I'm new and have been catching up on reading. I don't have a lot of swimming experience and am swimming masters and not in college. But there are a couple things I just don't get.
1. Many posters seem very concerned about technique, but are still really focused on what is referred to as "engine buiding" and on power lifting and things that might not help their swimming as much. What is the lure of engine building exactly besides the endorphins? I guess you need it for certain events? I'm not saying this very well, but it seems like some people are working out harder than they should be? Why?
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?
Thanks. :)
Parents
Former Member
Welcome Nicky to Masters and the forum. You posed some good questions and I think you got a lot of great answers and advice. Without sound swimming technique, you will make progress but only up to a point. I think that engine building will only be built to so many rpm's that way. And then you would have a new problem of having to correct poor technique.
So, not to repeat what others have said, I believe technique is first and foremost and even during the technique process, your body is building an engine along the way, just a small engine. And engine to me means top conditioning and stamina. And as your swim technique improves, so does the engine building: tighter intervals, sprint work, distance work, dryland devices. All of this adds up and you can certainly tell when you engine is running more smoothly because you will feel better swimming harder and faster.
And with all the chit-chat about vessel shaping, well, my vessel lost its shape a long time ago so I use as perfect technique as possible, as well as an engine running some high rpm's.
When I swam for Masters in California, the lanes were designed according to speed. And within those lanes when sprints rolled around, the sprinters would lead off. On longer sets, the mid to distance people would lead off; rarely had any problems doing it this way.
donna
Welcome Nicky to Masters and the forum. You posed some good questions and I think you got a lot of great answers and advice. Without sound swimming technique, you will make progress but only up to a point. I think that engine building will only be built to so many rpm's that way. And then you would have a new problem of having to correct poor technique.
So, not to repeat what others have said, I believe technique is first and foremost and even during the technique process, your body is building an engine along the way, just a small engine. And engine to me means top conditioning and stamina. And as your swim technique improves, so does the engine building: tighter intervals, sprint work, distance work, dryland devices. All of this adds up and you can certainly tell when you engine is running more smoothly because you will feel better swimming harder and faster.
And with all the chit-chat about vessel shaping, well, my vessel lost its shape a long time ago so I use as perfect technique as possible, as well as an engine running some high rpm's.
When I swam for Masters in California, the lanes were designed according to speed. And within those lanes when sprints rolled around, the sprinters would lead off. On longer sets, the mid to distance people would lead off; rarely had any problems doing it this way.
donna
