On frequent occasions, I feel my form fall apart on tougher sets, but I finish regardless of my form. I feel it is more important to force my body to undergo the physiological adaptation resulting from these "near death" sets than to worry about maintaining form.
As long as I imprint the correct form in less strenuous sets I feel it is OK to gut tougher sets out when my form is falling apart. Many times I finish my workout with some shorter repeats to finish and leave the pool with the correct form imprinted in my mind.
This post is as a result of one of today's sets where I simply did not want to "give up" and switch from fly to free. I felt it was important to finish it the way I intended to give me a metal boost that I can do it as well as force the body to adapt. Is this mentality towards training wrong?
Ideally, we'd keep up our form as our intensity increases. I, for one, don't live in Utopia (though my hometown approximates it) and frequently feel my stroke and body collapse many times in workouts. I think the trick is to try to:
delay the onset of technique collapse as much as you can as your intensity increases,
lengthen the time in subsequent workouts at which technique/body collapse occurs
I think this is something of a chicken-egg question.
My $0.02: "Muscling through" practices is not a good thing to be doing, but it happens, just as other bad habits do (like breathing off the walls). One thing I have found in my brief life as a Masters swimmer is that I am much less likely to fall into this sort of behavior than I was as a high schooler, probably because there's less pressure to perform at practice, but also because I'm much mentally stronger that I was 20 years ago.
There is no avoiding it, in my opinion. Once you cross that lactate threshold line, your muscles can't maintain the same form as before. But if you don't practice sometimes in this state, your body won't be able to get used to this.
I don't believe this business of "ingraining bad form" into muscle memory unless you spend most of your practice time swimming with poor form. This doesn't appear to be the case with you. I think you just lose it when you're really tired and tight. But again, if you don't practice in this condition occasionally, you won't be able to swim races in this condition--and a good race, particularly 100 or more, always involves some discomfort of this type.
For what it's worth, one other consideration:
Sometimes your stroke feels horrible, but if you were to film it, you might be surprised how relatively unaffected it looks. I'm not saying it looks great, but it probably isn't nearly as ugly as it feels. Next time you swim a 100 in a meet, get somebody to film you. Chances are you will feel like the last 10-15 yards are really broken down--but it won't seem nearly as bad on the video.
I hate dumping an interval to "catch my breath", I hate switching from fly to free, I hate grabbing paddles, and I really hate reaching for fins.
It seems like the consensus so far is that this breakdown is part of tough sets and sometimes can't/shouldn't be avoided.
The way I look at it, if the form breaks down too much I will miss the interval, but I can make it, then perhaps it did not break down as much as I feel it did.
I know that sometimes my form just isn't right and a wonder if I should stop. I try to keep track of missed intervals and I try to make up the yardage while people are getting out of the pool.
Try to maintain form but finish the set anyhow as long as you don't injure something and you will still have enough energy to drive home/go to work afterwards.
Just like you wouldn't stop a race when your form falls apart 5 or 15 yards from the finish.
A lot depends on the shape you are in and the race you are training for.
There will be times when your form goes away and you just need to muscle through to get the time, make the set, or even finish. Don't hurt yourself. During those moments I chide myself about my lack of pacing.
Some of my PRs were done in complete agony, some were done with ease.
I can't figure it out, but I prefer ease.
There is no avoiding it, in my opinion. Once you cross that lactate threshold line, your muscles can't maintain the same form as before. But if you don't practice sometimes in this state, your body won't be able to get used to this.
I don't believe this business of "ingraining bad form" into muscle memory unless you spend most of your practice time swimming with poor form. This doesn't appear to be the case with you. I think you just lose it when you're really tired and tight. But again, if you don't practice in this condition occasionally, you won't be able to swim races in this condition--and a good race, particularly 100 or more, always involves some discomfort of this type.
For what it's worth, one other consideration:
Sometimes your stroke feels horrible, but if you were to film it, you might be surprised how relatively unaffected it looks. I'm not saying it looks great, but it probably isn't nearly as ugly as it feels. Next time you swim a 100 in a meet, get somebody to film you. Chances are you will feel like the last 10-15 yards are really broken down--but it won't seem nearly as bad on the video.
Agreed.
On top of that you should usually follow up those type of sets with some stroke drill or easy pull set. Not only does it let you cool down, but also regain your form.
On frequent occasions, I feel my form fall apart on tougher sets, but I finish regardless of my form. I feel it is more important to force my body to undergo the physiological adaptation resulting from these "near death" sets than to worry about maintaining form.
As long as I imprint the correct form in less strenuous sets I feel it is OK to gut tougher sets out when my form is falling apart. Many times I finish my workout with some shorter repeats to finish and leave the pool with the correct form imprinted in my mind.
This post is as a result of one of today's sets where I simply did not want to "give up" and switch from fly to free. I felt it was important to finish it the way I intended to give me a metal boost that I can do it as well as force the body to adapt. Is this mentality towards training wrong?
I know I have done the same thing as you. As I fatigue, I sometimes let my form diminish. I would say this is bad. It's all about repetition and muscle memory.
Sometimes when my fingers get tired, or my finger tips hurt while playing a song on my guitar, I let bad form take over because it is easier. Just like swimming, allowing bad form, will eventually become a habit, and one that is tough to break. With guitar, we are taught to practice the song at a slower pace until you get it right, then increase speed. Will this also apply to swimming?
My wife had a great outside shot in college, and good left-handed layup, but her form wasn't perfect, and it is because she never practiced perfect form. She will be the first to admit it.
I know it is a tough habit to break, but try and swim in race form. Even at your most tired, try and remember to do the little things that you know make you more efficient. For example, when I am completely relaxed, my stroke count will be 11-12 per lap. When I am tired and sloppy, it adds up, almost near 15-17. I am not saying 17 is bad, but 6 more strokes when I am tired? That's bad form. So I try and think about it during sets.
You'll be thanking yourself during a race when your tired and still using good form.
