Benfleet Running Club

IMPROVING YOUR SWIMMING

I have been approached by your friend and mine Mike J, asking me if I would care to contribute to the new look web-site, not sure of what I could add he then told me that it was going to included a section on swimming as so many runners are now cross training,( I said training not dressing). As I once belonged to the running club and even became ladies captain for a while I thought that I would like to put something back for all the miles we ran together.

I am a level 2 ASA swimming teacher/coach, and have had experience teaching all ages from babies to ?

(once you get past a certain age it doesn’t matter anymore).

Now down to the swimming.

As I said a lot of runners are now cross training, either to reduce the risk of injury, to help an injury or to enter duathlons and triathlons. Swimming is often the weakest area with a lot of runners, due to not being able to get to the pool enough or not knowing what to do when they get there. To improve running we do all sorts of training, fartlek, hills, distance and sprints, to name just a few. It is the same with swimming, the swimming will only get better with practise this doesn’t mean you have to do length after length.

Occasionally a long swim is good, but it is boring, your fitness will improve if you do other sorts of sessions, break up the swimming, do drills, different strokes, learn to breathe properly.

It all takes time.

There is nothing to beat a swimming teacher watching you swim, and assess you, helping you to iron out the bits that are going wrong, but if that is not possible try to cover the things I listed above.

I have also written a basic set up for those who want to start training.

Should you have any questions you can contact me on deniseheldth@aol.com

Thank you and I hope you find this useful.

WARM UP

Everyone should do a warm up, your ability will determine the distance. The warm up should be done slowly, ensuring all the muscle groups are warm. The heart rate should only raise slightly. The swim should of a consistent speed and do not make the mistake of going of too fast.

We use drills to improve the quality of the stroke, these should be carried out regularly, even top swimmers constantly do drills. The distance swum with drills is less than when we do full stroke but as I said it is the quality not quantity that counts.

Most training sessions have a main set, this is the section that will get the heart pumping being either one length swims or longer distance. Most of the main sets are carried out using front crawl, this is the fastest and most efficient of the four strokes. You should also included other strokes as this will make you work even harder.

As with all sports it is very important to warm down, this will enable the muscle to stretch, and to get rid of that nasty lactic acid, which causes all sorts of aches and pains. The warm down should be slow with regular breathing.

Yes, even swimmers stretch, if not the muscles will shorten and you will get an injury.

SET FOR NEW SWIMMERS

200 (8 lengths) front crawl
100 (4 lengths) back stroke

4 X 50 (2L) front crawl catch . With one arm extended out front, give an explosive pull with the other arm (continue body roll and flutter kicking as in regular front crawl) and recover to the streamlined position. Count two then continue with other arm. Breathe every stroke.

25 f/c resting for 15 secs each one
50 f/c
75 f/c
100 f/c

Rest for one minute, then using a pull buoy return down the pyramid

75 f/c pull
50 f/c pull
25 f/c pull

100 (4L) front crawl leg kick using kick board, arms extended, blow into water and breathe to the side.

100 (4L) stroke of your choice, perform the stroke slowly, ensuring the breathing has returned to normal

SWIMMING SET FOR ADVANCE SWIMMER

400 (16L) front crawl
200 (8L) back stroke
200 (8L) choice

4 X 100 Front crawl drills, resting for 30secs each 100
Drills to include single arm, catch up, finger drag, pull

Pyramid Rest for 10/15 secs between each and an extra 1 min at the top

50 f/c
75f/c
100 f/c
125 f/c
150 f/c

Rest for one min and return using pull bouy

125 f/c pull
100 f/c pull
75 f/c pull
50 f/c pull

Rest for two mins
4 X 150 (2L on each stroke)
F/c fly f/c
f/c back f/c
f/c breast f/c
Fly back breast

Warm down
200 any stroke (very easy)

Enjoy