swim sprints - high intensity interval training
High Intensity Interval Training for upcoming MMA Fight
As the date of my first MMA fight approaches – July 18th. I have been kicking it into high gear. Every day now consists of multiple training sessions, including a combination of striking, MMA, jiu-jitsu, weight training and cardio. For the next 6 weeks I wanted to add some high intensity interval training to increase my cardiovascular ability so that when I fight, I have the lungs to do it. The best time to do this activity is first thing in the morning before I eat. This can aid me in my final pounds to drop as well as “start the day right”.
But, I had a choice – wake up early every morning and go for a run mixed in with sprints, or go wake up early every morning and go for a swim. For me, swimming sounded like much more fun and something I could look forward too. Also, it had some other additional advantanges.
- Using both arms, legs, and core – full body sprints
- Less strain on knees and joints
- Keeps me “cooler” – I don’t feel as umfortable while I am swimming compared to running. I love a good sweat, but it’s nice when you’re kept cool by the water
- “Funner”
Swimming Background
I’ve always loved to water and was a very powerful underwater swimmer and had a good breast stroke and side stroke.  But, even though my crawl stroke form was good – my body just did not move as fast as I wanted it to. Good for sprints – bad if I wanted to be the next Micheal Phelps.   I discovered my love and “skill” for swimming when I was a life guard / counselor at an overnight camp for a summer as well as a outdoors camp counselor. We would take 2 week trip either canoeing or kayaking, or hiking the white mountains… some great times during those trips. During these times we would have to do “Lost Bather Drills” where / when a kid went missing, we had to dive into the lake and search the swimming areas for a body. I quickly discovered I was good at swimming underwater and at a fairly deep mark (20-25 feet) and for a fairly long distance. But, put me in a crawl stroke race and 5 year old will kick my ass.
How to Swim Sprint?
I read some posts online about swim sprinting, but nothing really struck me as something I that I really wanted to do. I decided to keep it extremely simple and effective. I now my strongest stroke and most comfortable stroke is the breast stroke, and I know my weakest and the stroke I exert the most energy on is my crawl stroke.
My thought process of the sprints. I would use the breast stroke as my resting or jogging equivalent and the crawl stroke as my “sprint”. The crawl will take me longer, plus I will be using my whole body constantly (kicking, twisting, and rotating arms). In the breast stroke, I’ll do a powerful stroke, then glide for second, then repeat. Each stroke I try to really drive forward and get as much distance as I can for each strong. That way I’m constantly training both power and cardio, but still getting the benefits of HIIT.
The Swim Sprint Workout
- 5 laps warm-up of just breast stroke
- Touch the wall – count t0 ten – Crawl Stroke Sprint
- Breast Stroke Back
- Touch the wall – count t0 ten – Crawl Stroke Sprint
- Repeat… 20 Times
- Treadwater for 5 minutes or 5 minutes of Breast Stroke or other cool down swimming exercise.
Other Fun Stuff to Do in the Pool
I can also be a “goof” in the water, I just love swimming. So here are some other martial art related exercises I play around with if I feel like I’ve got time.
- Swim Underwater – hold my breath and go for as long as I can…. repeat
- Underwater Boxing – I start in the deep end and hold my breat underwater and shadowbox. I slowly move down into the shallow end, work my way back and just fuck around.
- Roundhouse kicks / Side Kicks – throw them underwater, good way to work on your form as well as stretch your hip joints
- Use the Kickboard – my weakness if my crawl stroke is I get no power from my legs, I kick, kick, kick and it doesn’t seem to get me anywhere. So I grab the kickboard and use that. I get a great workout!
- Be a Tool – Just fuck around, swim around, dive underwater, do an underwater flip, spring off the bottom, then dive back down… Be “that guy” in the water and have some fun!
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