Another forced rest day because of work commitments; it was supposed to be some weight work. I can do a little light stuff at home. And since I just started training two weeks ago, I probably shouldn't be at it six days a week yet.
Meanwhile, here's a great article on Mark Allen's blog about training at less than max to improve the aerobic engine.
Follow him on Twitter @MarkAllenOnline.
Showing posts with label aerobic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aerobic. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Walk before you (front) crawl
If I keep my head out of the water while swimming breast stroke, is it technically called a dog paddle? If so, call me a dog-paddlin' fool.
I discovered in the pool today that, with my head out of the water, I swim more rhythmically, more comfortably, more slowly than I do with my head in the water. Three hundred yards (not all at once) at an easy pace today, and I could have gone on a few more lengths.
This is not a viable long-term strategy. Out in the lake, I'd ship too much water. My body's hanging at a 25- or 30-degree angle in the water; not exactly optimal, hydrodynamically speaking. And I'm pretty sure that, eventually, my neck is going to be stiff.
However, it's giving me the patience to slow down and glide; it's keeping the panic at bay; it's allowing me to work out longer in the pool, which will translate to better aerobic capacity, strength and endurance. And all that will translate into more confidence and better breathing when I start putting my head back in the water.
My stroke should evolve through a hybrid head-out/head-in phase to a proper breast stroke. I might not make it to an effective, consistent front crawl this summer, but for the first time, I'm confident that by August, I'll be able to manage the swim leg of the triathlon.
I discovered in the pool today that, with my head out of the water, I swim more rhythmically, more comfortably, more slowly than I do with my head in the water. Three hundred yards (not all at once) at an easy pace today, and I could have gone on a few more lengths.
This is not a viable long-term strategy. Out in the lake, I'd ship too much water. My body's hanging at a 25- or 30-degree angle in the water; not exactly optimal, hydrodynamically speaking. And I'm pretty sure that, eventually, my neck is going to be stiff.
However, it's giving me the patience to slow down and glide; it's keeping the panic at bay; it's allowing me to work out longer in the pool, which will translate to better aerobic capacity, strength and endurance. And all that will translate into more confidence and better breathing when I start putting my head back in the water.
My stroke should evolve through a hybrid head-out/head-in phase to a proper breast stroke. I might not make it to an effective, consistent front crawl this summer, but for the first time, I'm confident that by August, I'll be able to manage the swim leg of the triathlon.
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