Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

Michael Andrew, 14 swam some amazing times at JRs, breaking several NRs and continually improving. He doesn't turn 15 till around April 2014 so he's likely to break more. 50 FR 20.40 100 FR 44.85 very close the rec is 44.81. 100 BK 48.68 NR 100 BR 55.43 NR 100 FL 47.47 NR 200 BR 2:04.97 200 IM 1:49.67 USA Swimming SCY Age Group Recs I'm also curious to see how he countinues to improve as he matures and if his Ultra Short Training At Race Pace will hold up and enable him to become a world class swimmer and a serious contender at 2016 trials.

I'm also curious to see how he countinues to improve as he matures and if his Ultra Short Training At Race Pace will hold up and enable him to become a world class swimmer and a serious contender at 2016 trials. This may not prove anything, but I started USRPT in September training for the 400 free SCM. I don't do any garbage yardage. No kicking, no pulling, no toys. Only a warm up and one or two USRPT sets a day. I just swam my fastest 400 free time in three years in our SCM championship meet, and was 7 seconds faster than last year. I'm 64.

The nice thing about this training is that when I get up behind the blocks, I tell myself "Just do what you do everyday in practice". I agree. You're training your body to be able to hold your goal pace and you're also convincing your brain you can hold that pace.

Sunruh, The total yardage is 3400 of which 2200 is at race pace. I am pretty sure you won't get that much race pace training in any other Masters workout. oh i agree! but also understand that 3400 is still a good distance as well. while this may work for up to 500yds for masters. i dont see how this works for elite nor any distance over 500 even for masters. i could be quite wrong but i just dont think anyone is willing to try it for a season to "test it"

nor any distance over 500 even for masters. i could be quite wrong but i just dont think anyone is willing to try it for a season to "test it" I don't see why a swimmer couldn't do a set of say 16 to 20 x 100's with 20 sec rest, holding a mile pace? A couple weeks ago, as part of my team workouts, we did just that. Paul assigned each of us goal times, then the interval was that + 20 (we rounded up to the nearest 5/10 for simplicity). My interval was 1:35, with a goal of under 1:15 on each. Actually, