Swimming Tips

[Lizban]

Doing the Great London Swim which is a mile swim. I've been traing fro about 4 weeks and have 2 weeks to go. I have completed the mile distance in the pool 3-4 times now and can do this in c35 mins.

But does any one ahve tips what I should be doing for the last 2 weeks? More distance swimming or short sharp 'reps'?

Cheers

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I'd stick with the distance - more times you do a mile the more confident you'll feel about it. I go 2 - 3 times a week and only do distance, usually easy start then step it up and ease off at the end. But that's just me, others may feel differently.

Good luck BTW!

 

[02GF74]

Doing the Great London Swim which is a mile swim.

what exactly is that? sounde like outdoor event to me .. in which case it is a whole new kettle of fish to swimming indoors.

if that is the case, you need to find outdoor pool and do your mile+ in there to get accustomed to the cold which will take its toll.

If it is indoor swim, then ignore ^^^

 

[lukesdad]

the short sharp reps will only increase your speed not your endurance.

 

[Steve Austin]

You won't improve your overall fitness in the last two weeks, so concentrate on doing some slow swims concentrating on technique. You should not feel muscle tiredness when you have finished, and time should mean nothing. long slow swims is the aim.
I used to swim at least a mile a day, and in order to get your best time down, you would need a few years and other training. Weights is good. Most amateurs can get a lot quicker by practising technique. amazing how sloppy some people's stroke is.

Good luck with the swim!!

 

[plank]

Theres definatly a big difference in swimming in a pool and swimming in open water. Finding a somewhere to try it and praticing swimming in your wetsuit would be the best thing you can do. Sounds like you can do the distance so the main thing to concentrate on at the start of the swim is to make sure you keep to your own pace!!! (IMPORTANT)

If the swim is a mass start a good place to try and start from is the side or back.

In terms of technique try leaning on your chest to keep your feet up and reduce drag and concentrate on your breathing so you dont end up out of breath, its not so easy to have a sneaky rest when you dont have the ends of the pool to hold on to while you turn.

 

[jay clock]

I do a lot of triathlons and there is no substitute for open water practice. I assume you have your wetsuit by now? You must try it out in open water, as it can be disconcerting. My 1500m swim time is about the same as yours, and for us slower swimmers the extra buoyancy of the wetsuit really helps, but some people panic, partic in dark cold water. If you lie on your back in a wetsuit you will float flat as a pancake, so no risk of drowning. As soon as you know that, the panic may recede!

I would also use some lube around the neck (Body Glide is the best stuff) to avoid chafing

Summary - most important that you practise in open water, even if only once.

 

[Fiona N]

Have you practised head-ups to see where you're going? It's usually essential in open water swimming to keep an eye on where you're going - no lane markers etc. - but it could be in the London swim there will be so many people around you can just follow the feet in front

 

[jimboalee]

Which bike are you riding to do this event?

This is "CycleChat", not "SwimChat".

 

[peanut]

sounds like you are doing fine . Thats a pretty reasonable time for 4x weeks prep.I would agree with the others you need to try the distance outdoors at least once . I would rest the last week. Most athletes say that they feel stronger in an event when they have done nothing in the last week.Lets your body recover a bit from training.
good luck let us know how you get on

 

[SimonC]

the short sharp reps will only increase your speed not your endurance.

Are you sure?

 

[lukesdad]

Are you sure?

Yep competed for many years reps are great for endurance but not short sharp ones they re designed to build power therefore speed.

 

[lukesdad]

Just to clarify the above answer. Dont get confused between reps. and sets. reps are repetions of sets. i.e a short sharp rep could be something like 100m free (the set)30 secs rest x 4 (the rep) used for technique and speed . endurance building would be something like 100m free 30 secs rest x 4 (the set) 1 min rest x 4 (the rep) by no means short and sharp believe me I used to do them.

 

[ASC1951]

Yep competed for many years

I hear that high end open water racing can be a severe shock - like the front row of a rugby scrum, but without all the tiresome gentlemanly etiquette. Is this true?

 

[lukesdad]

I hear that high end open water racing can be a severe shock - like the front row of a rugby scrum, but without all the tiresome gentlemanly etiquette. Is this true?

Pretty much.......Thing I remember most is nobody talked to each other,must have been all that training.......Bit like road racers and tt riders really!