Today's Workout

Since Coach Erica is at a swim meet today, I'm running the noon practice. It's ok. I've done this kind of thing before. Although I'm totally no help, if anyone has a stroke problem. This is the biggest, most involved workout I've done in the last couple of weeks. I'll probably be ready to die, by the time it is over! Here's what's on today's agenda:

Warm Up:
200 swim
200 pull
200 kick
200 swim

Main Set:
4x100 IM (30 sec. rest) (IM order: butter, back, breast, free)
4X100 free (pace yourself/not too slow but not too fast) (30 sec rest)
4x50 choice (first 25 medium speed/second 25 all out sprint) (60 sec. rest)
200 choice easy
4x50 back (medium speed/20 sec. rest)
4x50 breast (medium speed/20 sec. rest)
4x25 choice SPRINTS (25 sec. rest)

Cool Down:
200 choice

Total: 2700

Just Keep Swimming!

I went to my dryland training "Boot Camp" for the 2nd time last night. I really liked last night's sets. We were in the weight room. We had 2 stations for ab/core work; one stop on the bench with the medicine ball, and one stop with the giant exercise ball. Then we did the lat pull down machine, the thigh press, the arm press, and the arm/fly press. We did 4 sets. In between each set, we went out to the track and ran laps. I really do like circuit training! I ended up running nearly a mile, just in class last night. Since we really concentrated on our upper body, I'm not nearly as sore today. It's amazing how swimming has strengthened my arms, back, and shoulders! I'm looking forward to next week's sessions!

I had spent the earlier part of the week concentrating on recovery swims, since I was SO incredibly sore from the first session. I spent the better part of the week in pain. I did manage to get a double in on Tuesday, but the yardage ended up being about 3000 or so. Today, I finally got my first "real" swim in of the week. I realize that I've got to push myself. One of my favorite swim quotes is, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable in practice." I had to keep repeating that in my head today, while I was swimming. My flipturns are off kilter, because of the stomach pain from the tough ab workouts this week. I just have to make myself keep flipping hard and fast through the pain. I KNOW it will get better!

Here's what I did:

Warm Up:
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
200 Pull

Main Set:
100 Swim
100 IM
200 Swim
200 IM
150 Swim
3 x 100 IM
4 x 50 Kick FAST
4 x 25 Underwaters

Cool Down:
250

Total: 2100

Not a massively big workout, but it's definitely a start!

Since When Do I IM?

It seems that Coach Katie is going to make me into an IM swimmer. Both practices this week have focused on IMs. I'll admit, it's made me work on learning fly so it's good. I'll admit that I really do like changing strokes. Once I learn fly, I think I could get into it (please, nobody tell Katie). Here's today's butt kicking workout.

This workout focuses on smooth transitions.

Warm Up:
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
100 IM Drill
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
100 IM Drill
200 IM

Main Set:
2 x 100 50 Fly/50 Back
100 Free
2 x 100 50 Breast/50 Free
100 Free
3 x 100 IM FAST
2 x 75 Fly, Back, Breast
150 Free
2 X 75 Back, Breast, Free
150 Free
2 x 200 IM FAST

Cool Down:
300

Total: 3200

February 1st Workout

Warmup:
200 Swim
100 DPS
100 Kick
100 Pull
3 X 100 IM

2X:
2 x 50 Kick Descending
2 X 150 Fly, Free; Back, Free; Breast, Free
2 X 100 Kick No Board/Swim
200 Stroke

2 Minutes Rest

3X:
50 Kick/Drill
50 Stroke
50 Least Favorite
50 FAST

300 Cool Down

Total: 3300 yds.

Doubling Up!

Since the first of the year, Katie has been increasing our yardage. Last week, I swam nearly 10,000 yards! That's unheard of for me. It's really been great, though. It's pushing me past my comfort zone, and it's paying off. I'm feeling much stronger and more in control. I feel that I've come such a long way, even from the time of the Louisville meet in November. I'm trying to psych myself up for the Auburn meet in February. I'd really like to improve my times by at least a second or two.

Here's today's workout:

Warmup:
200 Swim

100 Monkey Drill (freestyle; flip every 5th stroke)
100 Sideways Fly Kick
100 Fingertips Drill
2 x 50 2 Turns (Go to middle of the pool and start. Flip on both ends, finish in middle.)
150 Kick
150 Pull

4X:
75 Free
75 Stroke
75 (Back, Breast, Free)
75 Kick No Board

2X at Even Pace:
100
200
300

300 Cool Down

Total: 3300 yards.

