Increasing Swim Speed

[Techno=Elf]

Right now it takes me alittle less than 30 mins to swim 750 meters at the YMCA Pool.

For thoes of you that dont know thats 10 laps, couting 1 lap as starting in the deep end swimming to the shallow end then swimming back.

Im going into the Navy and Im curious as to what are some ways I can increase my swim time. Also is 750 meters a good workout or should I swim farther? How far if so?

[Kiknskreem]

Lose 70 lbs.

[Techno=Elf]

Lose 70 lbs.

Dont be a jackass. Dumb Ass Mother ****er.

Anyone with some real advice?

[MikeDS]

actually you kinda should shed off the layers of fat before even thinking about swimming faster

[DavidJr74]

Dont be a jackass. Dumb Ass Mother ****er.

Anyone with some real advice?

That actually was advice lol

[Techno=Elf]

That actually was advice lol

Ok well anyone with constructive advice?

[WRbigbody]

swimming is great cardio, if you can do that workout 4-5 times a week since it isnt taxing on your body either.. you should shed alot of fat, and lower your time as well

[Oxidane]

well, i'm not the best source in sports. but in weight training you should be mainly working shoulders and doing squats.

u can also add middle back and lat workouts.

1-6 reps for strength
12+ reps for endurence

[Techno=Elf]

well, i'm not the best source in sports. but in weight training you should be mainly working shoulders and doing squats.

u can also add middle back and lat workouts.

1-6 reps for strength
12+ reps for endurence

Dietitan and Navy Recruiter said Im not allowed to lift weights. Thanks for posting though.

[Techno=Elf]

swimming is great cardio, if you can do that workout 4-5 times a week since it isnt taxing on your body either.. you should shed alot of fat, and lower your time as well

Yeah man thanks for your adivce. I really appreicate it. I swim for 30 mins Mon-Fri
Your right it does help alot shedding fat,

[Kiknskreem]

Dont be a jackass. Dumb Ass Mother ****er.

Anyone with some real advice?

Awww... fatty mad?

Fatty want a cookie?

Listen, if you think being 50+ pounds overweight is going to behoove you in any endeavor where you are locomoting yourself........ cha might be a redneck!! har har.

[DieHollywoodDie]

Right now it takes me alittle less than 30 mins to swim 750 meters at the YMCA Pool.

For thoes of you that dont know thats 10 laps, couting 1 lap as starting in the deep end swimming to the shallow end then swimming back.

Im going into the Navy and Im curious as to what are some ways I can increase my swim time. Also is 750 meters a good workout or should I swim farther? How far if so?

750 meters is weak to be honest...i'll put it in perspective...

i swim about 5,000 yards at a division 1 water polo player. average d1 swimmer swims ~12,000/day. olympics athletes swim up to 25,000/day. in highschool i was awful at long distance swimming and still put up 4k/day. basically you just have to keep swimming., PUSH YOURSELF. use interval swimming with small rest intervals (6 seconds rest MAX between each interval if not continuous almost) use flip turns.

[N10CT]

Dietitan and Navy Recruiter said Im not allowed to lift weights. Thanks for posting though.

Why would a dietician not let you lift weights? Or a recruiter? Dr, physio etc I can understand......

[Techno=Elf]

Awww... fatty mad?

Fatty want a cookie?

Listen, if you think being 50+ pounds overweight is going to behoove you in any endeavor where you are locomoting yourself........ cha might be a redneck!! har har.

Dude,

A) Why are you being such as ass to me, I dont even know you?
B) Im not a red neck

[Techno=Elf]

Why would a dietician not let you lift weights? Or a recruiter? Dr, physio etc I can understand......

Dietian because Im taking lipotropic shots/b12/b6 shots too lose weight (guarnteed 10lbs loss a week) and itll mess with the results

Recruiter because Im trying to get to a certian weight for my height for boot camp, there strickt about this and muscle weighs more than fat.

Any one with anyother suggestions.

[Techno=Elf]

750 meters is weak to be honest...i'll put it in perspective...

i swim about 5,000 yards at a division 1 water polo player. average d1 swimmer swims ~12,000/day. olympics athletes swim up to 25,000/day. in highschool i was awful at long distance swimming and still put up 4k/day. basically you just have to keep swimming., PUSH YOURSELF. use interval swimming with small rest intervals (6 seconds rest MAX between each interval if not continuous almost) use flip turns.

