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?
Years ago (OK, half a lifetime ago) my college coach famously said:
"In order to swim fast one must swim fast."
Pause for a Zen moment...now ponder that pearl of wisdom.
That comment was directed at the entire team (both men and women), not just the sprinters. Speed work is essential in all aspects of swimming. One must vary speeds to discover feel, pace, and threshold limits. Simply swimming moderate/slow distance sets will help, but adding sprint sets will make a distance swimmer a better swimmer. Ditto for triathletes, especially during the start of a swimming leg.
Mix it up, vary your speed, and get out of your comfort zone! That is the only way to stay fresh and improve your performance.
So swim fast, at least every now and then.
Years ago (OK, half a lifetime ago) my college coach famously said:
"In order to swim fast one must swim fast."
Pause for a Zen moment...now ponder that pearl of wisdom.
That comment was directed at the entire team (both men and women), not just the sprinters. Speed work is essential in all aspects of swimming. One must vary speeds to discover feel, pace, and threshold limits. Simply swimming moderate/slow distance sets will help, but adding sprint sets will make a distance swimmer a better swimmer. Ditto for triathletes, especially during the start of a swimming leg.
Mix it up, vary your speed, and get out of your comfort zone! That is the only way to stay fresh and improve your performance.
So swim fast, at least every now and then.
