What's the best way to build endurance for 200 stroke events or mid to distance free?
some people at my pool tell me to do tons of repeats with only 5 sec rest if 25s, and only 10 sec rest if 50s or 100s.
this doesn't work for me if I'm doing stroke or IM. My form breaks down after not that many repeats and I have to add more and more effort only to get slower and slower. ( and get less and less rest - double whammy!)
i know some people will do 20-40 repeats of 25 at race pace to develop a 200 but what should be the work to rest ratio?
i also know there is a science behind all this. Different intervals to train creatine phosphate energy system (ultra short) anaerobic energy system, and aerobic. Sometimes I think it might be better to give myself longer rest, like 20 sec on a 50 stroke so that I have time to clear lactate and each 50 is cleaner. But how do I train my body to clear lactate more quickly so I can actually complete a 200 stroke with quality.
People say do lactate threshold sets, but again I don't know what that really means for me in terms of work to rest ratio, and what intensity of effort in the work part?
i just did a 200 fly as 3.46 even though I was able to pull off a total swim time of 3.28 as a broken swim in practice coming in under 52 per 50 @ 1:00. I didn't think that was much rest to make that much difference but apparently 8 seconds is too much to be realistic
i think i am I am beating myself up thinking I have to workout more and more to gain endurance but maybe I am just overtraining because I'm not making the improvements I'd like to see for how often I practice.
any suggestions for me?
thanks in advance!
If you are looking for a lactate threshold set, the short rest intervals are exactly what you are looking for. These are NOT race pace sets. A lactate threshold speed is closer to 30 minutes race pace. When we do a threshold set for freestyle, it might look like 10x200 on 20s rest, or 18x100 on 10s rest. This is like at an effort of 6-7 out of 10. By the end of the set, you couldn't go any faster if you tried, but the starting effort is relatively easy. For me, this speed is useful for my freestyle as I will race the 1,000, 1650, and open water distances up to 10K. In theory, these type of sets train your body do clear lactate more efficiently. While some people might do sets like this to train for the 200 Free, I've never heard of anyone training a 200 *** or Fly this way (perhaps this is where I'm going wrong. haha!)
My 200 Breaststroke, on the other hand, I try to get my aerobic work in other ways. I might do things like 75's on 10s rest as 25 breaststroke kick, 25 breaststroke drill, 25 breaststroke swim. This allows me to hold together a good breaststroke form but stay in either the aerobic or threshold zone depending on how hard I push it. Another set I might do to work the 200's in the aerobic/threshold zone is say 10x150's on 15 seconds rest, split as 100 free, 50 ***, trying to hold threshold pace on the free and maintain that feeling on the 50 ***. These sets will give you good conditioning but they won't give you that punch you need to hold on in the last 50 of a 200 stroke.
To do that, you'll need more race speed simulation. USRPT sets are designed to be race pace on short rest, this is an option. Those who adhere to USRPT do ONLY USRPT sets. However, I've always had sets like this mixed into my more traditional training. These sets definitely get the lactate monkey on your back but the beauty is when your body can't handle the pace anymore, you get a break. If you really put everything you've got into them and allow your body to fail, not your mind, you gain the ability to trust that you can still swim fast despite all the sensations you are feeling.
Personally, I will do sets like 4x50 AFAP on 10s rest once a week. I suspect if you can't hold onto the same pace you did for 4x50 on 8 sec rest in a race situation, it has more to do with the mental training than the physical training. The 8 seconds rest is enough rest to not get the full brunt of the monkey. That last 50 in a race is going to hurt like h e double hockey sticks. You just can't think about it or let it get to you. You can swim fast even though you feel like a lead brick. Train yourself to trust that.
If you are looking for a lactate threshold set, the short rest intervals are exactly what you are looking for. These are NOT race pace sets. A lactate threshold speed is closer to 30 minutes race pace. When we do a threshold set for freestyle, it might look like 10x200 on 20s rest, or 18x100 on 10s rest. This is like at an effort of 6-7 out of 10. By the end of the set, you couldn't go any faster if you tried, but the starting effort is relatively easy. For me, this speed is useful for my freestyle as I will race the 1,000, 1650, and open water distances up to 10K. In theory, these type of sets train your body do clear lactate more efficiently. While some people might do sets like this to train for the 200 Free, I've never heard of anyone training a 200 *** or Fly this way (perhaps this is where I'm going wrong. haha!)
My 200 Breaststroke, on the other hand, I try to get my aerobic work in other ways. I might do things like 75's on 10s rest as 25 breaststroke kick, 25 breaststroke drill, 25 breaststroke swim. This allows me to hold together a good breaststroke form but stay in either the aerobic or threshold zone depending on how hard I push it. Another set I might do to work the 200's in the aerobic/threshold zone is say 10x150's on 15 seconds rest, split as 100 free, 50 ***, trying to hold threshold pace on the free and maintain that feeling on the 50 ***. These sets will give you good conditioning but they won't give you that punch you need to hold on in the last 50 of a 200 stroke.
To do that, you'll need more race speed simulation. USRPT sets are designed to be race pace on short rest, this is an option. Those who adhere to USRPT do ONLY USRPT sets. However, I've always had sets like this mixed into my more traditional training. These sets definitely get the lactate monkey on your back but the beauty is when your body can't handle the pace anymore, you get a break. If you really put everything you've got into them and allow your body to fail, not your mind, you gain the ability to trust that you can still swim fast despite all the sensations you are feeling.
Personally, I will do sets like 4x50 AFAP on 10s rest once a week. I suspect if you can't hold onto the same pace you did for 4x50 on 8 sec rest in a race situation, it has more to do with the mental training than the physical training. The 8 seconds rest is enough rest to not get the full brunt of the monkey. That last 50 in a race is going to hurt like h e double hockey sticks. You just can't think about it or let it get to you. You can swim fast even though you feel like a lead brick. Train yourself to trust that.
