Is water aerobics really aerobic?

Today's workout:

1000 - 2 x 500s Free
1800 - 6 x (200 Free, 100 Breast)
50 Grandpa swimming with Cathi

2850 total

Cathi swam strong again today. I didn't do so bad. Better than yesterday but not as good as a really good day.

Cathi and I were wondering today on the way home if those ladies who bob up and down in the deep end with their flotation straps and toys really get their heart rates up. I was wondering why they don't call it water yoga, or water bobbing social club. Not to dis on them, just wondering if it really is something that can be justifiably called a workout. Don't ever see any real skinny water aerobics people, so its making me scratch my head.

Less than desireable 3000

1000 Free
1000 - 5 x 200's Free
500 - 5 x 100's pulling
500 - 5 x 50's limited breathing, 5 Over Unders

3000 Total

Didn't feel strong today. Cathi was though. I wasn't able to maintain decent speed, and barely got the 3000 yards in before 10:00. Stopped at Davis Hospital to visit with the Mitchell's who just had a baby girl before going to the pool. Had a very early morning (up at 4:00 am to beat the crappy traffic) so I'm wondering if that's what is killing me tonight.

Long Warmup

1000 Free Warmup - did these going strong the whole way. Long strong stokes.
150 EZ - Let Cathi catch up
900 - 12 x 75's (4 fly, 4 free, 4 Breast)
500 - 200, 150, 100, 50 Free
50 Grandpa swim with Cathi

2600 Total

Based this workout on an old one done on Mar 28, 1994
Had a good run and lift this evening before swimming.

Here comes the train

Today's workout Cathi came up with. She likes the shorter sets (Less than 250 yds) because I don't usually lap her.

500 Warmup
100 EZ - Let Cathi catch up
2100 - 7 x {200 Free, 100 Free}

2700 Total

Swam three of the last sets pulling. Felt really strong on all sets. Arms are really getting good, full strokes and my chest is doing alot of the work. I love it when I can put my arms in "auto pilot mode" and let my chest just keep the whole thing going like a train.

Austin's little mishap

Today when we get to the pool. Austin pulled down his outer trunks to supposedly just get down to his speedo to swim in. Except he didn't realize he wasn't wearing his speedo, just some underwear. He had them clear down to his ankles when Mom laughed at him and said, "Are you swimming in your underwear Aust?". He quickly pulled the outer trunks up. He swam with the outer shorts. Cathi came up with today's workout:

500 Warmup
100 EZ
2000 - (500 Free, 100 Free, 400 Free, 100 Free, 300 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 3 x 100's Free) Rest no more than :30 between sets

2600 Total

Cathi and I were in a lane and Austin was by himself in another lane working on Breaststroke. Some guy started swimming in the same lane with Austin. In between one of my sets I stopped and looked over and it was Brett Haslam. He left Tomax 3 weeks ago and I didn't even know it. He is working in Georgia and was back in Utah this week to try to sell his house. Small world.

Good workout today

Biggest Loser vs. Swimming

Cathi decided that watching people lose weight was more fun than doing it. Biggest Loser is on Tuesdays @ 8-9pm. The "voting off" portion was too anticipated to just record it and go swimming so she told me to just go with Austin.

So I went with Austin. We did:

500 warmup
100 free

@1000 yards total including demonstrating stokes for Austin

After this I decided to take the opportunity to help Austin with his stroke. He brings his head too far out of the water when he breathes to the side. Had him focus on keeping one of his eyes in the water so that his mouth barely comes out to the side instead of his whole head (including his ear that is on the bottom). His technique needs alot of work. He's only been swimming for a little over a month now so it will take time.

We also worked on his breast stroke. Which also needed alot of work. Looked better after some tips though.

I timed him on his 50 free and he did it in 1:07. We need to give him another month or two and see if Austin can get his 50 Free Personal Record under 1 minute. I took the opportunity at the end of the workout to time my own 50 free. I did it in :28. Not bad considering it was just off the wall, rather than a racing start. Plus I weighed in at 227 even. Need to get down to 200!

Major storm - good swimming

This morning I woke up to quite a bit of snow. I turned on the news and didn't find much hope in getting to work in under two hours so I called and left a message asking to take today off.

Later in the morning Cathi called the pool to see if they had laps today and the did until noon so we went at 10:45 and swam the following:

500 Warmup
2700 - 9 x (100 Free, 200 Free)
50 Free

3250 Total

I had planned on doing 10 x (100, 200) and a 100 warmdown to get 3600 but they pulled the lane lines promptly at noon and we couldn't finish our sets. But at least we got a new record since swimming at Layton. Jacob came and swam 1400 yards. He's a very considerate lane partner, he moves out of the way while Austin get his big old self in the middle of the lane.

