Swimming Tips

Archive for August, 2009

Nancy Kirkpatrick Reno, head masters coach with the Conejo Simi Aquatics program, offers tips for better swimming performance.

1991 NCAA Swimming & Diving Men’s and Women’s Rules

Do you have what it takes to be a Navy Seal, one of the most elite fighting units in the world? Getting in shape for the world class Navy SEALs is no walk in the park. However, if you can push yourself to the limit, then the rewards will be great!  You will expereince an operational tempo greater than any fighting unit in the world. Pyhsically we can help you prepare, but mentally, it’s up to you. Here’s how you get there:

PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS

PHYSICAL EVOLUTION & REQUIRED TIME

FIRST PHASE:

50 meter underwater swim PASS/FAIL
Underwater knot tying PASS/FAIL
Drown proofing test PASS/FAIL
Basic Lifesaving test PASS/FAIL
1200 meter pool swim with fins 45 min
1 mile bay swim with fins 50 min
1 mile ocean swim with fins 50 min
1 l/2 mile ocean swim with fins 70 min
2 mile ocean swim with fins 95 min
Obstacle course 15 min
4 mile timed run 32 min

POST HELL WEEK:

2000 meter conditioning pool swim without fins Completion
1 1/2 mile night bay swim with fins Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 85 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
Obstacle course 13 min

SECOND PHASE:

2 mile ocean swim with fins 80 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 31 min
Obstacle course 10:30
3 I/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
5 1/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion

THIRD PHASE:

Obstacle course 10 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 30 min
14 mile run Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 75 min

SUGGESTED STUDENT PREPARATION

The following workouts are designed for two categories of people: Category I are those future BUD/S students that have never or have not recently been on a routine PT program. Category II is designed for high school and college athletes that have had a routine PT program. Usually athletes that require a high level of cardiovascular activity are in Category II.

Swimming, running and wrestling are good examples of such sports.

WORKOUT FOR CATEGORY I

RUNNING: The majority of the physical activities you will be required to perform during your six months of training at BUD/S will involve running. The intense amount of running can lead to over-stress injuries of the lower extremities in trainees who arrive not physically prepared to handle the activities. Swimming, bicycling, and lifting weights will prepare you for some of the activities at BUD/S, but ONLY running can prepare your lower extremities for the majority of the activities. You should also run in boots to prepare your legs for the everyday running in boots at BUD/S (Boots should be of a light-weight variety i.e. Bates Lights, Hi-Tec, Etc.).

The goal of the category I student is to work up to 16 miles per week of running. After you have achieved that goal, then and only then should you continue on to the category II goal of 30 miles per week. Let me remind you that category I is a nine week buildup program. Follow the workout as best you can and you will be amazed at the progress you will make.

RUNNING SCHEDULE I

WEEKS #1, 2: 2 miles/day, 8:30 pace, M/W/F (6 miles/ week)
WEEK #3: No running. High risk of stress fractures
WEEK #4: 3 miles/day, M/W/F (9 miles/wk)
WEEKS #5, 6: 2/3/4/2 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (11 miles/wk)
WEEKS #7,8: 4/4/5/3 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (16 miles/ wk)
WEEK #9: same as #7,8 (16 miles/ wk)

PHYSICAL TRAINING SCHEDULE I (Mon/Wed/Fri)

SETS OF REPETITIONS

WEEK #1:
4X15 PUSHUPS
4X20 SITUPS
3X3 PULL UPS

WEEK #2:
5X20 PUSHUPS
5X20 SITUPS
3X3 PULL UPS

WEEK #3,4:
5X25 PUSHUPS
5X25 SITUPS
3X4 PULL UPS

WEEK #5,6:
6X25 PUSHUPS
6X25 SITUPS
2X8 PULL UPS

WEEK #7,8:
6X30 PUSHUPS
6X30 SITUPS
2X10 PULL UPS

WEEK #9:
6X30 PUSHUPS
6X30 SITUPS
3X10 PULL UPS

* Note: For best results, alternate exercises. Do a set of pushups, then a set of situps, followed by a set of pull ups, immediately with no rest.

SWIMMING SCHEDULE I
(sidestroke with no fins 4-5 days a week)

WEEKS #1, 2: Swim continuously for 15 min.
WEEKS #3, 4: Swim continuously for 20 min.
WEEKS #5, 6: Swim continuously for 25 min.
WEEKS #7, 8: Swim continuously for 30 min.
WEEK #9: Swim continuously for 35 min.

