The Good Mood Cookbook

Oryx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I meant in the context of your concern about not working to a plan. From the looks of things, your swimming is improving nicely from what you're already doing.

I'm not seeing any great leap forward in times though, its two steps forward, one back. But hopefully the lane setup will remain fast in the next sessions, trouble is the speed of the (middle) lane I am in depends on who turns up. If I get in with the proper sharks I'm just in their way.

Oryx

13k run this morning. It was nice. Ballbuster was on (UK) today. Put a longing on me. I love that race.

Oryx

87k bike today. Same wind, but with added rain. It was okay till the last 5k when I was getting sick of fogged up glasses and water dripping off my nose and chin. Of course now, I'm indoors, and the sun is coming out. Fcuk off weather, you're just taking the mick

Still, I'll take 3.5hrs in the rain over 3.5hrs on a turbo.

Dory Dory

^^^ Hey now.....

(nice ride!!! )

pointer28

Oryx wrote: »

Still, I'll take 3.5hrs in the rain over 3.5hrs on a turbo.

Never a truer word said!

Oryx

Run & kbs tonight. Not successful. Quit the class early and I hate quitting anything early. Fubar end to a trying day.

Try again tomorrow.

Oryx

Early swim. Pyramid. 100 - 500 - 100. Went okay, though times were off as the lane was crowded, and I had to keep letting the fast guys through. By the end I was swimming easier, if still slow, and the tip I read (I think via KG's log) to swim from the wrist not the hand, did wonders for my catch. 2550m 70 mins.

Pmaldini

Oryx wrote: »

Early swim. Pyramid. 100 - 500 - 100. Went okay, though times were off as the lane was crowded, and I had to keep letting the fast guys through. By the end I was swimming easier, if still slow, and the tip I read (I think via KG's log) to swim from the wrist not the hand, did wonders for my catch. 2550m 70 mins.

i must try this, my swimming speed doesnt seem to improve no matter how much i practice drills, i presume you mean to try and feel the water hitting the wrist rather than the hand?

Oryx

Pmaldini wrote: »

i must try this, my swimming speed doesnt seem to improve no matter how much i practice drills, i presume you mean to try and feel the water hitting the wrist rather than the hand?

The way it worked for me, was to forget about my hand and pull from the wrist. I found myself imagining that I had a string around my wrist which was pulling my hand back towards the pool wall behind me. It made me correct my catch to what I have been shown to do in the past - it felt right, I could feel my lats doing the work.

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

The way it worked for me, was to forget about my hand and pull from the wrist. I found myself imagining that I had a string around my wrist which was pulling my hand back towards the pool wall behind me. It made me correct my catch to what I have been shown to do in the past - it felt right, I could feel my lats doing the work.

As they say on swimsmooth.com imagine that you have a smiley face drawn on the palm of your hand and at the start of the catch show that smiley face to the pool wall behind you before you start the pull phase (or something like that!)

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

As they say on swimsmooth.com imagine that you have a smiley face drawn on the palm of your hand and at the start of the catch show that smiley face to the pool wall behind you before you start the pull phase (or something like that!)

I had heard that one too, but the string thing was what came to mind. Whatever works, I suppose!

Kurt Godel

Pmaldini wrote: »

i must try this, my swimming speed doesnt seem to improve no matter how much i practice drills, i presume you mean to try and feel the water hitting the wrist rather than the hand?

Oryx wrote: »

The way it worked for me, was to forget about my hand and pull from the wrist. I found myself imagining that I had a string around my wrist which was pulling my hand back towards the pool wall behind me. It made me correct my catch to what I have been shown to do in the past - it felt right, I could feel my lats doing the work.

That's the way it was described (prescribed?) to me; you're doing it right Orxy. Forget you have a hand, aim to catch and pull from your wrist. This teaches you to catch and pull using the forearm. The hand will fall into place. (Swimsmooth move is different Griff, in that the focus there is on hand position through pull phase and exit).

Oryx

More swimming tonight. Coached. Tough set - I was tired. But an interesting mix of stuff. A little too fast for me to think too much about the technical side, I just had to get it done somehow. 2150 all told, making it 4700 for the day. I hope this stuff makes me faster.

shotgunmcos

Kurt Godel wrote: »

That's the way it was described (prescribed?) to me; you're doing it right Orxy. Forget you have a hand, aim to catch and pull from your wrist. This teaches you to catch and pull using the forearm. The hand will fall into place. (Swimsmooth move is different Griff, in that the focus there is on hand position through pull phase and exit).

