As I crawled back into the pool today fat and out of shape, I wondered: Don't sprinters need some minimal aerobic work? I see that Ande is doing none whatsoever and Paul advises not "fighting fat" in the pool. I do a lot of race pace training and cross training. But still, is just a little aerobic work called for? I can tell I don't need any for 50s, but my 100s could use a little something. I don't think I have the substantial swimming aerobic base that people like Ande have because I was out of the pool for so many years .. So I'm either taking my 100s out too slow for fear of dying or actually dying. Does aerobic work help counter this? Or do I need more lactate work such as doing 100s with huge amounts of rest?
I don't know but I picked the middle one. At least it will give you the option of surviving a non-sprint event - maybe, hopefully...should you choose to swim a non-sprint event. :dunno:
I think sprinters need aerobic work and none of your poll options are quite right. I think you should be doing some aerobic training throughout the season. It doesn't have to be a huge amount. Maybe a 1,000-2,000 yard/meter aerobic, short rest set most days.
sprinters need to be fast and strong
aerobic training can make sprinters slow and weak.
we become what we do
I don't think doing 10 x 100 on 1:10
will help you swim a faster 50
Swimming fast 15's, 25's & 50's with plenty rest
will help you swim a faster 50
Getting stronger from weights and dry land will help you swim a faster 50.
Rich Abrahams said
"one of the biggest mistakes sprinters make in practice is:
When they swim slow
they swim too fast
and
When they swim fast
they swim too slow.
Hope this helps,
ande
I think sprinters need aerobic work and none of your poll options are quite right. I think you should be doing some aerobic training throughout the season. It doesn't have to be a huge amount. Maybe a 1,000-2,000 yard/meter aerobic, short rest set most days.
Kirk, it never even occurred to me to do aerobic work "most" days. lol
Ande, I hear you. That's mostly what I've done. But how do you put some more punch in your 100s? I'd like to swim faster 100s too. I can't imagine doing a 200 without aerobic training ...
Thanks abc. I don't sprint all out everyday. I do listen to my shoulder. Having done so much race pace/mega rest work lately, I guess I'm just inclined to think I do need some aerobic work too. Not a lot of it, but more than I'm doing perhaps. Not really sure what "works best for me" though, as I'm still getting the hang of this training/tapering thing.
fort
to prepare for 100's
do fast 50's, 75's & 100's in practice
take a couple easy days a week
you can still swim a 200 just correctly split it
take it out a little easier than if you have been doing all the aerobic and hard distance training
Ande, I hear you. That's mostly what I've done. But how do you put some more punch in your 100s? I'd like to swim faster 100s too. I can't imagine doing a 200 without aerobic training ...
Just remember aerobic doesn't have to mean "long, slow and boring." Do some relatively short but challenging aerobic sets and 'aerobic' won't be such a dirty word, anymore.
Here's an example of something my team did last week:
3x (200@2:15, 150@2:15)
4x (100@1:05, 75@1:05)
We did some other stuff in between, but you get the idea. The 200 and 100 were at a pace where you had to swim pretty hard just to make the send-off, then you had a shorter swim to recover a little bit (but not too slow) before the next round.
In my opinion stuff like this is more enjoyable--and probably pays more dividends-- than 5x500 on 6:00.
chris
that means when a swimmer is supposed to be swimming slow and concentrating on form or warming up
they are holding too fast of a pace maybe with sloppy form or no regard to form.
IE
say they are doing 10 x 50 on 1:00
they are holding 35's instead of over 40
look up the 50 free records for
50 - 54, 55 - 59, & 60 - 64,
drop by:
www.usms.org/.../toptenind.php
Ande,
What does "when they swim slow they swim too fast mean?" I get the second half. And who is Rich?
Chris
I definitely believe that you should do some aerobic stuff in your workouts if you’re a sprinter. The only thing that I might caution against in your case is your nagging injuries. I wouldn’t do so much aerobic stuff that it causes these injuries to severely worsen. I also wouldn’t sprint all out, everyday, hysterically until your shoulder completely blew out. In my opinion, it’s about moderation. Periodization, aerobic, anaerobic, lactic acid—these are just terms. Forget them and go by how you feel and what you know works best for you. Too often I see people getting caught up in the latest workout trend, whether it’s how to train or what suit to wear. Stop the over analysis and just swim. From what I understand, you already kick butt in the pool. Forget the crazies like Ande and Paul, that methodology has been scientifically proven through periodization studies to only work on other crazy people :D
Rich Abrahams said
"one of the biggest mistakes sprinters make in practice is:
When they swim slow
they swim too fast
and
When they swim fast
they swim too slow.
Hope this helps,
ande
Ande,
What does "when they swim slow they swim too fast mean?" I get the second half. And who is Rich?
Chris