* Note: If you have no access to a pool, ride a bicycle for twice as long as you would swim. If you do have access to a pool, swim every day available. Four to five days a week and 200 meters in one session is your initial workup goal. Also, you want to develop your sidestroke on both the left and the right side. Try to swim 50 meters in one minute or less.

WORKOUT FOR CATEGORY II

Category II is a more intense workout designed for those who have been involved with a routine PT schedule or those who have completed the requirements of category I. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WORKOUT SCHEDULE UNLESS YOU CAN COMPLETE THE WEEK #9 LEVEL OF CATEGORY I WORKOUTS.

RUNNING SCHEDULE II
(M/TulTh/F/Sa)

WEEKS #1,2: (3/5/4/5/2)miles 19 miles/week
WEEKS #3, 4: (4/5/6/4/3) miles 22 miles/week
WEEK #5: (5/5/6/4/4) miles 24 miles/week
WEEK #6: (5/6/6/6/4) miles 27 miles/week
WEEK #7: (6/6/6/6/6) miles 30 miles/week

* Note: For weeks #8-9 and beyond, it is not necessary to increase the distance of the runs; work on the speed of your 6 mile runs and try to get them down to 7:30 per mile or lower. If you wish to increase the distance of your runs, do it gradually: no more than one mile per day increase for every week beyond week #9.

PT SCHEDULE II
(Mon/Wed/Fri)

SETS OF REPETITIONS

WEEK #1, 2:
6X30 PUSHUPS
6X35 SITUPS
3X10 PULL UPS
3X20 DIPS

WEEK #3, 4:
lOX20 PUSHUPS
10X25 SITUPS
4X10 PULL UPS
10X15 DIPS

WEEK #5:
15X20 PUSHUPS
15X25 SITUPS
4X12 PULLUPS
15X15 DIPS

WEEK #6:
20X20 PUSHUPS
20X25 SITUPS
5X12 PULL UPS
20X15 DIPS

These workouts are designed for long-distance muscle endurance. Muscle fatigue will gradually take a longer and longer time to develop doing high repetition workouts. For best results, alternate exercises each set, in order to rest that muscle group for a short time. The below listed workouts are provided for varying your workouts once you have met the Category I and II standards.

PYRAMID WORKOUTS

You can do this with any exercise. The object is to slowly build up to a goal, then build back down to the beginning of the workout. For instance, pull ups, situps, pushups, and dips can be alternated as in the above workouts, but this time choose a number to be your goal and build up to that number. Each number counts as a set. Work your way up and down the pyramid. For example, say your goal is “5.”

# OF REPETITIONS

PULL UPS: 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1
PUSHUPS: 2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 (2X # pull ups)
SITUPS: 3,6,9,12,15,12,9,6,3 (3X #pull ups)
DIPS: same as pushups

SWIMMING WORKOUTS II
(4-5 days/week)

WEEKS #1, 2: Swim continuously for 35 min.
WEEKS #3, 4: Swim continuously for 45 min. with fins.
WEEK #5: Swim continuously for 60 min. with fins.
WEEK #6: Swim continuously for 75 min. with fins.

* Note: At first, to reduce initial stress on your foot muscles when starting with fins, alternate swimming 1000 meters with fins and 1000 meters without them. Your goal should be to swim 50 meters in 45 seconds or less.

STRETCH PT

Since Mon/Wed/Fri are devoted to PT, it is wise to devote at least 20 minutes on Tue/Thu/Sat to stretching. You should always stretch for at least 15 minutes before any workout; however, just stretching the previously worked muscles will make you more flexible and less likely to get injured. A good way to start stretching is to start at the top and go to the bottom. Stretch to tightness, not to pain; hold for 10-15 seconds. DO NOT BOUNCE. Stretch every muscle in your body from the neck to the calves, concentrating on your thighs, hamstrings, chest, back, and shoulders.

NUTRITION

Proper nutrition is extremely important now and especially when you arrive at BUD/S. You must make sure you receive the necessary nutrients to obtain maximum performance output during exercise and to promote muscle/tissue growth and repair. The proper diet provides all the nutrients for the body’s needs and supplies energy for exercise. It also promotes growth and repair of tissue and regulates the body processes. The best source of complex carbohydrates are potatoes, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables. These types of foods are your best sources of energy.

Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the three energy nutrients. All three can provide energy, but carbohydrate is the preferred source of energy for physical activity. It takes at least 20 hours after exhaustive exercise to completely restore muscle energy, provided 600 grams of carbohydrates are consumed per day. During successive days of heavy training, like you will experience at BUD/S, energy stores prior to each training session become progressively lower. This is a situation in which a high carbohydrate diet can help maintain your energy.

