I will often have swimmers ask me why their shoulders and neck get really tight when they do more than 100 yards. My answer is always the same--RELAX. Swimming is like any other endurance sport out there you must stay relaxed and have good form to swim efficiently for long distances. If you are a runner or a cyclist, just think about mile 6 of a long run or mile 30 in a long bike. Do you shorten your stride or tighten your upper body on the bike? No! You try and stay relaxed and lengthen your stride. There is nothing different in swimming. When things start to feel tight and your muscles begin to shorten your stroke, force yourself to stay long and relaxed. At first this will seem like it takes more energy, but in the end you will find that rhythm and you will save yourself a lot of energy which will be needed at the end of the race. To practice staying long and not shortening up, make sure to breath every three strokes. Breathing every three strokes allows you time to focus on staying long with out the constant interruption of breathing every other stroke. Breathing every third stroke will help your stroke become more balanced and long, as breathing often shortens your stroke. You may also work on this by counting your strokes per 25 and trying each 25 to beat the last 25. By practicing staying long and RELAXED your practices/races will become less of a pain in the neck (I thought that was funny) and more productive.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
WARM UP 400 swim stay long and relaxed
400 yrds
16 x 25 count your stroke(keep track and try and beat your count each 25) 15 sec. rest
400 yrds
16 x 50 1st 4x25s breath every 3 strokes, 2nd 4x25 every 5 strokes, 3rd every 7 strokes, last 4x50s just swim normal, but work on staying long. 30 sec rest
800 yrds
*Note* if you are doing a triathlon this week stop here and cool down with a long 200 yard warm down.
4 x 200 breathing every third stroke throughout the full 200. Speed is not what we are working on here...I want you to make all 4 200s breathing every 3. Those of you more advanced I would like you to breath every 3 first 200, 5 second 200, and 7 third, last one every third but stay long and relaxed. This set is going to test what we have been working on STAYING RELAXED. 1 min. rest between 200s.
800 yrds
1 x 500 swim keep this long and relaxed work on breathing every third stroke. Focus on good form and relaxing those shoulders, but keeping a good pace.
500 yrds
WARM DOWN with a long relaxed 200 swim.
200 yrds
TOTAL YARDS: 3100 yrds
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