Fish-like Swimming

One month has gone by since I signed up for IMFL.  As mentioned previously, this will be my first Ironman since IMFL in 2000.  Also, I have only been running for the last 4-5 years to stay in relative shape, so for all intents and purposes, we are starting over.  No place is that more obvious than in the pool.  It’s probably been about 2 years since I’ve seen the black line on the bottom of the pool.

So this is good right?  I shouldn’t have any bad swim stroke habits, b/c I haven’t been doing any swimming.  Swimming provides a good rest/recovery from my recent Marathon in DC back in October.

My plan of attack is as follows:

1. Learn how to swim again.
2. Drills, Drills, Drills.
3. After 1 month, meet my new stroke.

My first 2 must have tools for the year are from Total Immersion.  I bought the DVD and the Book from Amazon.  The techniques taught here absolutely work, especially for triathletes because the focus is totally on getting faster by being more efficient in the water.  I had the VHS tape 10 years ago and it worked then too(I just don’t have a VCR anymore).  Efficient swimming is just about the ONLY thing that matters in an Ironman swim.  For me it helped to read a section in the book…then watch a section of video….then try it out in the pool.  I would go back and re-read, re-watch and then Drill better the next day.  The book and the DVD don’t necessarily go hand in hand, and Terry swims off the screen once or twice in the video, but the instruction is excellent.

So for the last month, my training has been as follows:

Drills, Drills, and more Drills!