While this may make some energy sense it doesn't seem like a good set for 100 swimmers because it doesn't spend enough time at 100 pace.Since want to race the 50,100,and 200 BR I need to train all 3 at race pace which i do on different days.My favorite set on my 100 race pace days is 10X200 on about 4 min.The first 50 is at my 100 goal time(my planned 2nd 50 split) and 150 recovery.The reason it is "about" 4 min. is that I want to allow enough rest to make the goal time so some days I rest more some less.I assume that doing race pace work taxes the proper energy systems.
I don't think it makes any sense for 50/100 swimmers. 5 x 200, 300s, 400s, 500s "blasting away" at "best average" with the 50 for "dessert"? I don't see how that's particularly useful for 50/100 specialists training mostly in short course. That looks more like a garden variety mid D workout. Swimming is specialized too -- 50/100 specialists need to specialize in 50s/100s in training and sprint at race pace with ample recovery swimming. The proposed kind of aerobic work would detract from that goal. Rich Abrahams stated that he improved after taking Erich Hochstein's challenge to do more race pace work. That's not to say he did no aerobic work, as I understand his workouts, but not this set certainly. Masters swimmers only have so much time and energy. Better for sprinters to do targeted race pace work, which also will, as Allen notes, tax the energy systems. Allen's set is more typical of how I train, though even 10 x 50s @ 100 race pace is a lot.
I used the Cameron van der Burge example above because, as I understand it, when he was focusing on the 50 ***, he was doing around 4 50s off the blocks AFAP during the course of the week and the rest of his practice consisted of speed drills, technique work, recovery swimming, etc.
A couple years ago Paul Smith started a thread right on point: Do we have it (training) all wrong? - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums. In it, he queries whether swimmers train all wrong and should do more race pace work like track athletes.
Solar Energy -- I don't do "no" aerobic capacity work. I just would never do the set you posited and I believe it would be counter productive to emphasize it. So this is sort of my response to Lindsay's question about whether it is really necessary for training sprinters.
While this may make some energy sense it doesn't seem like a good set for 100 swimmers because it doesn't spend enough time at 100 pace.Since want to race the 50,100,and 200 BR I need to train all 3 at race pace which i do on different days.My favorite set on my 100 race pace days is 10X200 on about 4 min.The first 50 is at my 100 goal time(my planned 2nd 50 split) and 150 recovery.The reason it is "about" 4 min. is that I want to allow enough rest to make the goal time so some days I rest more some less.I assume that doing race pace work taxes the proper energy systems.
I don't think it makes any sense for 50/100 swimmers. 5 x 200, 300s, 400s, 500s "blasting away" at "best average" with the 50 for "dessert"? I don't see how that's particularly useful for 50/100 specialists training mostly in short course. That looks more like a garden variety mid D workout. Swimming is specialized too -- 50/100 specialists need to specialize in 50s/100s in training and sprint at race pace with ample recovery swimming. The proposed kind of aerobic work would detract from that goal. Rich Abrahams stated that he improved after taking Erich Hochstein's challenge to do more race pace work. That's not to say he did no aerobic work, as I understand his workouts, but not this set certainly. Masters swimmers only have so much time and energy. Better for sprinters to do targeted race pace work, which also will, as Allen notes, tax the energy systems. Allen's set is more typical of how I train, though even 10 x 50s @ 100 race pace is a lot.
I used the Cameron van der Burge example above because, as I understand it, when he was focusing on the 50 ***, he was doing around 4 50s off the blocks AFAP during the course of the week and the rest of his practice consisted of speed drills, technique work, recovery swimming, etc.
A couple years ago Paul Smith started a thread right on point: Do we have it (training) all wrong? - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums. In it, he queries whether swimmers train all wrong and should do more race pace work like track athletes.
Solar Energy -- I don't do "no" aerobic capacity work. I just would never do the set you posited and I believe it would be counter productive to emphasize it. So this is sort of my response to Lindsay's question about whether it is really necessary for training sprinters.
