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swimming endurance?
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 2004-07-29 10:35 AM |
Veteran  156   WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN |  Subject: swimming endurance?I've been training for about three weeks now for a sprint tri mid-september. I've been riding the bike about 15 miles 3x a week with no problem. I can run the 3.1 miles without 'too' much strain. BUT I cannot get my endurance in the swimming portion... i'm tired after 200-300m in the pool. Any suggestion on how to build up endurance during the swim? thanks. |
| 2004-07-29 10:42 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Expert 1279 Northern VA | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I know people are gonna think I'm a salesman for TI (I'm NOT). But Total Immersion really worked for me. I STRUGGLED mightily with the swim, dreading that workout. Workin my ass off in the pool, going anaerobic while swimming slow. The book/DVD helped me swim faster (OK - less slow) and with much, much less effort. I'm barely breathing hard after a one mile swim. Maybe it doesn't work for some people, but for me it was the best $65 I've spent in this sport. Gary |
| 2004-07-29 10:49 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? Not to completely endorse the TI program (I am reading the book, but have no practical experience), but I am experiencing the same thing as you, and I'm convinced that it's technique, not endurance, that is our problem. I'm training for my tenth marathon, just clocked my fastest ever 20-mile time trial on the bike, and still have to switch to the breast stroke every fifty yards or so just to catch my breath. |
| 2004-07-29 10:56 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Pro 4228 Broomfield, Colorado | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I found that it takes me about 300 yds to warm up - I start with 2x25, then 3x 50, then 2x 100, AND THEN I'm able to keep going nonstop. I learned a lesson in my last tri - I did not warm up by getting in the water, and my swim time showed it! I had to keep floating to catch my breath. |
| 2004-07-29 11:52 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? Yes, technique is the key to everything in swimming, but if you get tired then you're definitely not going to maintain any sort of good form. If 300 is your limit, that's totally reasonable. You can improve by swimming the distance broken up into pieces. I often do 500's by doing a bunch of 50's with a little rest in between. The key is to limit your rest to an interval which lets you finish the distance, but still keeps your heart rate up. Probably 10 seconds is enough for 50's at a reasonable pace. By breaking up the distance, you can probably go farther than 300 for a total distance, and then when you try to swim continuously again, 300 will be a lot easier. -dave |
| 2004-07-29 11:58 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? so, by breaking up into intervals... and slowly building endurance... will this give me enough time to build enough endurance by sept. 19th, 2004?? how often should I be swimming ... Is 3x a week too much, not enough? |
| 2004-07-29 12:29 PM in reply to: #41528 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I think 3x per week is just right for swimming. Doing that, you should be fine for September. What's the sprint distance? 600 yards? |
| 2004-07-29 12:31 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? the distance is 1/4 which is about 400m I think.... if I did my math right. I swim about 45min - 1hr 3x a week. so hopefully if I do intervals, in 1.5 months I'll be able to do 400m without a break...!! |
| 2004-07-29 1:09 PM in reply to: #41496 |
| Extreme Veteran 444 Fort Wayne, IN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? How far is your distance? I think you have plenty of time but I would try to get the TI book at the minimum. It gives good instruction on drills and has workouts in the back. A warning on the workouts is that they are minimum 1000 yrds I think. Don't be intimidated just do what you can. I went from barely doing 50's to a mile in about 4 months. If your swim is 1000yrds or less you are in good shape by Sept. Any longer and I would say it is up to you how much you can put into it. Swimming 3x per week will be plenty. I would only advise that if you do feel shoulder pain or just plain tired then skipping a day during the week might be beneficial. I divide my week up into Day 1 - drills only Day 2 drills for warm up then intervals Day 3 longer slower distance. The type and length of the intervals are planned ahead of time but I get them from this site, reading books and websites ect...I should also restate that I am not a swimmer and really work hard at getting better. Also remember for your race, you will get some benefit from drafting, whether you mean to or not plus adrenaline will kick in and help plus once you are 200+ yrds from shore the only way to get back is to swim....You will be fine. Ok, you could use one of the safety guys in a boat to help you back but I don't figure that is an option you would like. |
| 2004-07-29 3:03 PM in reply to: #41528 |
Regular 122 Southern, Maine | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? There are a couple things you can do: Get both the Total Immersion Tri Book and the Video/DVD. These will make a world of difference in how your stroke progress's. As far as training, vary each workout so you don't bored. One day do indurance, swim 1000 + meters, next swim day do intervals 25's, 50's and 100's, the next day maybe do a combo. All of us went thru the same thing learning to swim better. There are hundreds of workouts on line, or you can purchase the "Swim Workouts in a Binder". Anyway keep swimming till September and you will be fine  Chris |
