the17thman

How to assemble FINIS Dart Goggles

A brief tutorial on how to assemble a pair of the FINIS Dart Goggles. Enjoy!

Swim Smarter. FINIS.
www.FINISinc.com

Thursday's Swim Report - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Lane Three

Lane 1 - China Daily posts "Sun expected to rise in Olympic pool.  In the pool, Chinese swimmers should make a big splash after the confidence they gained at last year's FINA Shanghai World Championships, and Sun Yang has emerged as the team's new leader.  The 20-year-old broke Australian Grant Hackett's 10-year-old world record in the 1.500m in Shanghai, and will try to scoop another gold in his duel in the 200 and 400 against Korean world champion Park Tae-hwan."

Lane 2 - ESPN posts (w/video) "Sullivan, Palmer prepare in Spain.  Eamon Sullivan and Kylie Palmer are expecting tough competition in London."

7M Sports posts (w/video) "Australian swimmers set their sights on Gold.  The Australian swimming team are currently taking part in a warm weather training camp in Calella, in Spain.  A chance to escape the Australian winter - and focus minds on the upcoming Olympics.  For Eamon Sullivan, London 2012 will represent his third appearance at the world's biggest sporting showpiece.  Sullivan is expecting his biggest rival in the sprint events to be Cesar Cielo once more."

Lane 3 - USA Today posts "Got Olympic gold, good story? Sponsors want you.  Gymnast Gabby Douglas, track star Allyson Felix and swimmers Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin. They're already big names that you'll be hearing more about in coming weeks…But one twist to the story is that Franklin, a world champion at 17 who plans to compete in seven events in London, says she wants to swim in college. She has passed up endorsement deals because she doesn't want to give up her NCAA eligibility.  "I don't think you could put a dollar amount on it," said Evan Morgenstein, President and CEO of Premier Management Group, of Franklin's marketing potential. "Over the next four years, she could be the highest paid Olympic athlete in the United States."

Lane 4 - nine posts (w/video) "Target engaged - it's Australia's 'Missile'  The Missile' is zeroing in on London with Australia's James Magnussen supremely confident of trumping the world's best for the 100-metres freestyle gold medal at the Olympics."

Lane 5 - The Baltimore Sun posts "Columnist receives a call from Clary after column is posted.  Jim Alexander’s column on Tyler Clary dissing Michael Phelps had been up online for about 4 1/2 hours Monday night when the writer’s phone rang.  It was Clary, hoping for a do-over of sorts. But in journalism as in swimming, that doesn’t happen.  “He wasn’t angry with me,” Alexander said Wednesday, a day after his column in The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, Cal., drew more than 10,000 page views and a veritable tower of babble in the world of swimming."

Lane 6 - FINIS posts via youtube "FINIS: The Story.  An inside look on who FINIS is and what we stand for."

Lane 7 - The Morning Swim Report posts via youtube "MSS: Rob Butcher @USMSRob_Butcher @MastersSwimming.  Coming off a successful Masters nationals in Omaha, Neb., USMS Executive Director Rob Butcher joins today's edition of The Morning Swim Show to talk about the process of getting the Olympic Trials venue. In an effort to increase the exposure of Masters swimming, Butcher wants to continue to have Masters nationals follow major USA Swimming meets, and he talks about the work he is doing to make that happen. He also talks about the upcoming Pan American Masters championships and how this large meet could only increase the scope of Masters swimming."

Lane 8 - York News Times posts "McBride competes at National Masters Swimming event.    A York swimming icon took to the starting blocks this past week in the same pool the United States Olympic Qualifiers swam in just a week ago.  Darcy McBride participated in the National Masters Swimming event held at the Century Link Event Center in Omaha.  Saying she ‘participated’ would be a huge understatement.  Swimming four events McBride placed in all four."

SwimOutlet.com Launches Blog!

"To kick off the launch, we've got Gold Medalist Mark Gangloff  introducing his new blog series titled, "The Gangloff Review"! In this series, Gangloff will be reviewing and comparing top products in various swim categories. He doesn't hold back on his review!" - swimoutlet.com

Here is his first post: http://www.swimoutlet.com/blog/top-training-fins-compared-the-gangloff-review.

