Opinions on my training plan

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Former Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:30:58 GMT

I am seeing a lot of people touch on the overall workout that you do, etc. My personal opinion (since all of the other bases are covered), your taper is way too short. I extend a taper out to a 3 week period where we start a gentle cut with increasing intensity, and down to the final week where the swimmers are out of practice a bit early, but it is full on intensity and a lot of recovery. Just an opinion.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Former Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:09:11 GMT

First, let me say that I am impressed with your workout schedule. It is far more training than I currently do. It is also far more training than I will ever do in the future. Your current workout plans would bury me. However, this is not to say that it wouldn't work for you. I would advise that you try and take much more of a sprinter mentality if you're training for the 100. Sprinters do as little as possible, usually with remarkably good results--this always frustrates the distance swimmers. You will have to learn what works best for you, which means you have to start somewhere. I think you're overtraining by quite a bit and not sprinting and resting enough with your current plan. But then again, it's not like I know anything. I would get rid of the 30k weeks, throw in much more sprinting, and taper a lot more and focus on checking my progress at a few meets in between.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Former Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:37:45 GMT

From your posts I would suggest the following: - Focus - you want to break 60, but also swim a 100 Fly and a 200 Free. Do strength training, but also endurance + running + flexibility. I used to do the same - but then realized that I just can't do that any more (age and recovery). Just pick one goal and let everything else be what it is - 100 Free break 60. - Build your plan - but put in priorities each week for each part of your workouts. If it's an endurance week - make sure you can do your 2-3 aerobic sets - everything else is a bonus. - From your 50 time, you already have enough speed. "Built like a brick" sounds like you need to go easy in the weight room. If you are already strong on land - then land strength is not your main focus. How to get that strength into swimming should be the focus. - Speed + strength work in the water: It's a 100 ... less than 60 sec. This is your main area to work on. 25s 50s 75s -- resistance work building to sprints -- sprints with zoomers -- sprints with paddles -- 25 kick + 25 swim at max speed -- broken 100s -- broken 75s - Technique - find somebody to tape you or take a look. The best drills to do on your own are distance per stroke OR doing relatively fast repeats (50s) and finding "an easier way to swim the same time".

RE: Opinions on my training plan

SwimMann — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:33:17 GMT

There are not any races coming up except the one in March and it's close to where I live. I really only compete twice a year unless another meet pops up close to where I live or my parents live so I can have free lodging and meals for the weekend :)

RE: Opinions on my training plan

ourswimmer — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:34:30 GMT

Aren't you planning to practice racing at meets before your target meet? Even if you have a teammate who will race you at practice, it's not the same. And since you don't have a coach, I'm betting you don't have a just-right training partner either. 100 SCY is a very short race with a lot of components. You may need several tries to hit all the parts just right. You don't need to rest weeks or even days for every meet. You can just go in and practice your racing skills even though you know that with a taper and rest you will be sharper. There is no practice for racing like racing.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

elise526 — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:42:47 GMT

Forgot to mention - I really encourage you to order Swim to Win by Ed Nessel. Coach Nessel was USMS Coach of the Year in 1998. There is a whole chapter dedicated to training sets for speed. He also has a chapter devoted to resistance training. I think you would find the book to be extremely helpful in achieving your goals. Believe that you will reach your goals!:weightlifter:

RE: Opinions on my training plan

SwimMann — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:04:10 GMT

I know I need to push it harder but I feel so slow right now in the water. I don't have a coach but I've gotten tips on my stroke from a former college D1 swimmer who coaches age group kids. I always feel like I'm sinking and I know I need to keep my hips up but they always seem to sink. I had a severly sprained ankle this summer that affected my swimming for about 10-12 weeks where I wouldn't kick at all and this has probably led to bad habits. I keep my head in a decent position but I can really feel some tightness in my shoulders that is preventing me from having higher elbows that I need. My body roll is pretty minimal, probably because of low elbow height. So pretty much my stroke is crap right now but I know what I need to do to fix it. To Elise: My recovery is not all that great. I plan on keeping my workouts to around 3500-4000yds and a long one of around 4500-5000yds and dropping the heavy-lifting regimen to a more endurance based/injury prevention one with a lot of core stability work to help get those hips up. Thanks a lot for the advice.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

rtodd — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:19:34 GMT

Ok, so I swam today and it was kind of a mess. I've been lifting heavy and swimming sparingly the last 6-8 weeks or so and have gained some muscle mass and apparently lost a lot of flexibility. I did 15x100yd free as my main set with 5 on 2:00, 5 on 1:55, and 5 on 1:50. I was only coming in at around 1:33-35 (this is yards mind you). I wasn't breathing hard The problem with this set is the "I wasn't breathing hard" part. You've got to push it. With that send off you should come in at 1:15-20, not 1:35. On a set like that I would want to try and find a zone near puking on the last five. With your volume your pace needs to be better, or look for flaws in technique. You did mention a balance problem. Are you getting coached during your workouts? You can meet your goals!! You are close!!

