My plan today was to do a slow swim workout. Well, plans changed.
I shared a lane today with what I think is a professional triathlete. I have not asked him. He’s fast. Probably the fastest guy in the pool whenever I have been there. The only other ones that come close are the college swimmers who show up during there school breaks. That’s too far in between to notice. This guy just cruises and powers through he swim.
I try to avoid comparison and avoid thinking what others think of me. It matters what I think of me. What my wife and family think of me. Not a relative stranger in the pool. At the same, I’m still human, and I do compare a little. Then remind myself to compare today to the yesterday. Am I doing the best I can today?
That’s where this goes. Having a faster swimmer next to me. One that pushes and is strong. Gives me a measuring stick to measure myself against myself. Am I getting lapped? Does he just speed away from me? Or do I keep up some of the time? Given the unique opportunity where we both started our swims within a couple of minutes of each other. I decided to push myself today to try to keep up with the professional. I did not keep up, but my workout was much faster. I finished 3400 yards in 62 minutes. That includes a little chit chat, and moving swim lanes. There have been times in the recent past that I’d struggle to finish 3000 yards in 62 minutes. So, I think I did great. I kept my rest to a minimum, and I just swam.
I have seen this strategy used in cross country and track running quite a bit. You try to keep with the faster runners on the team from time to time to push yourself beyond your own mental limits. Then, sometimes, you surprise yourself and your limits are now higher than they were. Plus it breaks up the monotony of daily workouts.
So compare yourself to yourself. Obviously, it does not make sense to compare your 18 year old self to your 5 year old self athletically, but you can still see how you broke your own limits and pushed what you can do.
Today’s Workout
Dryland
- 60 seconds jogging in place warmup
- Weights 4X
- Biceps: 12x 30lb Standing Curls
- Triceps: 12x 12lb tricep pushes on the bench
- Core Workout
- Upper Abs: 15 crunches
- Lower Abs: 12 Knee-ups
- Side Abs: 12 Oblique V-up’s each side
- Back: 12 Reverse Crunches on exercise ball
- Transverse Abs: 60 second plank
- 120 second static Stretching
At the Pool:
Dryland Warmup: Arm Circles back and forth. Legs side to side.
550 yard Warmup:
- 150 yard freestyle no flip turns
- 200 yard freestyle with flip turns
- 100 yard backstroke
- 100 yard brest stroke
2250 Main sets:
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500 kickboard with freestyle Fast pace
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500 yard Freestyle with Pull Buoy and Paddles. Quick paced
-
550 yard freestyle no tools, quick paced
-
150 yard kickboard with Fins
-
100 yard freestyle with with fins
-
100 yard back kick with fins
-
150 yard freestyle kick with kickboard and fins
-
100 yard freestyle swim with fins
-
100 yard back kick with fins
600 yard Cooldown:
- 300 yard slow swim with pull buoy and paddles
- 300 yard slow freestyle no tools
- Static Stretching, hips, shoulders, arms, calves, achilles