Training for DM

[Bigg_Budd]

Anyone have a suggested training regiment to prepare for DM? I'm not talking dive skills, I'm talking preparing for the swim.

Last week, I began swimming the 450m and am sitting at about 11 mins. I'd like to shave that time down to at least 9 mins. I'm finding that I am a very inefficient swimmer, muscle-ing through with my arms rather than using my legs. I could also use some tips on breathing. I am breathing on each left hand stroke.

Any hints or tips from you swimmers or Instructors/DMs would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers!

[Ryanh1801]

Pretty hard to coach over the internet. But one thing I always notice with people who have not swam their whole life. Is trying to power through and not relaxing. Swimming fast is all about form. You need to have a good stroke and be relaxed in the water.

Also breathing on every left hand stroke is way to much. Work on going on every third so that you are altering sides and then, get to where you only breath every 3-4 complete strokes. Breathing waste time.

Once you get that down, work on doing flip turns, flip turns will increase your time significantly, but if your not in good cardio condition, you will be wore down to fast to make up for any increased efficiency. So wait until you get your breathing under control before doing these.

[Bigg_Budd]

THis is EXACTLY the type of feedback I'm looking for.

OK - Breathing too much. I will try every third stroke, but must warn you that breathing on the right is proving to be difficult for me. I'm a lefty, and it shows...

I've tried the flip kick, and will tell you that it is a thing of beautiy when I execute it.

The flip kick will have to wait.

[frogman159]

Proper head position is to look straight forward not down. The surface of the water should be just above your eyebrows. wearing goggles is key for your comfort

[Bigg_Budd]

Originally Posted by frogman159

Proper head position is to look straight forward not down. The surface of the water should be just above your eyebrows. wearing goggles is key for your comfort

There's another mistake. I'm looking down the whole time...

Thanks.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by Bigg_Budd

Last week, I began swimming the 450m and am sitting at about 11 mins. I'd like to shave that time down to at least 9 mins. I'm finding that I am a very inefficient swimmer,

What some one told me was

1) Make sure you "complete" each stroke. The stroke ends at the hip when you are pushing the water backward. Wait a half second before you start the next stroke and "coast" a little. Get a few inches of "free" distance between each stroke

2) The swimmers who win races are typically the ones who use the fewest strokes per lap. Beginners tend to get only a couple feet forward per each stroke while the best swimmers go many feet per stroke. So the advice I got was to count strokes and If it takes me 33 to get to the end of the pool work on getting it down to 30. Working on reducing strokes per lap forces you to improve technique while looking at your time on the clock only enourages you to just "thrash harder"

At first using less strokes means going slower but that is OK, the goal is not speed. Later just crank up the stroke rate and with your new longer stroke you will go faster.

I think if you are doing this "right" your hands/arms to not slip as much and some how "stick" as if the water were more solid. I've seen video of good swimmers and their hands are stationary relative to the bottom of the pool just as if each stroke was pushing off hand holds. poorer swimmers like me have their hands moving backwards relative to the fixed bottom. They tell me I need to feel the water pesure on my fore arms and hands and get the presure "right".

So,.. swimm more yards and swimm more slowly, workng on the stroke per lap ratio

3) your time is good enough. You are faster then I am

4) Now, if only I could do the above.

[caroln]

This was recommended to me when I started DM. It's supposed to be an excellent system to improve your efficiency in the water. The workshops are pricey, but they have a dvd if you're just looking for some pointers on technique.

Total Immersion Swimming

[Bigg_Budd]

Excellent information. Thanks ChrisA and caroln.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by frogman159

Proper head position is to look straight forward not down. The surface of the water should be just above your eyebrows. wearing goggles is key for your comfort

I've heard it both ways. Both were well respected swim coaches. One said "everything in swimming a 'forward'. reach as far forward as you can look forward...." the other said raising the head to look ahead causes the feet to sink and uses more energy then if you look at the black line on the bottom of the pool and that only a small bit of the back of the head should be above the water.

Try an experimant. just float. Put one arm forward and one back as if just starting a new stroke and then look down and relax and wait. Don't move. Then look forward and don't move. which way do you float the best. If experts disagree then I figure it hardly matters at our level.

[Ryanh1801]

Originally Posted by frogman159

Proper head position is to look straight forward not down. The surface of the water should be just above your eyebrows. wearing goggles is key for your comfort

Not trying to be rude, but that is wrong. raising you head will cause you his and legs to dig further into the water, other wise known as "Swimming uphill". With your head looking down, you are supporting your body to become more efficient in the water. This is what is known as swimming down hill.

A drill to help this is kicking the length of the pull with no board and with your arms at your side.

<< swam competitively for 12 years, and now does triathlons.