I have heard that some Masters coaches are more interested in general fitness than speed.What is your experience? Do you feel that your coach prepares you to swim 50s and 100s?Is sprinting a regular part of practice at least once a week and if so do you do it as a main set or as an add on at the end?Do you do lactic acid sets?How much do you work on starts and turns?
I see more and more teams starting to follow the kind of calender that Ahelee mentioned...but as many here have pointed out it can be a bit of a challenge coaching larger groups with diverse interests...even if it is ultimately to ehri benefit to do this type of training.
I think as a rule coaches need to explain/sell the concept...start by calling it "speed" work vs. "sprinting". As Grant Hackett's coach pointed out in an ASCA article last year...all swimming is about speed...Hackett can go 49+ in the 100 (LCM) but is a forace in the mile and even the 10k.
I'm proud to say that I've been "selling" this to a group of multisport athletes I coach and today...after months...one of them even got on the blocks (wetsuit and all) for a set of fast 50's.
I see more and more teams starting to follow the kind of calender that Ahelee mentioned...but as many here have pointed out it can be a bit of a challenge coaching larger groups with diverse interests...even if it is ultimately to ehri benefit to do this type of training.
I think as a rule coaches need to explain/sell the concept...start by calling it "speed" work vs. "sprinting". As Grant Hackett's coach pointed out in an ASCA article last year...all swimming is about speed...Hackett can go 49+ in the 100 (LCM) but is a forace in the mile and even the 10k.
I'm proud to say that I've been "selling" this to a group of multisport athletes I coach and today...after months...one of them even got on the blocks (wetsuit and all) for a set of fast 50's.