The majority of carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrate foods that include bread, crackers, cereal, beans, peas, starchy vegetables, and other whole grain or enriched grain products. Fruits are also loaded with carbohydrates. During training, more than four servings of these food groups should be consumed daily.

Water intake is vital; stay hydrated. You should be consuming up to four quarts of water daily. Drink water before you get thirsty!!! Substances such as alcohol, caffeine and tobacco increase your body’s need for water. Too much of these substances will definitely harm your body and hinder your performance.

TRAINING TABLE CONCEPT

NUTRIENT INTAKE:

Carbohydrates 50-70% of calories
Protein 10-15% of calories
Fats 20-30% of calories
Nitric Oxide, Glutamine, Creatine

IN SERVICE CANDIDATES

Requirements and procedures for BUD/S training application:

Physical/Mental

1. Pass a diving physical exam

2. Eye sight cannot be worse than 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other eye and must be correctable to 20/20 with no color blindness

3. Minimum ASVAB score: VE + AR= 104, MC = 50

4. Must be 28 years old or less

5. Only men are eligible

Physical Screen Test 1. 500 yard swim using breast and/or side stroke in 12:30 Ten minute rest

2. Perform minimum of 42 pushups in 2 minutes Two minute rest

3. Perform minimum of 50 situps in 2 minutes Two minute rest

4. Perform at least 6 pull ups, no time limit Ten minute rest

5. Run 1.5 miles wearing boots and pants in 11:30

*As a reminder, there are no maximums on these physical tests. Prospective trainee should provide the best scores possible, i.e., give his best effort

I am 14 and in 8th grade going into 9th in the fall. I do tennis, track (which is just starting), and wrestling (which is just ending). I am thinking of dropping wrestling & starting competitive swimming (for the first time ever) in the summer on the competitive team at our community pool, then start club swim in fall, and varsity in the winter. Is it too late for me to start? Will I be at a major disadvantage? Should I get private lessons beforehand? Any particular things I should do to prepare myself? Any sort of help is appreciated.

Swimming can be a difficult sport to learn if you’ve never been taught the very basics. One of the biggest issues most beginners face is breathing in the freestyle stroke. Even for veterans of the sport, breathing can be a nightmare if you don’t know the correct technique and method for easy and effortless breathing in freestyle.

The prospect of swallowing water can stop people from learning swimming as it can all seem too difficult after they’ve given it a shot three or four times. If you are having breathing problems in your swimming, don’t despair. There is an easy solution which can be implemented right away. Here I will outline the three keys to overcoming breathing problems in swimming.

1. Breathing out

The most important aspect of breathing technique is the breath out. Most swimmers blow out all of their air either too early or too late which is why they choke on water. The swimmer should breath to the side of the recovery arm (the arm which is out of the water) and take a big breath of air. As the head enters the water, begin blowing a small amount of air out of both the nose and the mouth. Continue this up until your next breath is taken. As you go to breath again let all your air out quickly through your nose and mouth just before you take that next breath. Remember that last sentence and your breathing problems should be fixed.

2. Rotation

To breath effectively it’s necessary to breath to the side. The easiest way to do this is to rotate the shoulders throughout the freestyle stroke. This is an easy way to allow the mouth to breath out of the water, which means less head rotation is required. Use your body roll and momentum to help rotate your head when breathing.

3. Stay relaxed

A secret to effortless swimming, not just effortless breathing, is to stay relaxed. Too often swimmers will tense up, hyperventilate and force themselves through the water. This isn’t how to swim fast. You must stay relaxed, keep calm and allow yourself to glide through the water. During your breathing, keep calm and allow yourself to breath normally without forcing air in and out.

That’s the three most improtant tips when it comes to breathing easier in freestyle. Remember to let all of your air out quickly through your nose and mouth just before you take a breath. Use momentum and body roll to help rotate your head while breathing, and remember to stay relaxed and breath deep into the lungs.

Slo mo clips of proper front crawl swim stroke

• One piece flexible PVC frame design for watertight comfort
• Anti-Fog Lens
• Split silicone headstrap
• Smaller version of popular Hydrospex gogggle
• Great for youth

Product Description
The Speedo® Hydrospex Jr. swimming goggles showcases a unique, 1-piece construction with a flexible PVC frame that offers watertight comfort. These goggles includes anti-fog lenses and a split silicone headstrap… More >>

Speedo Junior Hydrospex Swimming Goggle

The history of swimming goes way back to that of prehistoric times. Books written from 2000 to 1500 BC including the Bible have references to swimming. It was mostly used in these times as a means of cleansing. Any form of competitive swimming wasn’t formed until the 1800’s in Europe. It was included in the first Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece.

