In the thick of IMCDA training and have to undergo an unplanned surgical procedure that will keep me out of the pool for ~2 weeks. Any thoughts on what I can do in the over 2 weeks to substitute? No other restrictions really other than the “no swimming” due to sutures. Plan is to to fill with pulley exercises, but wanted to check if anybody has anything more structured/specific. Swimming is my weakness to boot, so 2 weeks at this stage is meaningful.
Cheers!
If swimming is your weakness, then I don’t think a substitute for swimming will really do much for you. Take the time out of the pool to work on bike or run, and if you must do anything, work on your flexibility and watch swimming videos. Being able to visualize what you should look like in the water is pretty important.
Stretchcordz. I missed about half my swims the month leading up to IMFL last year due to work travel and just used these all the time. Didnt feel like I lost any fitness with them.
12 oz. curls.
vasa trainer
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vasa trainer
VASA
put on the 7 setting and pull till you can’t pull no more. Repeat 
Any good resources on workouts to use for the stretch cordz? I am training for an IM late this summer, and have some longer overseas work trips I have to do in a bit - luckily I can usually find a spot to run or an exercise bike to use, but pool access is usually lacking. These look like a nice (&cheaper) option if they work well
Any good resources on workouts to use for the stretch cordz? I am training for an IM late this summer, and have some longer overseas work trips I have to do in a bit - luckily I can usually find a spot to run or an exercise bike to use, but pool access is usually lacking. These look like a nice (&cheaper) option if they work well
Sheila Taormina’s book “Swimming Speed Secrets” has a nice section on using the cords. IIRC, her main point is to do simulated interval sets of say 10 x 2:00 at a high effort with a 30 sec rest between the 2-min pulls. She also emphasizes that you must keep proper form with high elbows. The book has some good pictures on how to pull correctly, and on how NOT to do it:)
I’ve used the cords myself when on USAF duty in AFG/IRQ with no pool access. I think they work pretty well except you don’t rreally get the deltoid work like you do in actual swimming, so my road back to swim fitness was still slower than I would have liked, but faster I’m sure than if I had just done weights, pull-ups, etc, which IME just do nothing for swim endurance and speed.
Now that I can swim every day, I still keep my pair of cords in the living room attached to the downstairs banister, and about 2 days a week I’ll do a 5 x 2:00 set of hard pulling, but most days my arms/shoulders are plenty tired enough from just swimming. If you buy the heavy-weight cords (blue if you get the original “StretchCordz”), they’ll give you all the resistance you can handle:)