Help with a swmming math problem

Great topic for discussion Perhaps we should consider the two separate issues: - Physiological response to exercise stress (i.e. heart rate, repirotory rate, lactic acid build up etc.) - Power resistance "curve" provided by swimming activity The power resistance "curve" for swimming activity would be where you could find the answer to the original question of a 3/4 pace swim to simulate competition effort. Hydrodyanamic drag of a swimmer body through the water increases as the velocity squared. As a result, the power required to make a interval time will increase as the square of the relative change in time. Consider the following equations F_drag = C_flow * V^2 V_swim = d_swim/t_interval W_swim = F_drag * D_pool P_swim = W_swim * t_interval where: F_drag - hydrodyamic drag of swimmer body through water V_swim - swimmer velocity through water d_swim - pool distance swum t_interval - competition time or training pace interval W_swim - work expenditure of swimmer. This quantity is directly related to required caloric intake to recover from swim workout P_swim - power expenditure of swimmer. This quantity is related to swimmer bodies capability to convert chemical energy stores into usefull muscular power output I put in the term C_flow as a constant that would represent an individuals flow resistance in the water. It considers skin friction, form drag and stroke efficiency. You would determine your personal C_flow number from swim tests. You might have one C_flow for sloppy swimming and one for high quality ;) If you take all these equations and combine you could get the following: P_race = C_flow * (d_swim^2 / t_race) So if you consider C_flow and d_swim the same between train and race conditions and wanted an interval that was three quarter (75%) of your race speed power output you would just have. t_train = t_race/0.75 You were correct in your original answer. For me the challenge that engages me in those long sets of training intervals is working toward keeping efficiency high (make C_flow low) for strokes and turns and to simulate short periods of race conditions in training to monitor any changes in C_flow. Happy swimming.

Great topic for discussion Perhaps we should consider the two separate issues: - Physiological response to exercise stress (i.e. heart rate, repirotory rate, lactic acid build up etc.) - Power resistance "curve" provided by swimming activity The power resistance "curve" for swimming activity would be where you could find the answer to the original question of a 3/4 pace swim to simulate competition effort. Hydrodyanamic drag of a swimmer body through the water increases as the velocity squared. As a result, the power required to make a interval time will increase as the square of the relative change in time. Consider the following equations F_drag = C_flow * V^2 V_swim = d_swim/t_interval W_swim = F_drag * D_pool P_swim = W_swim * t_interval where: F_drag - hydrodyamic drag of swimmer body through water V_swim - swimmer velocity through water d_swim - pool distance swum t_interval - competition time or training pace interval W_swim - work expenditure of swimmer. This quantity is directly related to required caloric intake to recover from swim workout P_swim - power expenditure of swimmer. This quantity is related to swimmer bodies capability to convert chemical energy stores into usefull muscular power output I put in the term C_flow as a constant that would represent an individuals flow resistance in the water. It considers skin friction, form drag and stroke efficiency. You would determine your personal C_flow number from swim tests. You might have one C_flow for sloppy swimming and one for high quality ;) If you take all these equations and combine you could get the following: P_race = C_flow * (d_swim^2 / t_race) So if you consider C_flow and d_swim the same between train and race conditions and wanted an interval that was three quarter (75%) of your race speed power output you would just have. t_train = t_race/0.75 You were correct in your original answer. For me the challenge that engages me in those long sets of training intervals is working toward keeping efficiency high (make C_flow low) for strokes and turns and to simulate short periods of race conditions in training to monitor any changes in C_flow. Happy swimming.