Can speed practice alone help long distance endurance?
Former Member
If I only practice to improve the speed in short distance, will it help increase the endurance needed for long distance? In other words, say I have trained for several months for (only) speed, could I, one day, suddenly find myself swimming long distance without feeling tired?
(Obviously the opposite is not true: simply being able to swim slow long distance doesn't help improve the speed.)
Parents
Former Member
Absolutely, for as a kayak escort, sprinters have no trouble taking on the surf and strong currents. Long distance marathon swimmers do have trouble and I have to fish them out all the time. Speed practice really helps you punch out, while you'll just be marking time and swimming in place when the current is against you if you train long and slow like "marathon swimmers" do. If you're busy work-a-holic that can manage an hour of training a day, then speed practice is for you, and a one mile to 2 1/2 mile open ocean swim will be a piece of cake. Anything over an hour of practice is just garbage milage and is counter productive. Forget technique, for out in the ocean, you just throw your arms out there and see what works, for all that efficient stroke stuff means nothing when you're getting banged up in the surf.
Absolutely, for as a kayak escort, sprinters have no trouble taking on the surf and strong currents. Long distance marathon swimmers do have trouble and I have to fish them out all the time. Speed practice really helps you punch out, while you'll just be marking time and swimming in place when the current is against you if you train long and slow like "marathon swimmers" do. If you're busy work-a-holic that can manage an hour of training a day, then speed practice is for you, and a one mile to 2 1/2 mile open ocean swim will be a piece of cake. Anything over an hour of practice is just garbage milage and is counter productive. Forget technique, for out in the ocean, you just throw your arms out there and see what works, for all that efficient stroke stuff means nothing when you're getting banged up in the surf.
