Masters swimming vs EN plan swimming
I've only learned to swim freestyle about 3 years ago when I signed up for my first HIM. Since then, I can swim the distance for any of the races I do but am still a pretty poor swimmer. Say 35' for an olympic, 42' for a HIM, 1h25' for an IM.
My training has really been about doing the distance and nothing else in the past. Several reasons, including the pool where I used to swim was always crowded and making it difficult to enjoy the workout. Very few options to swim at a time when it was less crowded, only options were early in the morning and during periods of heavy training it was often difficult to get out of bed. I'd only swim once or twice per week, never more.
Now I moved to a different state, the local pool is pretty much empty most of the time and swimming is much more enjoyable. Right now I'm trying to do some technique work on rest days in the OS. But as of January, Liquid Lifestyles will start a masters swim program in that pool and I am seriously considering joining them. Why? Because so far I've not trained properly and I don't know if I have it in me to really focus on my own on technique or intensity work. I'm thinking swimming in a group will be more fun and make the swim more enjoyable.
Downside: sessions are on Tuesday and THursday morning which is OK for Tuesday's (that's usually a swim day in HIM and IM EN-land) but Thursday is not. Wednesday's usually have some hard brick and Thursday's have a long run so that will be tough (but I guess I'll now get some more rest on Friday? And most of all I don't know if a masters swim program is really a good place for me given my lack of swim experience / skils.
THoughts?
Comments
Why not swim Tuesday with the masters group and then another convenient day(s) on your own?
That would probably be ideal, so I asked the question. If possible I'll just go for it.
Actually David I was more thinking about continuing it into the entire season. Right now I'm doing OS, then HIM training working towards IM SG 70.3, but main goal is IMWI in September. I would like to be a better, more solid, consistent swimmer and the new pool seems to help with that quite a bit. But since there's a new training program there about to kick off, I'm wondering if it's a good idea to try it or it masters swimming is out of my league (or if the timing would not make sense once I'm in HIm / IM training mode).
It will make you swim faster. Bottom line. You'll go harder than you would on your own, and hold it longer. So, when you drop down to an easier IM pace, you'll be cruising. Even if your times don't drastically improve, your RPE will.
Dont be afraid to show up, just tell the coach you suck and want to get better. He'll put you in the right lane. Don't talk IM lingo all the time. Just let him know your a newbie and want to get faster for your tri's.
I'm doing a similar thing. 2 EN swims and 1-2 masters sessions.
Good luck.
I swam with ABC Gray Sharks last winter, and it definitely improved my swimming. The coaching was excellent. The group was dedicated and I had a lot of fun.
That said, the Gray Sharks view swimming as an end unto itself, and after trying to keep up with the slow lane for an hour and a quarter and a few thousand yards, I was seriously cooked. In addition to free, there was a fair amount of back and fly and breast, and the occasional platform-dive practice. These will do about as much for your HIM times as flip-turns.
It will pull energy away from your EN workouts, which emphasize bike and run based on the ROI argument: sure, you could pull maybe 5m out of your swim, but more than that will be very hard, and there may be more room for race improvement in your bike and your run. At least that's how the argument goes.
That does not mean you shouldn't do it, though; I had a great time and I learned a lot and I had four hours of programmed workouts a week. Also, every masters team is a little different - this was an intense and focused team of swimmers; others are more relaxed, others may do more free.
Ben,
Not likely that you'll get much / any technique help unless you ask for it and even though I know from experience running masters workouts that once you get >~12 people in the pool, you're running a workout, not a technique session. For technique help you're better off booking 1:1 time with that coach.
As noted, you'll swim harder and faster with a masters squad than you would on your own. I know I typically swim 2-3"/100m faster with Barry Plaga than on my own. So think of those sessions as group rides where the RPE of going hard is much less than on a solo swim.
Hope you have a great time with it, Ben.
B/t/w I watched the Tower 26 videos too - very interesting stuff. I could definitely relate to the feeling of having good form for those first few strokes after you push off the wall, then having it fall apart sooner w/each succeeding lap. Swimming fast does seem to give me better form (more taught), and I have increased my swim cadence over the last year (though I don't know if that was intentional). I have never worked out with a snorkel though - might try that.