First CSS estimate

With a new freestyle technique that needs practicing it would also be nice to be able to track progress and plan some longer sessions. So even though I am a little tired I completed a Swimsmooth CSS estimation this morning, albeit in the warm and short Heeley Pool.

The outcome is 2:23min/100m without pullbuoy which sounds fairly fast considering my performace over the last months (although slow in absolute terms). Notably this pace approximates to that of my 200m PB last friday so perhaps it does all make sense?

I tried to do the same series with the pullbuoy but I was tiring and my 200yard set was at a slower pace than my 400yard. Excitingly the 400yard set was at such pace that I would have achieved my ongoing goal to beat 400m in 8:00min with the pullbuoy. I appreciate that shorter pool is always faster than a long pool but I believe I had a few seconds spare (7:52min estimated).

The shortest set today was 100 yards and I was aware of my technique slipping on occasion but I then refocussed and tried to neaten it up. I think the good timings show that I achieved that overall.

For future reference, set Finis Tempo Pro to 47.8 seconds/33.3m length at Goodwin.

Swim coaching

It's nearly a year since I last went to London for my swimming stroke coaching and I could tell that my technique had fallen below its usual poor standard. I'd become slower and started to develop shoulder pain.

During the year Morgan Williams has opened as a SwimSmooth coach in Doncaster, which is around a 40 minute drive from home and he works some weekends, which is a bonus to me. After a discussion about my goals which are:

1. Reduce reliance on pull buoy for freestyle
2. Develop technique to reduce risk of shoulder injury
3. Improve my pace hopefully as a result of the above

he filmed me without the pull buoy. He felt that most of my problem came from poor arm position and action, especially in the 'reach'. The video revealed that currently I have a typical issue described on the SwimSmooth website.

My hand and elbow position were exactly as described.

Not only does this slow me down, due to my limited flexibility it tends to force my hips down and increase drag.

This was demonstrated quite clearly to me as against a wall I'm unable to have my arms straight above my head against wall, so in the water by forcing my arms forwards my hips drop to  compensate.

So for the rest of the session I had to focus on spearing into the water almost a foot below the surface when fully reaching and then to keep my shoulders 'shrugged' to facilitate elbows forwards. The 'doggy paddle drill' was helpful once I got the rhythm of it. Gradually it became clear that if I could control this movement my arm turnover increased without forcing it and across my shoulders felt more comfortable. Significantly my pace improved to around 2:12min/100m without the pullbuoy. As an aside, my legs worked less hard as my body position improved, giving me more energy to put into my arm stroke.

Part of the the style I'm aiming for is to bring my hand closer to my body, under my shoulder rather than to the side. This did feel to be a way to exert more power.

My plan for the next few weeks is to focus on these points on a length  by length basis, ensuring that technique is good and I don't resort to my (imprinted) habits.

Winter swim review

I've not written for a few weeks and no significant event has occurred. The weather has been a bit cooler and the roads icy, both of which have reduced my enthusiasm for staying for a swim after work or driving to Hatfield. There have also been a couple of Christmas 'dos' after work to limit time even more. All of this suggests that I've not been especially dedicated.

I'm trying to be positive in my outlook and so although I've not gone to Hatfield I have been to Heeley Baths and tried to focus on technique, including bilateral breathing. Since October I've been working on a more symmetrical stroke and roll so that there is more space for my left arm to leave the water, and hopefully reduce the risk of impingement. That approach may be effective as the slight pain I was aware of seems to be fading away. Today, when I did a few sprint lengths I became aware of my shoulder for the first time in quite a few weeks.

Over the summer I've very much lost speed with my swimming, both with and without the pull buoy. I think training for the Big Walk and thinking about the Costa Brava swim put me in a long and slow mode, exacerbated by the appearance of a minor shoulder injury. Today, in a 25 yard pool I managed 2:02min/100m as my best length; and that's my best in ages! Without the pull buoy my legs have become an anchor, apparently as much as ever they were. On my 200m 'warm-up' I was working towards the 5:00min 'barrier' but now I'm back to below 5:30 minutes with it feeling tough.

I have booked with a recently established local SwimSmooth coach in the hope that I can rescue my technique a little. I have been thinking about roll, high elbows and front quadrant techniques but so far I haven't had a gain, except perhaps the resolution of the pain. That's important though.

February 2017 SwimSmooth review

I was in Acton on Monday morning hoping to break my 8:00min barrier for the 400m time trial. Once again I missed by a few seconds. I'd agreed with Julian to use the TempoPro but couldn't keep with it. Somehow I was tired.

Later we explored pace and oddly, my easy pace at 51strokes per minute could develop into faster 1:52min/100m pace with a stroke rate of just 58SPM. Stroke rate in the time trial had been over 70 and this was clearly inefficient.

