Yeah, I haven't been swimming in weeks! Holy crap! It's been too cold on the mornings when I don't work then sick with a cold for a week. I could have swam after my run today but oh well. Enough is enough. Hopefully I'll be back in the water sometime this week.
Even though I've been out of the water I'm still spinning 10+ hours a week. The last few weeks I've been subbing for other instructors and really have been spinning like a mad man. As for swimming not so much...
Jan 6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters) Feb 6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters) Total 13.21 miles (=23,250 yards, =21,260 meters)
Today was a good day for swimming. It wasn't a fast workout or a long yardage workout. It was a workout. A workout just to relax, swim and not worry about a billion little things in my head. As a great man once said "Relax. What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind!"
I gotta admit that I almost did sleep in and skip swimming. Snooze was too strong of a force. But I knew I have to swim. So I did get to the pool a bit early so I'd get some pool time. A small group of the regular swimmers was there as well as the Coach. So I swam in his lane and did the workout he and another swimmer was doing. Nothing too hard but that is all right with me. Gotta start somewhere. Plus it kept me honest sticking to a set and interval. Also swimming in his lane made me think more about my stroke technique and not worry about intervals and the set itself. It was good for the mind. I only drifted off once during the swim otherwise I kept thinking about my swim.
Warm Up:
400 Swim
300 Kick (700)
Main Set:
4x75's on 1:20
6x125's on 2:10
4x75's on 1:20
Distance: 1,350 yd Pool Length: 25 yd Time: 23:12 Avg Pace: 1:16 min/100 yd Calories: 279 C
Not the greatest swim but I really thought about my swimming. I even tried to think about my pacing once I got swimming. At first the 75's felt a bit slow to me. Then during the 125's I was glad to be swimming with others. If I was on my own I never would have finished.
As you can see from above I was able to descend the set for the most part. (1,350/2,050) I then cooled down a 50 to get to 2,100 yards. Not great but once again I'm sort of starting all over. Yet, another reboot. I think I'm on my 1,245 reboot in my swimming. It's okay as I gotta keep telling myself I do this for fun! Of course swimming slow sucks but whatever I gotta keep telling myself "Relax. What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind!"
I'm not going to even let the Go The Distance thing bother me anymore. It's just another way to keep track of my swims and nothing more. This is just for fun! FUN, damnit!
I'm still way out of swim shape. Not only that I'm out of proper swim technique. Those two combinations are killing me when I'm trying to swim. I can feel that I'm swimming wrong but it's hard to correct when I'm so out of shape. I'm not out of land shape as I'm working out at the gym. I've already taught 12 spin classes. But that isn't helping my swim right now. Mind you when I was swimming on a more regular basis and was spinning I did feel the difference in my breathing and my
endurance. But right now my body is tired. So for now I've decided to just swim when I can. Even if it's for 30 minutes. Hell, even 20 minutes. Maybe that way when I do get back into swimming more regularly and harder it'll be a bit easier. Of course finding the time and then finding lap swim time at the same time is a challenge.
I don't always use my Wahoo Bluetooth Monitor when I teach or sometimes I wear it but forget to turn on the app as I'm talking to members or what have you. But you get an idea looking at the picture above that I'm spending more time spinning and less time swimming. I wish our gym had a pool but then again I'm glad we don't or I'd never leave that place!
Today's Swim! I started to do this week's workout from Joe D LINK. Started being the key word!
Kick Distance: 200 yd Pool Length: 25 yd Time: 3:55
Pull (w/d-band but w/o paddles) Distance: 300 yd Pool Length: 25 yd Time: 4:09 Avg Pace: 1:23 min/100 yd
Drill Distance: 100 yd Pool Length: 25 yd Time: 1:23
Oy! I felt it during that first 400. My arms were all over the place and my hips were all over with my legs fishtailing behind me. It was not pretty. The pulling seemed even worse!
Even though I had my doubts I really was going to do the full workout. Although I was looking for an excuse to not do it all. Luckily I did find my excuse.
