Rich Abrahams- Atlanta

Rich's 50 Free was named the "Performance of the Week" on today's Morning Swim Show: www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../24218.asp The first part of the video discusses Gangloff's experience in Atlanta. Unfortunately, the picture at the end is not of Rich. On a related note, until Sheri recently moved to Seattle, the two (Rich and Sheri) were training partners.

The Morning Swim Show photo has now been updated to show Rich at one his "home pools", the Utah Pool, in Aurora, CO.

Hi, everyone. It was a no-brainer to make Rich our performance of the week. I saw Rich swim at one of my first Masters meets, in 2000, and I was astounded. We're going to interview Rich this week and make him a full-on feature in an upcoming episode of "The Morning Swim Show."

I was wondering during the meet if some of the young kids there were watching the times posted by these older age-group masters. You better believe it! :bow: I'm 38 and split 22.2 on the relays and 49.90 in my 100 Free. He was unreal!

Everybody Wants to Be Rich here's the history of Rich's 50 free times over the years Lifetime best 21.4 (hand held, 1965 NCAA's 2d place) 30-34 22.21 age 31 35-39 22.17 age 35 40-44 22.14 age 40 45-49 21.78 age 48 50-54 21.73 age 53 55-59 21.82 age 55 60-64 22.30 age 60 65-69 22.10 age 65 2010 his 22.10 50 is magnificent and remarkable. It's the result of who he is and how he trains. He get's it and does what it takes to be remarkable. One man's miracle is another man's engineering I really wonder what he will be doing 20 years from now. Can you imagine Rich at 85 going 23.0? Could be.

I'll buy a fan club t-shirt! His times speak for themselves,... That would be a great T-shirt. I can see it, taking from Ande's post below: On the Front "Everyone wants to be Rich" On the back: his times over the past 50 years.

In my conversations with Rich at meets, some of my favorite things he's ever told me about training are: "In practice Swimmers go too fast when they should be going slow and Swimmers go too slow when they should be going fast." "I don't don't taper or rest for my big meet each season, I prepare for Championship Performance, which I call Championship Performance Prep or CPP." "Resting your nervous system for big meets might be just as important as resting your body." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rich also does a remarkable dryland program. He is lean, fit and strong. Ande

In my conversations with Rich at meets, some of my favorite things he's ever told me about training are: "In practice Swimmers go too fast when they should be going slow and Swimmers go too slow when they should be going fast." "I don't don't taper or rest for my big meet each season, I prepare for Championship Performance, which I call Championship Performance Prep or CPP." "Resting your nervous system for big meets might be just as important as resting your body." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rich also does a remarkable dryland program. He is lean, fit and strong. Ande Ande - Ask Rich if you can put these tips in your book. Golden. The two of you are pure swim fast Sages. What a boon to have watched you both swim, swim along side and take in your advice all at the same time. These are GOOD DAYS for masters swimmers!

I love this information...I have been trying to relay this type of training to my old team but they refuse to believe fast and race pace training works...they'll continue the old school training methods of swimming as many yards as possible with as little rest as possible... Thank you Rich!

Thank you Ahelee, I am pretty sure both are already in Everybody wants to be Rich. Anyone who hopes to replicate Rich's ability needs to find out how he's been training then train that way for years. He reveals a little in this post: Alan, I did have a plan that I credit Eric Hochstein for inspiring in late 2008. I've always centered my training around racing (like you) but Eric inspired me to have a goal of a minimum of 15,000 meters of race effort swimming between Jan. 2009 and nationals in May 2010. Now this is not hard swimming, but true race pace and it's much harder than it sounds. Actual competitions were included in the yardage, but it also included lots of all out broken 100's. An example is 4 X broken 100 on the 10 minutes. You start with a 50 off the blocks @ all out race pace. On the :45 go an all out 25 (the watch starts when your head goes under) and then on the :30 go an all out 25 kick. I would alternate fly and free 100's. I did meet my goal and had a total of 17,000 meters of what I call "race effort" swims during that period. Working on pure speed is much easier. An example is 10-15 50's on 2:00 in groups of 5. Number 1, do a breakout and 6 all out strokes. Number 2, the same with 7 strokes. and progress so that number 5 is 10 strokes. Then repeat 2 more times. This really stimulates the nervous system and there is lots of technique to work on like keeping your face totally relaxed during numerous all out efforts. Regarding the interview, my only real disappointment was not being given an opportunity to discuss the many positive aspects of masters swimming to a wider audience of swimmers. Rich From: Rich's post May 31st, 2010 Rich Abrahams in person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rich Abrahams on Swimming World Morning show... USMS Swimmer Info Richard T Abrahams USMS Top Ten Swims by Richard T Abrahams USMS National Records YouTube- Rich Abrahams 65 years old 50 freestyle Atlanta 2010 YouTube- Rich Abrahams 65 years old 100 freestyle Atlanta 2010 Ande - Ask Rich if you can put these tips in your book. Golden. The two of you are pure swim fast Sages. What a boon to have watched you both swim, swim along side and take in your advice all at the same time. These are GOOD DAYS for masters swimmers!