I find it easier to focus on the elbow and bending it after the catch. I focus on the hand and opposite hip through the glide. Basically keeping the hand leading a straight line as the hip rotates you. At the exact moment you catch the water I switch focus to the elbow and imagine it folding over the hand as if the elbow is pulling me forward. Check out Sun Yang's elbow position after the catch www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5FlDy3YmDQ

Dory Dory

Sun Yang is the man.

interested

^ +1

14:31.02

One of the greatest swims of all time.

Oryx

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I find it easier to focus on the elbow and bending it after the catch. I focus on the hand and opposite hip through the glide. Basically keeping the hand leading a straight line as the hip rotates you. At the exact moment you catch the water I switch focus to the elbow and imagine it folding over the hand as if the elbow is pulling me forward. Check out Sun Yang's elbow position after the catch www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5FlDy3YmDQ

I dont have a catch, yet. Which is why at the moment the wrist thing is helping more than other things I have tried.

Pmaldini

Hey Oryx,

tried out your tip today in the pool, its amazing when you concentrate you really feel the water passing the wrist, it definitely improved my catch, felt much better in the water, normally my 100's come in around 1.49-1.50, did them all in 1.42-1.45, (with the exception of 2 which was another experiment that really doesnt work:D), thanks a mil, P.

Oryx

Pmaldini wrote: »

Hey Oryx,

tried out your tip today in the pool, its amazing when you concentrate you really feel the water passing the wrist, it definitely improved my catch, felt much better in the water, normally my 100's come in around 1.49-1.50, did them all in 1.42-1.45, (with the exception of 2 which was another experiment that really doesnt work:D), thanks a mil, P.

Tis KG you want to thank.
My times arent that good, you may tell me what else you do that I dont!

Kurt Godel

Oryx wrote: »

Tis KG you want to thank.
My times arent that good, you may tell me what else you do that I dont!

All this swim conversation is good. I need to thank shotgun for posting that Sun Yang vid; I though about his magic rubber elbows as I swam my fastest 400 last night:)

Pmaldini

Oryx wrote: »

Tis KG you want to thank.
My times arent that good, you may tell me what else you do that I dont!

i thank the both of ye, its great to be able to focus on something new, those swim times are in a 20m pool so will probably be 3-4 seconds slower in a 50, unfortunately i dont get to the 50 too often. i have swam in the same session as shotgun in UL(50m) but id be in the lane beside the lane that shotgun is in with the dolphins and sharks:D

Oryx

I swim in a 25. Its not the pool, its me that's slow. The best thing in that vid apart from the elbows, is the glide, and how relaxed his hands are. Key things I reckon.

Dory Dory

And take note, he breathes almost exclusively every two strokes.

Sun Yang is brilliant to watch!

Oryx

Dory Dory wrote: »

And take note, he breathes almost exclusively every two strokes.

Sun Yang is brilliant to watch!

First thing I noticed. The turn of his head almost seems to create propulsion.

Oryx

Tired today so I binned the early run. It was meant to be a speed session and I knew I couldn't hit targets this morning. Just as well cos work turned out to be a complete headache.

Group turbo tonight.... with an ever decreasing group (too hard maybe?) Very enjoyable the time zipped by.

MaryB30

Not too hard,
still getting over my head over heels spin with added concussion, broken finger and banged up knee. Cant wait to get back to the stable though.

Oryx

MaryB30 wrote: »

Not too hard,
still getting over my head over heels spin with added concussion, broken finger and banged up knee. Cant wait to get back to the stable though.

So you were concussed. Jesus you got an awful slap. Stick to the stable its safer! Look forward to having you back.

Oryx

Early swim. My downward spiral into slowness continues, I'm in the 'two steps back' phase of training. Tried a 400 today, it didnt go well. 7.49 and I was pooped by 250, the last 150 was murder. I'm putting this down to general fatigue, which I have been feeling all week, and not the fact that was swimming like a drowning cat. 2200m in 67 mins.

shotgunmcos

Oryx wrote: »

Early swim. My downward spiral into slowness continues, I'm in the 'two steps back' phase of training. Tried a 400 today, it didnt go well. 7.49 and I was pooped by 250, the last 150 was murder. I'm putting this down to general fatigue, which I have been feeling all week, and not the fact that was swimming like a drowning cat. 2200m in 67 mins.

Oryx

....but I think my catch is improving.