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