I'm swimming with an age-group team and I am having some concerns about the workouts. Today, the entire workout was breaststroke. Warmup - 1500 ***. First Set - 7x300 ***, 30 sec rest interval between 300s. Second Set - 300 kick (***), Third Set - 20x100 ***. Cool Down.
I made it through the warmup and 4 of the first 300s before I could no longer lift my arms and my legs were starting to cramp. I swam free the remaining 300s and completed the kick set before I had to call it quits. (No one else finished either).
I've got mixed feelings about this type of workout and I would like some feedback.
On the one hand, my *** stroke muscles got a great workout. On the other hand, it was impossible to maintain perfect form. Instead I concentrated mostly on high elbows and the outsweep portion as well as a good kick.
Prior to swimming with this particular coach, my philosophy was to not sacrifice form and technique for yardage. But are there times when it is good to overwork the muscles?
BTW: Although this is only my 3rd workout with this Coach, I have noticed that this type of workout is not unusual, we have yet to do any freestyle sets. It has all been butterfly, back and ***.
Susan, as a Masters swimmer, I think you need to go masters on that coach and when you get a set like that, modify it to however you need. I agree with warren
I personally would not be able to do that much breaststroke in one practice - my knees would give out! Plus it sounds very boring, I would think he would lose the kid's interest after about the second long set of the same stroke.
This was with an age group team? The coach obviously doesn't know whats going on. This long swim, low rest, beat the hell out you coaching style is retarded. They give all of these huge yardage practices and when the swimmers improve they say oh it worked, when in reality the swimmers are just getting into good shape and not actually getting any better at swimming, and perhaps getting worse due to poor technique in thoes killer pratices and develping bad habbits. I would not stick with this coach
Having only started doing swim practices a couple years ago, I don't have a lot of experience to call on, but all breaststroke does sound odd. Of course this comes from someone who's happy with an all-freestyle workout.... But even so, the workouts I've experienced seem to have free as the primary stroke w/ the others mixed in, as IM sets and such. I've never worked out with an age group team, but I've glanced at some of their practices after finishing my workouts--and they pretty much seem to follow the same pattern, except w/ more yards and faster speed.
Wonder if it's worth asking the coach (in a friendly way) about this... something like, "This is new to me, having all *** (or all fly or all back). I'd be interested in finding out more about your goals in practices like this." (Imagine you're writing an article about the coach and her team and you just want the information in an objective way.)
Actually, I'd be curious about the coach's rationale. You could tell her inquiring minds want to know. ;)
Sounds boring, so the kids get bored, sounds a bit dangerous to never work any other muscles during the work-out, 1500 of ***, come on. I am not liking what I am hearing about this coach and low numbers of kids for this team is telling you something. Most good USA coaches I know mix things up a bit with the exception of all freestyle work-outs. Freestyle is used as the training conditioning stroke. I know my son used to dread the all freestyle work-outs because as an IMer, he found them boring, but he did them.
We had a lady fill in for our coach 2 years ago and gave us something like this and we still talk to this day about just what a horrible workout it was. I'd get myself and my kids far away from this nut!
Thanks everyone. Yes, I'm still baffled, but I plan on asking the rationale behind these types of workouts as well as "pulling a master" and modify when necessary.
I already paid through July 27th, so I'm hesitant to stop going. Plus, I'm loving the pool temp and no noodlers to deal with!
I am a breaststroker and coaches don't always know what to do for breaststroke.Once as an age grouper I had a"see how far you can swim breaststroke in an hour" workout. Another one was 90X50 on the minute breaststroke.I remember these from 40+ yr. ago because even then I knew they were STUPID. What you got is a great workout to give the whole team knee problems.I think it is hard to come up with interesting workouts every day,so I guess some coaches think this kind of a workout will be different.:doh:
Wonder if it's worth asking the coach (in a friendly way) about this... something like, "This is new to me, having all *** (or all fly or all back). I'd be interested in finding out more about your goals in practices like this." (Imagine you're writing an article about the coach and her team and you just want the information in an objective way.)
You know Fishy, that is a GREAT idea. :applaud:
One of our coaches over the last 2.5 years was very good about explaining why he was giving us what he was giving us, and it really helped out, as we swam how everything exactly how he wanted us to swim. With the extra communication, there was never any doubt when to go fast, pace, easy, sprint. Any time something looked wrong, we got a good reason to do it.
An example - instead of the 10x100 1:20 we did yesterday (my call), we'd do them on 2:00, start at a moderate pace (ie 1:12) and go one second faster each subsequent 100, working down to a 1:02 in my case. Why? Work on establishing a pace and building up to fast swimming. And most importantly, working on how to understand and control your body, working with its reaction to the pain at the end in order to keep the 1 second drops coming.
The alternative? Aimless attempts at sprinting, probably death by lactic acid at ~#7 or 8. And having inconsistent finish times.
It seems a little extreme. Maybe this is sort of a special week where each day is dedicated to one stroke? I can't believe a coach would do this kind of workout on a regular basis.