| 2004-07-29 4:12 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Expert 1166 Colchester, CT | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? Speaking from personal experience, I was the in the same boat as you about 7 weeks ago. The first time I went to the pool I was barely able to make 100m without totally getting out of breath. Well today at lunch, I did 1600m non-stop. How did I do it? Basically getting to the pool four days a week, and slowly building up my endurance. I got some great tips from people here as well as from some web sites on how to be more efficient in the water which helped greatly. The other thing that really helped me, is I realized I was trying to swim way, way, way to fast. I think it was partly out of fear that I would sink if I tried to swim slowly. Once i got past that, the endurance came really quickly. Just keep on going to the pool to get comfortable in the water, and slowly try building. Set goals for every session, adn if you have to rest, you have to rest. But if you are like me, you'll find that it will come rather quickly, just be patient and stick with it. |
| 2004-07-29 5:08 PM in reply to: #41496 |
| Member 84 Phoenix, Arizona | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? Another spokesperson for TI here, I COULDN'T swim at all as of this time last year, I had tried and nearly drowned. I joined Sun Devil Masters and signed up for the Chicago Triathlon with my boyfriend as a relay team (I'm doing the swim, he's doing the bike and run) in February, knowing full well I couldn't even get across the pool at the time. I could barely catch my breath after one lap in the short course! I read Total Immersion, tried out the techniques, which helped IMMENSELY, now I'm swimming 1500-2100K 3-4x a week. Now I KNOW I can do it. You can too. |
| 2004-07-29 5:20 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I guess I'm leaning towards the just keep trying line of thought. It isn't that I don't believe in the TI system, it is just that with all of the othe stuff that is necessary to buy for the tri, i'm hesitant to spend more money on a book/dvd system. i'm going swimming tonight. I think I'll try 500m and try swimming it slower... I know I go too fast... I 'logically' know I'm not going to sink or drown, but somehow my arms don't listen and keep going really really fast. |
| 2004-07-29 5:35 PM in reply to: #41496 |
| Member 84 Phoenix, Arizona | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I actually borrowed the book, but even if I had to buy it, it's done the most for me. I can't emphasize it enough how much it helped me in a short period of time. Maybe you could try getting a used on off ebay or amazon, I didn't even get the dvd. Or maybe the library would have it? |
| 2004-07-29 5:42 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? okay, okay. I'll look on ebay or half.com and see if I can't find something. but i'm hesitant if all it is is a bunch of drills and workout programs... i just want 'the answer'... just kidding. for now, I'm just going to work on going longer and slower, but I'll see what is out there for TI books on sale... |
| 2004-07-29 5:45 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? okay, there are two books, one is Triathlon Swimming Made Easy : How Anyone Can Succeed in Triathlon (Or Open-Water Swimming) With Total Immersion and the other is Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier ... which one do i want? |
| 2004-07-29 5:45 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Veteran 156 WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? okay, there are two books, one is Triathlon Swimming Made Easy : How Anyone Can Succeed in Triathlon (Or Open-Water Swimming) With Total Immersion and the other is Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier ... which one do i want? |
| 2004-07-29 6:32 PM in reply to: #41496 |
| Member 84 Phoenix, Arizona | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? I got the latter, I know several people that have the former though. The answer consists of several things, the most important I've found, in a nutshell, was really feeling your body become slipperier in the water, keeping your head and chest DOWN, like you're swimming downhill, and using really long strokes, and relax relax relax! Hope that helps whet your appetite! |
| 2004-07-29 9:40 PM in reply to: #41496 |
Expert 1836 Lafayette, CO | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? Having struggled also, I believe that you have to have confidence in yourself that you WILL NOT drown first. Swimming through the water resistance is daunting, to be sure, but it can be done. My main set today was 550 yards. If I feel my technique getting sloppy, I'll backstroke for 25y and then continue with freestyle. Heck, I'll dogpaddle during my tri if I have to! But since I've started to trust myself more, I feel much more confident and my endurance has improved quite a bit. I've slacked a little on my swim workouts in the past, but I now have found a good set of drills for my workouts and it helps a lot. Once your technique gets 'good' (as opposed to Olympic-swimmer-perfect), you'll see fairly rapid results. Whether you improve your technique through TI, a master's swim program, a personal swim coach, whatever, once your confident in your technique, you'll be fine. |
| 2004-07-30 8:09 AM in reply to: #41496 |
Regular 122 Southern, Maine | Subject: RE: swimming endurance? While we are talking about the swim. If you are going to use a wetsuit for your tri, get out in the wetsuit and practice. Swimming is soo much easier in the wetsuit, but it is a different feel. The suit turns your body into a Kayak, very tippy from side to side so if your not careful your stroking way faster then you normally would without it. My $.02. worth Chris |
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