Help!!! I have completely lost the ability to pace myself in practice---let me clarify..I changed masters teams a year ago because of work and change of address..the team I went to was mainly into speed and sprinting in which our practices were about 3k yrds 4 times a week with an emphasis on dryland and weights on non swim days. needless to say I acheived dramatic PB's in all my events.
I have since gone back with my former team in which the emphasis is on more endurance with 3500 yards a practice. Now during the summer I only got in the pool once-twice a week and basically did what amounted to a really good warm -up...I did however work hard in the weight room vastly improving my max lifts in all areas especially my legs( a very weak point for me) I did this for about 3 months then in late july I added a good cardio regimen to the deal...I did a spin cycle class 2-3 times a week for an hour and ran a 125step stair case in the forest preserve 1-2 times a week for an hour each time hoping to build better legs before the team started back up.
So needless to say I started the swim season a month ago in what I thought was pretty good overall shape.
i knew the first week or two would be a little tough, getting technique back and adjusting to the added workload; but I figured by now I would be a rocketship in the water.
WAAAAAAAAY WRONG!!!!!!!! I'm finding that I CANT seem to split distances above 100yrds very well at all...I can hold hard consistant 50's and 100's all day but when we do a distance set I fall apart.
Have I trained myself into a drop dead sprinter???
Should I just gut this out and use the time to improve my endurance. I was going to talk to the coach about adjusting the workout more towards my strengths as a sprinter but I dont think that would be fair to the rest of the team...and besides its early in the season...the speed work really doesnt have to begin till late Jan to prepare for spring Nats.
And as a bonus my body comp has changed quite a bit as well...at Spring Nats in mesa I was 6'3 at 217 and my body fat was 17%...I 'm down to 210 and just under 10% so its not like I bulked up with all the weight training.
I should be crushing it at practice!!
Thoughts??????????
you wrote:
Help!!! You've completely lost the ability to pace yourself in practice
you changed masters teams a year ago because of work
former team trained for speed and sprinting 3k yrds 4 times a week
with an emphasis on dryland and weights on non swim days.
you acheived dramatic PB's lyour events
new team does more endurance 3.5k per practice.
in the summer you only got in the pool once-twice a week
basically did a good warmup
you worked hard in the weight room improved your max lifts
for about 3 months then in late july you added a good cardio regimen
2-3X / wk did a spin cycle class for an hour and
1-2 X / wk ran a 125 step stair case
you started the swim season a month ago in what I thought was pretty good overall shape.
you CAN'T seem to split distances above 100yds
you can hold hard consistant 50's and 100's
but when you do a distance set you fall apart.
Have you trained youself into a drop dead sprinter???
not necessarily, you barely swam over the summer and didn't do much before that. Distance/endurance training takes a while to acclimate. Plus you're probably going too hard on the longer swims and need to pace yourself better. Our bodies adapt to the kind of training we do, I've seen college sprinters turn into elite triathletes. It's all about how you train.
Do the training and be patient.
Should I just gut this out and use the time to improve my endurance?Probably, What are your goals?
your body comp has changed
Spring Nats in Mesa you were 6'3 at 217 with 17% body fat
now you're 210 and 10% body fat
so it sounds like you're training sincerely and your body responds well.
my thoughts:
Only swimming is swimming.
Sounds like you're strong and can sprint.
You can only do what you're capable of.
Getting in shape, takes time and it takes what it takes
When Sprinters do longer swims, they think they're starting out easy but it often isn't easy enough so they fade and settle into a sustainable pace.
how many times a week do you swim with your new team?
3.5k per practice isn't much and 2 to 4 times a week isn't either.
consider ramping up to 4.0 - 4.5 per practice and 5 to 6 work outs a week
you started this post with
I've completely lost the ability to pace myself in practice
SO
concentrate on even splitting and negative splitting longer swims in practice
do an easy 2 beat kick
Breathe often.
do set survival, which is, hold back a bit on the front end of sets and swims so you can perform better on the back end.
Swim next a swimmer who's close to your ability, who has a better sense of pace and hang with them.
sounds like you're going to nationals
What are your best events and recent times?
What are you goals?
If you only want to sprint and you're on a distance based team.
Talk with the coach and modify sets to fit your needs.
Let your lane mates know what you're doing and stay out of their way
Begin a blog
You can Swim Faster Faster,
Ande
you wrote:
Help!!! You've completely lost the ability to pace yourself in practice
you changed masters teams a year ago because of work
former team trained for speed and sprinting 3k yrds 4 times a week
with an emphasis on dryland and weights on non swim days.
you acheived dramatic PB's lyour events
new team does more endurance 3.5k per practice.
in the summer you only got in the pool once-twice a week
basically did a good warmup
you worked hard in the weight room improved your max lifts
for about 3 months then in late july you added a good cardio regimen
2-3X / wk did a spin cycle class for an hour and
1-2 X / wk ran a 125 step stair case
you started the swim season a month ago in what I thought was pretty good overall shape.
you CAN'T seem to split distances above 100yds
you can hold hard consistant 50's and 100's
but when you do a distance set you fall apart.
Have you trained youself into a drop dead sprinter???
not necessarily, you barely swam over the summer and didn't do much before that. Distance/endurance training takes a while to acclimate. Plus you're probably going too hard on the longer swims and need to pace yourself better. Our bodies adapt to the kind of training we do, I've seen college sprinters turn into elite triathletes. It's all about how you train.
Do the training and be patient.
Should I just gut this out and use the time to improve my endurance?Probably, What are your goals?
your body comp has changed
Spring Nats in Mesa you were 6'3 at 217 with 17% body fat
now you're 210 and 10% body fat
so it sounds like you're training sincerely and your body responds well.
my thoughts:
Only swimming is swimming.
Sounds like you're strong and can sprint.
You can only do what you're capable of.
Getting in shape, takes time and it takes what it takes
When Sprinters do longer swims, they think they're starting out easy but it often isn't easy enough so they fade and settle into a sustainable pace.
how many times a week do you swim with your new team?
3.5k per practice isn't much and 2 to 4 times a week isn't either.
consider ramping up to 4.0 - 4.5 per practice and 5 to 6 work outs a week
you started this post with
I've completely lost the ability to pace myself in practice
SO
concentrate on even splitting and negative splitting longer swims in practice
do an easy 2 beat kick
Breathe often.
do set survival, which is, hold back a bit on the front end of sets and swims so you can perform better on the back end.
Swim next a swimmer who's close to your ability, who has a better sense of pace and hang with them.
sounds like you're going to nationals
What are your best events and recent times?
What are you goals?
If you only want to sprint and you're on a distance based team.
Talk with the coach and modify sets to fit your needs.
Let your lane mates know what you're doing and stay out of their way
Begin a blog
You can Swim Faster Faster,
Ande
