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...
As a coach and a swimmer I do believe that a variety in swimming workouts will definitely improve swimming performance but sometimes you have to be careful of this. For instance stroke technique is very important when you are doing long IM sets and stroke sets and if swimmers are tired and fatigued they will develop bad habits and not accomplish much. As the swimmer becomes more skillful and better conditioned, he can do lots of stroke and IM training and it will not only help freestyle but the IM and primary strokes as well. I agree with what Phil and Fritz say and I will strongly say work on your primary stroke as much as you can and as much as your body will tolerate it.
Richard Shoulberg the great distance and IM coach from the Germantown Academy who trained and coached David Wharton who was American/World Record holder and winner of 4 straight NCAA titles in the 400 IM among others, believes distance
swimmers should train a lot of IM. He says "I prefer to train distance swimmers with a lot of IM drills. This type of work is less boring and the change of stroke patterns helps make them stronger. Occassionally, I have them go 3 X 1600 IM. This would consist of a 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 IM, 100 weak stroke, 100 IM, 100 strong stroke (but not freestyle), etc. We will ocassionally do a set of 5 X 800 on 9:45 but I prefer not to do that sort of thing very often because this type of work is very boring".
"We conducted a study to compare the effects of training all 400 Free versus 400 IM. Our workout was divided into 2 groups. One group like doing Free work so they did all 400 Free. The other group liked doing IM work so they did all 400 IM. The net result of this study was that the IM group became better distance free swimmers than the Free group. I don't know if that was because of the program or not but the IM group showed more improvement. I have also allowed my swimmers to go overdistance work in breastroke, backstroke, and even fly. This has helped them swim the 1650".
Geoge Bole who coached many National Champions for 40 years in England and was a very successful masters coach in St. Pete Fla. and had one Bill Specht as one of his champions believed that stroke and IM training was benefical for successful swimming.
He wrote a lot about it in his book "Mastering Masters Swimming".
Other factors that come into play in a Masters swimming progam are as follows: 1. The length of available pool time. 2. The degree of organization of the program, for example competitive, fitness, tri, older, skilled, etc. 3. The level of motivation of the swimmer. 4. Will the masters swimmer buy into the program and do the IM or stroke work as its presented to the swimmer. Another words don't just do Free while your suppose to be doing IM or stroke and using the masters perogative. And 5. The level of skill of the swimmer. Such as what kinds of stress can you absorb.
As a coach and a swimmer I do believe that a variety in swimming workouts will definitely improve swimming performance but sometimes you have to be careful of this. For instance stroke technique is very important when you are doing long IM sets and stroke sets and if swimmers are tired and fatigued they will develop bad habits and not accomplish much. As the swimmer becomes more skillful and better conditioned, he can do lots of stroke and IM training and it will not only help freestyle but the IM and primary strokes as well. I agree with what Phil and Fritz say and I will strongly say work on your primary stroke as much as you can and as much as your body will tolerate it.
Richard Shoulberg the great distance and IM coach from the Germantown Academy who trained and coached David Wharton who was American/World Record holder and winner of 4 straight NCAA titles in the 400 IM among others, believes distance
swimmers should train a lot of IM. He says "I prefer to train distance swimmers with a lot of IM drills. This type of work is less boring and the change of stroke patterns helps make them stronger. Occassionally, I have them go 3 X 1600 IM. This would consist of a 100 IM, 100 Free, 100 IM, 100 weak stroke, 100 IM, 100 strong stroke (but not freestyle), etc. We will ocassionally do a set of 5 X 800 on 9:45 but I prefer not to do that sort of thing very often because this type of work is very boring".
"We conducted a study to compare the effects of training all 400 Free versus 400 IM. Our workout was divided into 2 groups. One group like doing Free work so they did all 400 Free. The other group liked doing IM work so they did all 400 IM. The net result of this study was that the IM group became better distance free swimmers than the Free group. I don't know if that was because of the program or not but the IM group showed more improvement. I have also allowed my swimmers to go overdistance work in breastroke, backstroke, and even fly. This has helped them swim the 1650".
Geoge Bole who coached many National Champions for 40 years in England and was a very successful masters coach in St. Pete Fla. and had one Bill Specht as one of his champions believed that stroke and IM training was benefical for successful swimming.
He wrote a lot about it in his book "Mastering Masters Swimming".
Other factors that come into play in a Masters swimming progam are as follows: 1. The length of available pool time. 2. The degree of organization of the program, for example competitive, fitness, tri, older, skilled, etc. 3. The level of motivation of the swimmer. 4. Will the masters swimmer buy into the program and do the IM or stroke work as its presented to the swimmer. Another words don't just do Free while your suppose to be doing IM or stroke and using the masters perogative. And 5. The level of skill of the swimmer. Such as what kinds of stress can you absorb.
