Any swimmers here?

No.

You need to do drills just grinding lengths at some point becomes prohibative, try doing a pyramid set

No more than 20sec rest after each

25m -100% Effort
Rest
50m 75%
Rest
100m 50%
Rest
200m Easy
Rest
100m 50%
Rest
50m 75%
Rest
25m 100%

8x25m rest 20sec at each 25, important to be consistant on the 25 aim for 22/23 seconds as a starter

Rest 1min

Then repeat the pyramid set.

Cooldown include backstroke to open the chest up.
 
SPG said:
No.

You need to do drills just grinding lengths at some point becomes prohibative, try doing a pyramid set

No more than 20sec rest after each

25m -100% Effort
Rest
50m 75%
Rest
100m 50%
Rest
200m Easy
Rest
100m 50%
Rest
50m 75%
Rest
25m 100%

8x25m rest 20sec at each 25, important to be consistant on the 25 aim for 22/23 seconds as a starter

Rest 1min

Then repeat the pyramid set.

Cooldown include backstroke to open the chest up.
Click to expand...

Ta. I actually meant 100m sets not 50m sets.

Looks like a good program I can hit 22sec per 25m but that currently 96% effort but with no flip turn. My thinking was that not point doing longer than 50 or 100m until I have speed in other words until I can say hit 40-45 comfortably for 50m then I'll never get faster at 100m+ distances.
 
The goal is to get your 8x25 set below 20 seconds ideally, this should improve your endurance which will improve your current times and then after 4 weeks drop in the 8 x 25 as 4 x 50, build slow and do not forget to breathe :)
 
SPG said:
The goal is to get your 8x25 set below 20 seconds ideally, this should improve your endurance which will improve your current times and then after 4 weeks drop in the 8 x 25 as 4 x 50, build slow and do not forget to breathe :)
Click to expand...

But aisyk, dropping 2-5 seconds from a 25m can be a big task. I'm at the stage now where do I say go 100% arms like a windmill, brute force but I don't think that's correct in swimming I think you should be able to do it with better technique than brute force. Otherwise due to the nature of water you'd tire very quickly.

In other words I'm comfortable at 24sec/25m whereas 22sec I'm pretty much at full speed and whacked at the end. I'm not even sure I could swim sub 20sec flat out from a still start.

Which is my whole point how do I get faster.
 
By doing the drills, try googling finger drag, and Skull 1,2,3 and incorporating them into the sets above. Try to maintain the time you will be slower but more efficient in stroke so over time you will generate more power and end up being faster. Its not a quick fix with swimming I try and work in 4 week blocks and swim 3 times a week with of them outside in a lake. Luckily with my Gym we get a ex Olympic para Olympian to coach us once or twice a week. (Really good as normally only 4-5 people)


(when you do the Drills use a pullboy and concentrate on the drill)
 
Is there any point in using hand paddle's or fins, you'll go faster and tougher workout but in long run will it help when not using them.
 
I never felt fins were very useful for swimming training.

Hand paddles are pretty good as long as you ensure you're focusing on completing full arm movements.

As said above, doing technique drills are really important so that you're improving the efficiency of each stroke. Try to feel the resistance of the water throughout the entire stroke (e.g. for frontcrawl, the stroke must extend all the way past your waist). Also for frontcrawl, your central stability is important so that you're not wasting energy unnecessarily over-rotating your body. A solid and stable leg kick helps here, as does having the correct path of travel of your arms under the water (e.g. not letting your right arm cross over to the left side when passing under your body).

You may already be doing all this, so apologies if this is not useful to you.
 
Swimming is the oddest of sport and is 90% technique based and doing drills is the only way to get better really.

Really worthwhile joining a swimming club with coaching or a Tri club, maybe even pay for a private lesson. Comes to point when you will need outside help as they can see all your sins easier from above (When i get tired for example my arms pass under my body which just makes things worse)
 
Some knowledge in here I'd like to hijack @SPG @an0nym0us...

I've got until 15th September to go from being able to swim about 4 lengths before I start really struggling and flailing about to a 1km sea swim.. Any tips on the best way to structure trianing other than just swim a lot? :p

Planning to join my local tri club and get a few technique sessions in so I can get a better base to start
 
I'd say work you way up with each session if it's a 25m pool then your a long way from a 1km.

Set a goal to swim 400m then 800m and work up.

You'll find as the distances get longer it's your aerobic and breathing that will hold you back.
 
Question, or your open water swim are you in a wetsuit ?

You really need to swim 3 times a week, really make the effort to maintain the rest period no more, the goal is to get your heart pumping and your breathing under control.

(I know this program works, i recommended to it two colleagues at work, one was not such a good swimmer and was at week 4 for 2 weeks before moving on but that was more about fitness levels.

