Snow..!! 27/11/10

6.30  Saturday Morning, its showing -5 in the Car, and its Snowing...!!
But Nothing will stop The Channel Training.!!

This week it really does  feel  like everything at last  has  fitted into place perfectly,  we  really are swimming the channel in 2011  WOW..!!!!
We have set up our  sponsor site with Virgin Money      http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/bigrickschannelswim2011 
We have decided to swim for 2 amazing Charities; The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research . ( more details to follow why we have chosen  these  Charities ).

Breath In Chunky.!!

Okay; as for training this week has been a good start.. most of the team have done at least 2 swims and some have even managed  3 and more..it's still early stages in our  training programme at the moment ,  currently we are just trying to ensure that all  the teams fitness levels are about  the same.., so when January 1st comes around we  really can start our training in earnest  .  As you can see from Captain Cashy  above..the next few weeks of warm up swimming  are much needed..!!

A short Video of the start of this Morning 5000m Swim..

Paul at 6.30 am Saturday Morning.!!

If you wish to support 'Big Ricks' English Channel challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK,then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                              Big Ricks Channel Swim 2011 Virgin Money Giving

This Weeks Sessions....

Monday 22/11/10

Warm Up: 600..( 3x200..1st 200 Freestyle, 2nd 200 backstroke,3rd 200 choice stroke)

Main Set: : 3600..(6 x 600..1st 600 Straight, 2nd 600 (3x200) ,3rd 600 straight , 4th 600 (6x100) ,5th 600 straight , 6th 600 ( 300x200x100) ) have  almost no rest after each swim..only 10 seconds at most.!!. try to swim at even pace, well within our selves.., looking to double this set this set to 12x600 by end of January 2011.

Swim Down:..Easy paced 400..still thinking of stroke technique even though its our warm down swim.

Thursday  25/11/10

Warm up:..600..( 3x200..1st 200 freestyle , 2nd 200 freestyle Pull, 3rd 200 freestyle )

Main Set...Pyramid ..(100,200,300,400,500,400,300,200,100) working at a good pace..its meant to be a  hard swim don`t be scared of it. working on 1min 30sec per 100..

Swim Down:...nice 6x2..backstroke 1st length choice 2nd length 

Saturday 27/11/10

Warm Up: .. 600 easy paced..thinking bi lateral breathing, thinking a strong long stroke, 

Main Set: ..7x400( 2x400, 4x200,3x4,4x100,6x2) again working at a good pace, maybe 80%.only resting for 5 seconds after each swim..its our way to keep record of the distances we are doing and trying to make it a little more interesting than just doing a 2800m stright off..

Swim Down: Nice easy 6x1 choice..

Most of these sessions are done in an Hour..sadly we don`t have longer time in the water at the moment ..So what we have has to be Quality .!!

We are also  trying to do as much Land Work every week as possible , Concentrating mainly on the areas that help us swim stronger..So its   Back,Shoulders,Triceps and Core work mostly, High Rep`s at the moment...(only Increasing the weight slowly over the weeks), still drop in the odd set of chest,legs and biceps , plus the odd session of  rowing, spin class, X-trainer..etc just to mix things  up.!  

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The Start Of Great Things.. !20/11/10

Big Rick channel Team 2011

Okay,...are you sitting comfortably, Then let our story begin....!! It's 6.45 on a Saturday morning, it's dark, it's wet, it's damp and it's freezing !!!  and that's just in the changing rooms.!!!, we have talked and talked about swimming the 'Channel' as a team  for what seems likes years, but today is the day we start the 9 months of training for the big swim on the 19th-20th July 2011 ..!!!!
The 1st team training session took place at Walsall's Gala Swimming  Baths..5 of the team braved the cold water and began the start of the long road to fitness and hopefully glory in 9 months time .!and  after today's  swim, the road is more like a motorway ..but we will get there one way or another.!!

"Big Ricks Channel Squad"

If you wish to support 'Big Ricks' English Channel challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK,then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                              Big Ricks Channel Swim 2011 Virgin Money Giving

The First Week Of Channel  Sessions.....!!
Thursday 18/11/10
Warm Up: 800..( 4x200 swim kick pull swim)
Main Set: 6x 500 We are going to be doing a lot of  two paced swimming over the next 3 or 4 months. as  we think its great way to set yourself up for a channel swim . we expect to face different
condition in the channel, so working hard and then recovering whilst  still continue to swim is we feel at must to train for..   ..
So this set is done as a straight  500m swim ..but with in the 500 its broken down  as 5x100`s ,  the 100 hundred at 90% effort ,2nd 100 used to recover but use it as skill hundred and not just a easy hundred so try bi lateral breathing, or catch up or kick,3rd hundred 90% effort, 4th 100 skill , 5th 100 90% . 30 seconds rest the go again until the 3000 is finish.. 
Swim Down: 400 choice any stroke


Saturday 20/11/10
Warm Up : 600..freestyle drills... Chose between catch up, single arm, kick, bi lateral breathing etc..  Remembering  to try and reach out as your fingers enter the water , then and as you pull , remember to finish  the stroke past the hip  of at the end of the pull..even after years of swimming don`t forget your skill sets..poor stroke will cost you time and energy 
Main Set : same as Thursdays set..we enjoyed it that much..!!
Swim Down: 600 Freestyle drills