Endless disappointment

After some months of feeling an increasing confidence in both my freestyle stroke and working in the endless pool, today's session was a disappointment. I arrived on a positive note with documented evidence on improved distance per stroke and pace, helped along by a trouble-free journey to the pool. The session was in a different sequence which didn't seem to be a problem at first as I'm fairly happy to swim with the snorkel now. I noted an absence of head wobbling, which is a positive to take away, although my shoulders felt tired very soon.

Quickly, we moved onto some kick drills with my arms as much in a streamline pattern as they'll allow. I think this is where my problems started as even now, 10 hours or so later, I can feel my shoulders as unduly stressed. With fins off, my legs felt so heavy and ineffectual and I couldn't reconnect with good form in my arms. A few minutes with a pull buoy restored a little improvement in form but even then my legs felt to be a massive anchor. It's always tough to swim without fins after wearing them for a few minutes but today it seemed impossible. 

Altogether, today wasn't a productive session, fortunately I've enough positive experiences in the pool to consider this an 'off day' but must keep a weather-eye for overtraining. I've certainly been there for running, and with a current running injury I must be careful not to go down that route for swimming.

Progress being consolidated

This afternoon's swim session was a little busier than usual, which makes me try a little harder so as not to be a blockage in the lane. In the past, that effort seemed to be pointless arm spinning with little effective impact on pace. Today however it felt, and measured, a bit different.

My 200yd set took 4:16 minutes which must be a PB, I doubted my reading of my watch as I peered into the screen without my glasses. But it is uploaded and crystal clear. I did some catch-up drill sets and focussed on reach to catch transition on some lengths. All whilst trying not to bob my head. With a good time and some 'work' under my belt I tried a 100yd set. I pushed, but not too much, I knew that form had to exceed effort. 

1:56min for 100yds

I was rewarded with a clear sub-2 minute set. Now that's 10% less than 200m, at the same pace I'd have hit 2:07 minutes for 100m. To achieve 2 minutes for 100m, each 25 yards must be completed in 27.4s. That goal pace is looking achievable. As mentioned previously I don't trust my sub-2 minutes achievement in the 18m pool...

More video analysis

The videos of last week's endless pool session arrived this evening. My technique has clearly improved, most importantly stability of my leading arm. However, progress is insanely slow and I can still see all-too-common faults. On the positive side, I am noticing improvements in pace, and probably more important for long term success, I can now 'feel' effective pressure on the water. This 'feel' acts as instant feedback on technique and is one of the few ways a swimmer in the water can critique their own stroke as they swim.

Still obvious elbow lead associated with lack of a vertical forearm

Things I need to think about:

• I'm still bobbing my head side to side, especially as workload increases 
• My right arm is tending to curl towards the surface as I reach, 'putting on the brakes', seems to occur as I roll onto the lead arm. Elbows up!
• Still some elbow lead even though it's higher
• My left arm is now often looking tidier than the right now I've largely resolved the crossover and wide stroke tendency

Perhaps a PB that indicates solid progress?

Yesterday I was back in the endless pool, or 'The Tank' as I've come to call it, where I was able to report that I could feel improvement in pace, stroke count and that so elusive feel. Today my first set, theoretically a warm-up,  illustrated that.

Less than 4:20 minutes for 200yds is a personal best

For some weeks this first set has been around 4:30 which is fine. Today, I didn't push, but tried to focus on the list of points for good technique. It appears to have paid off, and I believe that this is represents a personal best. I'm not counting my nominal sub-2 minutes for 100m in an 18m pool as I believe the push-offs compensated for poor swim pace, and I'm not even sure that I believe the timing.

But back to today. Importantly my average stroke count was 12 strokes per length across the 8 lengths. Reviewing previous data, in November I swam an opening 200yds in 4:50 with 14 strokes per length average. A year ago I had a 200yd set in 4:36 but with 15 strokes per length. I can't expect these gains every week but it is harkening to see such an increase in efficiency.