Two swimmers test their blood lactate and they are at the same level. One swimmer holds a 60 sec/100 pace and the other holds 75 sec/100 pace, is it fair to say swimmer one is swimming more efficiently, or are there other factors such as physiology at play? Can the swimmer with higher lactate still actually be swimming more efficiently, yet be generating the higher lactate numbers?
How do you pinpoint where a swimmer's physiology is limiting their performance and not their technique?
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Just trying to figure out my biggest shortcoming so I can focus on it, or at least be aware of it. Not sure if it is conditioning, technique or a combination of both. I'm talking primarily free here.
Ande and others,
Do you ever compare heart rate and heart rate recovery with your lanemates during a workout? What would your peak heart rate be and how quickly does it recover. I would assume the higher the heart rate the better and the quicker the recovery the better.
In our sport, it's about efficiency. I hate to compare it to golf. (Don't care much for golf...at all.) But technique means a lot.
You could be fit as anything, but it won't translate to speed unless the correct mechanics can harness the energy. Like ande said in building a better vessel.
Two swimmers going the same time for the 100 free may have a completely different combination of skills and/or level of conditioning. Swimmer no. 1 might be better in handling lactic acid build up while having technique only at a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. Swimmer no. 2 other could have less than ideal conditioning...but his technique is more like a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.
It's a good question ...but not so easy to pin point the answer.
Take the same 2 and try a 200 free. The better conditioning might weigh in more heavily and have a slight favor over the technique.
Just trying to figure out my biggest shortcoming so I can focus on it, or at least be aware of it. Not sure if it is conditioning, technique or a combination of both. I'm talking primarily free here.
Ande and others,
Do you ever compare heart rate and heart rate recovery with your lanemates during a workout? What would your peak heart rate be and how quickly does it recover. I would assume the higher the heart rate the better and the quicker the recovery the better.
In our sport, it's about efficiency. I hate to compare it to golf. (Don't care much for golf...at all.) But technique means a lot.
You could be fit as anything, but it won't translate to speed unless the correct mechanics can harness the energy. Like ande said in building a better vessel.
Two swimmers going the same time for the 100 free may have a completely different combination of skills and/or level of conditioning. Swimmer no. 1 might be better in handling lactic acid build up while having technique only at a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. Swimmer no. 2 other could have less than ideal conditioning...but his technique is more like a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.
It's a good question ...but not so easy to pin point the answer.
Take the same 2 and try a 200 free. The better conditioning might weigh in more heavily and have a slight favor over the technique.
