swim training

[greeby]

Does any one swim laps for training and if so how can i use swiming laps to benifit my freediving? Ideas Pleasehttp://forums.deeperblue.com/images/smilies/confused.gif

 

[aris ioannidis]

i used to swim competitively and i still swim as a means to keep fit. I do not think aerobic swimming helps your freediving ability directly. What helps is the overal good feeling of the water you get from swimming and the ability to move/flow in the water.

In early season, you could use swimming as the basis for your overall fitness training (doing various long sets). You should also aim to work on your technique in breastroke (can help in DNF), freestyle (can help in FIM) and dolphin kicks (can help in monofin).

In mid season, you could do some hypoxic sets; eg 5*200m breathing every 3, 5, 7 and 9 strokes raising per 50m. You may use paddles and pull buoy in such a set. Also you may do some sprint sets: eg 6*50m sprint free with no or minimal breaths (anaerobic exercise).

In late season, i would not swim much and would focus on statics and dynamics.

 

[uw_ikarus]

Good idea these exercises, they can be done during normal pool sessions (when full apnea training may not be seen so well by the guards). I did those exercises in spring, for instance 3 times 3x25m with small swimming fins, breathing 2 times each 25 m..4 times 6x25m no fins, with 50% in apnea 50% at surface, ecc. Changing execiseses one hour in the pool passes by in a moment !

 

[greeby]

thanks for the feedback!

 

[greeby]

Really enjoying the hypoxic sets thanks for that makes the time in the pool fly by

 

[Simos]

Hey Greeby - hypoxic sets are fun and great exercise but do remember that you'd still need someone looking out for you. I would definitely not do them in a pool alone and personally from experience I can tell you that you cannot rely on lifeguards in public pools either.

If you can get away with it you can use the small swimming fins - you can do sprints as mentioned and dolphin kick on your back to help with mono-finning.

 

[Siku]

There's two exercises here right?

1. Swim while decreasing the frequency of breaths
2. Alternate swim Apnea, then surface swim, e.g. 25m apnea 25 m surface

And, Simos, you think both need a buddy?

 

[Simos]

There's two exercises here right?

1. Swim while decreasing the frequency of breaths
2. Alternate swim Apnea, then surface swim, e.g. 25m apnea 25 m surface

And, Simos, you think both need a buddy?

Yes I think they both need a buddy if you want to be safe - particularly anything with the word 'hypoxic' in it. Once you start training without a buddy it's a slippery slope - even if you start by being super-conservative, there will come a time when you'll do a bit more and so on.

In any case, even if you continue being super-conservative the exercises won't be beneficial enough to be worth it in my opinion - if you are alone, you are much better off using the swimming session to work on your technique (monofinning, no fins etc) e.g. you can use a front-snorkel and do lots of monofinning work etc. If you are not holding your breath, you can really push hard and/or focus on getting the technique absolutely right, as well as build the right muscles and flexibility.

If you really want to, there are easy ways to combine swimming with apnea and be safe without a buddy e.g. do a 50m fast swim, get out of the water and sit pool-side and do a (dry) hold. There's many other exercises that will cause lactic/high CO2 without being risky e.g. dolphin kick sprints on your back etc.

PS worth remembering that you can have a BO as a result of blood pressure drop etc

 

[greeby]

Thankyou the dry static after the fast lap sounds good

 

[Siku]

If you really want to, there are easy ways to combine swimming with apnea and be safe without a buddy e.g. do a 50m fast swim, get out of the water and sit pool-side and do a (dry) hold. There's many other exercises that will cause lactic/high CO2 without being risky e.g. dolphin kick sprints on your back etc.

Yes! We did these last week, dry statics after 50m swims. I'll be doing these at the pool now.

All buddy-free training techniques are invaluable!

 

[Simos]

Yes! We did these last week, dry statics after 50m swims. I'll be doing these at the pool now.

All buddy-free training techniques are invaluable!

Just make sure if you do this alone to get out of the pool properly for the hold so that if you were to BO you wouldn't end up in the pool ie not the way we do them at training which is dry but standing in the pool.

Also allow time to recover between the hold and the next 50m swim...

In general if you are alone you should do the apnea work dry and practice technique in the water in my opinion. You can do lots in the water on technique like practice turns etc.