Pakewi, thank you very much for your advice. I particularly think the note on getting my split times below what is needed for my goal 100 I.M. pace is particularly important. I confess, the times for my 25 in particular were not appreciably faster than what was needed to be on pace for a 1:02.9 100.
Now for a question - what do you mean by “total volume x2”, “total volume x 3”, etc? I do not understand the reference. Thanks!
Use 3.0 ,2.0 ,1.0, 0,7 as multipliers to quantify the work done,and balance things out…
Well, Pakewi, I took your advice on a few things…
Tuesday, October 28
Swimming, 25 yard pool.
Warmup
6x15-20 yard sprints, all out, full recovery. Flip turn emphasis. That is, I sprinted into the wall, performed a turn, and sprinted out.
5x15-20 yard kick, with fins. Butterfly kick, backstroke dolphin, freestyle. All-out, full recovery.
The fins felt great. I really perceived that I was reaching top speed with them.
Weights
7 sets of 3-4 reps, Good Mornings. 95-135 pounds.
5 sets 3 reps, back squats. 95 - 115 pounds.
Ab wheel.
Yes, you read that correctly. I squatted 115 pounds for 3 reps. This is my first squat workout since the surgery five months ago. My quads are so weak it would be funny, if it weren’t so sad.
I suppose the good news (if there is any here) is that my hamstrings actually have a head start on my quads.
Pakewi, I took some more of your advice…
Thursday, Oct. 30
I don’t remember the last time I have been so sore. My lower back and hamstrings feel like they’ve been hit with buckshot. Performing that many Good Mornings was probably a mistake.
Swimming
25 yard pool
Tempo
300 yard warmup
12x25’s very easy free, counting strokes. No interval.
10x50’s very easy kicking. 1 minute rest.
It is amazing how much better I felt Friday morning. The soreness is greatly reduced. The slow kicking really did the trick.
Friday, Oct. 31
Swimming, 25 yard pool
Warmup
100 yard free (from a push) - 1:02
Rest 6 minutes
75 yard individual medley (fly, back, breast from a push) - :54
Rest 6 minutes
50 yard free (from a push) - :28
Felt just awful today. I can only theorize (really I can only hope) that my slow times are due to the lack of explosiveness in my hips, due to the knee surgery.
Saturday, Nov. 1
Swimming, 25 meter pool
Warmup
75 meter free, all out, from a push. Time: 49.3
Yes, I sprinted two days in a row, something I haven’t done since I learned better years ago. But I did it because I wanted another crack at a time since yesterdays workout was so bad. Today was no better. To give you an idea of how far off I am, when I am in shape I cover the same distance in about 46.0, or a high 45. I have no power.
I am still set to compete for the first time since the surgery in about three weeks, then again two weeks later. I am tempted to skip the meet to avoid embarrassing myself, but my wife has encouraged me not to, since I haven’t competed in so many months. She’s right - I can’t just skip a meet because of pride. Being able to swim and compete with a family and job is a blessing to me, so I have to recognize that and do it anyway.
I’ll get through it! Romans 8:1
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Swimming, 25 yard pool
Warmup
5x25 yard sprints, all-out, full recovery. From a push.
Butterfly: high:12, low :13
Free: mid/low :12, mid :12
Breaststroke: high :16
In another of my continuing bizarre fluctuations, I actually felt pretty good today. On THursday I plan on getting a real time somewhere.
Weights
7 sets of 3-4 reps, Good Mornings. ! WU set, 6 work sets. Poundage - 115 pounds to 140.
4 sets of 2-3 reps, Squats. 4 work sets. Poundage - 115 - 135 pounds.
The Good Mornings are simply the finest hamstring/lower back builder I have encountered. I think I went a little overboard (again) and may have strained my lower back ever so slightly. I do not believe that it will slow me down, however.
Next lower body session I’ll probably do squats first, and then hamstrings after that. I think doing good mornings and squats in the same session taxes the lower back and nervous system too much.