Dara Torres-Amazing

Hi Paul, Sorry to get off topic for a moment...but I have a question... Since most masters swimmers get in around 4 days a week, how do you see the training schedule being set up in terms of aerobic versus speed work? Does one do mostly base training during the first two months of the season...and then stick with high intensity sets for the duration of the year (another 4 months)? If everything is done at race pace, does that work well for someone gearing up for anything beyond the sprint distances? I agree with you on the race preparation. As the saying goes, failure to prepare, is preparing for failure. Taking a dive off the blocks after every practice is the only way to get good at them. And simulated races once a week is very helpful. I appreciate your thoughts given how well your short course season went a couple of years ago. Quicksilver & Tom, As we've on this forum many times...the idea of a "magic bullet" for everyone simply doesn't exist. In my opinion so much of how we train should be dictated by how we feel eack day...for me the idea of hamering away when I feel so broken down simply doesn't work...I get out and take a rest day, or back off and go to the back of the lane and make adjustments to ensure that I'm trying to maintain perfect technique. This may or may not work for everyone and I'd bet that McConica, Baker, etc. would very much disagree...but if I was Dennis' coach I certainly would have had him rest for more than 3 days for Worlds last year (same with Boatwright)! As for how to set up a training cycle with 4 days a week available let me give you an idea how I will prep for Austin starting December 1st: - Approx. 5 month/20 weeks cycle s follows: 1) 7 weeks of high aerobic base training mainly from 3x a week spin classes or riding, 2-3x a week in the water swimming no more than about 3000m (I train for the 200 so most workouts are middle distance but even in this phase do 2-6 starts after practive 1-2x a week and some speed work (fast 25's no breath after practice to ekkp up tempo "feel"), one of these days will probably be playing water polo, yoga 2x a week, weights 1x a week. 2) 6 weeks of higher intensity swimming, short rest intervals, broken swims, meet every weekend that I can find one. Keep cycling/swimming 2x a week, same number of days of yoga/weights but move to more dynamic work; plyo's, stability balls, etc. 3) 4 weeks of high quality race prep wokouts, lots of tempo work, power work (fins and paddles, bungee's, power racks)....same schedule of cycle/yoga/weights. Start turn focus using running dives into pool into turns to simulate race speed. 4) 3 weeks of "taper": stop lifting, stop cycling, yoga 3x a week, lots of quality swims keeping yardage the same for the first 7 days with more rest, the last 14 days begin to lower yardage ech workout, if feeling good get in 2-3 very fast swims with lots of longer (300-600 yard swims) hypoxic recovery (I usually use a snorkel), the last week I stay off stairs if at all possible, no more starts, high qulity 25's no breath and lots of drill work....If i've done my job I've "banked" evrything and now is the time to relax and rest and TRUST thatI'm ready.....then see what happens!

Hi Paul, Sorry to get off topic for a moment...but I have a question... Since most masters swimmers get in around 4 days a week, how do you see the training schedule being set up in terms of aerobic versus speed work? Does one do mostly base training during the first two months of the season...and then stick with high intensity sets for the duration of the year (another 4 months)? If everything is done at race pace, does that work well for someone gearing up for anything beyond the sprint distances? I agree with you on the race preparation. As the saying goes, failure to prepare, is preparing for failure. Taking a dive off the blocks after every practice is the only way to get good at them. And simulated races once a week is very helpful. I appreciate your thoughts given how well your short course season went a couple of years ago. Quicksilver & Tom, As we've on this forum many times...the idea of a "magic bullet" for everyone simply doesn't exist. In my opinion so much of how we train should be dictated by how we feel eack day...for me the idea of hamering away when I feel so broken down simply doesn't work...I get out and take a rest day, or back off and go to the back of the lane and make adjustments to ensure that I'm trying to maintain perfect technique. This may or may not work for everyone and I'd bet that McConica, Baker, etc. would very much disagree...but if I was Dennis' coach I certainly would have had him rest for more than 3 days for Worlds last year (same with Boatwright)! As for how to set up a training cycle with 4 days a week available let me give you an idea how I will prep for Austin starting December 1st: - Approx. 5 month/20 weeks cycle s follows: 1) 7 weeks of high aerobic base training mainly from 3x a week spin classes or riding, 2-3x a week in the water swimming no more than about 3000m (I train for the 200 so most workouts are middle distance but even in this phase do 2-6 starts after practive 1-2x a week and some speed work (fast 25's no breath after practice to ekkp up tempo "feel"), one of these days will probably be playing water polo, yoga 2x a week, weights 1x a week. 2) 6 weeks of higher intensity swimming, short rest intervals, broken swims, meet every weekend that I can find one. Keep cycling/swimming 2x a week, same number of days of yoga/weights but move to more dynamic work; plyo's, stability balls, etc. 3) 4 weeks of high quality race prep wokouts, lots of tempo work, power work (fins and paddles, bungee's, power racks)....same schedule of cycle/yoga/weights. Start turn focus using running dives into pool into turns to simulate race speed. 4) 3 weeks of "taper": stop lifting, stop cycling, yoga 3x a week, lots of quality swims keeping yardage the same for the first 7 days with more rest, the last 14 days begin to lower yardage ech workout, if feeling good get in 2-3 very fast swims with lots of longer (300-600 yard swims) hypoxic recovery (I usually use a snorkel), the last week I stay off stairs if at all possible, no more starts, high qulity 25's no breath and lots of drill work....If i've done my job I've "banked" evrything and now is the time to relax and rest and TRUST thatI'm ready.....then see what happens!