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?
This goes back to:
A) Defining what a "sprinter" is
B) Distinguishing between SCY-SCM/LCM
On "A" I personally define a sprinter as someone committed first and foremost to their 50(s). If that is the focus the training is extremely different than someone who wants to "extend" their reach to the 100, 200 & 500 where more emphasis on aerobic base is needed. Jazz is the perfect example, blazing fast 50 speed...not so concerned with the 100...and in his case a focus on high intensity pool work and weight training is more important. Speaking for myself, I've never been a sprinter....middle distance with the ability to stretch myself down to the 50/100 because I have worked on developing "easy speed" but also able to back half the 200/500.
On "B", long course meters is an entirely different animal in the 100 on up so if you do want to be strong in the 100 you need some basic aerobic training mixed into your routine....for me thats where spinning comes in, the training effect of being on a spin bike for 30-60 minutes maintaining an average hr of around 145 is something I can't get in the pool. I use that time for technique and speed work and early on some longer aerobic swimming/kicking work.
On the pool I would check the 2nd, 3rd and 4th options.
Good points. I did notice your impressive range at nationals, in the 50 thru 500; very nice. (But somehow I missed your 200 fly? :))
The fitness aspect of cycling/spinning or running is unquestioned (as well as for weight control). But is it really so hard to do the same in the pool? The 1-hour postal swim hurts just as bad as a 40 km bike time trial, after all, and probably has a similar affect on HR.
As an aside, my triathlete/cyclist friends always marvel about -- and don't quite understand -- swimmers training for hours for events that last mere minutes.
This goes back to:
A) Defining what a "sprinter" is
B) Distinguishing between SCY-SCM/LCM
On "A" I personally define a sprinter as someone committed first and foremost to their 50(s). If that is the focus the training is extremely different than someone who wants to "extend" their reach to the 100, 200 & 500 where more emphasis on aerobic base is needed. Jazz is the perfect example, blazing fast 50 speed...not so concerned with the 100...and in his case a focus on high intensity pool work and weight training is more important. Speaking for myself, I've never been a sprinter....middle distance with the ability to stretch myself down to the 50/100 because I have worked on developing "easy speed" but also able to back half the 200/500.
On "B", long course meters is an entirely different animal in the 100 on up so if you do want to be strong in the 100 you need some basic aerobic training mixed into your routine....for me thats where spinning comes in, the training effect of being on a spin bike for 30-60 minutes maintaining an average hr of around 145 is something I can't get in the pool. I use that time for technique and speed work and early on some longer aerobic swimming/kicking work.
On the pool I would check the 2nd, 3rd and 4th options.
Good points. I did notice your impressive range at nationals, in the 50 thru 500; very nice. (But somehow I missed your 200 fly? :))
The fitness aspect of cycling/spinning or running is unquestioned (as well as for weight control). But is it really so hard to do the same in the pool? The 1-hour postal swim hurts just as bad as a 40 km bike time trial, after all, and probably has a similar affect on HR.
As an aside, my triathlete/cyclist friends always marvel about -- and don't quite understand -- swimmers training for hours for events that last mere minutes.