It was noted that Ancient Egypt had cave drawings of humans swimming in the nearby sea. They often depicted a form of the breaststroke as the first type of swimming or something they used to call the front crawl. Ancient Egyptian, Grecian and Roman palaces were often equipped with swimming pools or baths. Often reserved for the elite that used them as relaxation pools and cleaning tubs.

It is noted by historians that swimming was also often used in battle. The Greeks were often regarded as solid swimmers and at the Battle of Salamis after a number of both Greek and Persian boats were destroyed it was said that all of the Persians drowned due to their inability to swim while the Greek prevailed.

The history of swimming is much easier to understand than other sports. Without any equipment to speak of an individual can take to the waters. Obviously those countries that had the most access to water were the first to adapt to swimming. History did not have the spreading of the sport as many other sports had encountered because it was basically already available. You either adopted swimming as a means of life or you just chose not to swim.

The evolution of swimming history expanded during the middle ages. A number of individuals took it upon themselves to write books about swimming. They were often focused on the ability to not drown rather than a perfect backstroke as you would imagine. Life saving concepts and techniques began to form throughout the next few hundred years and around the 18th and 19th century the sport began to evolve into more of a competition than just life safety. Swimming Associations and Clubs popped up all over the world. Some of the first in swimming history were in China, Sweden and Germany.

Schools began to believe that swimming was a natural part of any life education. Therefore, they began to teach swimming in schools not just as a life safety course but as an extracurricular activity. Schools and Universities began to adopt these practices and set up clubs and swim teams. Competitions began to arise around the mid 1800’s. England was the first to modernize the sport and incorporate an indoor swimming pool with a swim team. They began to formulate new swimming styles including the sidestroke. Shortly after this, variations of the freestyle began to form and credit can’t really be given to one person as so many were responsible for developing this technique.

The Olympic Games of 1896 in Athens was the first real platform for the sport. There only men competed in a number of events. Throughout the 1900’s the sport evolved and saw a number of stars arise. Johnny Weissmuller, the original Tarzan completed his ten year career by never losing a race and winning five Olympic medals.

Science and technology began to play a part in the sport throughout the 1900’s as well. When scientist and coaches began studying swimmers and there underwater techniques to improve times. The swimsuits began to change as well as any form of resistance was under scrutiny from all competitors. Goggles, swim caps and different variations of training have all evolved as well. The US has seen its share of great Olympians going back to Mark Spitz who won seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympics.

The sport has evolved to a very competitive and fun sport for anyone. That has always been the great appeal that anyone can swim and we have been for the past 3000 years…So goes the history of swimming.

• Hard indestructible polyethylene.

Product Description
Kickboard – The ideal conditioning for the competitive swimmer. Hard indestructible polyethylene…. More >>

Competitive Swimming Kickboard

Everyone loves swimming if seen in view of sports but had you ever came to know about its benefits in our daily life. Alot of people may not be familiar with its benefits and enjoy swimming only as a sport but swimming is a great exercise for the whole body that provides lifetime health benefits.

Benefits of swimming :-

1. Swimming helps in removing dirt, bacteria and other micro-organisms from your skin pores thus preventing the origin of acne and pimples on your skin.

2. While doing stroke swimming breath is to be held for sometime which proves to be an excellent exercise for lungs as it increases lung capacity further helping in prevention of disease like asthma.

3. Swimming requires much more workout of the body muscles burning about 8 calories per minute of our body resulting in significant body weight loss.

4. Swimming is a great exercise for the whole body as it requires workout of each and every body muscle thus providing great strength to the cardiovascular system of your body.

5. Regular swimming prevents your body from joint pains in later stages of life.Moreover it provides relaxation to your mind and relief from stress.

6. Risk of any heart disease and stoke can be reduced by as it reduces the cholesterol levels and helps in lowering blood pressure of the body.

7. Swimming also helps an athlete to maintain his/her fitness level. When an athlete is injured, He/She is often told to swim because muscles have to work hard due to the resistance of the water without experiencing the pain being experienced on the land.

Instead of only health benefits, many people use swimming for developing other qualities like time management , sportsmanship, teamwork or team spirit, goal-setting etc. One should know that while swimming he/she should not consider the distance or the speed, it’s the time you spend on swimming that matters. So start swimming regularly to gain profit of the lifetime health benefits of swimming.