Hi all,
I'm the Slow Swimmer in Residence at my swim practices, and this often means that I'm maybe halfway done with a set when people are moving on to the next one. Usually, I have the slow lane to myself, which widens my options somewhat (if I don't, I do whatever the others are doing, even if it means moving on to the next set before I'm done with the previous one).
Since I almost NEVER finish my sets the same time as the others (unless I get to the practice earlier... that allows me to come out even with the others at least on the first set), would I benefit more from (a), (b) or (c)?:
(a) jump to the sets that others are doing even if not finished with all the repeats (ex.: 10x100; others have moved on to 250s. I have done 5-6 100s... following this option, I'd stop doing the 100s and move ahead to the 250s).
(b) finish the set I'm doing, then start on whatever set others are doing, even if they're, let's say, two or more sets ahead of me.
(c) finish the set I'm doing, then move on to the next one in the order the coach listed, only skipping ahead if the time allotted for the workout is drawing to a close and I need the warmdown.
Underlying all this, I guess what I am asking is whether it's better to do fewer repetitions but more of the sets that everyone's doing or all the repetitions but finish fewer sets.
Some might say I should retire to the open lap swim, but I'm not ready to do that. ;)
Thanks for your help!
I think you need to be doing different practices. Do something that will push you but something that is not imposible.
Granted, but the choices are limited by schedule and location (can get to the ones I mention fairly readily, whereas with work and other commitments, others are pretty much out of reach... so I need to find ways to work with what I have).
I would reduce the number of reps. So if the set is 10 * 100, do 7 * 100. Pick the number of reps that makes you work hard to keep up, but that you can complete. Also, if it is distance, reduce the distance in the same manner. If you look at Mel's work-outs, he suggests this very thing.
One of my pet peeves (yes.....there are many!), is siwmming with teams that don't train more as a "team". Often I see coaches give a set and differant lanes take off at differant times.....
My preferance is having a coach give a set that has options on the distance that each "level" of lane may have.....but have all lanes on the same interval.
For example if the set is 10 x 100's @ 1:20 for the "fast" lane, you may have another lane doing 75's on that interval our even 50's.....
One of my pet peeves (yes.....there are many!), is siwmming with teams that don't train more as a "team". Often I see coaches give a set and differant lanes take off at differant times.....
My preferance is having a coach give a set that has options on the distance that each "level" of lane may have.....but have all lanes on the same interval.
For example if the set is 10 x 100's @ 1:20 for the "fast" lane, you may have another lane doing 75's on that interval our even 50's.....
That is a great suggestion. I used to do that a lot with a summer team I coached a few years back. I called it the "2 Minute Drill." We'd have 4 or 5 lanes from 6 year olds to 16 year olds doing 25s to 100s. I would have some of the older folks do strokes/IMs in there, and would challenge them to beat their neighbors who were doing free (and likewise challenge the freestylers to not get beaten by the IMers). The little ones really liked the inclusion.
But to Fishie's question, on my team, you would get a similar workout to the "fast" people, probably less reps and definetely a workable interval, and to Paul's point, everyone usually finishes each set around the same time so at least the entire pool is somewhat going together. I vote for fewer reps, more sets. Variety is the spice of life!
:banana:
For those of you that coach, why can't there be more than one work-out listed. All having the same sets, but do the modifications for the swimmers. My masters group had a coach who only wrote work-outs for the fastest lane, and the rest of the swimmers who could not make our intervals were very unhappy. They wanted a sense of accomplishment on finishing the work-out and never got that. Later another coach came in and wrote 3 different levels, and that worked much better.
Dorothy....good point. I'd say there are only 2-3 teams I've swam with over the years where this is done. ASU/Sun Devil Masters probably is the best.....every practice has a minimum of 2 workouts....usually 3 and almost always has two coaches on deck...which is necessary with 30-50 swimmer and 3 differant workouts :
- Distance
- Middle Distance/Stroke
- Sprint
I recognize that not all teams can be run like this....but they can certainly mix it up a lot more.
If you don't have guidance from the coach...
I suggest you try to mesh with teammates and keep the spirit of the workout so you are getting the same level of intensity and work:rest as they are (start and finish each repeat about the same time as teammates do). Usually that means not going as far for each repeat but doing the same # of repeats.
That way you should still get the desired mix of aerobic, sprint, stroke work.
If you only have 45 minutes to get in a 60 minute workout, something else has to go. I like cutting out entire sets rather than watering them all down.
Fish:
let me give you two perspectives: One as a coach and the other as a swimmer.
As a coach, I try to put together a workout to fit the alloted practice time, tailored necessarily to the fastest swimmers. Sometimes I do a workout as Paul suggests (having everyone go on the same clock) and sometimes not. The main thing here is that (in spite of what a coach may tell you) there are no absolute right ways to train. A whole variety of things work for people. When I would see a swimmer who couldn't keep up but who insisted on finishing the particular part of the set as I wrote it (damn the torpedos...) my thought would always be 'here is a swimmer who takes the instructions waaaay too literally.' Be flexible & drop something if you need to.
As a swimmer, I really dislike swimming with someone who is finishing the kick set, say, (maybe only half way through) when the rest of us in the lane are switching to doing IM. This is very disruptive to the other swimmers in the lane.
If you wind up only getting 75% of the work done on each set, at least you will have gone through the entire range of disciplines that the coach intended. If you drop an entire part, you may have missed the main point of the workout for the day.
As as example, last spring I was in Bend OR swimming with Bob Bruce's team. The day I was there the set was a baker's dozen (no, not Dennis Baker) 100 SCM IM on 2:05. Well, that's a bit too fast for me. So, I did a set of 5 and sat one out and then repeated. In the end, I got 11 of the 13 done & worked pretty hard. I was happy and always started on the same clock as the others in the lane so I wouldn't be in the way.
Hope this view helps.
-- mel
I would shorten up your intervals within the sets so I finished about when everyone else did. I would do this because it will move you forward to other sets that obviously may be vital to the workout and work other body parts. If the workout is designed to 10x100s and you cannot yet do those, I would do what I could and try to finish when your lane is finishing.
Then move on to the next set and, again, finish when your lane swimmers finish. Nothing wrong with not finishing the "set". In time you probably will.
Step back and try to go through the scheduled workout, even if you cannot yet complete all the components within it. Change the set when your lane change the set.
Cheers,
Donna