Now I will admit to hate kicking!  Like you already don't know that.  About a year ago I purchased Finis Gold Zoomers.   Now they are very comfortable no need to wear socks under them or anything like that.  But they are heavy!  Today when wearing them during a 500 I took them off about half way.  I went from just slugging it out for a 250 with the fins to speeding it up and blasting my last 250 without the fins.  Now I don't kick a lot so for me the Golden Zoomers are Golden Weights!   I'm going to take Mark's suggestion of going for fins with a longer blade!

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Fins

It was Drill & Toy Day at the pool.  Well at least that was the make up of my workout.  Which for me is good and bad.  The good is Paddles!  Wahoo!  The ugly and bad are FINS!  Drowning!

Warm Up

Mixed 500 (swam 200 / pulled 200 / swam 75 back & 25 free

300 Kick w/fins (300/800)

The Meat of the Workout -

400 Fist closed 1 Finger Pull for 1st lap of each 100 (400/1200)

3x200's on 3:00 w/ Paddles breathing every 3 (600/1800)

6x100's Fins.  Fist closed 1 Finger Pull for 1st lap of each 100 on 1:40 (600/2400)

6x50's  ALL IN!  Paddles and Fins!  Easy/Fast on 1:00 (300/2700)

Now even with the toys it was a bit of a challenge.  Tired from work yesterday and working out.  I flounder during the 1 finger pull drill.  But that just reminds me to use my full arm as a paddle.  As I was swiming the 400 I kept thinking I need that arm thingy for this.  I think the actual technical thing via FINIS is "Forearm Fulcrum Sr. - Achieve an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) and increase stroke efficiency with the Forearm Fulcrum. An EVF position utilizes the entire forearm during the pull, from the fingertips to the elbow."  It seems to do what the coach is trying to get me to do.  It's the whole The whole "Alexander Popov. .... The arm is shaped as if you were reaching over a barrel."  Which I am doing more of but still gotta work on the intial catch.  One thing I did notice while using the paddles I seem to over extend my arm locking my elbow before my catch.  Was feeling some tennis elbow coming on.  But I don't have these toys so it was paddles and my yellow Zoomers.  Now I'm not a big fan of fins.  Not really a kicker.  Fins are like two lead weights attached to my feet.  So I really had to engage the core while swimming with the fins.  Luckily I've been working on my core on dryland and really started to feel the benefits of my core work.  It's getting easier to tuck into a ball at my turns.  My biggest thing that kills me everytime at the wall is the fact that I don't tuck into a ball.  My legs just come flying around and splash down. 

So all in all it was a back to basics let's break out the toys workout.  Something I need.  As the summer months brings warmer pool temps it'll be something that will move into the forefront.  So I might buy some new swim toys.  Now for my Go The Distance I'm slowly coming back.  Only 14,025 yards to go to 100 MILES!  Looking at my work/class agenda I may only swim 6 more times this month.  Not including a small swim meet this Sunday.  I'm swimming 400 IM, 400 Free, 200 IM and 50 Back.  So let's do some math.  14,025-1000=13,025.  13,025/7 = 1,860 yards.  So the next 7 swims I need to swim at least 1,875 yards!  Easy!  IDIOT!  14,025-1000=13,025.  13,025/6= 2,170.   So the next 6 swims I need to swim at least 2,175 yards.  I'm also chipping away at my YTD deficit.  I was behind 25 miles in pace and now only about 19 miles behind.  Not too bad!

Daily Candy: Let's Get Physical

 

A few swim related suggestions to Get Physical from Daily Candy -
Holy Xmas Batman!  Speedo Hydrospex Candy Cane Goggles - via daily candy.
Lite Bright!  They'll see you coming in TYR's Kaleidoscope Cap - via daily candy. Don't Get Lost!  Check out this dizzying Speedo Dazed Maze suit - via daily candy.
Kick It!  You'll be zoom zoom in Finis' Zommers Fit Fins - via daily candy.