Main Set:
5x100's Pull w/paddles and w/ d-band on 1:30 4x50's Back on 50
I stopped after 1x50 backstroke. It was lap swim time and although I looked before sharing a lane with someone for the swimmer who seemed to be a swimmer we did have an slight accident. We were both swimming backstroke and she was all over. Eventually she ran into me. We had a few close calls before that. So that was my excuse to get out. It was getting on my nerves! So 1.550 yards in about 30 minutes or so. Like I said I'll be just swimming to swim for a few weeks when I can.
I don't even want to start ranting about my Go The Distance!
Oy! I've been using Rocktape for my various workouts this week and today did both knees. I picked knees to wrap up today because sometimes when swimming they seem to bother me. Today no problems at all. Of course no breaststroke but still no pain or anything on my pushoffs. I'm still not 100% perfect on getting the tape on. My second knee was better then my first.
Click hereto download a PDF version of this application. This app can be used for
Achilles tendinitis. AT is tendinitis of the Achilles tendon, generally
precipitated by overuse of the affected limb and is more common among
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I'll be updating on my non-pool time with Rocktape this weekend with my next running post! Till then, tape it up!
DISCLAIMER: The fine folks at Rocktape gave me a roll of the PINK tape to try out. All the comments and idiotic review of the product is my own dumb comments and not of the fine folks at Rocktape.
I couldn't get use to this one swim workout a week thing at all. Yeah, it sounds all nice just swimming one day a week. But when I do actually get to swim it's like I haven't swam in months. How can 400 little yards hurt so much? Now I was sort of smart before I even got in the water by using some Rock Tape on my lower back area. What's Rock Tape?
Rocktape (www.rocktape.com) is a thin, stretchy hi-tech athletic tape that can be used to treat a wide variety of sports injuries such as shin splints, IT band, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendon, runner¹s knee and a host of others. It is the "Gold Standard" in Kinesiology Tape. It's lesser known use (to non-Olympic athletes) is that it can also can enhance performance by bringing blood flow to the taped area and creating muscle stability.
Rocktape can stay on for up to 5 days even with showering and swimming (for real).
In the past when I haven't swam and start swimming it's my lower back and shoulders that bother me. I didn't use the Rocktape on my shoulder mostly because I'm still learning how to put the tape on and didn't have anyone to assist me putting it on. Which I feel is the only thing that keeps me from using Rocktape more often. But with more practice on my own I'm sure I'll get to use to self applying
As for the workout itself. I printed up Joe's 4x's The Charm Workout LINK. It seemed easy enough. Well if I had been awake and read the workout properly I would have thought a bit differently. You can read the workout and explanation HERE but in a nutshell:
The workout is 4 times through the following: 800 pull (or swim) 2 x 200 IM
As for my swim…mum…sad and pathetic.
Had my Garmin Swim on and deck clock on and ready to swim.
Joe's Round 1: there’s no warm up so right off the bat, the 800 is just your warm up, so make it whatever you want (I did a 200 swim/50 scull for 800 yards). The IMs are: #1 drill, #2 drill/swim by 25.
Joel's Round 1: 200 swim, 200 pull no paddles, 200 pull w/paddles, 100 something, 100 easy free then then 2x200's. Oh yeah that something was 100 swimming with fins. My normal back ache swim. I felt pretty good with the tape. But didn't want to push it with lots of butterfly coming up in the workout.
Joe's Round 2: the 800 is free is pull or swim. As ‘always’ focus here is on a consistent pacing (I broke mine miserably!!!) and maintaining. Watch the clock a bit (or use your watch) and maintain your pace for each 100. The IMs are: #1, kick, #2, swim/drill by 25.
Joel's Round 2: DOH! No data! Yeah, I forgot to start my Garmin Swim and didn't notice to the 18th lap. I looked at the clock around lap 16 and it was about a 5:30 on the deck clock. I was trying to do the math which prompted me to look at my Garmin Swim. I stopped in frustration realizing I wouldn't have my data. Rested a bit, contemplated continuing, giving up but finally decided to jump to Round 3.
Joe's Round 3: the 800 is broken at the 400 for 20 seconds and then negative split (so faster than the first half). The intention as with any negative split/descend/build is to make sure that there is still EFFORT on the first half so you can really feel the burn on the second half. The IMs are: #1 Reverse IM (ouch) #2 IM (yes, two 50s fly in a row)
Joel's Round 3: Call it frustration or boredom or just me being a wimp. 1 5:26.8 400 1:22 2 5:22.7 400 1:21 But I sorta felt discourage and unmotivated. I skipped the 200's and went into Round 4.