Thanks for the help, some of the best advice Ive gotten. Here are some questions I have:

A) How far would a good workout be swimming wise? And how many laps would that be in the YMCA Pool? One lap being Deep to Shallow to Deep.

B) What are flip turns? I dont really submerge my face while I swim, I keep it above the water.

[Kiknskreem]

Dude,

A) Why are you being such as ass to me, I dont even know you?
B) Im not a red neck

Telling someone who is 6'1 and nearly 300lbs that they need to lose a lot of weight to become a better swimmer does not make one a jackass. I dont' know the same can be said for calling that person a "dumb ass mother****er, however".

Are you so unfamiliar with the laws of physics that you do not see how being dramatically overweight is going to negatively effect your ability to move your body?

Telling you to lose that weight is not me being a jackass.... it is going to be, aside from actually swimming, one of the most important factors in how quickly you meet your goals. It is not conducive to performance to be carrying around that much extra weight.

If you were already taking steps to get it off, and know you need to lose it, then that information should have been included in your original post and there is no need for you to have taken offense when I told you the straight dope.... that being that overweight is going to negatively effecty your swimming and that getting rid of it is going to go a long way in helping you move faster and more efficiently.

What is the weight that you have to reach for your height, and what is your time frame? Telling someone not to lift becuse muscle weighs more than fat is rather stupid, especially in your case, where the mount of fat you have to lose is going to greatly overshadow whatever lean mass you gain. Muscle is metabolically active, meaning have more of it is actually good for weight control because it takes energy to support. As well, intense exercise, not long slow distnce types of cardio, are MUCH better at keeping metabolic rates sustained for extended periods of time.

The military is notorious for having stupid rules about **** like this.

[Techno=Elf]

Telling someone who is 6'1 and nearly 300lbs that they need to lose a lot of weight to become a better swimmer does not make one a jackass. I dont' know the same can be said for calling that person a "dumb ass mother****er, however".

Are you so unfamiliar with the laws of physics that you do not see how being dramatically overweight is going to negatively effect your ability to move your body?

Telling you to lose that weight is not me being a jackass.... it is going to be, aside from actually swimming, one of the most important factors in how quickly you meet your goals. It is not conducive to performance to be carrying around that much extra weight.

If you were already taking steps to get it off, and know you need to lose it, then that information should have been included in your original post and there is no need for you to have taken offense when I told you the straight dope.... that being that overweight is going to negatively effecty your swimming and that getting rid of it is going to go a long way in helping you move faster and more efficiently.

What is the weight that you have to reach for your height, and what is your time frame? Telling someone not to lift becuse muscle weighs more than fat is rather stupid, especially in your case, where the mount of fat you have to lose is going to greatly overshadow whatever lean mass you gain. Muscle is metabolically active, meaning have more of it is actually good for weight control because it takes energy to support. As well, intense exercise, not long slow distnce types of cardio, are MUCH better at keeping metabolic rates sustained for extended periods of time.

The military is notorious for having stupid rules about **** like this.

I didnt post what my workout was like in this topic because im not asking for help with my workout. I wanted tips on how to decrease my swim time so I can swim faster/longer. Also IM NOT doing a bunch of slow cardio Im doing my max all the time. I dont do it slow at all. Anyways by SEPT Ill be 200lbs.

Any ONE else?

[DavidJr74]

I didnt post what my workout was like in this topic because im not asking for help with my workout. I wanted tips on how to decrease my swim time so I can swim faster/longer. Also IM NOT doing a bunch of slow cardio Im doing my max all the time. I dont do it slow at all. Anyways by SEPT Ill be 200lbs.

Any ONE else?

So in less then 2 monthes you will be 89 pounds less....

[Techno=Elf]

Yeah, its because of the shots and diet so since Im doing all this workouts Ill probably weight less. Now enough about the diet

IM LOOKING FOR SWIMMING ADVICE

[Breakology]

Reach & Glide = faster swimming

[DieHollywoodDie]

Thanks for the help, some of the best advice Ive gotten. Here are some questions I have:

A) How far would a good workout be swimming wise? And how many laps would that be in the YMCA Pool? One lap being Deep to Shallow to Deep.

B) What are flip turns? I dont really submerge my face while I swim, I keep it above the water.

that's why. i'll address B first...

