I love swimming!

[GinnySellars]

Ok....'love' is a stretch, but I have a new commitment to swimming.

I've begun swimming with Jerrit in Vernon on Wed/Fri. I was having trouble getting to Master's, and was not really working hard enough on my own. I'd get bored, think about errands or taxes, and not always complete workouts etc. Swim workouts would also get dropped the quickest if I was running short of time. So....with my swimming dates, I'm working much harder in the pool, focussing on technique ALOT, and consequently getting faster. Yahoooo!

Today Andrew joined me as well, and we had a great time. He used 'turtle paddles' (which shed water) and I swam and he still kicked my butt, BUT I swam best times. I'm holding 48 sec for 20 X50m with descending rest, and holding 1:40 for 14 X100m with increasing rest. This is a great improvement for me....I'll keep up the consistency and try to reduce the gap to my competitors out of the water.

Happy swimming everyone. Think consistency, and something or someone to 'light you up'.

[Rebecca]

Way to go Ginny!  Heh, I can almost replicate your times....with fins that is

Seriously though, I have really been enjoying the swim work-outs the last few weeks.  The hypoxic drill is actually fun, and the breathe 2, breathe 3 recovering length is definately going to help me during my panic moments in open water.

Look forward to seeing you and your 20 other girlfriends next weekend!
Can't wait for BC temperatures either - we has snow flurries on Wednesday...

[misha]

Hey Ginny any thoughts on Phelps with his '' new windmill stroke '' ?

                         Al.

[GinnySellars]

Hi Al
This is all I could find on the net...doesn't sound like it's working out all that well for him so far.

I know for me personally, I don't move forward unless I bend my elbow, and keep it close to the surface of the water. I also know that my shoulders hurt if I keep my arms straight because of the increased level ar, and lack of rotation with a straight arm.

The other day I finally got the feel for needing to balance strong stroke with lots of pressure on the hands, and sometimes taking the pressure off and keeping a higher cadence. I had to do this as the set got close to the end because I ran out of strength to hold strong stroke. Andrew says for a good swimming, it's a bit like a cyclist, choosing when to do high rpm, and when to push the big ring....


The 23-year-old US star, who won a record eight gold medals at Beijing, also was the slowest qualifier for the 50m freestyle finals in 23.24 seconds, but Phelps withdrew after his first test of a new stiff-arm sprint stroke style.

"It's more of a windmill than a standard bent-arm stroke," Phelps said. "It will help me get more tempo and turnover that I need."

Phelps, who will finish on Sunday with the 100 freestyle in his first strokes toward the London Olympics, was the last man in his 50-free heat to surface, something that helps in longer races but hurts in the splash and thrash event.

"I don't know how to swim a 50," Phelps said. "I saw the video. I can see a lot to change. My head position was too deep. I had a big wave over my head. It was a good first 50 of a 100. That's not a good 50.

"The underwater is not something you can do in a 50. I will work on it and see what happens."

Frenchman Fred Bousquet, a windmill stroker who set the world record of 20.94 seconds three weeks ago in France aided by a controversial new hi-tech supersuit, was the third-fastest 50 free finalist in 22.37 seconds.

"I didn't watch to see if anyone is using my style," Bousquet said. "I'm very flattered if he's trying to look like me. Good for him if he tries it and it works for him."