is a little slow, but I think it is universally respected for teaching beginners and challenged swimmers.
Tom has some good suggestions on swimming. However, I suggest you get your back looked at ASAP. Maybe you just need some stretching and strengthening, or maybe you have a worse problem. But, swimming shouldn’t make your back hurt that bad.
Try some flexibility exercises for the back like laying on your back and hugging your knees to your chest. Then do some crunches, back extensions (flys), etc. to strengthen your core muscles. If you do kicks, do NOT use a kickboard. But, do all this AFTER you get your back checked out.
Thanks tri_bri2, I meant to put that in my post. Assuming that you don’t have back problems, you really need to spend some serious time working on your core muscles. I really would go see a Dr. about it, there is something wrong if your back is killing you after a swim. Surely you have back pain from running and cycling?
shredder,
Thank you for explaining at least enough about Total Immersion that I finally begin to know what TI means! I had always thought it was some inside reference to T1, transition 1, and was lost at the connection.
It sounds like a Total Immersion workshop might just be what I need to make the move to sub 30 minute miles.
Where is a good place to start to find out more? Total Immersion.com/.org?
Again, thanks for the explanation.
TotalImmersion.com has their list of workshops, as well as a list of TI certified coaches by area. At least for learning the basics, the workshop will be much less expensive than the coach. Since the workshop, I have been meeting with a coach every 4-6 weeks just to make sure I am on track. However, any experienced and willing swimmer should be able to do that for you (for free).
Thanks for the advice everyone, couple of points/answers. Had my back looked at by a physician immediately after the incident. She said I had some lower back strain. I attribute this to using muscles in new ways and if I am cautious it should be ok. My back flexibility is a limiter, I have scolios and have a wicked curve in my back. I am also a yoga instructor and I work on my back and core daily. In fact I first got into yoga as a way to work on my back and overall flexibility. Trying to find someone in this area to help me has proved difficult, I can not afford a Total immersion seminar no way on my income, maybe next year. Everyone, includiong Joe Friel at saturdays seminar said do more drills. Great advice except I don’t know any drills except kickboard, pull bouy and paddles.
Thanks
first off i’d try to find someone knowledgeable in your area you can meet with 1 on 1 to help your swim mechanics. I had LB pain when I first started along with a 29min 1.5km swim time. 2 weeks later no back pain and I was at 22min all due to technique changes.
Hire a pair of hands and eyeballs that can help you learn to swim. TI is good if you can attend a workshop or need a rough idea of what to do. Swimming is extremely technique oriented, teaching yourself from a book or video is NEVER going to enable you to swim as well as a caoch can. No video or book will ever do for you in a year what 1 hr with a knowledgeable swim coach can accomplish.
Kickboard does put a lot of stress on the lower back. Drop the board, and if you feel the need to do a kick set, do it on your back with fins.
Hello,
Based on the previous posts I am assuming you are in the Detroit, MI area. If so their are lots of Masters swim opportunities at all times. E-mail me your available swim times and I’ll see if I can find something. Also there is a book, usually available a borders with just swim drills.
More drills than you can shake a fin at:
http://www.swiminfo.com/swim-cgi/
http://www.trinewbies.com/2SwimArt10p1.htm
http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips/swimming-drills06.htm
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=9556&sidebar=14&category=swimming
http://swimming.about.com/cs/techniquetips/a/Freestyl_Drills_2.htm
I strongly suggest that you avoid kicking drills and drills involving pool toys with the possible exception of fins that I mentioned earlier.
shredder,
I know just enough about swimming to be dangerous. Was a certified life guard and water safety instructor. Never swam competitively, though.
I have always felt that I could probably improve by improving my stroke and correcting whatever bad habits I had as far as swimming was concerned. I currently swim a relaxed pace of 32-33 min for 1800 yds(25 yd pool). 37-38 sec for a fast 50 yds. I haven’t mastered flip turns either.
So I probably don’t qualify as a beginner, but I’m sure I could improve a lot in terms of efficiency and technique.
Thanks again for the direction.
tom thanks for the drill links. I will attempt again to get some help locally. I am 2 hours north of detroit and as far as I know the only person that far north in michigan on this board.
“I am 2 hours north of detroit…”
Maybe that is why your back was hurting–are you sure the water wasn’t frozen?
I am 52, no prior serious swim club experience. I used to swim 1-3 times per week around 2500-3500yd with varying lengths and speeds, pull buoy, kicking, paddles (max 500yd with paddles.) I was doing 1500yd. in a pool at 24 min (occ 23–rare). TI has not slowed me down. I am 0-10 seconds faster per 250 yd with way less effort and way fewer strokes. I have only been at it for a few months. I am doing very little conditioning in the pool–mostly drills. I have been doing anything for speed. I am just beginning to do some conditioning swims. My left shoulder no longer hurts. I’m happy. I’ll try to move up the speed later.
docfuel,
Thanks for the feedback and info. Your experience is even more convincing that I could benefit from this.
This could ultimately create an identity crisis. Wants2rideFast/Wants2swimFast/Wants2rideFast/Wants2swimFast.
Oh my goodness. From coaching to counselling?
It’s actually www.totalimmersion.net
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