I have to agree with what's been said...get to a masters program/get a coach.

I've been a decent swimmer having swam and played water polo in HS, so i was pretty ok with my time when I got back in the water after almost 20 years for tri's and settled in to being about a 32-35 min 70.3 & 1:12 IM swimmer being self-coached.

Joing masters was a whole new ball game. Almost immediately, my coach spotted a flaw in my catch and combined with the increase in yds (from about 6-8000/wk to 12-15000/wk) and a huge jump in the quality of my workouts, my times dropped to about 29 for 70.3 and 1:02 IM. When in shape, I'm right around a 5:45 (so 6:00 interval) on 400scy repeats (unfortunately, I'm not a sprinter, my pace doesn't get much better as the distance shortens).

At the coach point as well. Have been able to get the bikeprovement going and the run has always been my strength...but just can't get much faster on the swim.

The fitness is there (can swim 2:15 all day long), but there isn't any reason I should be this slow other than bad technique.

For you long time swimmers, what is the best way to increase stamina? Also, I find that when I first get in the pool my swim feels effortless but after 200m or so I feel like my body sinks and my form goes to crap. I am tired by the end of 400m.

Best way is to do shorter lengths on short rest (less than 10 seconds) and build up from there. If you do triathlons one good thing to do is 100s that consist of 25 normal pace, 25 fast, 25 slow, 25 sprint on 10 seconds rest.

2:15 in a pool is an easy pace that most people can do in a short time in the pool. Swim harder and/or get a coach. Getting faster in the pool takes time and lots of hard work. Swimming with a group can help with both since you are pushing yourself not to get passed.

I am not worried about speed so much. I am most wanting to extend my range. I can swim a 400m in 7ish minutes. I am ok with that. I want to swim 1600 and not slog trough it.

Same applies, just put more meters in the pool. When I was doing longer races I would build up to 10x400 at different speeds with 10 seconds rest. Brutal workout but helped in the long run.

I will say the pool helped a lot but nothing compared to open water swims. Do those as much as you can if you are doing long outside races

Speaking of open water swims, anyone on here from Houston/swim at Lake 288? I'm curious what kind of base I should have before I make the jump from the pool to open water.

I've been swimming for a few months now and my last week of workouts were:
300 m warm up w/ drills, 5x100 m w/ 15 sec rest, 200 m cool down
300 m warm up w/ drills, 10x50 m w/ 10 sec rest, 200 m cool down
300 m warm up w/ drills, 500 m, 200m cool down

Not looking to move all my workouts to open water. Just want to start mixing it in every once in a while but not sure if I have a good enough base....

Completed my first triathlon yesterday! It was the No Label Sprint Tri located in Katy.

Growing up, I never learned how to properly swim. Luckily I was able to get into the pool a few times before Saturday, but I struggled MIGHTILY as one would imagine.

In fact, I positioned myself second to last getting into the pool so I wouldn't slow anybody down. I completed the 300m, but only because I would swim 25m at a time while pausing on each wall to collect my breath - hah!

After reading this thread, it's obvious I should most likely join the Katy Masters Program, but I'm concerned I won't get the specific focus I'm sure I need.

Should I look into hiring a personal swim coach first and THEN join the masters program? Or just get in the group
ASAP and pick up what I can while in the water?


Ps ... I'm really interested in signing up for the Florida 70.3 in December. I'm assuming seven months is plenty of time to go from a non-swimmer to 1.2 mile open water swim?

Bump for the evening crowd

Are there still spots open for Waco 70.3 in October? I am doing that one.

Oh, yea, for sure.

After I took adult swim lessons to learn how to swim I swam on my own for a few months, and then took masters for a month or two before my 70.3.

Thanks for bumping this thread. I'm 5 weeks into swimming and getting pretty frustrated. Not having luck finding a coach in my area.

Where are you at?

Burleson.