Preparation training for big meets - how do you do it?
Former Member
Hi all!
Curious on how you prepare for big meets. In our club we are just entering the start of the taper period before the Swedish Masters Champ.in 23-25 March. We did it like this:
Jan - 4000-5000 m/training, main series typically 10/20/30 x 100/150/200, short rest, lots of pull and hypoxic training on top.
Feb - 3500-4500 m/training, main series as above typically but sometimes doing a fast 8 x 50 MAX from blocks or something to build up the speed and toxic duration.
March - 1500-2500 m/training lots of fast 25s and 50s and last week before meet we will only do one or two 25s or 50s per training.
3-4 practices a week
On top of this weight training (3x6-8 reps per muscle group) 3-4 days a week.
Any thoughts if this is good or not?
The thing I am concerned about at the moment is that from all the long series we did in jan and feb I have great endurance..but very low max speed.....maybe we should have had one sprint training each week to keep the speed?
Also I am afraid that the weight training is not as effective as it could be. Maybe we should train more explosive excercises...with 2-3 reps heavy....or maybe not...?
:dunno:
What do you all think?
Thx for input!
:notworthy:
/Per
Per,
Here's my 2 cents. I'd cut out weights 1-3 weeks before the meet, that brief rest time should not affect your strength. In regards to weight training, my personal theory is that some explosive training can't hurt, especially with legs. If you can handle squats, try squatting onto a box, go down slow, sit and rest on the box for a count of 3, then blast up. Make sure you don't "bounce" off the box. There's reasons behind why you stop and rest at the bottom, but too long to go into here. Another leg exercise that helps explosive strength is jumping. I'll do sets of 3-6 with 2 min. rest in between. For more resistance you can hold dumbells. In jumping, squat down so thighs are parallel with ground, then jump as high as you can. This is dryland stuff, and is no substitute for practicing dives off the block or push-offs the wall. But it seems to have helped me. Good luck.
Per - glad to see you posting again! You'll be happy to know I did get a few haircuts recently, so probably won't scare your daughter for a few more weeks. :wiggle:
I pretty much wing it when it comes to training and tapering. I'll swim whatever the coach puts up on the board.
I am doing all kinds of random stuff, usually working pretty hard, up until the 2-3 weeks before nationals. By then, the coaches all know we're tapering and we back off, do a lot of active rest, sprints, turn work, etc. My last week of taper is usually a mix of "get in and swim 2k and get out" and other stuff upwards of 3-3.5k.
If I am lifting, I'll do 1-2 real sessions until the last week and if I get in the weight room, I'll do one easy stretch-out session the week of.
Then its time to git 'r done! :dedhorse:
Per,
The speed will come! Do 15 and 25 yd "blasts" with lots of rest. These will fire up your sprint muscles. You'll feel like you are not getting anything from them but trust me...you are! Try some blasts from the blocks too. Do some of these kicking as fast as you can. Kicking is very important for sprinting. Have you ever swam with cords? They are FANTASTIC for building power and speed for sprinting about 3-4 weeks out from a big meet. They will wear you out so don't overdo. You can do 50's on an interval that allows you about :45 seconds rest between with good effort. On the way down, you have the resistance. On the way back you try to sprint but have the tube pulling you back too. It feels so good to go so fast! Good luck and keep us posted!:groovy:
Not really qualified to speak Per, but it seems like you're scaling back in a good proportion. Ande has some guidance on his blog especially with how he used weights.
Me I'll be scaling back for 3 weeks going into zones and resting up with perhaps just 2 1200-1500 swims in the week prior. Good luck Per!
Per,
There's reasons behind why you stop and rest at the bottom, but too long to go into here.
Ok, I'll make the attempt. Just know that I'm better at reading and understanding stuff than I am at conveying that knowledge. When doing squats (or any other type of lift) you have a concentric (shortening) contraction and an eccentric (lengthening) of the muscles. In squatting, the eccentric phase is when you "squat down" or lower the weight. While your leg muscle is being lengthened, you are storing energy, like a rubber band. At the bottom of the lift, this stored energy helps you drive up. If you pause at the bottom for a few seconds (sitting on a box), it allows the leg muscles to relax, releasing the stored energy. Now when you lift up, you have to work harder. It basically takes the "rebound" out of the equation. If you do this for 4 or more "leg days", then go back to regular squatting, you should see an increase in strength. I mentioned it earlier because I feel it simulates what happens during a start - you squat down, pause, then explode. Hope this makes sense. Now here's another banana :banana:
There is also a theory that the "explosion" that you talk of in the drive upward in squat is also connected to helping stimulate muscle growth due to some sort of effect on the pituitry gland.
Cool! By chance, can you direct me to any specific articles, or should I just google it. Also, and I guess btw, the "pause and lift" approach can work with just about any lifting exercise.
There's reasons behind why you stop and rest at the bottom, but too long to go into here.
Pls I am a sucker for details and theory...I can pay you some money if you want, just pls tell me why this is such a good thing...
:2cents: :2cents: :2cents: :2cents: :2cents: :2cents: :2cents:
:bow:
/Per
You'll be happy to know I did get a few haircuts recently, so probably won't scare your daughter for a few more weeks.
Got any pictures?...i dont believe it until i see it
;)
/Per
There is also a theory that the "explosion" that you talk of in the drive upward in squat is also connected to helping stimulate muscle growth due to some sort of effect on the pituitry gland.
Cool! By chance, can you direct me to any specific articles, or should I just google it. Also, and I guess btw, the "pause and lift" approach can work with just about any lifting exercise.
I think I read this in my weight lifting youth in a training artcile. It may however be in my big book or muslce building exercises that I have at home. I will check tonight. Try googling pituitary and squats though.
It's why they say squats should be a staple of every bodybuilder's workout-not for the leg muscle working aspect. No other exercise apparenlty produces this effect, or at least to the same degree. I guess it's because of the use of the core and the power needed.