Good luck and stick with it, Swimming is really good for you :)

WEEK one:

4 x 100 meters ...rest for 12 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 meters...rest for 8 breaths between 50s
4 x 25 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 700 meters

WEEK two:
200 meters...rest for 12 breaths
4 x 100 meters...rest for 10 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 meters...rest for 6 breaths between 50saw
4 x 25 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 900 meters

WEEK three:
400 meters...rest for 12 breaths
200 meters...rest for 10 breaths
4 x 100 meters...rest for 8 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1200ď meters

WEEK four:
600 meters...rest for 10 breaths
300 meters...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 meters...rest for 6 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1500 meters
 
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WEEK five:

1000 meters...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
Total 1600meters

WEEK six (days 1 and 2):
1200 meters...rest for 6 breaths
3 x 100 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
3 x 50 meters...rest for 4 breaths between 50s

(day 3) 1500 meters

Week one should feel really easy for you, but its worth sticking with it, the aim is the distance not the time, so concentrate on technique as this will see you better later into the program.

So a few tips,

Forget about using legs as propulsion the amount of effort required outways the advantage as newbie to swimming, instead use your legs/feet to keep your legs/hips high in the water as soon as they start dropping it goes downhill quickly :)

Suck that belly in, this will keep your bum high, which in turn helps your legs high so you need less energy to kick (if you can do this constantly without forgetting then please tell me how :) ).

Breathe..... as its open water you really need to learn bilateral breathing, you never know which way the wind will be blowing try, Empty your lungs 110 % in the water with your face down, as soon as your head raises out of the water you need to be taking air in, nothing else . A good tip is to constantly let a slow stream of bubbles out of your nose.

TOP TIP

Slowdown, focus on technique. It might not seem it but you will be faster.
 
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SPG said:
Question, or your open water swim are you in a wetsuit ?
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Yeah, specifically this one https://www.alpkit.com/products/lotic-mens

Haven't gone for a tri suit as I'm more bothered about being able to use it more throughout the year than shaving time off my first ever transition. Will see how that changes if I get the tri bug though!

Thanks for the detailed posts much appreciated. I currently weight train 4 times a week and swim once so that will be switching round to focus on swimming as of next week! Bike and run thrown in whenever as I can do the distances required (60k/10k) no problem already

Breathing is an interesting one. I can't breath on my right side more than three times in a row at the moment without taking in a mouthful of water :p who knew coordinating breathing was so difficult! Left side is fine as far as I expect a beginner goes. It's funny I was watching something on YouTube the other day about someone starting swim training saying that it blew their mind once they started breathing out underwater rather than having to breathe out and in once the head comes up. Thankfully I already do that!
 
A wet suit for tri has some built in buoyancy in the legs (a little secret it makes swimming easier...do not tell anyone :))

Oh and keep your toes pointed, seriously though you can pick up a cheap tri suit from wiggle for £40 it really is worth it even for a one off event. Running in wet cycling shorts feels like you have just pooped and missed the letterbox, not fun

The swimming is the easy bit for me so i just stick to sprints this year all being well ironman in 2021 just before i turn 50:)
 
Skillmister said:
Thanks for the detailed posts much appreciated. I currently weight train 4 times a week and swim once so that will be switching round to focus on swimming as of next week! Bike and run thrown in whenever as I can do the distances required (60k/10k) no problem already

Breathing is an interesting one. I can't breath on my right side more than three times in a row at the moment without taking in a mouthful of water :p who knew coordinating breathing was so difficult! Left side is fine as far as I expect a beginner goes. It's funny I was watching something on YouTube the other day about someone starting swim training saying that it blew their mind once they started breathing out underwater rather than having to breathe out and in once the head comes up. Thankfully I already do that!
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Some great tips by SPG there.

By the sound of it, overall fitness isn't really an issue for you, but rather it's the swimming technique that's currently holding you back.

If even simple things such as breathing technique are proving difficult, I'd suggest focusing solely on technique first, before even thinking about what distance you're covering.

Best of luck. Do let us know how your progressing.
 
SPG said:
A wet suit for tri has some built in buoyancy in the legs (a little secret it makes swimming easier...do not tell anyone :))

Oh and keep your toes pointed, seriously though you can pick up a cheap tri suit from wiggle for £40 it really is worth it even for a one off event. Running in wet cycling shorts feels like you have just pooped and missed the letterbox, not fun

The swimming is the easy bit for me so i just stick to sprints this year all being well ironman in 2021 just before i turn 50:)
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My one does too so I'm expecting that to make a difference too.

Nice one. My mate who convinced me to do this tri finds swimming easy too, he does 5k fairly regularly but doesn't like the long cycles/runs. Ironman is a hell of a feat. One for the bucket list though
 
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