B) Flip turns are when you are coming near the wall, instead of going to the wall, putting your feet on it, grabbing it, and pushing off, you do not need to pause. it increase swim time immensely but also makes you way more tired as you are increasing intensity. when you are about 2 stroke away from the wall you merely take a stroke INTO/under water and doing a 180 with your body so your feet are where your head was. then you push off the wall. this is all done underwater. if you do it right it allows you to not have to swim an extra bodylength as you go to the wall but instead you are already a bodylength off the wall (when switching directions) which means...LESS SWIMMING! also the "wake" of water behind you crashed into the wall you are coming up to, so if you don't go as close to the wall you don't have as much resistance when you switch directions.

look them up if it's not clear. when you come off the wall you want to streamline and make your body as straight/hydrodynamic as possible to restrict drag. also if it's not clear just youtube a swimmer doing freestyle.

but in regards also....if you are swimming with your head up that is BAD. you WILL and VERY soon get shoulder problems. you want your head down looking at the bottom of the pool and occasionally in front of you. otherwise it puts a ton of stress on the shoulders. for extra intensity you CAN every once inawhile do some laps with your head completely out of the water, looking straight ahead (it is a lot harder) but i don't recommend it unless you're training for water polo (we swim a ton head up and head down to keep track of the ball and to go fast)

A) i am guesssssing that the YMCA pool is 25 yards long, meaning a lap is 50 yards. basically i'd say start out with a warmup of 300 yards and then sprint all out for 100 yards (2 laps). Figure out how long the 100 yards took and then add 30 seconds. now what you're going to do is swim 10 sets of 100 yards. You swim those 2 laps at the interval of fastest time+30 seconds 10 times. If you come in early, you can rest on the wall, but the second that time expires you better be TAKING OFF FOR THE NEXT SET. if you "miss" the interval and come in too late, KEEP SWIMMING, you are not allowed to stop and must swim constantly until you are done with your 10 sets. in all likelihood, with the rate i gave you, your first week will be very easy. the next week try to take 5 seconds off of that time, then 5 more the next week, then 5 more after that. Each week try to take 5 seconds off until you absolutely cannot. Then swim at that rate for a few more weeks and/or increase your distance. Then redo the system again.

yep.

[Techno=Elf]

that's why. i'll address B first...

B) Flip turns are when you are coming near the wall, instead of going to the wall, putting your feet on it, grabbing it, and pushing off, you do not need to pause. it increase swim time immensely but also makes you way more tired as you are increasing intensity. when you are about 2 stroke away from the wall you merely take a stroke INTO/under water and doing a 180 with your body so your feet are where your head was. then you push off the wall. this is all done underwater. if you do it right it allows you to not have to swim an extra bodylength as you go to the wall but instead you are already a bodylength off the wall (when switching directions) which means...LESS SWIMMING! also the "wake" of water behind you crashed into the wall you are coming up to, so if you don't go as close to the wall you don't have as much resistance when you switch directions.

look them up if it's not clear. when you come off the wall you want to streamline and make your body as straight/hydrodynamic as possible to restrict drag. also if it's not clear just youtube a swimmer doing freestyle.

but in regards also....if you are swimming with your head up that is BAD. you WILL and VERY soon get shoulder problems. you want your head down looking at the bottom of the pool and occasionally in front of you. otherwise it puts a ton of stress on the shoulders. for extra intensity you CAN every once inawhile do some laps with your head completely out of the water, looking straight ahead (it is a lot harder) but i don't recommend it unless you're training for water polo (we swim a ton head up and head down to keep track of the ball and to go fast)

A) i am guesssssing that the YMCA pool is 25 yards long, meaning a lap is 50 yards. basically i'd say start out with a warmup of 300 yards and then sprint all out for 100 yards (2 laps). Figure out how long the 100 yards took and then add 30 seconds. now what you're going to do is swim 10 sets of 100 yards. You swim those 2 laps at the interval of fastest time+30 seconds 10 times. If you come in early, you can rest on the wall, but the second that time expires you better be TAKING OFF FOR THE NEXT SET. if you "miss" the interval and come in too late, KEEP SWIMMING, you are not allowed to stop and must swim constantly until you are done with your 10 sets. in all likelihood, with the rate i gave you, your first week will be very easy. the next week try to take 5 seconds off of that time, then 5 more the next week, then 5 more after that. Each week try to take 5 seconds off until you absolutely cannot. Then swim at that rate for a few more weeks and/or increase your distance. Then redo the system again.

yep.

Thanks so much, IM gonna try this first thing in the morning.

[2 D]

Hey diehollywood die, did you weight train for swimming in college? Just curious because I read somewhere that Michael Phelps does not weight train.

