Haven't progressed from 50m in DNF in a while

[Lewis Matthews]

Will my distance improve over time if i repeatedly do 50m DNF's? I do CO2 tables every night to help and i try to relax in the pool but i get cold very fast :'(

 

[Piotrek]

Speaking from a beginner's perspective, what helps is beginning the swim with an assumption not that you will touch the wall at the end of the 50m, but that you will make a turn there (even if you were to finish just after the turn, but who knows, maybe you will feel ready to give it one more push). It's an advice that I got from my instructor and that has worked great for me (I never expected to make that turn at 75m after I made the one at 50m... but I did make it, and swam on).

Another thing is that it might be that I could push my personal best now, but I don't even want to try it for the time being, because I'd rather improve my technique, which I can feel to be very suboptimal -- I just do repeated 25m, on my arms alone, and on legs alone )and then complete), and measuring the number of strokes/kicks, and measuring and recording the time that I need for that. And I have also found a pool that is only 10m wide, where I do four passes and thus three turns -- and it's the turns that I'm after, to make them as smooth as I can. I expect to try to beat my personal best in maybe three weeks. Until then, it's the 25m for me, and work on the technique until I feel more comfortable/proficient with it. Plus some general cardio work (i.e., jogging and stretching).

I also find that I get cold after 1.5 hour tops. I don't think it makes sense to push on when you feel you're cold, it's better to do something active on the surface, or just exit the pool and get under a warm shower -- you won't beat your best when your kidneys are busy removing water from your body at an increased pace.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

 

[John B Griffith Jr]

I agree with Piotrek's idea that one should aim to complete that last turn in the revolution. So, if you are doing a 50m DNF, then the extra meter or two is a positive reinforcement. It allows you to see where you are re: air, comfort, fatigue at that known benchmark. I have a short pool, 15 meters long, at my home. So, when I am training in my own pool, it comes down to conservation of energy on the turn...I have tried a thousand different techniques, styles, attempts to turn and frankly, very few are as graceful and smooth as I would wish. So your practicing the turn is a great thing...but don't be hesitant to stretch that distance a little as well. Watch as much video of accomplished divers as you can...observe their stroke pattern and frequency and compare it to what you are doing...I changed my DNF completely from what I thought was efficient after watching a lot of video of a couple of world champions...there is a direct correlation between the positioning of the hands and the kick and energy expended/distance traveled.

 

[Lewis Matthews]

Thanks guys, i remember doing my first turn at 25 meters, and thats where the progress started to show, ill take all info on board, cheers guys

 

[MarcinB]

Get yourself a wet suit. It's not fun at all when you are shivering.