Master's workout question: Which option is best?

Thanks for all your replies! As far as others in the lane, I've been pretty lucky for the most part--I've lately been the only one in my lane (no one else that slow, but I suppose there's some trade-off...). Should note my week's "picture": I work out on my own during the week (work schedule and masters' group workouts not in sync), but on Sat. and Sun. I do group practices. Sat.'s is smaller (three lanes and only about 6-8 swimmers), also shorter (an hour), whereas Sun.'s goes for two hours, and there are considerably more swimmers (haven't counted them, still new to the group), w/ ten lanes available. My dream is to become fast enough to move up to the next lane for the Sunday practices. That's a small step up, I know, but have to start somewhere. And hey I love crowds! :) Occasionally some tired swimmers will find their way to my lane, and they're always welcome to join me. When they do, we often split the lane, so both swimmers can do their own pace. In those instances, I stay in the same set the other person's doing, even if that means not doing as many repeats--makes it easier for both me and the other swimmer. But if I'm in the lane by myself, I still want to negotiate the workout in a way that will most benefit me as a swimmer. From what you folks are saying, it looks as if it's better to get as much of the "whole mix" as possible, rather than skip sets. That by itself helps. Should mention that in both workouts, the coaches are not giving a lot of feedback, although they will do so if specifically asked. At first, I was a little taken aback by that, but sometimes I like the flexibility it gives me to make my own way through the workout. I've more or less decided that I have to take care of my own "workout within a workout" and set my own goals, also meshing with the others in my lane. The first masters' coach I had, though, was much more hands-on, and I really valued that. I learned so much from him. Yet recognizing that the ultimate person I report to about my progress is myself, no matter who gives feedback, is itself worthwhile.

If you think about it, the fastest swimmers probably have the knowledge to take a work-out and adapt it to their needs. But the slower swimmers are often more new to swimming(I started in that slow lane and worked up, would still be slow with many of you guys), and need more advise on how to adapt. So just sticking a work-out on the board geered to the fastest swimmers really make the slower lanes feel left out. We had a period of time where no coach was showing up, so I often came prepared with a work-out for myself. I would put my work-out up on the board and than write 2 others that I adapted from mine at different levels. It was not that hard, but to someone new, it would be.

As a coach, I usually set the distance low enough so my slow swimmers can finish their set (always less yardage) with everyone else. If eveyone is doing 5 x 50 they might be doing 5 x 25 etc. As a swimmer (breaststroker), my college coach adjusted the workouts accordingly also ( more time, less yardage, still intense). So, lower the distance so you can stay-up with everyone is my suggestion.

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..... The problem I see with this is that the slower lanes aren't getting in quite the same type or yardage ... we do all sorts of things at practice sometimes we all have the same interval and different distances other times one lane does 12 x 100 on 1:20 the next lane does 10 x 100 on 1:35 and another lane does 7 x 100 on 2:00 ... My team has a HUGE range in ability ... we have a few very fast people that can hold around 1:15 for 100s and we have a few swimmers who can barely swim a 100 straight ... (and perhaps they can't) A few of our coaches also customize workouts .. Giving the sprinters more sprint work and the distance swimmers more of that horrific distance training ...

It's kind of a relief to know there are ppl in a master's group who "can barely swim 100." I tend to be at the VERY slow end of the workout groups I've been in (except for one that has since disbanded that had a couple ppl at the same level I was). My usual times--please don't laugh--pushing myself I'm happy to get maybe 1:03 or so in a 50, 2:15-2:30 in a 100, 4:50-5:10 in a 200. etc. Not too great, but I can hang in for a long time, swimming a two hour practice... Longest no. of yards I think was 3600. Goal is 4000 for Jan. But I kept thinking to myself, "am I possibly the slowest swimmer in any masters' practice ANYWHERE?" Not that this stops me from doing the practices. I do them along with running and when I see my bp and resting pulse (high 30s and I'm 56 yrs. old), I KNOW I'm doing what I need to do for myself. Better to wear out than rust out.

It's kind of a relief to know there are ppl in a master's group who "can barely swim 100." I tend to be at the VERY slow end of the workout groups I've been in (except for one that has since disbanded that had a couple ppl at the same level I was). My usual times--please don't laugh--pushing myself I'm happy to get maybe 1:03 or so in a 50, 2:15-2:30 in a 100, 4:50-5:10 in a 200. etc. Not too great, but I can hang in for a long time, swimming a two hour practice... Longest no. of yards I think was 3600. Goal is 4000 for Jan. But I kept thinking to myself, "am I possibly the slowest swimmer in any masters' practice ANYWHERE?" Not that this stops me from doing the practices. I do them along with running and when I see my bp and resting pulse (high 30s and I'm 56 yrs. old), I KNOW I'm doing what I need to do for myself. Better to wear out than rust out. I think it's fabulous that you are swimming at all! Good for you. Don't worry about trying to keep with other swimmers or whether or not you are the slowest. You are doing something good for your health and reaping the benefits. Congratulations!!!! :woot:

I have no idea if this applies to FindingMyInnerFish but in our club I have observed that some of the swimmers swim every set at almost exactly the same speed, no matter whether it is a sprint set or a distance set. Some of them are in the slower lanes, and just don't seem to have learned multiple "gears", some of them are in the faster lanes and end up doing a long almost continuous swim because the intervals are really too short for them. Sometimes in the open swims I see people swimming continuous laps on say 1min/50m, and I wonder if they wouldn't be much better off swimming intervals of say N x 50 on 1min, coming in on 55sec? That way they would be practicing swimming faster while still covering the same distance. Not that I don't enjoy the occassional LSD swim, but some of these people always swim at the same slow continuous pace.

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. I swim with Sun Devil Masters, and have swam with other groups, and it is certainly the best team for me or I wouldn't be swimming with them for 8+ years. Anyway, even within each major group (distance, mid, sprint), there could be 3-4 lanes of different speeds. The coach will tailor the workouts appropriately. I'm usually in the distance area, 3rd lane, when lane 1 does 40x100, I'll usually be somewhere around 32 to 36x100. If lane 1 is doing 10 @ 1:25, then take away 5 sec every 10, we'll do the same type of thing, but maybe 9 @ 1:35 to start. I have no complaints with less yardage, and we can usually stay late if we really wanted to do the yardage.

It's kind of a relief to know there are ppl in a master's group who "can barely swim 100." I tend to be at the VERY slow end of the workout groups I've been in (except for one that has since disbanded that had a couple ppl at the same level I was). My usual times--please don't laugh--pushing myself I'm happy to get maybe 1:03 or so in a 50, 2:15-2:30 in a 100, 4:50-5:10 in a 200. etc. Not too great, but I can hang in for a long time, swimming a two hour practice... Longest no. of yards I think was 3600. Goal is 4000 for Jan. But I kept thinking to myself, "am I possibly the slowest swimmer in any masters' practice ANYWHERE?" Not that this stops me from doing the practices. I do them along with running and when I see my bp and resting pulse (high 30s and I'm 56 yrs. old), I KNOW I'm doing what I need to do for myself. Better to wear out than rust out. Hey, I was there when I first started for a number of years, and a whole lot younger than you. I think regardless of speed, it is just important to have a sense of accomplishment when doing a work-out. If you set a goal in a work-out and complete that goal, that is what is important!

Thanks all for the suggestions and especially for the encouragement! Now, if I can just fight off a cold that's trying to take over... Aztimm... 32-36x100?? and there are people who do forty of these!! You guys ROCK! I look here for swimming role models, and I'm finding them!