Joe's Round 4: the 800 is broken again, this time as 100s. Alternate 100 SPRINT / 100 smooth on 2:00. Do what you can to really work those SPRINT 100s. Even if you need a little extra rest. The smooth 100s should be recovery but not too sloppy. The IMs are: #1 Drill (yes, a bit of recovery) #2 IM, broken at the 50, 50s are build to hard then 5 seconds rest. On the last IM work on controlling your breathing in between each 50. Big deliberate breaths to help return your oxygen and ‘theoretically’ get your back ready to go faster.
Joel's Round 4: Ummm…I suck at this swim thing. Or at least swimming alone. I don't know how people do it. I need someone on deck or in my lane holding me accountable for my swim. I gave up after 4x100's. 1 1:11.6 100 1:11 2 1:20.7 100 1:21 3 1:13.5 100 1:14 4 1:23.2 100 1:23
Now I haven't been swimming much this month and last and the previous year. So this swim isn't horrible. Almost horrible. Just a base for me to improve on. 2,850 yards isn't bad for someone not swimming much. This month I really haven't been swimming at all 4.18 miles (=7,350 yards, =6,721 meters. I really got to sneak in some swimming this week. I can't finish a month below 10K yards! I'm subbing in a few spin classes on Monday and Tuesday but after that I should be able to squeeze in swimming. I gotta do it. As of now I'm probably going to NOT swim at any swim meets this year. Well maybe that small local meet in Ocala. But no IGLA in Seattle, no PanAm Masters in Sarasota or anything like that. I'd be too embarrassed to swim slow times.
As for the Rocktape I gotta give it good review. I haven't used it as much as I like. Two swim workouts, one run and one day at the gym. It seemed to do it's trick this morning with my back. Usually swimming with fins I feel a tweak in my lower back. Today nothing. Mind you it was only a 100. But and I hate to say that I have this really bad habit when tired in distance swimming but I do this odd butterfly kick into the wall and lift my head to breath before diving in to do my flip. Yeah, it's really bad form and a killer on the lower back. But today in my laziness I was doing it and no issues. I'm going to continue trying it out all month in swimming and running. I'll be back to running next week.
Rocktape - How to tape for general lower back pain LINK
DISCLAIMER: The fine folks at Rocktape gave me a roll of the PINK tape to try out. All the comments and idiotic review of the product is my own dumb opines and not of the fine folks at Rocktape.
Well at least I got some swim time in this morning. That's twice in one week. I'm on a sad little roll. This little swim was very little and more like a warm up. I'd love to swim more but work, work and
more work. So far I taught 8 one hour spin clases and 3 half hour classes. That's a bit of spinning. So swimming just isn't happening. I don't always remember to use my heart rate monitor so I don't have every class posted to Garmin but trust me I've done them. My body knows I've done them. Thursday when I was done I was beat. Even with a nap my body was telling me "no more". After yesterday mornings class I just came home and watched bad tv on the couch. So I figured I had to get up and do something before I head to teach spin.
The swim "workout" or warm up...
200 Swim / 200 Pull / 300 Kick.
I then had this great idea for a set. Yeah, I was making it up as I was swimming. I had a printed workout but I left it way over at the other end and it's 50F outside. I'm not walking outside in these cold temps! The plan was to swim 2x50's, 2x100's, 2x200's, 400, 2x200's, 2x100's and 2x50's. I got as far as the 100's. But I did four of them instead of two. I was pulling the first part and started to swim the last two 100's.
I was just feeling horrible in the water. My stroke was horrible and I just had no motivation to swim. So I switched to 50's hoping my body would wake up and I'd be motivated to swim fast. Yeah, well, that didn't happen.
So I said to myself, let's try some IM stuff maybe that'll do it. Once again, NOPE!
8x25's on 30 reverse IM by 25.
That was it. Done! 1,600 yards.
To see how little I'm swimming one only has to look at the graphic above. This year I've only swam 16,750 yards. And easy slow yards at that! I'm not a happy camper!-
