Friday 23 July 2010

Random, Intense Swimming

Thursday, 12 minutes at Woodcock Sports Centre Swimming Pool, Aston University.

First, two lengths front crawl warm up.

Then, 10 lengths front crawl, trying to keep 4 strokes between breaths and work as hard as I could for the distance. After 5 lengths, I was struggling not to breathe more, but focused on controlling it. I reckon I was working at 85-90% and was pretty out of breath by the end.

Finally, after a minute of rest, two underwater lengths, with about 1 minute of rest between. I got the usual panicky lung spasms towards the end of each, but swam through them.

The pool is 30m.

I should do more underwater lengths - perhaps 10 in a session sometime. They really are a unique addition to a varied portfolio of activity - no other part of my program involves breath holding, which I recall reading has various benefits. It certainly makes me feel good afterwards and I can't help thinking it must contribute significantly to overall fitness.

Food: Eggs, raspberries, blackberries, coconut cream, cocoa. Divine.

3 comments:

4 Winds said...

Ever thought of getting into freediving?

Methuselah said...

4 Winds - no, but probably only because we're not in the right place for it. If lived in the Seychelles I think I'd be well up for it ;-) The trouble with the UK is that the only place where the water's warm enough not to take your breath out of you is the pool and there's not much free diving to be had there. Have you ever done it?

4 Winds said...

Not yet, but fancied it since watching The Big Blue a few years back. Will content myself with holding my breath in the bath in the meanwhile ;-)