Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

While I think Rushall has some valid points,this over use of the term "science" grates on me a little.I grant that his approach is much more science based than nearly all coaches ,but frankly the swimming science literature is not robust enough to say anything definitive(at least IMHO.)I'd think of USRPT as a series of hypotheses.I intend to test some of these(sprint,100 pace and 200 pace protocols) with a sample size of one(me). I agree with you Allen to a large degree. There are a few problems with research in swimming i.e. the sample sizes are sometimes too small or the wrong age ( can you extrapolate results from age groupers to 60 year old Masters swimmers) and there are so many variables that it is very difficult to isolate what it is you are testing for. That said, there are a few concepts in motor learning, such as the idea that transfer of training is specific (hence the idea that drills are useless), that have been proven over and over again in many different sports and motor activities. Also, I beleive I am correct when I say that Rushall is not doing any of this research, he is looking at what all is out there and interpreting it for the swimming community. Remember when we all believed that the "S" pattern in the freestyle pull was the way to go or that a good start from the blocks was the one where you slapped the top of the water with your body? I think if you believe something will work, it will. I also believe that each swimmer brings a different mind set, a different body and different natural advantages and disadvantages to the pool. Remember when they said Mark Spitz could hyper extend his knees which gave him a better whip in the dolphin kick? You can't coach for that. As a result, different training protocols are going to be effective for different people. Everyone is always looking for that magic training that will make them a champion. But there is no one way to train in our sport that will be effective for everyone. You have to find what works for you and the way you do that is to give it enough time and committment to see if it actually works. End of lecture...

While I think Rushall has some valid points,this over use of the term "science" grates on me a little.I grant that his approach is much more science based than nearly all coaches ,but frankly the swimming science literature is not robust enough to say anything definitive(at least IMHO.)I'd think of USRPT as a series of hypotheses.I intend to test some of these(sprint,100 pace and 200 pace protocols) with a sample size of one(me). I agree with you Allen to a large degree. There are a few problems with research in swimming i.e. the sample sizes are sometimes too small or the wrong age ( can you extrapolate results from age groupers to 60 year old Masters swimmers) and there are so many variables that it is very difficult to isolate what it is you are testing for. That said, there are a few concepts in motor learning, such as the idea that transfer of training is specific (hence the idea that drills are useless), that have been proven over and over again in many different sports and motor activities. Also, I beleive I am correct when I say that Rushall is not doing any of this research, he is looking at what all is out there and interpreting it for the swimming community. Remember when we all believed that the "S" pattern in the freestyle pull was the way to go or that a good start from the blocks was the one where you slapped the top of the water with your body? I think if you believe something will work, it will. I also believe that each swimmer brings a different mind set, a different body and different natural advantages and disadvantages to the pool. Remember when they said Mark Spitz could hyper extend his knees which gave him a better whip in the dolphin kick? You can't coach for that. As a result, different training protocols are going to be effective for different people. Everyone is always looking for that magic training that will make them a champion. But there is no one way to train in our sport that will be effective for everyone. You have to find what works for you and the way you do that is to give it enough time and committment to see if it actually works. End of lecture...