RE: Opinions on my training plan

elise526 — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:10:35 GMT

I have swam a 30.37 50 LCM free before (translates to a 26.03 50 yd free). I'm 22 years old; 5 foot 8 inches tall. I'm built more like a brick than a swimmer, a small brick at that, but I like having meets to compete at and reasons to train for something. The reason I'm doing quite a bit of aerobic work is I also want to do fairly decent in the 200 free and 100 fly events. The meet is a two day meet; it's SCY; so I want to have some juice for all my events. I come from a running background and I like running because of the added mental toughness it seems to give me. I can't really explain it too well, but when I haven't ran in the past I just don't seem to push myself as hard in swimming. Plus it seems to actually aid in recovery for me. thanks for the tips. With your build (You describe yourself as a brick, so I'm assuming you are a mesomorph.), be careful not to overtrain. Mesomorphs get broken down very easily and also need a good taper. Being that you are male and muscular, you need a 3 week taper. Since you are running, you might want to consider keeping your workouts between 3500 to 4,000 yards, and have your longest workout of the week be between 4500 and 5,000.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

SwimMann — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:56:06 GMT

Ok, so I swam today and it was kind of a mess. I've been lifting heavy and swimming sparingly the last 6-8 weeks or so and have gained some muscle mass and apparently lost a lot of flexibility. I did 15x100yd free as my main set with 5 on 2:00, 5 on 1:55, and 5 on 1:50. I was only coming in at around 1:33-35 (this is yards mind you). I wasn't breathing hard but my body was just so tight I just was not balanced at all in the water. I did kick a 1:39 100yd flutter w/board (was 45s at the 50) but can hardly seem to swim a 1:30. So i think I'm going to change my weight room time to more endurance based like 2-3x12-15 reps and focus a lot more on flexibility/core strength and stretching.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Allen Stark — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 02:41:56 GMT

I'd suggest do at least 6 wk on the speed work and 3 on the taper.Doing lots of core work in the weight room is important too.Also really work on starts,turns,and streamlining.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Former Member — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:55:09 GMT

How old are you ? Is the meet short-course or long-course ? The Taper is too short. This sounds good but slightly old school. A lot of yardage for a 100. Running - only if you need to lose weight - otherwise, you are better off in the weight room or flexibility Weightroom - 25 min is not a lot - I would add there with the following: Core - everything starts in the "middle", so I would add some dedicated core exercises. Start out with the normal stuff and then start adding some difficult exercises. Speed work - every week ask yourself - how many yards did I do at race pace ? 50 Speed - you have to be going at least 27.5 or faster - never forget that.

RE: Opinions on my training plan

Former Member — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:52:27 GMT

So you currently do a 1:03. You want to go sub 60. And you have 4 months in which to do it. What is your fastest 50 time? If you can go 26 high or 27 low, you are in with a real chance. You could go out in a 28:50 and come back in a 31. (Your first 50 about 1 to 1 and a half seconds off your best time and your second 50 between 2 and 3 seconds off your first). Start thinking about your race strategy now. Set goals for your splits. Now tailor your training to achieve those goals. Stay focused on that 59:99 all through the next 4 months. Don't expect it to magically 'pop out' of hours of aerobic training. In reality, you don't need to do that much aerobic training for a 100. You need strength and speed. It is good that you are going to the gym. Now focus on your speed work in the pool. Your idea of doing a 100 once a week on a Saturday, for time, is a good idea. It is not enough, though. Twice a week would be better. That gives you 32 race practice runs over the next 4 months. Is that enough for you? If you are improving on a weekly basis and within reach of your goal then, yes. If no, then perhaps you need to do more. Remember IN ORDER TO SWIM FAST YOU NEED TO TRAIN FAST. Do fast 25's and 50's as well. Get timed for them and beat those times. Don't forget your starts and turns. If you have a lightning fast start, a 'rockin' fast turn' (Paul Smith's term)! and tight streamlines off the dive and turn, that could make all the difference between a 1:00:01 and a 59:99. All the best. Syd

RE: Opinions on my training plan

SwimMann — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:46:55 GMT