After being "spoken to" by the lifeguards about training SDKs, I am wondering how dangerous it really is to do multiple full 25 SCY SDKs.
Consider this set:
Fins on.
10x/2:00
This is just an example. Basically I'm referring to any set that contains multiple full 25 SDKs on a fixed time interval.
I've seen multiple people post sets like this in their blogs.
I've heard that on some age group teams the coach will demand that swimmers complete N full 25 SDKs on some fixed interval or everyone does it over.
The above observations would suggest that training full 25 SCY SDKs is a reasonable thing to do, but I've talked to some coaches and guards who seem to genuinely believe that even going past mid-pool underwater is just asking for trouble.
For a reasonably fit masters or age-group swimmer (Let's say a "BB" or stronger swimmer between the ages of 10 and 70 who can comfortably train 4x1hr/week), what do you think:
-Sets like these are generally safe as long as you don't do something stupid, like intentionally hyperventilate to the point of making yourself light headed before your push-off.
-Sets like this are generally safe, but you can never know if you have an un-diagnosed medical condition that renders them very dangerous so you shouldn't do them.
-Such sets are a little risky, but it's a risk you have to take to get really good at SDKs.
-If you do this kind of training regularly, you will eventually pass out under water and possibly die.
-The modern world is sufficiently rampant with litigation that no one can admit that sets like these are safe, even as anonymous vote on this forum.
Since I do most of my training alone and I'm not sure the lifeguards are always that alert (most are high school kids) I do a very limited amount of underwater and hypoxic training. Most of my sdk practice is to mid-pool (10-12 yards) only and usually with a long interval, 45+ sec/25. If I do hypoxic breathing, which I seldom do, it's never more than 1 breath/5 strokes with distance mostly 25's and occasionally 50's. I don't see a lot of value in hypoxic training, at least for my training, and though my backstroke could benefit from a longer underwater pullout I'm not comfortable doing a lot of unsupervised underwater training.
Since I do most of my training alone and I'm not sure the lifeguards are always that alert (most are high school kids) I do a very limited amount of underwater and hypoxic training. Most of my sdk practice is to mid-pool (10-12 yards) only and usually with a long interval, 45+ sec/25. If I do hypoxic breathing, which I seldom do, it's never more than 1 breath/5 strokes with distance mostly 25's and occasionally 50's. I don't see a lot of value in hypoxic training, at least for my training, and though my backstroke could benefit from a longer underwater pullout I'm not comfortable doing a lot of unsupervised underwater training.