morning swim

On a whim last night I set up a swim lesson with the same instructor I had worked with before Lake Samm tri in the spring (I hope this is ok). This morning at 6 I met with him for 30 min of drills to improve my form and it was a great refresher of what he worked with me on before. I started at 5:30 and warmed up with 100 yrds freestyle, 100 yrds kick, 100 yrds pull buoy. I ten started some of my main set as planned - I got 2 x 150yrds, 2 x 100yrds in before 6am.
He started me with focusing on head position - so I kicked on my side with my head straight down and one arm out at about 45 degrees down in front, rolling on my back to breath. I did this for about 100yrds each arm. Next I did this but after a couple kicks brought my hand up to my face and switched sides and repeat - 200yrds of this. I had a hard time at first just because of the coordination involved and keeping my breath under control but by the second 100yrds I got it pretty good. Then keeping in mind head position, arm at 45 degrees down, rotate side to side I swam 100yrds freestyle. felt way better esp on my shoulder and neck. Then did a rotation drill using a kick board like pull buoy/fin as I rotated it gave resistance and really forced me to focus on my abs and hips. It was really cool i could definitely feel when I was rotating and when I was not - 150yrds. Last focusing on my breathing - I keep my left arm out and patient while I breath (rather than pushing down) and then slowing getting rid of the pause between strokes when I breath after 150yrds of practicing this and trying to make it more smooth I started to get it.
After the lesson I continues my main set 3 X 100 - 6 X 50 - cool down 150 easy. I felt way smoother, faster and it seemed to lake less effort then even in my warm up.
I'll probably do a couple more lessons this winter as mini refreshers and reminders in addition to the rest of my training :)