This may seem like a radical suggestion...or incredibly simple minded. Nonetheless, here's the concent: So much of our workout time, particularly on "distance sets" days, is concentrated on freestyle sets that I'd say our total weekly yardage is probably close to 85 percent or higher freestyle. (I would also venture a guess that this is a not uncommon scenario for many masters teams around the country.)
I know this emphasis on freestyle helps freestyle performance in meets, and I think lots of swimmers--myself included--have always reflexively assumed that if you're in decent freestyle shape, you can swim other strokes reasonably fast, as well; that aerobic and anaerobic conditioning for freestyle translates directly to, say, backstroke or butterfly conditioning.
But I also know that running doesn't particularly help swimming performance, because the muscles used are too sports specific, and you have to train the specific muscle you're going to use in a race. So I started to think maybe we should be doing "distance" sets in different strokes, particularly if any of us wanted to swim faster 200s (and the 400 IM).
As the "player coach" for our little team here in western pa, I've had us start doing distance stroke sets--for example, we did a 1000 backstroke, followed by 5 x 200 backstroke, on Monday.
We've only been doing this for 3-4 weeks now, but it's already made a difference, at least for me. I lowered my lifetime best in the 100 back last week (I'm a very mediocre backstroker) by almost a second--down to 1.02.6. (If I only knew how to do a backstroke start!)
Anyhow:
1) how many of you out there do distance sets of non freestyle?
2) do any of you have any data on stroke specific training, i.e., is it just a coincidence or does it really help to better times in these events?
3) assuming you're in pretty good freestyle shape, does shifting to training more backstroke or other non-freestyle stroke cause you to start deconditioning in freestyle?
Thanks for any advice or comments; I am hoping to shift topics somewhat from the last thread I began...
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I am a believer in specific training for a specific outcome with the most efficient use of training time and distance.
Let's pretend that you have 6 hours per week of pool time and your goal is to become a better/faster backstroker. Also, I will assume that you have a pretty good handle on freestyle (or any stroke), for the simple conditioning and basic swimming skills components. I would suggest that the most efficient use of your time would be to spend a healthy percentage of this time on backstroke (kick, drill, swim etc). What this percentage is tough to answer exactly. If you want to become a better 200m backstroker, you probably will want to swim a healthy percentage of your distance as well as your time on backstroke. If you are a 50m backstroker, perhaps you do not need as much backstroke distance.
As a butterflyer (all distances), and only a butterflyer, I average about 20% of my workout distance as butterfly (swim, kick and drills). However, this ranges widey from 5% up to 45%.
Now, I am not saying that swimming something other than backstroke will NOT help backstroke, because it probably will. What I am suggesting is that generally, the best 'bang for your buck' will be in backstroke.
Now, let's pretend that you have many more hours to devote to training. In this case, I would suggest that the percentage of time devoted to stroke specific training may be reduced somewhat because the actual distance and time devoted to this stroke will both likely be increased.
Some people sware by the cross-over effect of training. That is they swim/train stroke A and stroke(s) B and/or C and/or D improve(s). I believe this is true but only to a certain extent and perhaps only with certain people. For me, I feel that the limitations of the cross-over effect have pretty much been reached. Spending a significant amount of time/effort on stroke B when I want to swim stroke A is not the highest and best use of my workout time.
Finally, in answer to Jim's original questions I would say:
1) how many of you out there do distance sets of non freestyle?
I swim sets of up to 150's of fly and sometimes even a few 200's of fly. If this counts as distance non-freestyle, then my answer is Yes.
2) do any of you have any data on stroke specific training, i.e., is it just a coincidence or does it really help to better times in these events?
I don't have any real data other than personal experience and anecdotal evidence. However, specificity (to a certain point) makes sense to me.
3) assuming you're in pretty good freestyle shape, does shifting to training more backstroke or other non-freestyle stroke cause you to start deconditioning in freestyle?
For me, I feel that swimming less freestyle has actually improved my freestyle swimming. I am both faster and feel stronger. I believe this is due to the fact that I find freestyle really fatiguing and I am easily overtrained in it.
I am a believer in specific training for a specific outcome with the most efficient use of training time and distance.
Let's pretend that you have 6 hours per week of pool time and your goal is to become a better/faster backstroker. Also, I will assume that you have a pretty good handle on freestyle (or any stroke), for the simple conditioning and basic swimming skills components. I would suggest that the most efficient use of your time would be to spend a healthy percentage of this time on backstroke (kick, drill, swim etc). What this percentage is tough to answer exactly. If you want to become a better 200m backstroker, you probably will want to swim a healthy percentage of your distance as well as your time on backstroke. If you are a 50m backstroker, perhaps you do not need as much backstroke distance.
As a butterflyer (all distances), and only a butterflyer, I average about 20% of my workout distance as butterfly (swim, kick and drills). However, this ranges widey from 5% up to 45%.
Now, I am not saying that swimming something other than backstroke will NOT help backstroke, because it probably will. What I am suggesting is that generally, the best 'bang for your buck' will be in backstroke.
Now, let's pretend that you have many more hours to devote to training. In this case, I would suggest that the percentage of time devoted to stroke specific training may be reduced somewhat because the actual distance and time devoted to this stroke will both likely be increased.
Some people sware by the cross-over effect of training. That is they swim/train stroke A and stroke(s) B and/or C and/or D improve(s). I believe this is true but only to a certain extent and perhaps only with certain people. For me, I feel that the limitations of the cross-over effect have pretty much been reached. Spending a significant amount of time/effort on stroke B when I want to swim stroke A is not the highest and best use of my workout time.
Finally, in answer to Jim's original questions I would say:
1) how many of you out there do distance sets of non freestyle?
I swim sets of up to 150's of fly and sometimes even a few 200's of fly. If this counts as distance non-freestyle, then my answer is Yes.
2) do any of you have any data on stroke specific training, i.e., is it just a coincidence or does it really help to better times in these events?
I don't have any real data other than personal experience and anecdotal evidence. However, specificity (to a certain point) makes sense to me.
3) assuming you're in pretty good freestyle shape, does shifting to training more backstroke or other non-freestyle stroke cause you to start deconditioning in freestyle?
For me, I feel that swimming less freestyle has actually improved my freestyle swimming. I am both faster and feel stronger. I believe this is due to the fact that I find freestyle really fatiguing and I am easily overtrained in it.
