I am solo masters swimmer who enters about four meets a year. This past year I transferred to a new school (I am a school administrator) and the work load was insane. Long story short...my swimming suffered. Yes, I know, make swimming a priority and blah-blah...well, easier said than done, and I can't undo the past now anyway.
I actually had a spell of six weeks where I didn't swim at all. Now, I have been back to the pool...in the last four weeks, I've been logging 3-4 times in the pool per week, which is what I usually do...5 is a good week. It is easy to get out of shape...my first day back after the layoff I felt dead after 20 laps, but it also seems to come back just as fast...a few days back and I didn't feel like I had lost that much.
My question...I have a meet on June 20th (non-sanctioned). Last year I did a personal (masters) best of 30.54 in 50 meter short course free (I'm 56 y.o.), which I subsequently lowered to 30.37 a few months later. What is my best strategy for getting in race shape quickly...for basically 2 sprints...50 meter free and 50 meter ***? I don't mind working hard, but I am also wondering if there is a danger of burning myself out if I go too hard suddenly in too short a period of time. Is it possible to "play catchup" or should I just revert back to doing the same workouts I did last year at this time?
My question...I have a meet on June 20th (non-sanctioned). Last year I did a personal (masters) best of 30.54 in 50 meter short course free (I'm 56 y.o.), which I subsequently lowered to 30.37 a few months later. What is my best strategy for getting in race shape quickly...for basically 2 sprints...50 meter free and 50 meter ***? A flux capacitor based time machine, unless you were referring to June 20 2015.
If it was for July 20 and I had just 3 weeks to prepare for 50's and was not at my ideal conditioning (seems like most of the time for me actually), I would do real easy drill based swimming and keep heart rate below 115BPM. And also include block time, streamline drills, stretching, occasional all-out 10 second efforts (but not too much)
You don't have much time but even if you had months to prepare, what I would recommend to train for sprinting would be the same . . . short all out 25 yard sprints with lots of rest. And if you can get into a long course pool, some 50 meter all out sprints to get used to the longer pool so that you're not wondering where the wall is in your races.
I like a workout like this:
2 x 100s warm up
2 x 50s medium pace but breath as if in a race (for example limit to 3 breaths)
4 x 25s all out with no breaths with 5-10 minutes of rest in between (I swim fly and free--not sure about breaststroke)
Take a day off to recover--if you're not used to all out sprinting, you might get sore.
You'll probably laugh because it doesnt seem like very much. Most people think that you need a lot more yardage than that. Even Rushall with his "Ultra Short Race Pace Training" advocates way more than I do. What I believe is that for sprinting all you need is a few fast laps every other day.
That would work if I only swam to train for racing, but the racing is secondary and functions to keep me swimming, which I mostly do for my health (maintaining weight and I'm "pre"-diabetic). I have been doing something like this:
25 yard pool:
5-7 minute warmup easy (usually about 12-16 laps)
300 moderate pace (12 laps)
Alternate 7*50 kick with 7*50 swim, alternate free, ***, sometimes back (with fins). (total: 28 laps)
8 50's at race-pace, 4 free and 4 ***, with rest in between. (16 laps)
4-8 laps breaststroke drills (2 arm per 1 kick; 2 kicks per 1 pull)
6 25's all out (alternate *** and free)
6 lap codlin
Total yardage: ~1 mile-2200
If I have also been to the gym and done dry land, I will do about a 1000 just to loosen up.
