January 18, 2013 Multiple Workouts

Today was a smorgasbord of workouts that started with interval training on the indoor Bike trainer and a strength workout in the a.m., followed by a noon Swim session and Run on an treadmill. Here are the specifics:

Morning Workout

BIKE:

• 20 minutes on the indoor trainer
• 10 minute warm up spin
• 2 x 3 minutes hard / 2 minutes easy

STRENGTH:

• 6 – 6 – 6 Upright Rows @ 115lbs
• 5 – 5 – 5 Hang Clean High Pulls @ 115lbs
• 10 – 10 – 10 Dumbbell Pullovers @ 45lbs
• The exercises selected for the strength component in the next 75 days are specific to the Butterfly stroke in swimming. Focus for the movements are speed / power with perfect form.

Afternoon Workout

SWIM:

Warm Up: 500m

EN-1 + Kick: 600m

• 2 x 50 FS on 1:00
• 2 x 50 BK on 1:05
• 2 x 100 BK on 2:00
• 100 BK Kick
• 2 x 50 BK Kick

LAP for FS: 150 (300 Recov)

• 6 x (25 FS Sprint, 50 Easy on 2:00) most 14’s

LA tol for BK: 275m (625 Recov)

• 100 IM Sprint for time, 150 Easy = 1:12
• 2 x (50 FL Sprint, 175 Easy) = :30 / :30
• 25 BK Sprint for time = :13

 

RUN:

• Another “rehab” run on the treadmill as I try to relieve some pain in my shin
• 3kms
• 16:25 total time / 5’28” pace / 274 cals
• splits: 5’38” / 5’25” / 5’21”

 

January 16, 2013 Quickness Workout

I’ve decided to tweak my current workout schedule with an increase in strength workouts in an attempt to improve muscular power in the next 75 days (leading up to Provincial Championships for Masters Swimming). My idea is to add “swim specific” exercises and train for speed while holding perfect form.

Here’s what it looked like today:

STRENGTH:

• 5 – 5 – 5 – 5 Seated Overhead Press @ 115lbs
• 5 – 5 – 5 – 5 Upright Rows @ 115lbs

POWER:

• Emphasis for the following exercises is on explosive movements with perfect form…
• 6 – 6 – 6 Bent Over Rows @ 165lbs
• 5 – 5 – 5 Clapping Pushups
• 3 – 3 – 3 Hang Cleans @ 115lbs

BIKE:

• Finished the workout with a 20 minute spin on the indoor bike trainer

 

January 14 & 15, 2013 Workouts

 

My workouts this week have included some time in the pool as well as some rehab run work on the treadmill and a chilly mountain bike ride.

Monday, January 14

SWIM

Warm Up:  500m

*stiff and tired after racing Saturday

EN-1, EN1/2, Kick: 900

• 6 x 50 IM seq on 1:05
• 4 x 50 FS on 1:00, pick up last one
• 4 x 50 BK on 1:05, pick up last one
• 2 x 50 Kick on 20 sec
• 4 x 25 Kick Strong on 30 sec
• 50 Easy

LAP:  150 (recov 300)

• 6 x (25 FS Sprint with turn, 50 Easy) on 2:00 Cut to 4x through – just no snap to get to sprint speed
• 100 Easy

Power:  50m

• 4 x (max Dolphin underwater, easy rest of 50)

LA Tol: 200m (400 Recov)

• 2 x (50 SP Sprint, 100 Easy) on 3:00
• Easy 100m

RUN:

I’m trying to rehab my shins, so I got on the treadmill for an easy and short jog in an effort to slowly focus on running form and save the speed work for future workouts when I’m pain free.

• 2kms
• 12:59 total time / 6:25 pace / 183 cals

 

Tuesday, January 15

a.m. SWIM:

• early morning swim as civilians are allowed back to practice for 2 one hour sessions per week
• approx 1500m

p.m. BIKE:

• got out on the mountain bike today (much different feeling than the trainer I’ve used for the past few weeks)
• 10kms

 

January 14, 2013 My 50m Butterfly Race

Here is the video of my 50m Butterfly race from the weekend. I’m the guy in lane 3.

January 12, 2013 Masters Swim Meet Results

Yesterday marked the first Masters swim meet of the 2013 season. I had never competed in Bowmanville, so I had no idea of what to expect in terms of facility or level of competition. Unfortunately, the pool was an older community pool with limited deck space and a temperature level that would be better suited to seniors and learn-to-swim lessons. During warm-ups, I also had some concerns about the officials as they were getting trained on how to use stop-watches. The average age of the official timers was probably 15, but as long as they could start and stop the watch accurately, I shouldn’t complain since they were giving up a Saturday morning to volunteer.

My races included the 50m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 100m Individual Medley, and my favourite…the 50m Butterfly. I was really only concerned about the 50m sprint races and had goals of winning the events and setting personal best times in the process.

I ended the meet with 4 first place finishes and 4 personal best times! I’m thrilled with my time of 27.55 in the 50m Butterfly as it positions me in the top 3 times in Canada for my age group. It should make some people take notice leading into the Provincial Championships in March.

Here are the results:

• 50m Freestyle 26.0 (First Place)
• 100m Butterfly 1:09.2 (First Place)
• 100m IM 1:09.5 (First Place)
• 50m Butterfly 27.5 (First Place)

I’ll upload a video of my 50m Butterfly race when it’s ready.

