My apologies up front for asking a question that has been asked on various different threads over the past couple of years I have been in USMS. I don't remember the responses, however, and can't seem to find the answers in my searches.
Here's the deal: I started as a breaststroker and only competed in the three breaststroke events as a newbie. Seven months later, however, I competed in a pentathlon and found I really enjoyed racing the stroke sprints and 100 IM. Last year, I ended up winning my age group and felt even more encouraged to continue working on my other strokes.
Recently, I attempted an easy 400 IM in workout to see if I could swim a 100 fly without pausing at the walls. I came in at 7:24 :cane:, but it wasn't the worst in my age group in the rankings! :D
Today, after my usual three day post-meet bout of insomnia, I thought, what the heck, I'll try it again. (Yes, I AM crazy!) Again, I took the fly out very easy with the intent of surviving without rescue. My time ended up 7:16, now placing me 56 out of 71 in my age group; still low, but improved. :wiggle: So, now, I'm thinking of giving it some real effort and see where I can go with this...
50 breaststroke is my best event, followed by 100 breaststroke. After that is 50 free and 100 IM. Don't even ask where my 200 breaststroke rates... :bitching: But, my 400 IM, with some effort, will have it beat soon enough.
As a six day per week swimmer on pace to beat my goal of 400 miles for the year, how would you recommend I plan my swim week out to train 400 IM without losing breaststroke speed? I average 3,000 yards per workout and currently dedicate Mondays and Fridays to Allen's breaststroke sets or Ande's sprint IM sets that he wrote up for me. Saturday is my recovery day. September thru May, I train in a challenging coached adult program and swim 3,500 - 3,800yards; a mix of speed, endurance, etc.
Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated! (Oh, and, by the way, I am working up to swimming 400m IM and 200yd fly, too.) :afraid:I hope to swim 400IM at Dixie Zone Championships, in August, and see where it goes from there. :worms:
My suggestion is not to change anything with your sprint training. Let your 400 IM result be whatever it is. Your 400 time will drop anyway, as you get used to racing the event. I basically take the opposite approach - I train for the 400 IM and let my sprint times be as lousy as they want to be. :agree:
My suggestion is not to change anything with your sprint training. Let your 400 IM result be whatever it is. Your 400 time will drop anyway, as you get used to racing the event.
I basically take the opposite approach - I train for the 400 IM and let my sprint times be as lousy as they want to be. :agree:This is a most awesome training strategy and one I fully support and, while I agree with this:
Your 400 time will drop anyway, as you get used to racing the event.
and don't think this is a horrible idea:
My suggestion is not to change anything with your sprint training. Let your 400 IM result be whatever it is.
I'd suggest -- consider this for the fall or next SCY season -- making more of your early season training focused on endurance / 400 IM style sets and then, as the season unfolds, start focusing on shorter stuff.
Though it's a freestyle reference, back with Erik Hochstein was active on the forums I remember him saying something to the effect of he split a training cycle one year by starting his training focused on the 1500, then switching to the 800, then 400, then ... you get the picture. Now, Erik's a stud and German Olympian, but he put up awesome times from the 50 to the 1500 with that approach.
Fresnoid, That Guy, Slow, and PWB: Thanks, guys! :applaud: I appreciate the suggestions!
Hmmm, the idea of training 400 IM until August is a good one; especially since I am swimming 3K and 1K in the Georgia Games Open Water Swim, as part of the Georgia Games Championship Series. (I won high points at the SCY and LCM meets, in my age group, so I am on a mission!)
Fresnoid, I did some of Fort's HIT workouts leading up to Nationals, so I am familiar with them. Thanks for the suggestion! At Nationals, pwb suggested I try some of Mallory's open water workouts to prepare for my open water swim. As for completely crossing over into the animal lane, I need to keep my yardage about where it is, due to previous injuries and surgeries. I have learned my limits, and, even though my husband calls me "Aqua Dog", I will have to stay human and leave the animal lane to the real aqua dogs. :agree:
It depends on how important the 400 IM is to you. If it's just a 7th event to add, carry on as per usual, as TG suggests. Or swim a 400 IM in practice a couple x week. If it's somewhat more important, then add a couple HV workouts to the usual sprint fare as Keith suggests. I know swimmers that do well on a HIT/HV combo. If you go HV aerobic all summer, don't expect to get your speed back anytime soon. IMO sprinter need to swim fast most of the year, none of this "phasing" that Patrick suggests. :)
My suggestion is not to change anything with your sprint training. Let your 400 IM result be whatever it is. Your 400 time will drop anyway, as you get used to racing the event. I basically take the opposite approach - I train for the 400 IM and let my sprint times be as lousy as they want to be. :agree:
I totally agree. Train like you are and make sure you are relaxed when it comes time to race it. Over time, you will drop as you get used to where you can push it more and where you just need to "let it happen".
It depends on how important the 400 IM is to you. If it's just a 7th event to add, carry on as per usual, as TG suggests. Or swim a 400 IM in practice a couple x week. If it's somewhat more important, then add a couple HV workouts to the usual sprint fare as Keith suggests. I know swimmers that do well on a HIT/HV combo. If you go HV aerobic all summer, don't expect to get your speed back anytime soon. IMO sprinter need to swim fast most of the year, none of this "phasing" that Patrick suggests. :)
7th event? I'm just hoping to make NQT's in the 100 breaststroke, so I can add a 5th event to my Nationals line-up! :D Either way, I am planning on swimming the 400 IM as my 4th event, in Mission Viejo. And, if I go to Indy, then I will swim it there, too.
I like that idea of working in a HIT/HV combo. Of the six days I swim, how many of each should I do?
Thanks, Fort!
I pretty much agree with TG.You really can't do HIT everyday so on the other days work on each stroke doing like 4X200 as fly,bk br,fr working on dps and relaxing especially on fl and bk.
I totally agree. Train like you are and make sure you are relaxed when it comes time to race it. Over time, you will drop as you get used to where you can push it more and where you just need to "let it happen".
You are my 400 IM inspiration, 'shark. After all, it was you who suggested I give it a try! :agree:
I pretty much agree with TG.You really can't do HIT everyday so on the other days work on each stroke doing like 4X200 as fly,bk br,fr working on dps and relaxing especially on fl and bk.
Thanks for the set idea, K.F.! I have been working on my fly and back, dropping times on my 50's. Now I just need to quadruple it! :banana:
You're probably afraid to even look at pwb's High Volume Workouts but he emphasizes IM a lot. Maybe do some of those sets and on other days do Fortress' HIT workouts.
High Volume Workouts - by Patrick Brundage - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
High Intensity Training - by Leslie Livingston - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
