How much aerobic work for sprinters?

Paul, Was wondering why you focus on that kind of weight lifting. No doubt when a swimmer is stronger, a swimmer is faster. But I haven't met swimmers who lift like you do. Obviously it seems to be working well... I lift 3 x a week for an hour. But since I've had 4x shoulder surgeries, i spend most of that time trying to strengthen my scapular pulling, and trying to keep the rotator cuffs strong. Do you spend any time on shoulders?? Chris In spite of being a dinosaur, i try to stay in touch with what elite college programs are doing both in dryland and in the pool. No way can I replicate this in my own workouts after having 2 shoulder surgeries and 2 knee surgeries and getting an AARP card next year so i adapt to my own schedule and ability. I do shoulder work but minimal overhead and VERY light, keep the heavier lifts (for me) to back/legs.

Also, after adapting some of the weight routine that the U of A & ASU groups utilize i have to admit I've gotten a LOT stronger. Old is new if you will, lots of Olympic style dead lifts, clean & jerk, squats....heavy weights low reps...working on explosiveness. Paul, Was wondering why you focus on that kind of weight lifting. No doubt when a swimmer is stronger, a swimmer is faster. But I haven't met swimmers who lift like you do. Obviously it seems to be working well... I lift 3 x a week for an hour. But since I've had 4x shoulder surgeries, i spend most of that time trying to strengthen my scapular pulling, and trying to keep the rotator cuffs strong. Do you spend any time on shoulders?? Chris

Still, I swim with a small masters group with a very wide range of abilities, including triathletes and latecomers (ie those who have picked up swimming late in life). These guys have been referred to as "late bloomers" in previous posts. This was before your joining date but you really missed some heated and interesting discussions on these types. :bolt:

To digress back to lifting.I have a question about "slow lifting" and lifting speed in general.I was told(many years ago) that slow lifting was counter productive in speed sports as it hypertrophied slow twitch fibers which may increase strength and bulk but would impede explosiveness.I was told you wanted to lift fast enough to be mostly engaging fast twitch fibers only.Is there any validity to that line of thought? It makes sense to me.

Anyway, here's the practice she submitted: warm-up: 1000 kick with fins, choice main set: swim/pull 20x100 free on 1:45 kick 1000 with fins, choice swim/pull 20x100 free, 10 swim, 10 pull on 1:45 kick 1000 with fins, choice swim 10x100 free on 1:45 swim, pull or swim with fins 8,000 total That's a lot of long kicking. I think kicking 200 at a time is boring, I can't imagine 1000s kicking! The whole workout seems kinda boring to me. And way too many yards with fins--I'm guessing that helps bump up the mileage some ;). IMO, it'd be more effective to take off the fins and cut back the yards on those kicks to fit the same amount of time. But then, I'm not an OW specialist, just an ADD middle-distance type.

I vote that sprinters do not need aerobic training. Back in college, when I was way faster, we did a lot of race speed and a lot of lactate sets. You didn't do any aerobic training in college? I'm skeptical about this. And if you did do aerobic training in college perhaps that's why you were "way faster."

I believe you are all chasing a dream which will never come if you are dwelling on Max Vo2 Aerobic Aenerobic Lactic Theshold and so on Get in and swim, do some easy swimming, some medium speed repeats, some fast hard sprint repeats, and some all out sprints. Work on your dives, turns and your streamline. Guess what you will be doing all of the above without thinking about it. Way too much to think about I am 74 - My birthday is May 19th are all of the figures going to be changed because I am a year older. Resting heart rate 60 Aerobic min heart rate 111.6 Aerobic max 128.8 Aenerobic min 128.8 AenerobicThreshold max 137.4 Max Vo2 min 137.4 Max Vo2 max 141.7 Lactic Threshold 142.56

Chris you have to understand I will never do a work out with a masters club again. Most coaches get their workouts from the computer and spend to much time doing drills. I am not into drills. I believe coaches and instructors have to teach and correct swim strokes. I divide my workouts so, 1 day Aerobic, 1 day Aenerobic, 1day Max Vo2. It so happens every day I swim there happens to be a little of all three thrown in. But I focus on only one of the three each day. I do try when training to swim 6 days a week so I focus on each level 2 x a week. If you need your numbers, I need your age and resting heart rate. I put it in the computer and it will spit out your numbers. Seeing I am one year older next week my numbers will cange slightly.

I have enough trouble lifting my body out of bed.

To digress back to lifting.I have a question about "slow lifting" and lifting speed in general.I was told(many years ago) that slow lifting was counter productive in speed sports as it hypertrophied slow twitch fibers which may increase strength and bulk but would impede explosiveness.I was told you wanted to lift fast enough to be mostly engaging fast twitch fibers only.Is there any validity to that line of thought? It makes sense to me. Sounds like a good way to get hurt, no? Anyhow, I am curious as well.