In my most recent blog entry, "One Man's Garbage..." forums.usms.org/blog.php , I asked my fellow swimmers their respective opinions on the impact long, slow, continuous swimming has on meet performance.
The expression "garbage yards" (and the pejorative overtones such a phrase conjurs) has become so embedded in the forum lexicon that many, I suspect, now consider as indisputable truth swimming this way is a waste of time for anyone with competitive ambitions.
Such a view appears particularly well-entrenched among the many non-credentialed exercise physiology pontificators here on the forums who also have a fondness for sprinting and dry land exercise.
But is the concept of garbage yards truly valid--or a kind of urban legend made up largely by sprinters who would rather be doing something other than spending 90 minutes without stopping in the pool?
I don't mean only practicing this way. But if you are, like me, inclined to enjoy swimming, once or twice a week, long, slow, relatively relaxing, continuous yards, do you believe (and more importantly, perhaps, have any evidence to bolster said belief) that so-called "garbage yards" can have some value for actual racing?
Or do these only teach your body to swim slow?
I invite you to read my recent blog forums.usms.org/blog.php and post your thoughts advice there or here.
At the risk of provoking censure by the forum authorities, I furthermore ask you to leave all civility by the wayside.
Feel free to trash talk and smack upside the head of any and every one who disagrees with your personal bias here!
It's been way too long since these forums have had a good, old-fashioned range war of opinions run amuk and ad hominem attacks!
Go at each other tooth and claw. It will only stir the blood of us all, I say--something we garbage yard enthusiasts probably need a bit more of, I will admit.
Swimming without purpose is garbage yardage.(1)...(1) credit for this definition goes to The FortressOn this point, Leslie, That Guy and I are in perfect agreement.
However, I think there is belief that "garbage yard = long, aerobic sets" and vice-versa. I can and will continue to do sets that are long, with little rest but high intensity possibly for a single set that totals 3K or 4K. To some people, that might seem like garbage yardage, but it absolutely prepares me for my key races (400 IM and 500 free, sometimes the 800 and 1000). What bugs me is that there is such a thing as "garbage short yardage" where people do short sets with long rest under the guise of training for speed (Fortress -- I KNOW this is not you), but really aren't pushing themselves to really train for speed. They are training without purpose or without dedicating themselves to the purpose of the set.
Fortress, I hate to publicly point out errors you have made since I admire you so much, but I'd hate to have your reputation besmirched, so I have corrected these statements ...
1. That Guy is a smart guy and remembers my definition correctly.
...
3. Patrick tends to be one of those mentally deranged animal lane swimmers, and so must be ignored when posturing as above.
to read more accurately,
1. That Guy must be ignored when posturing as above, but remembers my definition correctly.
...
3. Patrick tends to be one of those mentally deranged animal lane swimmers, and so is a smart guy
Swimming without purpose is garbage yardage.(1)...(1) credit for this definition goes to The FortressOn this point, Leslie, That Guy and I are in perfect agreement.
However, I think there is belief that "garbage yard = long, aerobic sets" and vice-versa. I can and will continue to do sets that are long, with little rest but high intensity possibly for a single set that totals 3K or 4K. To some people, that might seem like garbage yardage, but it absolutely prepares me for my key races (400 IM and 500 free, sometimes the 800 and 1000). What bugs me is that there is such a thing as "garbage short yardage" where people do short sets with long rest under the guise of training for speed (Fortress -- I KNOW this is not you), but really aren't pushing themselves to really train for speed. They are training without purpose or without dedicating themselves to the purpose of the set.
Fortress, I hate to publicly point out errors you have made since I admire you so much, but I'd hate to have your reputation besmirched, so I have corrected these statements ...
1. That Guy is a smart guy and remembers my definition correctly.
...
3. Patrick tends to be one of those mentally deranged animal lane swimmers, and so must be ignored when posturing as above.
to read more accurately,
1. That Guy must be ignored when posturing as above, but remembers my definition correctly.
...
3. Patrick tends to be one of those mentally deranged animal lane swimmers, and so is a smart guy
