I don't get it ... Couple questions ...

I'm all for moving to Texas ... You should train for multiple events until you figure out what you are the best. Paul will love this, but ... you need to train to be good at a 200 just because you go out hard and die doesn't mean you are a sprinter, just because you cruised it and had energy left over doesn't make you a distance swimmer. Technique in my mind is the most important, why swim continually with bad techinque? Fix your technique, then engine build ... make sure to always swim mindfull, too ...

I'm all for moving to Texas ... You should train for multiple events until you figure out what you are the best. Paul will love this, but ... you need to train to be good at a 200 just because you go out hard and die doesn't mean you are a sprinter, just because you cruised it and had energy left over doesn't make you a distance swimmer. Technique in my mind is the most important, why swim continually with bad techinque? Fix your technique, then engine build ... make sure to always swim mindfull, too ... Oh Mindful One: I think if you're going to take up the 200 free, you might need to do some engine building. Just IMHO. Paul Smith sounds like an evil Smith if he's trying to get you to do this awful event. I'd rather swim in the ocean than do the 200 free. It's really about my least favorite event. Does your masters team have a sprint lane? When you coach your practice, do you divvy up the sprinters and distance folk?

The 200, FlyQueen? Are you anticipating a tie to be broken?

Fort, the waves aren't consistent enough in Texas. P.S. my name is spelled Jesse, no "i" ;) Swimstud, my shirt is on, just not in my avatar. Jesse, sorry! I changed the spelling! Just ignore SwimStud's comment about your avatar. He's just jealous. ;) Well, I wasn't exactly thinking about the waves in Texas ... They seem to have some pretty great masters programs down there. So are you focusing on the 100/200 for sure now and doing less engine building?

2. I read one of Ande's latest tips about sprinters on masters teams that ususlly focus on mid to long distance. Does this mean that sprinters should work out alone? I haven't really decided what I am yet, but my team does seem to focus more on distance stuff and long hard sets. Do any masters teams have sprint lanes or just lanes with different intervals? Nicky, Our team generally has just the lanes w/ different intervals - we swim this way 90% of the time. However, there are definetely some practices were the lanes start getting divided up (sprint vs distance; free vs. stroke/IM; bay swimmers and non-bay swimmers; etc.), but that usually depends on the coach, the set(s) and the moods of the swimmers.

but it seems like some people are working out harder than they should be? Is it even possible to workout harder than you should? Yeah, maybe you can overtrain, but I think it's pretty rare in masters swimming. Yes, people with limited swimming experience need to focus on technique over "engine building" initially. If you already have good technique then the engine building becomes the priority. You should always be thinking about technique, but not at the expense of hard work--in my opinion, of course.

My team usually has 2 coaches on deck (95% of the time). We normally split up into a distance, and something else (maybe IM, sprint, or whatever but I always do distance). After the split, we adjust ourselves within the lanes, and go from there. Typically, there are 1-2 lanes once a week (usually Thursdays) that are for stroke development. Even with all the possibilities, I just do the distance set 98% of the time. Not too many people move around. I always tell myself that on Friday, if I've made it all the other days I'll do sprint, and sometimes I do. I just don't feel like I get a good workout from the divided sprint workout. There are some times when everyone will do a sprint set. Last week most of us did 10x100 @ 2:30. Sometimes we'll all do the exact same thing, sometimes we'll do the same set, different intervals. Or sometimes we'll have a choice of a few 100 or 200 fast on 6:00 (with 3+ min of easy swimming or hanging on the wall). I've swam with a variety of teams over the years, and some other teams do similar things, but none quite like the team I'm on now, which is why I'm there.

Is it even possible to workout harder than you should? Yeah, maybe you can overtrain, but I think it's pretty rare in masters swimming. Yes, people with limited swimming experience need to focus on technique over "engine building" initially. If you already have good technique then the engine building becomes the priority. You should always be thinking about technique, but not at the expense of hard work--in my opinion, of course. Yes. Too many people think hard work can be avoided entirely with just technique or a magic pill or whatever. It's difficult to believe anyone can effectively swim events like the 2-fly or 4-IM or others without a pretty good engine. (This was Solar Energy's point on the vessel thread.) The only exception to this I see is what Ande pointed out in his tips or blog. For pure sprinters, too much endurance training can kill speed and thus actually be counterproductive. So perhaps sprinters are better off doing a high intensity, limited yardage sprint workout. Of course, that is hard work too if you're genuinely doing race pace swimming. It's just different than pure volume based engine building. That having been said, I think I'll drink a red bull before my next race. Nicky: Here's another link to a discussion on how much volume may be appropriate. forums.usms.org/showthread.php

The Fortress, From the looks of your latest avatar, it seems you have a case of mono. Hope you get over it. AJ How true, I have a severe case of mono. I'm not sure I want to get over it though. If I go barefoot all the time, I might need more pedicures. Plus, I cannot engage in engine building right this minute, so I might as well amuse myself with swim toys. Have you checked out Paul Smith's avatar? He has a severe case of toyitis. I can tell you're not engine building with that power 50 ***. Been watching too many Oleg Lisogor vids? Cheating on the start with the double dolphin kick? :thhbbb: Watch out, Allen and Wayne don't like breaststroke cheaters.

The 200, FlyQueen? Are you anticipating a tie to be broken? I didn't even think of that, though I am ALMOST ready to surrend the 100 fly to you ... it has NOT been going well, but we'll see what taper brings ...