[DieHollywoodDie]

Hey diehollywood die, did you weight train for swimming in college? Just curious because I read somewhere that Michael Phelps does not weight train.

i'm not swimming in college, i'm playing water polo which is actually an entirely different thing in terms of training tactics. my sport involves shooting a ball, wrestling with other guys, and tons of short explosive moves requiring agility and fast reflexes/power. thus i do weight train....6 days/week during offseason and 3days/week during preseason. however in season i do not weight train at all with the volumes of actual polo and swimming being done.

most collegiate swimmers however DO weight train. however a lot of the best swimmers i know, and probly the top 3 i know, do not. there's really no need it just slows you down too much. michael phelps i heard too does not weight train, however he is supposedly one of the most uncoordinated people ever out of the water and isnt allowed to go near weights or play basketball because he might hurt himself. if you're a collegiate swimmer i would say lifting 3x/week maximum would be appropriate. otherwise it's swimming 6-7 days/week...although in college and pros they swim 7-10 times/week.

[Daegus]

most collegiate swimmers however DO weight train. however a lot of the best swimmers i know, and probly the top 3 i know, do not. there's really no need it just slows you down too much. michael phelps i heard too does not weight train, however he is supposedly one of the most uncoordinated people ever out of the water and isnt allowed to go near weights or play basketball because he might hurt himself. if you're a collegiate swimmer i would say lifting 3x/week maximum would be appropriate. otherwise it's swimming 6-7 days/week...although in college and pros they swim 7-10 times/week.

I heard this too and was shocked. With as much swimming as they do, I'm surprised they aren't forced to weight training at least once a week or two to correct muscle imbalances.



You need to have good technique before you think about going fast. If you can't swim correctly, you're not going to go fast.

I would suggest getting with a Master's program. Not only will you have access to swim coaches(D1, former Olympic coaches if you're lucky) who can help you improve your swimming abilities, but you can swim with others. Makes swimming more enjoyable and they will push you.

[back211]

in high school we weight lift in the morning and swim in the afternoon after school.for the high school we compete against weight lift then swim in the morning and then swim again in the afternoon. The best way to swim faster and longer is to swim more. Break it down to.warmup.technique.and a conditioning set. the warmup just to loosen up and then the technique set to focus and fix something in your stroke and the conditioning set for overall conditioning. Swim with your head looking at a 40 degree angle in the water and keep it fixed unless u r breathing and for the flip turn, just somersault then when your feet hit the wall push off.
If you really want help you can ask someone that looks like they know what their doing or go on youtube and watch some swims. Just try to lower your times and as long as your improving your doing fine.

and alot of swimmers do not lift, but you can tell some that are more porportionate like Lezak lift. Also looking at Alain Bernard, he looks like he lifts or uses PEDS and roids......

[DieHollywoodDie]

I heard this too and was shocked. With as much swimming as they do, I'm surprised they aren't forced to weight training at least once a week or two to correct muscle imbalances.



You need to have good technique before you think about going fast. If you can't swim correctly, you're not going to go fast.

I would suggest getting with a Master's program. Not only will you have access to swim coaches(D1, former Olympic coaches if you're lucky) who can help you improve your swimming abilities, but you can swim with others. Makes swimming more enjoyable and they will push you.

in reality if i was looking to become a great pure-swimmer i would lift maybe 2x/week full-body workouts in the 8-15 rep range. however generally that might lead to overstressing of joints sadly. every single member of our swim team at college does band exercises and abs. they do basically the 'thrower's 10' routine and abs before practice

[Cracky]

while at one point it was true, phelps didnt do weights..

he DOES currently do weight and has done so for years.
for the OP joining a masters program is the best advice so far. itll give you access to proper coaching, and workouts. itll also give you a real life support systems compared to online here(where most dont know jack about swimming).


losing weight will help, but most of all technique. for you , at this point. you need coaching/technique work. thatll improve your speed the most.

[yeahitsgotahemi]

in reality if i was looking to become a great pure-swimmer i would lift maybe 2x/week full-body workouts in the 8-15 rep range. however generally that might lead to overstressing of joints sadly. every single member of our swim team at college does band exercises and abs. they do basically the 'thrower's 10' routine and abs before practice

When I trained at National Squad level (trained for all of two months at that level) we had to attend a minimum of 9 pool sessions per week and a minimum 3 Dry-land sessions which was just weights and occasionally other cardio.
We each had a specially designed program which mainly consisted of "pull" exercises.