We've agreed to split training sessions into long slow ones and sprint ones. I'd found the gradual progression last block to be very tough although it turns out that I'd been setting a steeper line than Julian expected.

In terms of style points I need to:

• reach strongly with left arm and delay its descent
• aim right arm to 1 o'clock to reduce cross over
• try to be aiming hands backwards at all stages of catch and pull

Push harder!

After 14 weeks I returned to Acton for my review with Julian.  He was pleased with my general style on the warm-up but we were both disappointed with my performance on the 400m time trial. I've been hoping got break 8:00minutes and only managed 8:02minutes although my pace was better than 2:00min/100m to begin with.

After  much discussion it was clear that I'm not working hard enough in either my training sets or on the time trials with him. Apparently some will feel nauseous after giving it everything. I don't think that' in my character!

Anyway we tried again with single lengths of 25m and I managed to get down to 23s. Ok, that was a one off and quite different to 400m but it showed that I can go faster if I make the effort.  So we tried a 100m timed set and I managed 1:52minutes on that and I suspect I could have done more...

I was concerned about a loss of technique, too much splashing and so on but looking back over the video my techniques isn't all that much worse and I'm going so much faster. Looking back at my sets it seems that my need to keep going means that I'm too fatigued to work on the speed and I'm also not putting enough effort in to get to the power. I've been here several times with running! Basically I do have good low level aerobic ability but shy away from anything approaching anaerobic effort if I think I've got more to do.

Now I've a new programme including some focus on effort and I must take the breaks and go slow between the hard work to allow for recovery. I'll have to get my Tempo-Trainer out as one routine has specific pacing that seems unachievable at 1:54min/100m even though I've just done 1:52min/100m.

Week 1 is bound to be tough and I might not achieve the goals but experience suggests that I'll get there.

April 2016 Week 2 Session2

I'm not used to Sunday swims and sometimes the pool isn't conducive to a good training session. Today I had no excuses except that I forgot what I should have been doing, or rather, how much I had to do. The routine was fairly simple; 6 easy and then 2 fast lengths.

I managed that fairly well, especially earlier in the session, but of course I faded towards the end. Importantly on my first 2 seats I achieved 2:00min/100m pace for the last fast lengths although I'd dropped to 2:12min/100m for the last set.

Swimming PB but not quite to target #2

I was in Acton for my three monthly review this morning. The air temperature was cold and I was very glad to have my new DryRobe. After a chat about progress and the warm up we set to with filming and then the 400m time trial. In January I'd hoped, but without any real backup, to do the 400m in 8 minutes. Today I really believed it possible and set off firmly, but not too fast in the hope to achieve it. I reached 200m in 3:57 but then faded to come in at 8:03 minutes which as a personal best but just below my target. It was still 20s faster than January so progress is solid.

Julian said that he thought I looked stronger, with a good rhythm and indeed I did feel that I could have pushed a bit harder or a bit longer. Previously I didn't think there was any reserve. I've been set a new programme to lengthen the long swims and sessions to focus on power. The latter should help with strength and body position which even I can tell is much improved in the video.

Swimming PB but not quite to target

This morning I arrived at Julian's poolside office a little bleary eyed after a disturbed night at St Pancras YH. The historic YHA-enforced bedtimes used to seem draconian but today's 24 hour activity shows the rationale.

He was satisfied with my basic rhythm and pleased to hear of my confident buoyless 1500m. On the 400m time trial I set off at what I hoped was a strong but sustainable pace. The final 100m was hard but I worked at it. My time was a new best at just over 8:20 min but missed my goal of 8 minutes. The first 100m was sub 2 minutes, also a PB, which felt fine, maybe even easy. As I suspected as I try to improve pace my stroke length shortens and with that my pace can drop too. The lesson here is to focus on length and cadence.

The only other point to note was that my right arm is tending to crossover on the reach. 

Right arm tending to cross the centreline

 practiced reaching to the right and must keep on that. It felt quite strange, almost as if to the side although on camera the improvement was clear.

October 2015 SwimSmooth

This morning I had my third session with Julian in Acton and received mixed feedback. My pacing and rhythm were reported to be good although perhaps the cadence could increase for more speed. The major disappointment was that I thought that I had made good progress on my high elbow & bent arm pull but I hadn't. I wonder if Julian was a little annoyed?

Arm bent but elbow is low, also sinking even with pull buoy

The video showed quite clearly that I was leading with my elbow rather than my hand. Yes, a bend did occur but not in the right direction! We tried a few drills but somehow they all made it worse. In the end it seems as though I might have to accept a straighter arm than is currently fashionable but basically should go with what works. The good thing from the video is that my front quadrant action seems much improved and I am managing to keep my lead arm fairly high.

