Hi folks, welcome! In response to a recent blog post, a couple of people said that easy swimming might be effortless for me, but it isn't for them. I suspect that they are fighting the water due to poor balance. The key to 'effortless' swimming is to fall forward, with the fulcrum or point around which you fall being the air in your lungs. I've spent hundreds of hours practicing my balance in the water to ... Read more
What Can An Athlete Do When Unable To Exercise, Go Crazy Or Work It Out?
Hi folks, welcome! Well, I've been grounded with knee surgery a couple of times, and now I'm stuck until my aortic leak is fixed, so what's to do? Going bonkers isn't very effective, but I have to avoid bringing up my heart rate or blood pressure. All and any ideas much appreciated (as long as it doesn't include β-blockers). Here's what I'm planning to do: Appreciate the chance to rest a tired body ... Read more
Are You Making These Swim Mistakes? FitOldDog Is Improving With Video And Coaching Assistance.
Hi folks, welcome! Learning to swim is an endless but fascinating process, and video helps a lot. The real beauty of video is that it shows you what you are actually doing in the water, not what you think you are doing. Rick, my friend and swim coach, kindly prepared some video footage of our latest swim workout, and you'll see that I have a lot to learn. Today's post consists of a movie, prepared from ... Read more
It’s The Clock, Not The Wall, That’s Your Friend When Training In The Pool, But A Fickle Friend!
Hi folks, welcome! My swim coach and friend, Rick, now has me convinced that solid conditioning is key for the swim, and improved technique will come along behind if you watch what you're doing. The clock plays a big role in swim training, and it seems to change speed all the time. If you are trying to make a hard set, say 500s broken, the clock gets faster and faster, both when you are swimming and for ... Read more
Muscle Atrophy Induced By Inactivity, And My Favorite Swim Tips For Beginners From Real Swimmers
Hi and thanks for coming by! Staying fit really changes your life, my friends. I watch people my age having trouble getting on a bike or tying up their shoelaces, and I wonder. Why do they do that? Just one look at the adjacent figure, adapted from a scientific publication on muscle loss in sedentary older people versus triathletes young and old. One glimpse should be enough to wake them up - a ... Read more
In The Swim Every Little Bit Of Advice From The Experts Helps You To Reach A New PR Even As You Approach 70 Years Of Age – Not Dead Yet!
Hi folks, I was in the pool today, doing what Rick considered to be a taper set for my upcoming marathon in New York (Hurricane Sandy permitting), and during the last rest interval of a set of 8 x 100 yards, the guy in the next lane said, "What are those things on your nose?" I explained that they were nose clips that I use to avoid symptoms of 'Chez Ollie,' then the clock came round and I had to go. ... Read more
Archimedes Principle As Applied To Staying Afloat In The Swim By Laying On Your Arms
Hi folks, Swimming is a difficult sport, until you get it right. I'm getting closer as Rick puts me through my paces three times a week. I just learned a new trick, and it really seems to be helping with my position in the water, because I can feel my heels are closer to or just breaking the surface. I was talking (well, tweeting) with a real swimmer, Mel Stewart, in fact a 3x Olympic Medalist (isn't ... Read more
Training When Exhausted Is A Valuable But Two-Edged Sword
Hi folks, I had four kick-ass workouts last Thursday (2 runs, 1 hour PowerCranks + core training), then on Friday I managed a 12-mile run, but on Saturday the standard 5,000 yard swim with Rick was a real challenge. In the final 4x300 yard set I had nothing in the tank, finding it hard to lift my arms out of the water on the recovery stroke. As I plowed through it I was thinking, "sneak through the ... Read more
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