Let's look at Paul's training. What purposes do weights and spinning serve? They are not recovery and they are not race-pace training. He has said that he is not interested in fitness for its own sake, he wants to swim fast. So he must think these things help him do that. (Paul, I don't want to misrepresent you, pls correct me if I'm mistaken.)
Chris, typically I focus my training on the 200 free....than adjust somewhat based on wether I want to extend my range up (to the 500) or down (to the 50).
If its "up" (as it was for Austin) I'll do more aerobic based interval training sessions on a spin bike a couple times a week trying to move my HR into the 150 range over for 2:00 then recovery till it drops below 110...if it takes more than a minute to recover than I know I'm fatigued and/or a bit overtrained....which means recovery workouts till I'm feeling "fresh" again...could be 1-3 days. of light swimming or easy spins keeping heartrate below 120. I will also lift 1-2x a week max but still focus on explosive lifts...I always want to be powerful enough to blow by someone anywhere in a race and I believe this helps develop that kind of power.
If its "down" (Portland), I'll still spin (or row) but change the intervals to 30 seconds with 1-2:00 recovery again based on HR. In the water I do tons of 200 pace work...I need to have easy speed right at :30 seconds (LCM) for a 50 and HR under 150...so lots of descending sets, broken 200's (enjoy that wednesday Sam?!) However I also need to be aware of the tempo change for my 50/100 so even when given longer swims (400+) I'll cruise a 50 and work the turns and/or breakouts...or middle 25's (again talking LCM)...idea is to increase hand speed without slipping so instead of say 28-30 strokes per 50 I'm in the 36-38 range...HR needs to jump to 150 and not bow up. weights are 3x a week here alternating with swim days, typically 3 days working out/one full day off.
Spinning for me is a much easier way to push HR work...I can't even come close to it in a pool (not to mention my shoulders won't allow me anyway). Laura's the same...but a real animal; last week over a 1 hour spin she kept her HR over 170...took less her than 2:00 to drop below 90..she is and always will be in far better shape than I but again her "primary" goal is working out for fitness, for me I want my fastest swims in the meet practice...being fit is just a nice benefit of my workouts.
So where am I at? Still struggling with speed and pretty broken down...managed a 24 minute 2k open water swim last weekend keeping my HR in the 140 range till the last 500m where it went to 165 by the finish so my base is OK...now I need to find that "snap" for breaakouts/fast 25's/50's.
PS, I never even come close to meet times in workouts...never have.
Let's look at Paul's training. What purposes do weights and spinning serve? They are not recovery and they are not race-pace training. He has said that he is not interested in fitness for its own sake, he wants to swim fast. So he must think these things help him do that. (Paul, I don't want to misrepresent you, pls correct me if I'm mistaken.)
Chris, typically I focus my training on the 200 free....than adjust somewhat based on wether I want to extend my range up (to the 500) or down (to the 50).
If its "up" (as it was for Austin) I'll do more aerobic based interval training sessions on a spin bike a couple times a week trying to move my HR into the 150 range over for 2:00 then recovery till it drops below 110...if it takes more than a minute to recover than I know I'm fatigued and/or a bit overtrained....which means recovery workouts till I'm feeling "fresh" again...could be 1-3 days. of light swimming or easy spins keeping heartrate below 120. I will also lift 1-2x a week max but still focus on explosive lifts...I always want to be powerful enough to blow by someone anywhere in a race and I believe this helps develop that kind of power.
If its "down" (Portland), I'll still spin (or row) but change the intervals to 30 seconds with 1-2:00 recovery again based on HR. In the water I do tons of 200 pace work...I need to have easy speed right at :30 seconds (LCM) for a 50 and HR under 150...so lots of descending sets, broken 200's (enjoy that wednesday Sam?!) However I also need to be aware of the tempo change for my 50/100 so even when given longer swims (400+) I'll cruise a 50 and work the turns and/or breakouts...or middle 25's (again talking LCM)...idea is to increase hand speed without slipping so instead of say 28-30 strokes per 50 I'm in the 36-38 range...HR needs to jump to 150 and not bow up. weights are 3x a week here alternating with swim days, typically 3 days working out/one full day off.
Spinning for me is a much easier way to push HR work...I can't even come close to it in a pool (not to mention my shoulders won't allow me anyway). Laura's the same...but a real animal; last week over a 1 hour spin she kept her HR over 170...took less her than 2:00 to drop below 90..she is and always will be in far better shape than I but again her "primary" goal is working out for fitness, for me I want my fastest swims in the meet practice...being fit is just a nice benefit of my workouts.
So where am I at? Still struggling with speed and pretty broken down...managed a 24 minute 2k open water swim last weekend keeping my HR in the 140 range till the last 500m where it went to 165 by the finish so my base is OK...now I need to find that "snap" for breaakouts/fast 25's/50's.
PS, I never even come close to meet times in workouts...never have.
