I swam 2560m today at the 32m outdoor pool (yes, strange length). Started at 8:35 an hour before swim lessons. Sunny, warm, no breeze. The pool was about 27 C which is perfect.
10x 256m (4 laps), with Tempo Trainer set to 1.20, and hold 22 SPL (=16 SPL in a 25m pool).
The objective was to dial in my stroke so that 22 SPL got easier and easier to maintain. If I started coming in on 21 SPL consistently then I would click down to 1.18, and so on.
I was able to hold 22 SPL throughout but not lower it. On the first length I often would hit 21 SPL and noted how there was a certain smooth rhythm to the whole stroke on that first length that I would start to lose in the following lengths. Towards the end of each repeat, if I lost focus for a moment I would stumble to 23 SPL.
The idea was not to ‘crank’ with power because that would counteract the relaxation I needed to achieve to actually lower the SPL, and destroy my endurance over 2500m- the whole point is that I can achieve better SL at higher SR and hold it over a LONG distance. It was all about examining every part of my stroke and experimenting with little things to see how I could consciously produce that smooth rhythm that I can do at slower paces and get such incredible SPL out of. So I think I need to simply slow the TT down a few clicks to where I can feel this ‘special’ rhythm consistently, identify what it is about it that is working so well, then turn those into conditioning focus points and gradually turn up the TT as I can maintain that smoothness. Then I can continue to increase SR and while holding long SL. That’s the idea at least…
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