Workout: 2000 Meter Open Water Swim Instead of Kenpo X
Posted on April 25th, 2010 in Swim Log, Workout Log | 7 Comments »
This weekend I was scheduled to do P90X Kenpo X. Kenpo X is basically a P90X cardio workout. As far as cardio goes, it isn’t as intense as plyometrics. The core does get some benefit with the kicking drills. Anyway, I decided to substitute an open water swim for Kenpo X. The weather this weekend has been absolutely beautiful, especially for an ocean swim. I did the swim in Waikiki just outside the reef. This is the same coarse where the Waikiki Rough Water Swim is held. I did about 2/3 of the course.
We had a nice little south shore swell with an off-shore breeze. It made for pretty good surf. Since I was outside the reef, past the surfers, I encountered some chop, but nothing for which I am not accustomed. If you swim much in the islands, you get pretty used to the chop. I practiced my sighting, trying to make it part of my stroke. After a few strokes I lifted my head just enough to site on a predetermined landmark. I also intended to work on bilateral breathing, but after about 300 meters, I ended up doing right side breathing. It is taking me way too long to make bilateral breathing a natural part of my stroke.
To determine the distance, I used www.mapmyrun.com by drawing distance lines out into the ocean and using a landmark as my 1000 meter marker so I knew when to turn back.
In all, I had a great training swim.
7 Responses
Hi Boomer,
It sounds like you had a nice swim! I am not a very good swimmer and I always joke that I have a pretty mean dog paddle:) If you are accumstomed to swimming in the ocean with all of its choppiness…you must think it is a piece of cake swimming in a pool. Happy Monday Boomer:)
Hey Boomer – great swim dude!
When you are swimming is it clear enough to see the reef? that would be soooo cool. In the gulf and most of the lakes here I am lucky if I can see my arms in this murky water!
Julie… I actually prefer the open water. It beats going back and forth for several laps. You have a great Monday too.
Jeff… Yes it is clear enough to see the reef. Most of my swims are shallow enough to see the bottom, however, this past weekend I swam out past the reef so it was pretty deep. The thing about swimming over reefs is that the waves break over the shallow portions of the reef (that is how haves are formed – sudden changes from deep to shallow water). The nice thing about reef swimming is that you can watch the sea life as you swim.
I would imagine your OWS is great, just for the scenery! It’s that sea life that bothers me…I’ve watched “Jaws” one-too-many times!
I am with Steve on this one. I have a fear of Sharks … (see I even capitalized their name!). I realize this is completely irrational. The funny thing is that this weekend I was going to swim in the gulf — before it was canceled — and have actually went Shark fishing like 1 mile from where the swim was? I caught a 6 1/2 foot black tip that day as well so I know they are there. But the thing with Hawaii would be the Great Whites … hence the irrational Jaws fear. Yes, I completely blame Steven Speilberg and Roy Schneider for this complex. And yes when I was reeling in the 6 foot black tip I looked at my buddy and said, “I think we need a bigger boat!”
Steve… Yeah, its a bummer when you hear that “dadum, dadum dadum” (ok, that’s my best Jaws theme impression). Btw, I did the North Shore Triathlon last year, on the local news that evening they showed some footage of sharks in the water with us.
Jeff… As long as they have a bunch of food to eat, they normally don’t bother swimmers. The operative word is “normally”.
Kenpo X makes my knees all achy and sore (a little) because of all the pivoting. I workout on carpet so it’s too grippy. Anyway with summer around the corner, I wanna get in some swims too. Heard it’s a completely different type of cardio workout, no?