I was curious to know if any of the forum members ever get in the pool (or have your athletes) after a hard session. Not to be confused as a seperate pool workout, but just to float/ kick around for 10-15 minutes. I know Clemson has a strong background in swimming, so you may have seen this done.
It seems to assist in flushing out the muscles as well as providing a massage effect. Any thoughts or stories?
I quite often go for a pool session after a workout. It is part of my Tempo volume. I strap on a floatation belt and go for a nice, impact-free jog in the pool. How long? It all depends. Usually till all the good looking women leave the pool or until the weird guy with the swim goggles starts making frequent passes underneath me.
Herb, Nice visualization.
I use this once in a while if the training room is closed after a workout, and the only other coaches that have mentioned doing this were distance coaches. I dont try to get any additional volume out of it, mostly just to assist in the recovery process.
I have don’t a couple of recovery type sessons in the pool. Where I walk, do some ‘A’ drills, backstroke and floating for about 20 minutes.
Seems to work I especially do the day before a comp or towards the end of a training week. I certainly feel relaxed when finished.
OK, to take it a question further, do you know the temperature of the pool? I have found that the warmer pools (used for rehab or water aerobics) dont provide the same benefit. I guess this would be an obvious thing to state, since the cold water allows for a proper environment to flush the muscles out.
Dlive
I think I can remember something about recovery sessions at a beach in cold water from Charlie in the old forum (temp around 12c)
I will have a look. I did one in 16c I struggled. It might of been better if my top half went in first not the middle and lower bits. :o
I will my best to find it, but may take a day or two. So if somebody else knows :help:
good point. if you can dig that old thread up, I would greatly appreciate it!
in my previous life as a triathlete i spent my share of time in the pool. it did have a soothing effect on the body espically after all the pounding of road work.
regular recovery swims for me (once or twice a week) were the toughtest to get in (meaning i didnt think just spending 30 minutes in the pool was worth it) but i always felt refreshed after it was done and was usually glad i did it.
now that triathlon (participating anyway) is behind me, i stay as far away from the pool as i can.:sing:
I can only swim two laps in the pool without getting tired :help: seriously. Is that bad?
I think swimming would be a good way of flushing the toxins out of your system after speed endurance or maybe extensive tempo. Normar Garciapara of the boston redsox uses this method after every workout. Not so much that he swims but he does exercises to cooldown and flush the toxins out of his system He even does speed training and has a coach for it.
Previosly posted by Clemson, check out:
www.cs.sfu.ca/cs/people/GradStudents/zaiane/personal/totalswim/swim5.html
Tim,
I manage about 4 lengths before I get disorientated and become dangerously low in the water. Thats why I use a Flotation Belt!!
Tim, how frequently are you in the pool? It could be your swimming technique or just that your body is not used to the demands.
balance is the answer…when i first went from football and track to triathlon, i had to learn how to swim from scratch. the newbie to the pool normally spends so much energy struggling to stay a float that he/she gets winded very quickly. the thing that helped me the most was finding my balance point while doing freestyle. also, your breathing pattern is so much different than when on land, you may tend to “tighten up”.
getting a leason or two can go along way with being comfortable in the water, or just relax, do some breast stroke and spend some time getting familiar with the new element.
i use the pool as a means to recover from DOMS that lasts a couple of days…
i use breaststroke and freestyle to help with chest soreness after a workout.
Nightmares right Tim. I struggle the last 5 metres in a 50m pool, but in a 25m I start to struggle after 4 laps.
I hate swimming in a pool.
Heres the post I mentioned in my first reply.
http://www.charliefrancis.com/board/philboard_read.asp?id=650
This is also in contrast showers thread.