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.
As an aside, back in the day when I swam age group, an underwater 50 was a pretty common get out swim for us. I only ever had to do it as a get out swim twice, but I've done many more underwater 50s over the years, and have pushed myself further than that before to see how far I could go (I hit about 65 yards before I started to get tunnel vision and came up). All those underwater swims have been under careful supervision and relied on us knowing our limits, and I don't know of any times that people blacked out.
On the other end of the spectrum, going back to the early 90s, I remember the collegiate swimmer brother of my summer league team's coach trying to do a no breath 100 fly and passing out at the 80 yard mark. His brother and the lifeguard jumped in to pull him out. Within 10 minutes or so, he was back on his feet and walking around. I don't think anyone is proposing doing a harebrained, dangerous breath control stunt like that, but responsible, proper supervision and common sense approaches to breath control can take a lot of the risk out of the sets.
Here is a set that was posted on Swimswam for working underwaters:
SET #2: “SHOOTERS”:
(typically done with fins, though sometimes without)
14-20 x 25 @ :35
1 underwater, 1 however you want
2 underwater, 1 however you want
3 underwater, 1 however you want
4 underwater, 1 however you want
(5 underwater, 1 however you want)
Here is the link to the full article:
swimswam.com/.../
Ok, so this set looks like it would be classified as insanely dangerous by at least some folks, so why is an age group team doing it?
It just doesn't look that bad to me, especially with fins. Also it has an "out" in that if you can't make an earlier set (e.g. 3 under waters) you don't (or shouldn't) try to make a later set.
Having said that, I know that my son's age group team won't do sets like this, and they are pretty successful. Of course, they also don't produce many people very good at underwaters; in fact I can only think of one.
IMO... Individuals deciding to take risks on their own is one thing. Coaching others to take risks is another.
I would be interested in knowing what USMS' official position is on even coaching these in an organized USMS practice.
