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
WARNING: ridiculous statement above
Suit yourself Chaos, but I'm talking survival. I've personally pulled long distance swimmers with picture perfect strokes onto my kayak. Swimming in the surfzone, out, back and parallel to the breakers means you throw anything out there that will work. If you can swim with the perfect stroke, while at the same time being kicked, whacked, scratched and tossed around swimming in a pack, then more power to you. But I personally prefer a body surf stroke that allows me to zig and zag with the flow of the water and get me to shore with enough energy to run up the beach to the finishline. Remember, the ocean is the great equalizer, and you are not wearing fins or pfd, so swim accordingly.
WARNING: ridiculous statement above
Suit yourself Chaos, but I'm talking survival. I've personally pulled long distance swimmers with picture perfect strokes onto my kayak. Swimming in the surfzone, out, back and parallel to the breakers means you throw anything out there that will work. If you can swim with the perfect stroke, while at the same time being kicked, whacked, scratched and tossed around swimming in a pack, then more power to you. But I personally prefer a body surf stroke that allows me to zig and zag with the flow of the water and get me to shore with enough energy to run up the beach to the finishline. Remember, the ocean is the great equalizer, and you are not wearing fins or pfd, so swim accordingly.
