erzats wrote:Back to swimming:
How effective is swimming for strengthening your paddling and increasing endurance? I wonder because, since you have a board under you when you surf, you can't roll like you do when you swim and therefore must use different muscle groups when paddling as opposed to swimming. True?
First......I am not a coach......never been a coach.
Second....to my knowledge.....any time you're doing endurance training whether it's swimming, running, cross country skiiing, hiking, what-have-you.......you're increasing your ability to sustain a prolonged activity. ie: less app to be winded or succumb to noodle arms on the paddle out.
True.......when paddling, you're not able to roll your hips and slide as you would when swimming. Positioning accentuates certain muscle usage......but you're still using the same major pulling muscles.....tri-ceps, lats, etc...... I often add heads-up freestyle sprints to some of my workouts to mimic the positioning of laying on a board.
erzats wrote:So what's the solution? Take your board to the river and do laps across it? Take your board to the pool and do laps there? Just swim more and assume that the less direct strengthening and overall cardio will be better than none? Nmm?
I've often thought of taking my board to the river..........but really..........who wants to subject themselves to that wonderful sesspool we so fondly refer to as the Willamette.
The pool I swim at won't allow boards.......doubt you'll find one that will. Don't kid yourself though.....swimming is not just about cardio. There is definite strengthening involved. You can always add a pull buoy to your workouts.....it will help with the strengthening of your muscles. Also.....supplement with a weight routine. I've never found "one" activity that "does it all"........if that's what you're looking for. (When I was "in training" we always did weights for added strength.)
erzats wrote:Also, nice job posting workouts. I'm gonna try the Nick Carroll approach and see what happens. Nmm, your workout is just to burley for me. I struggle to complete a 1x1000 period. So as a warmup I'm already lost.
Yeah...........sorry about the workouts. Sometimes I get carried away.
Here's a simple reverse ladder........no time frame.......just keep it at about 70% max. No rest......use the kick sets to let your heart rate recover.
2100 meters
1x500 swim
1x100 kick
1x400 swim
1x100 kick
1x300 swim
1x100 kick
1x200 swim
1x100 kick
1x100 swim
1x100 kick
1x100 warm down
side note: Being a swimmer.....doesn't make me a better surfer. However, being confident in the water...because I'm a swimmer......does enhance my surf ability.