We also had a crowded pool. Cathi, Austin and I had a lane, but the next 5 lanes were literally filled with probably 80 swimmers. They were swimmers from the Northridge and Davis High School Swim teams. It was crazy.

Completed yesterday's workout fully

Since yesterday we were kicked out prematurely, Cathi and I just did yesterday's full workout (except I added some small changes):

500 Warmup
100 Cathi catch up
1200 - {100 Free, 200 Free, 300 Free, 300 Pull, 200 Pull, 100 Pull}
250 - 5 x 50's Descending Breathing down to 2 breaths on 50
250 - 5 x Over unders (Last under go 1.5 lengths)

2300 Total

Eric has announced his intention to do a Triathlon this September. Cathi and I will be training so we can join him.

Keep the poo out of 'pool'

I came up with a 2300 Yard workout but only ended up with 1500:

500 Warmup
100 Let Cathi catch up
1200 - 100, 200, 300, 300, 200, 100
500 - 10 x 50's descending breathing down to 1 breath

2300 Total - but I only made it to the second 300 (1500 Total)

Why did I have to 'cut it' short? Someone took a dump in the pool and the lifeguard cleared the pool while she fished it out. This was at 8:40 and they usually make everyone wait for a while afterwards I think so they can add a ton of chemicals in to shockingly kill any germs. So we just left. Hopefully the culprit wasn't one of the water aerobics ladies, but a kid from the hour earlier.

Gross! I accidentally swallow pool water while breathing to the side every once in a while and yesterday I did. Makes me want to puke.

Austin did good. He swam the whole time and ended up doing 1050 yards.

Austin's an animal

Today Cathi chose the workout:

500 Warm up
200 - Let Cathi catch up
1800 - 3 x {400 Free, 200 Free}

2500 Total

Austin at the beginning was doing 50's and waiting on the edge for a minute. In between a set I suggested that he work on 100's to increase his endurance and to keep on swimming. He sure showed me. He was going for 500 yards straight (including flip turns), but ended up doing 1050 yards straight with flip turns. He was impressing me! He passed me up a couple times in between sets with me feeling dumb holding on to the side of the pool. His stroke is looking much better.

Crowded pool, but that's good

Today all the lanes were taken. There were quite a few newbies taking up space and I asked a really slow girl if we could share a lane and she was kind and said yes. Austin and I took up half of the lane and tried circle swimming on the South half of the lane.

500 warm up
1400 - 2 x {400 free, 200 free, 100 free}
100 Breast
400 - 8 over unders

2400 Total

Felt strong on these and the crowdedness of the pool made me a little more energetic than normal. Great swim.

Swimming strong

500 Warm up
600 - 2 x (200 Free, 100 Free)
100 - Let Cathi catch up to my last set and then resume
900 - 3 x (200 Free, 100 Breast)

2100 Yards Total

Helped Cathi with hef flip turns. She never does them and actually asked me, yes me for help! Usually she is antagonistic towards me in the pool. She left me and Austin to a lane so she could have an adjacent one to herself when it was freed up. She likes her space, that's for sure. Felt strong and my chest is still a little sore from this week's workout, but felt good to stretch again.

Swimming with Sore Chest

Since yesterday's chest workout it felt really good to do full strokes with a little extra reaching:

300 warmup
800 - 4 x 200's free
1000 - 10 x 100's free on 2:30 (all under 1:30)

2100 total

Jacob left his goggles by the pool and they closed the doors so we'll have to get those in the lost and found tomorrow. Lately Cathi and I have been less than excited to go, but we're committed to go tomorrow.

Endurance work

2000 - 2 x {500 Free, 300 Free, 200 Free}

2000 total

Helped Austin with his flipturns a little. He's getting better at them. The water aerobics instructor is getting snippy. She is overprotective of her turf. Anyone passing through gets looks and sometimes a reminder that this is their area. "Excuse me but the way to the shallow end is through your section of the pool. Just bounce with your floating toys a little to the left!"

Sent out resumes and already have an interview tomorrow.

Back to it

Almost didn't go today. Depression about finances. Looking for another job. Cathi talked me into it. I'm glad I went.

500 Free
100 Breast
400 Free
100 Breast
300 Free
100 Breast
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Free
100 Breast

2000 Total

Accidentally hit Cathi with my left hand while recovering on freestyle. Hit her right in the face. I felt bad and she was mad. It was a complete accident. She thought we were circle swimming when I was just staying on the North side. So we had a head on collision. She thought she would have a black eye, but she didn't.