Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Every Little Bit Makes a Difference

Getting back in shape is a tough challenge. I've really enjoyed my time in the weight room and the pool since I've been back in Austin. It's exciting for me to see my body become more fit as time goes on. Although I am not anywhere near the shape I will be in at the height of my training, I enjoy the struggle in getting there.

Today when I was in the weight room I did a dry-land routine that consisted of push-ups, dips, pull-ups, jumping rope, and a bunch of core work. One thing I like to do in dry-land is to get out of breath. I try and go from exercise to exercise with little rest in between. This gets my heart rate elevated and keeps it elevated. My thought process in doing this is that I am getting more and more aerobically in shape as well as training my muscles and mind to perform at a high exertion level for extended periods of time.

Although I am a sprint freestyle specialist there is no substitute for having a good aerobic base and becoming fit enough to perform for extended time intervals. Not only does this level of increased fitness put me in a better position physically to finish races, it makes my mind tougher as well. I know everything I do in workout makes me stronger, tougher and better prepared to achieve my goals.

16 comments:

Delia said...

wow i love your dedication and they way you push yourself to become better each day!!!! keep up all the hard work and i'm sure you will continue to grow as an athlete and get to where you want to be!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I get tired just reading about your workouts. KEEP IT UP!!!

Anonymous said...

It's cool to see what an olympic athlete does for training. thanks for sharing! you are right on - every little bit makes a difference, no matter what level we are at.

Garrett said...

thanks...it takes hard work but that is what I love about swimming!

Every Olympic Athlete will train differently, but I am happy I can give all of you a glimpse of what I do!

Lauren Brent said...

"It's exciting for me to see my body become more fit as time goes on."

It's exciting for US to see your body become more fit as time goes on!!! ;) ((Sorry, couldn't help it XD))

But in all seriousness, that work out sounds intense! That's cool that you push yourself so hard... but don't push TOO hard, rest isn't always a bad thing!!! I'm glad it's all going great for you. :)

Keep the glimpses up, every little bit does make a difference, for you, and us! It's exciting to get to hear how you're training and what not, gives a whole new view on everything!

And don't worry... eventually I will learn how to leave SHORT comments on your blogs!!! XD

Garrett said...

hahaha well I am getting more fit
:)

It was an intense workout. I do rest when I'm not at the gym or pool because you're right, rest is very important.

I will continue giving ya'll glimpses!

Delia said...

haha you are keeping me motivated... keep up the good job!!!!

Lauren Brent said...

Yay!

(look! My first short comment!)

Nicole said...

I love hearing about this. It is so school! I always wanted to have the will power to be bale to be an "olympic" athlete. Hearing about this makes me want to work out even more!

Lauren Brent said...

Hey, just a heads up, I mentioned you and your blog in my most recent entry, so if you're ever bored, check it out! (limitless-ramblings.blogspot.com)

Anonymous said...

hey garrett, thanks again for keeping us updated on what you're doing. it's cool to know how you train, and what you're cooking, and stuff you're into.

sidenote: i'm not sure if you've heard of *oh yes they did* or not... but they host a college web radio show from emerson college (mel stewart listens in all the time)... you were mentioned the other day. they said they don't give you enough love, so now they are. just thought i'd share :) people all over the place are lovin ya!

Coach Ky said...

Do yuou think you could comment on the training longer distances to be an excellent sprinter? I have kids that want to stick to the really short distances and balk at longer stuff because they think they are only sprinters.

My history has shown me that it is a ton easier to take a distance kid (even at the HS level) and turn them into a sprinter than it is to turn a sprinter into a distance kid. Let me know your thoughts.

Garrett said...

I'm glad I can share this with ya'll.

One of the bloggers actually sent me the 'oh yes' blog that I was in...interesting.

I do understand that lots of kids and adults want to train only for sprints because that's what they think they are, a sprinter. However, that is a dangerous game because without the training background many of them will loose their races in the last 15 meters. There is no substitute for longer training.

I don't know if it is easier to take a more distance oriented swimmer and make them more of a sprinter. The difficulty with this is that most distance swimmers will never have enough fast-twitch muscle to go really fast. However, if you really train a sprinter they could probably compete in more distance events. What are your thoughts?

Anonymous said...

It's great to finally read blogs that are motivational to me. This inspires me to never give up when times get hard. This is my first time training for the Olympics and I never knew how hard it was until I started training. That makes me have more appreciation for Olympians and for the sport I am training in. Training really works me to the bone and shows me how a little bit unfit I was. I can feel myself improving day by day. It's these blogs that I come to and read because they help to understand that I need to keep up this challenge and push through the bad times that happen. I also realized during work outs I'd always feel better about myself. I love the dedication you and how you push yourself improve everyday. That's awesome. I wish you luck and I know that in the end you will become a stronger and better athlete. Just thanks for writing amazing blogs. These blogs are my guides. Thanks!!!

Garrett said...

Good to hear...I'm glad to hear your training is going well. Keep up the hard work and always remind yourself that it is the little things that get us to the big goal. Work hard everyday and you will improve more than you ever thought possible!

Anonymous said...

Thanks!!! It's very true. Dedication and commitment are the keys to success.


Blogspot Template by Isnaini Dot Com