 

 

January 6 & 7, 2013 Swim Workouts

In preparation for this weekend’s swim meet, I headed to Milton to use a pool with competition starting blocks. I’m used to the old school style of dive starts and it seems in the time that I’ve been out of competition, everyone else has settled on the “track style” starts for sprints. I noticed everyone at the Olympics using that style of start, so it must be the better way right? Unfortunately, the pool I train in doesn’t have starting blocks, so I made the 90 minute drive to Milton which has a beautiful new pool and nice lifeguards that allowed me to practice my starts. I was able to get in about a dozen solid starts so it’s one less thing to worry about on Saturday’s competition.

Sunday, January 6th Swim:

• 500m Warm Up
• 5 x 50m FR @ 1:00
• 5 x 50m FR Kick @ 1:15
• 200m FR Pull
• 12 x 25m Sprint Starts from Dive
• 500m Easy Swim

Monday, January 7th Swim:

Warm Up:  700m

EN-1 + Kick:  950m

• 7 x 50 FS on 1:00 3 x Pull, 2 EN-1, 2 Desc
• 2 x 50 FS Kick on 20
• 2 x 25 Kick on 20
• 7 x 50 SP on 1:15 3 Pull, 2 EN-1, 2 Desc
• 2 x 50 SP Kick on 20
• 2 x 25 SP Kick on 20

LAP FS: 200 (200 Recov)

• 4 x (12.5m cruise, 25m Sprint thru turn, 12.5m cruise, 50 Easy) on 2:00

Power SP/Mix:

• 4 x (Dive Power Start 6 strokes easy rest of length, 25 Easy)

LA Tol:  100

• 2 x (50m SP Sprint, 125 Easy) on 5:30 (FLY = :31 / :30)

 

January 5, 2013 Pacing? What’s that?

The intent of today’s workout was to go for an easy run and get in a strength training session on a cold Saturday. I was coming up with a list of reasons why I should just rest, watch CNN and relax but I got ready and bundled up for a cold run. Unfortunately, I’m still learning how to hold back and set an easier pace. Even though my intent was to take it easy, I found myself running pretty much as fast as I could which resulted in a flare-up of shin splints and a shortened run.

RUN:

• 3.25kms
• pace = 4’38” / 4’43” / 4’56”

STRENGTH:

• 10 – 10 – 10
• Bench Press @ 185lbs

rest, then perform…

• 3 Rounds:
• 5 Burpees
• 10 KB Swings (1 pood)
• 15 Pushups
• 20 Situps

 

January 3, 2013 Workouts

For the past 30 days, I’ve scaled back the strength component of my program mostly due to a timing issue as I’ve tried to increase the frequency and intensity of my swimming and running training sessions. During some recent sprint swim sessions however, I’ve noticed a lack of power that I think could be due to the drop in the number of Strength sessions. It could also just be due to fatigue, but to be safe, I’m going to try to fit in at least two Strength sessions per week. Here’s how I did it today:

BIKE:

• 40 minutes on Indoor Trainer:
• 10 minutes warm-up spin
• 5 x 1 minute sprint / 2 minutes spin
• 2 x 5 minute “builds” (increase gear each minute and maintain rpm)
• 5 minute cool down spin

STRENGTH:

• 5 x 5 Bent Row @ 165lbs
• 3 x 3 High Snatch Pull @ 165lbs

January 2, 2013 New Year Workouts Start Now

Happy New Year! I’ve kicked off the year with a big workout and I’m looking to be consistent for 2013 leading up to major swim competitions in March (Provincial Championships) and May (National Championships) as well as triathlons in the summer.

SWIM:

Warm Up:  700m

EN-1 850m:

• 3 x 100 FS on 1:45
• 3 x 50 FS Kick on 15 sec
• 3 x 100 IM on 2:00
• 2 x 50 FL Kick on 15 sec
• 50 Easy

LAP for SP:  500m

• 8 x { 25m SP Sprint on :30, 25m SP Kick on :30, 25m Swim (Recover) on :30, 25m Swim (Recover) on :45 }
• Break after 4 with a 100 Easy

LA Tol:  400

• 2 x 25m FS Sprint, 25 Easy) on 1:30 to get up to max speed
• 4 x 25m FS on 30 Sec) – 200 Easy }

 

RUN:

• 5kms
• 20:02 total time / 5’00” pace / 400 cals / 154 bpm
• Splits – 5’16” / 5’01” / 4’55” / 4’57” / 4’52”

 

December 28 / 29, 2012 Workouts

Got out today for a track workout and got back in the pool yesterday after a little too much holiday cheer. Time to get focused on sprinting since my next race is two weeks away.

December 29:

RUN:

• 1 km warm up drills / jog
• 5 x 1 km Run @ 7:00 (4:39 / 4:33 / 4:33 / 4:36 / 4:38)

I have been experiencing some pain in my left shin which I believe is shin splints brought on by the increase in intensity of my run workouts. I really have to make a conscious effort to warm up properly and use the foam roller to lower the chances of long term injury.

December 28:

SWIM:

Warm Up:  700m

EN-1:  600

• 4 x 50 Kick on 1:15
• 4 x 100 SP or IM on 2:00

LAP:  200 (200 Recov)

• 2 x (25 FL Sprint, 25 Easy) on 1:30
• 3 x (50 FS Sprint, 50 Easy) on 2:30

Recov:  200 Easy with fins

LA Tol:  350 (550 Recov)

• 50 FL / 50 FS Max, 150 Recov on 5:30+
• 25 FL / 75 FS Max, 150 Recov on 5:30+
• 25 FL / 50 FS Max, 125 Recov on 5:30
• 25 FL / 50 FS Max, 125 Recov on 5:30

Swim Down:  200

• 200 Easy with Fins

Total = 3000m