Does anyone have a working link to the original article?
Yeah I was looking for that too b/c I calc'd my numbers but have little idea how to interpret them. Based on best times over the past two years:
Back SCY: 50/100 is 1.11, 100/20 is 1.16
Back LCM: 1.09 and 1.13
Fly SCY: 100/200 is 1.19 (I have never done a shaved 50)
Fly LCM: 50/100 is 1.15, 100/200 is 1.22
Free SCY: 200/500 is 1.09, 500/100 is 1.06
(I would expect these last numbers to be lower since they are longer distances; in other words, you take out a longer race at closer to your race pace for a race that's half the distance. Possibly also true a little bit for LCM races relative to SCY/SCM?)
In an effort to deduce what represents a "good" value for the sprint distance index (SDI) I have carried out some analysis.
According to: "Swim to Win: Train Like a Champion," By Ed Nessel;
The racing formula for a 100 backstroke is:
Let x = (best 50 time)
1st 50 = x + 1
2nd 50 = 1st 50 + 1.5
Similarly, the racing formula for a 200 backstroke is:
Let y = (best 100 time)
1st 100 = y + 3 ...to... y + 4
2nd 100 = 1st 100 + 3.6
It follows that if x is your best 50 time in seconds, your best 100 time should be about 2x+3.5.
It follows that if y is your best 100 time in seconds, your best 200 time should be about 2y+11.
The "ideal" SDI for 50/100 backstroke is then:
SDI(50/100) = (log(x/50))/(log((2*x+3.5)/100))
A graph of this function is shown in the attached file.
The first thing we learn is that the "ideal" SDI depends on how fast you swim. For me, my best 50 back is 31.01 seconds, so my ideal SDI(50/100) = 1.13. My actual SDI(50/100) = 1.14. I'll take that. If you are faster, your ideal SDI is lower. If you are slower, your ideal SDI is higher.
The "ideal" SDI for 100/200 backstroke is:
SDI(100/200) = (log(y/100))/(log((2*y+11)/200))
A graph of this function is shown in the attached file.
Again we see that the "ideal" SDI depends on how fast you swim. For me, my best 100 back is 65.89 seconds, so my ideal SDI(100/200) = 1.24. My actual SDI(50/100) = 1.22. Again, I'll take that.
One could discuss whether Nessel has the best possible racing formulas. Others have advocated slightly different splitting for the 100 and 200. Using the approach taken above, one could generate a SDI curve for another racing formula. The best splitting is also stroke dependent. Again, the above analysis could be applied to other racing formulae for other strokes.
With Master swimmers, a 200 breaststroke is taking what... 2:45 maybe? 2:50?
If I swam 200BR faster than 3:36.37 (LCM) or 3:38.16 (SCM) I'd be breaking the IPC world record for my disability classification. If I went faster than 3:42.68 (LCM) I'd have the Australian and Oceania record. I'm good, but I'm not that good!
SDI: interesting. Thanks.
If I swam 200BR faster than 3:36.37 (LCM) or 3:38.16 (SCM) I'd be breaking the IPC world record for my disability classification. If I went faster than 3:42.68 (LCM) I'd have the Australian and Oceania record. I'm good, but I'm not that good!
SDI: interesting. Thanks.
I think SolarEnergy probably meant SCY,not LCM or even SCM.
Regarding to the Indurain conclusion, "Larger declines in maximal and submaximal values relative to body mass (19.4-26.1%) indicate that body composition changed more than aerobic characteristics. " I would also like to know if the aerobic characteristics will change less in cases like this because of genes, because it was developed in early years of life (early teens), or because of both.
Way, way, way...way up the thread there was a discussion about the effects of a long layoff on performance.
There was a study of Miguel Indurain on the effects of detraining. He was 25-30 lbs heavier and they tested him 14 years after his retirement.
His measured oxygen uptake and power output numbers would favorably compare to current professional cyclists.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../22868823
