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 ***.
Former Member
At best - sounds crazy
At worst - sounds like a formula for burnout and/ or injury for any age
Did this coach every compete him/ herself?
Susan, I practice with an age group team and have never done an odd workout like that. It does sound like the coach is killing the kids with over use, not working on technique and strength. I'd hate to see their knees in a few years. There is such a thing as concentrating on one stroke for a main set, but not to whole practice. I like the idea of asking her in an inqusitive way, what the purpose of the workout like that is. I know I ask my coach when it's a drill. Then I can work on what he wants us to work on.
Good luck and I hope the age group thing works out. I know it has for me and I love it (wearing the team's t-shirt as I type this).
Alison
You thought wisely when you switched to freestyle . . . you focused on good form as long as you could, then recognized specific fatigue, kept your heartrate up to get a great workout, etc. you did the right thing for you.
I'm all about customizing workouts . . . I encourage everyone to do what feels right for them - as long as they keep moving!
I feel sorry for the poor little darlings . . .
Good to know that this type of workout isn't some new fandangled way of building strength.
I treated myself to a massage yesterday and the massage therapist commented that my achilles was really tight. I was thinking that is because after all that breaststroke, my feet are automatically getting ready to do a *** stroke kick every time I'm on my stomach and I lift a leg! :lmao:
We had a "back stroke" workout and I'm not strong enough (and my sinuses can't handle) backstroke flip turns on every leg, so often times I will roll over on my stomach as if I'm going to flip but I then I don't. The only comment the Assist. Coach made to me was that if I was swimming competitively, I would be disqualified.
You would not be disqualified if your motion was continuous. You can roll as if to flip, and then open up the turn. Perhaps the coach needs to read the rules.
Back in the stone age (1970s), Mark Shubert would dedicate an entire week to each stroke at the beginning of the season. All of his swimmers would end up being excellent 400 IM swimmers, at least. I do not know if he ever did one stroke per workout exclusively, but would guess not. It appears that your coach is trying to take a page out of this training manual, but has lost something in the translation. I will not agree that this is "stupid," but it is certainly an odd training method. Did the coach give stroke technique critique to everyone for the whole workout? If not, then the point was lost during warmup. If so, he (she) was trying to hardwire muscle memory in one session for the stroke. Not a likely outcome, judging by your reaction.
Actually, the Head Coach of the team and the Assistant Coach in charge of the evening workout were gone all week. The workouts were posted and one of the other Assistant Coach's was there basically to open and close the pool. She showed me where the workout was posted and I said "Wow, that's alot of *** stroke!" and she just smiled and walked off.
The kids were grumbling and I asked one of the kids in the lane next to me if they had ever swam so much *** stroke in one workout and he said yes, so I fear this may be common.
I'm going to practice tomorrow evening and I plan on asking both the Head Coach and the Assist Coach what they either of them are thinking.
We had a "back stroke" workout and I'm not strong enough (and my sinuses can't handle) backstroke flip turns on every leg, so often times I will roll over on my stomach as if I'm going to flip but I then I don't. The only comment the Assist. Coach made to me was that if I was swimming competitively, I would be disqualified.
The Head Coach is in charge of the a.m. workouts and I the ones I saw posted last week were a normal workout. The evening workouts are supposed to be supplemental to the a.m. workouts. But I'm with everyone else, when I swam in the 70s, we swam 2x daily, about 12K, but we never had a 1500 *** stroke warmup!
Susan,
I read this thread a day or so ago but didn't respond due to shock. I guess I am not going to be very kind about the kinds of workouts this coach posts. Even if a coach isn't sure what to post for a typical breastroke workout (which I find to be an excuse for incompetence), he's sadistic. He/she has no business developing workouts that will overuse people's bodies unless he/she knows they won't do the workouts anyway. And then if that is the case, what is the point in having a "coach" of this low caliber? Many people don't know any better and will try to complete something that could be beyond their means because they trust a coach with the title "coach". I'm sorry, the word idiot comes to mind on this one.
Glad you are a smart cookie and will ask those very important questions on this one.
I was a breastroker as a teenager, competed in international competition for 7 years as a Breastroker & I NEVER did a workout like that & neither did I need too! (I may have done the 20 x 100 plus one other Brs set + Brs Kick set, but that's about it...
In my opinion that workout was insanity! :sad: Like everyone else has said......what about those kids knees!! :notworking:
Susan-
I'm sorry you're having such an experience with the age group team. That practice sounds grueling! I never would have made it through the warm-up, and honestly, I don't think I would have tried.
It is not unusual for our age group workouts to be "themed", that is *** stroke week, fly week, IM week, etc. However, we NEVER do any one stroke exclusively. Most workouts incorporate freestyle and IMs along with the stroke of the day. The assigned stroke is also broken down into drill and kick sets, so we are not swimming 100% stroke on different intervals. I would certainly question the coaches motivation. It would be more effective to do 1500 in *** stroke drills as warm-up (30 x 50 done skul, 1 pull 3 kick, all pull, BS kick on back, repeat) than to try & swim 1500 straight.
Sometimes, when the coach who writes the practice is not there to implement it, we do read it wrong. Maybe the assistant in charge didn't read the coaches instructions & explain the sets properly. Or maybe, these coaches need a wake-up call.
