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?
George, I find it somewhat amusing that you advise not worrying about all those things...and then proceed to provide your own numbers! (I don't know my own numbers for ANY of those things, not even my resting HR.)
Your point is well taken, though. I would only disagree with you that working on "fast hard sprint repeats" and "all out sprints" comes naturally and will "just happen" in masters swimming.
At the masters level I do not believe that is true at all. I think the majority of practices at teams arouund the country are predominantly "medium speed" without too much rest...basically, what I would call "fitness swimming" rather than preparing to race.
Now, of course, the majority of USMS members have no interest in racing so maybe that is okay. It is maybe hard to convince those people to really push themselves to the edge.
George, it's a discussion forum! We're supposed to mull things over. Besides, people may not have time to do all the different types of aerobic work.
I 100% agree with Chris' point about "medium speed" masters practices. My own team has pretty well thought out workouts, but still, most of it's medium speed. Very little race pace. (Although on occasion, we'll have sprinter sets.) In fact, I just urged a friend who has hit a bit of a plateau to stop going to as many structured practices, swim on her own more and do some speed work. Some fast 25s beats 5000 yards any day if you want to improve your sprints.
George, I find it somewhat amusing that you advise not worrying about all those things...and then proceed to provide your own numbers! (I don't know my own numbers for ANY of those things, not even my resting HR.)
Your point is well taken, though. I would only disagree with you that working on "fast hard sprint repeats" and "all out sprints" comes naturally and will "just happen" in masters swimming.
At the masters level I do not believe that is true at all. I think the majority of practices at teams arouund the country are predominantly "medium speed" without too much rest...basically, what I would call "fitness swimming" rather than preparing to race.
Now, of course, the majority of USMS members have no interest in racing so maybe that is okay. It is maybe hard to convince those people to really push themselves to the edge.
George, it's a discussion forum! We're supposed to mull things over. Besides, people may not have time to do all the different types of aerobic work.
I 100% agree with Chris' point about "medium speed" masters practices. My own team has pretty well thought out workouts, but still, most of it's medium speed. Very little race pace. (Although on occasion, we'll have sprinter sets.) In fact, I just urged a friend who has hit a bit of a plateau to stop going to as many structured practices, swim on her own more and do some speed work. Some fast 25s beats 5000 yards any day if you want to improve your sprints.
