On page 6 in this article http://www.fcnm.org/kubrt4.pdf
he makes a comparison between the normal sprint training und ultra short.
Resting periods should be indeed short.
he advocates much less rest between repeats than what is most likely the norm in the HIT workouts. My recollection is Rushall thinks 15-20 seconds between is about the max rest one should take.
It sounds kind of like lifting weights to the point of failure.
Thanks for pointing out the chart. I kind of glossed over it. What's interesting is that one can do it pretty much everyday versus sprint training which may ultimately lead to chronic fatigue.
That's what he says, but I can't imagine doing this every day. It looks brutal both physically and mentally.
Agreed.
There's also something to be said about staying injury free. This sounds like a recipe for having to wear ice bags if you did it everyday.
I am trying this out now for 200 free and 400 IM. I do 12x50 @55, trying to hold 31,5. I've managed 10 reps at the most so far. For IM I train each stroke separately. I haven't raced since I started this, but it gets easier in practice each week. All my training is SCM, btw.
I have been doing this before for the 1500, 15x100 @1.25, trying to hold all reps sub 1.10, but then just occasionally and just the last six seven weeks before meets.
I am trying this out now for 200 free and 400 IM. I do 12x50 @55, trying to hold 31,5. I've managed 10 reps at the most so far. For IM I train each stroke separately. I haven't raced since I started this, but it gets easier in practice each week. All my training is SCM, btw.
I have been doing this before for the 1500, 15x100 @1.25, trying to hold all reps sub 1.10, but then just occasionally and just the last six seven weeks before meets.
Rushall says the distances should be shorter (12,5 to 15 m), also the time that you swim very active.( 15 sec).
You swim very impressive sets but they differ from the Ultra short theory.
Does that set address your concerns?
I'm not sure that does, but how about this?
Race-pace Set 2: 30 x 25 m butterfly or breaststroke
at 100 m race-pace (include underwater work).
On 45 seconds
So this one is more like a 2:1 rest to work ratio at very close to max speed. I would consider this an anaerobic set for sure.
I was planning something similar for tomorrow's workout. I'm not very fast (optimistically 1:25 for 100bk right now). If I use 1:20 as my goal, I was thinking of 20x25 on 50s with a target time of :20 per 25, but maybe on 60s would be better (2:1 rest/work ratio). (An interval of 55s or 65s would be easier to count though...)
The problem I see with these sets,if I am reading it right ,is that it really doesn't train the anaerobic system,focusing rather on aerobic and CP systems.
I think looking at the resources, the author would say that the energy systems aren't really what you should be looking at.
From my perspective I don't think it's really possible to construct a set that works the cp and aerobic but but not anaerobic system. Over the course of the set the early repeats will work the cp system hard, then the anaerobic system through the middle repeats and the aerobic system will get tasked harder toward the end. Realizing of course that it is a sliding scale and they are all tasked on every repeat.
My concern actually would have to do with training mix and staleness. I can accept the point that many of us do a LOT of work at speeds other than intended race pace. And simply in terms of specificity it is good to question how much of that type of work we should do.
On the other hand, in the tri world we see push back from coaches who have tried this sort of thing and have said that while it works quickly, the gains are short lived. Not published mind you, just talk around the proverbial water cooler. That would be my concern as well.
However, I must say that on our squad we are working toward a fast 1,650 in April and we are doing sets pretty similar to what is suggested for the 1,500 in these two resources.
In the end, I think these types of sets are a good tool to have in the arsenal but the author is overstating their place and also under-representing how much of this type of work is already happening. If you read this, you might think that no one ever does race pace intervals, while it is pretty obvious just looking at published coaching books and other resources that this type of set is common in training - just maybe not to the extent that the author thinks it should be.
The problem I see with these sets,if I am reading it right ,is that it really doesn't train the anaerobic system,focusing rather on aerobic and CP systems.This could lead to less effective lactic acid buffering which would impair performance in the 50s and 100s.Does this seem right?
coachsci.sdsu.edu/.../energy39.pdf
Page 38, TABLE 2. A SAMPLE TWO-HOUR PRACTICE SESSION.
Race-pace Set 1: 20 x 50 m crawl stroke at 200 m race-pace.
On one minute. 20 minutes
Does that set address your concerns?
What physiological process buffers lactic acid?
so it would be 10x25 holding 11 on a 30 second interval. i believe this is flawed for one of two reasons. the first is that your 50 free incorporates a dive into the race. its kind of hard to touch, get out, get up on the blocks and be ready to go in 20 seconds. the second reason - lets just say that this swimmer can get out and be ready in 20 seconds to go again from the block - what happens when you get to the other end and there is no block?
With that amount of rest starting from the blocks is not realistic. I would use the estimated second 25 time for your 50 rather than an average, so maybe try to hold 12 seconds. Same thing for a set where the goal is to hold 50s at 100 pace. Use the goal time for your second 50 of the 100 rather than half the total time.