Post Christmas Workout

I was lucky. I made it to the pool to workout nearly everyday last week. I tried to not eat too many yummy treats too! I was back in the pool today for my first post Christmas workout. I have some work to do in the next couple of weeks. Our next meet is the Western Kentucky Green Gator meet on January 8th. I've entered the 50 back and the 50 free this time. I have no clue, if we'll do a relay or not this time. Here's my workout from today. It's my teammate Katie's workout tweaked a little.

Warm Up
300 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick
150 Sw/Dr

Main Set 2X
3 X 50 on 1:00
3 X 50 Back on 1:00
4 x 25 on :30
200 Choice

Cool Down
200 Kick
200 Choice

Total: 2550 meters

Butt Kickin'

Today's totally butt kickin' workout brought to you by teammate Katie, Wave Diva!!

Warm Up:
300 Swim
200 Pull
100 Kick
150 sw/dr


Main Set:
Times 2:
6x50 on 1:00
4x25 on :30
100 Choice
50 Sprint

Post Set:
150 Kick
200 Cool Down

I think I'm ready for a nap!!

Post Thanksgiving Practice

We had our first practice, since Thanksgiving today. I'm really starting to work on my speed. I'm not exactly a fireball in the water, but I do like to try. Anyway, our coach is starting to give me workouts to improve my speed. I really enjoyed having a goal to work to in practice today. Here's today's workout:

Warm Up:
150 x Swim, Kick, Pull, Swim
150 x 3 free/3 backstroke drill

Main Set:
3 x 100 on 2:50
6 x 50 choice R.I. 20 sec.
4 x 25 builds
4 x 25 Underwaters

200 cool down

Can't wait for practice tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the workout! Our next meet is the Red/Green meet on December 11th.

Back In the Pool

Well, I finally got back to the pool yesterday. It was my first day back in, since the big meet in Louisville last weekend. It felt GRRRREAT!! I always miss the water, when I don't get to go. I got quite a bit of yardage in yesterday. I just took my time and took it slow and easy.

I was back in today too. I did a more typical workout today. I also included some underwaters and drills. This is what my workout looked like today.

Warm Up:
150ea x swim, kick, pull, swim
Main Set:
250 Backstroke
250 Kick with fins, alternating dolphin and free
5x50 3 free/3 backstroke drill
4x25 underwaters
5x50 pull choice
300 choice cooldown

Our next meet is on December 11th. It's the Red/Green meet with Music City Masters. I'm really looking forward to it. Can't wait to get back to practice with the team this week!!

Thursday Workout

Warmup:

100 each:
Swim
Kick
Pull
Swim

Main:
150 Free (RI 10 sec)
150 Choice

4X25 Free & Choice (RI 15 sec)

4X25 IM Kick (free, back, breast, fly) X 2

4X25 IM (back, breast, fly, free) X 2

150 Choice cooldown

Our yardage was a lot shorter, but we worked really hard on stroke technique.

Thursday Practice Workout

Today's workout:

warmup: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull, 100 swim
4x - 50yds switch between freestyle and choice -- Resting Interval (RI): 10 sec.
6x - 25yds (build..start slow and finish in a sprint) switch between freestyle and choice -- RI: 5 sec
200 ladder swim - start freestyle at 50yds then 100, 150, 200 then start choice 200yds then 150, 100, 50 -- RI: 15sec
4x - 25yds underwater swims (try to make it to the other side with one breath)
Cool Down- 200yds freestyle

Paddle Problems

Today, for the first time ever, I decided to use paddles for my workout. I've always heard to be very careful with paddles, because you can injure your shoulders easily with them. It seemed simple enough. I've watched the age groupers and other masters swimmers. I grabbed a pair, put my fingers through the catches and started on my way. It seemed to be fairly easy to use them The first few laps seemed quite easy. Then about halfway through, the paddles started to float off of my hands. I kept stopping to secure them between sets, but it just kept happening. Everytime I would get into a rythym, they would loosen and start floating off. I was using these paddles.



I did notice that there was only tubing in place for the finger catch, not the wrist catch. Could this have been the problem?? Was it incorrect technique that was causing them to float away from my hands? Other than the floating problem, they worked really well. I found them really useful for my cool down too. If anyone has suggestions, please comment.