With a bit more of a swimming base under my belt this season, I've decided to renew efforts to improve my form and make technique drills more of a priority. And this year, as I'm finding out, I am able to do so. The following are some of the drills I will be doing.
Kickboard: Above is a picture of the type of kickboard I am using. I will always use a freestyle kick with it, as the freestyle kick is the only kick relevant to my needs as a triathlete. (Also, the dolphin kick and breast stroke kick are just so much harder!) Kicking is not a priority for me, as during a triathlon, my goal is to get through the swim without excessively fatiguing my legs... I will need them on the bike and the run. However, I have to kick my legs at least a little to swim effectively (and to stay afloat), and the more efficient my kick is (and the higher I float in the water), the more efficient my swimming will be.
Sidekicking: In this drill I am on my side in the water, belly facing the side of the pool, with my underwater/bottom arm extended forward, and my above-water/top arm resting on my thigh. The kick (freestyle again, the only kick I am practicing) is all that propels me, and the point is to establish balance on my side, which is useful during the freestyle stroke. On my side, less of my body is plowing through the water, as opposed to laying face down with both shoulders forward causing drag. Less drag = more speed.
Pull Buoy: Above is a picture of the type of pull buoy I am using. It is held between the thighs to keep my legs afloat without kicking. This way, I can isolate my arms and focus on the technique of my stroke, without having to worry about kicking.
Closed Fists: In this drill I swim freestyle with my hands clenched in fists. Without the wide surface area of my hands pushing against the water and propelling me forward, the form of my arms/stroke becomes paramount. Thus, this is a great way to refine stroke technique. The goal is to achieve EVF, Early Vertical Forearm. The sooner my forearms become vertical and start pushing against the water, the more efficient and faster I will be. This drill forces me to use my forearms effectively to make forward progress.
For this particular workout, I allowed myself time to catch my breath in between 50's if I so needed, and tried to focus on form, ignoring speed for the time being.
The exception to this was on my third 100 yards of freestyle. The swimmer in the lane next to me was two body-lengths ahead when I started, so I decided to try and catch him. I reached the wall before him by the first 25, at which point I believe he started racing too. We held even the next 50, and then he pulled about a half body-length ahead by the end. Afterward, I wasn't sure I would be able to complete a fourth set (let alone the third), but gutted it out.
It was nice to be able to keep up with someone, showing that my swimming is much farther along this year. Last season, training in the pool, I was virtually never faster than anyone under the age of 70. Hopefully, this is an omen that I will improve on my Louisville swimming performance. There is a lot of room for improvement too, having finished at the 11th percentile (1,758 out of 1,975). I managed to pass over 650 competitors by the end of the race, but it would be nice not to start so far back in the pack this year. I'd be happy with a 25th percentile finish. Not looking for any miracles.
The other big change I'm making is breathing every three strokes, rather than every two, which was my practice last year. It requires greater lung capacity, but the primary reason for it being more difficult is that it requires me to breathe on both sides, the right and the left
Being right-handed, I, like most righties, am more comfortable breathing on the right side. It feels more natural. Breathing on both sides, however, is beneficial for a couple different reasons. The motion of breathing slows you down, so breathing every third stroke will increase my speed. Also, from a technique stand-point, breathing on both sides forces me to swim with better balance, which can result in increased efficiency and, therefore, speed.
Point of Reference: all of my swimming workout distances will be in yards (not meters), unless otherwise specified. The pool at Bally's is 25 yards long, so swimming 50 yards is going down and back.
Addendum: this is my second consecutive two-a-day... squeezed out a solid five miles tonight before the gym shut down. Felt great, just one problem... some of my new weight seems to have gone to my thighs. Yet another place to worry about chafing. Thank goodness for Body Glide.
WORKOUT
- 1/6 Swim: 100 free, 50 kickboard, 50 sidekicking, 50 pull buoy, 50 closed fists (x 4 sets), 5 mile run
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