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?
Former Member
Now, let's be honest here (S)he. Your answer CLEARLY is E: Forget sprinting, and train your brains out.
Question is, "How much aerobic work for sprinters?" not for (S)he.
True high maintenance sprinters are incapable of training their brains out. Not an option for them.
I'd like to see the Gatorade run performed with women. Any women up for joining me say the end of a nats meet? And actually, it would be rather entertaining to switch out the Gatorade for cups of beer. . . :laugh2::laugh2: What can I say? Train hard. Play hard.
In response to the thread title..
Based upon the results of Jazz and the testimony of Paul Smith, I would say, not much.
Like Paul said, it depends what you mean by "sprinter." I think it also depends what you mean by "aerobic work." It's true that I don't do a lot of slow sets where the aerobic system is dominant. However, during an all-out sprint the aerobic power output is at a maximum. Having a lot of sprinting yardage develops aerobic fitness to a suitable extent for a 50, without sacrificing anaerobic power.
www.theraceclub.net/.../viewtopic.php
This is being discussed elsewhere. Here is a great thread which references the 400m track workout and it's equivalency to the 100m swim. Buried in it is an old iconic article from Clyde Hart (coach of Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards). It shows how an an elite 46 sec quarter miler might train.
It was once thought that the quarter mile was 90% anaerobic and 10% aerobic. Scientific research has flipped that and found a rather large aerobic component.
Therefore an aerobic component is necessary for sprinters not only for the race but also to assist in the recovery of repeats during speed endurance workouts. As the season progresses, the workouts become shorter and more intense.
What shocked me most about switching to swimming was the short rest.....why do swimmers do that? I used to rest 2-3 minutes, sometimes 8-10 for full recovery.
Interesting Race Club thread. There was one post concluding that lactate tolerance was the key for the last 15 meters of a 100, not aerobic capacity.
Isn't it wonderful we don't have to try and qualify for the Olympics. We can get away with minimum work and not have the concerns of being the best in the world. Or we can overload and train hard just to be the #1 swimmer in our age group.
All we have to think about is to be the best we can be with or without killing our selves.
For any distance swimmers lurking out there thinking sprinters are wimps try some lactate tolerance sets.My favorite(well actually I hate it,because it hurts if you do it right,but it is my favorite because it gives good results)25s on the 30 all out,repeat until stroke gets ragged(8-10 generally for me),take a min rest and go again.Probably a more disciplined swimmer could do 4 sets,2 is good for me,then a LONG cool down before anything else.Done right you should burn all over by the end.It does really help with the last 15 yd and even more with the last 15M.
My option is not listed.
It is, "What do these boys know anyway?" :joker::joker:
Review the advice given, but create your own plan that you enjoy and believe in. That will work.
Also I don't think non sprinters should have input on this thread (you know who you are and how you love yardage:mooning:.)
Coach Chris, great post. Makes a lot of sense to me.
Allen, I couldn't agree with you more. Go away non-sprinters - that includes you middle distance folks too!
:rant3::rant3:
Allen - Graham Johnson a great swimmer for sure.
Last time I raced against Graham Johnson was 1957 in a 2 mile OW swim in Lake Ontario. I had only been sprinting and playing waterpolo. Graham, Peter Duncan and George Breen were there. Peter and Graham asked me to take George Breen out fast to burn him out. I went out as fast as I could and Peter and Graham finished behind George and me. They came 3rd and 4th.
I was always able to swim well in cooler water.
At a meet I went to in the 70s in Houston,Graham Johnson(definitely a distance swimmer),was(improbably)entered in the 100 and 200 BR SCY.His 100 time-1:14.His 200 time-2:28.
For me this yr 100 BR 1:08,200 BR 2:28.Thats a 12 sec difference and my 200 was better than I expected and my 100 was worse-SPRINTER:banana:.
Also I don't think non sprinters should have input on this thread (you know who you are and how you love yardage:mooning:.)
This is me. 1:05 100 BR, 2:25 200 BR. That's double plus 15. Very drop dead sprinter, considering my 50 BR was a 28.6.
the point is
the mark of a sprinter is
take their 100 time
double it then
add 12 to 16 seconds and you have a time close to their 200 time
ande