When I aimed for a straight-ish reach and catch actually it looked better. I did a few lengths after the formal session and thought that I could even feel the bend better if I largely ignored it; we'll see.

The time trial went fairly well. I have taken 20 seconds off my October time which isn't bad going and achieved 400m in 8:40mins. My pacing was poor as each 100m was progressively slower even though I thought I was working harder. Julian was a little disappointed with my inability to get even or negative splits but overall I am satisfied with the total outcome and that my first 100m was 2:03mins/100m. Sub-two minutes is beckoning.

I've now got a 12week plan focussing on a relaxed rhythmic stroke and aiming to get the pacing better under control. No training aids are needed so I've a bit more flexibility on the pool I go to should the need arise.

Incidentally, Julian thought I had lost weight. I was a bit surprised as I've been eating at least as much as usual, and not running much. A quick jump on the bathroom scales shows that he's right! Not good for power gain.

August 8 week review

This morning I was in East Acton for my 8 week review. I had to admit that I'd not kept up with the previous plan and that I was acutely aware of lack of progress. That sounds very negative but I could report some gains too. Julian noted that my legs were still dropping and acting as an anchor. After some discussion about my training goals, which had to include an agreement that my technique would never be 'textbook', we agreed that it was reasonable to use a pull buoy for training. This would replicate the buoyancy of a wetsuit which is fine since I stated that I'd like to be strong enough to try an open water swim.

For most of the session that followed I used a large pull buoy  that provided enough lift to streamline me. This week's 400m time trial was just over 9 minutes so 10% faster than 2 months ago. That doesn't sound all that much especially since I was aided by a float.

Fair catch on left arm, but aren't they weedy arms?

The second major issue is my weak catch where I'm still struggling to get a vertical forearm. A little practice, especially with a snorkel so that I didn't need to think about breathing, gave some progress. I do have a problem of over thinking but if I don't concentrate what little technique I have fades away.

My new programme is based around the pull buoy and forearm positioning with some speed and endurance sets thrown in. 

500m broken

A few months ago I was complaining thatI couldn't swim more than a few lengths without a break. Well today I did 500m three times. Really it's quite simple; Julian identified that my bilateral breathing is inadequate to sustain endurance.

I know that technique slipped at at the end of each set but sometimes I think it was coming together.

Swim coaching

After a long plateau and unsuccessful previous attempts to find a swimming teacher I decided to go for the rather costly Swimsmooth approach. The most convenient coach with space was Julian Nagi in Acton and I went and spent two hours with him on Saturday morning. I've looked at their free online resources and I'd previously suspected I was a 'Bambino' style although that turned out to be incorrect.

Within a few lengths Julian had spotted a number of issues and through the video recording he was able to show these to me.

I think that this single frame shows my 3 major technique problems all at once!

1. Low legs with too extensive and floppy-knee kick
2. Leading arm far too low in the water at the time I'm inhaling
3. Straight leading arm with weak catch

Seeing my video footage it was evident to me and it is surprising that at previous classes the tutors couldn't have made these common issues known to me. Of course spotting issues is one thing, the important thing is working to improve them. Before going to there though it is worth mentioning that after only a couple of lengths it was clear that bilateral breathing wasn't working for me. I've written often about a 'shortness of breath' and this was solved instantly by breathing to my dominant right side. We discussed balance, neck pain and power issues and I was advised to try to learn to breath to the left for a proportion of lengths to give balance. 

I did a 400m 'time trial' in 10:40 which is 2:40min per 100m which illustrated how big a difference just changing breathing had made (normally I'd be well over 3 minutes). I was also able to work harder and exhaled more deeply naturally without having to think about it! After that we went through a set of drills to improve my kick, mainly to reduce drag. Oddly I thought that I kicked with a neat flutter kick until seeing the video!

Secondly there was some work to allow me to focus on a high reach during the inhale phase to keep a leading hand and again maintain a sleeker profile. Finally we looked at a high elbow catch to help provide forward drive earlier in the catch and reduce shoulder load. By this time I was tiring and this didn't go all that well. This was simply a combination of being in the water for most of a two hour session and having tried two new actions. That is probably plenty for me to have learnt.

Another issue, that isn't related to technique is simply a lack of swimming fitness. I can understand that I need to do at least 3 sessions a week to make progress. I'll have to see how well I can fit this in around running but it would be a shame not to build on the weekend's investment. One thing that should help is that Julian has already sent me an eight week programme with a plan for each session. There is quite steep progression in the programme so I'll need to keep an eye on diet and recovery. I think such a programme will be a great help as previously I haven't had goals and have drifted between classes, the only progression being my rather restricted ideas where to go next.

Overall I was pleased that Julian had shown me key areas to improve and given me the tools to address them. I wish I'd visited him a year or so ago!

Monday marks the beginning of week 1.