TLog: Swimming practice

Received my training plan for the next two weeks and happy to note that there'll be more focus on swimming and cycling. The next targets to take part in the Bangkok marathon on Nov 23 and SCSM on Dec 7 are still in place, so LSD runs will continue. For this week, the key objective is to improve swim technique and get used to longer distances on the bike.

Had to move my schedule around a little, so went for a swim today. Here're the drills:

• Visualization: “I am a sheet of paper…floating in the water”. Get to feel as relaxed as possible.
• First drill: Butt up with only leg but no arm motion. Key: press down the chest to get the legs to come out behind! Breathe by looking up to the front. Do this at least 6 lengths of the pool, taking as much break as you need between consecutive sets.
• Second drill: Swim on side: Start off kicking as per above; then pull back your right arm and keep it to your side. Rotate to your left side of the body and kick along. When breathing, minimize lifting of the head by turning to the side for air.
• Aim to do 4 lengths for each side.

I managed to complete 6 lengths for each side, plus another two lengths for good measure.

This time around, the drills went much much better than the first on Monday. Perhaps I was more relaxed in a more secluded private pool, and took my time. One key I found useful in the first drill is to feel my butt in the air, and think "glide" rather than swim.

In the second drill, I concentrated on two keys: (1) to keep my eyes just beneath the surface and not too far down. That helps me to be in a good position to rotate my head to breathe (rather than bob up and down). When rotating, I concentrated on my chin touching the shoulder that is above water. Slow and easy, smooth and relaxed. (2) For my hand that is on my side to feel air. That would mean that my body is horizontal.

I also found that it helps initially to use the out-stretched arm to pull under me when I am rotating up to breathe. But with more practice, that became unnecessary.

It took an hour to complete the 20 laps, with lots of rest in between. HR stabilized after I got the hang of it. Rest periods became progressively shorter as well. Looking forward to the next swim practice!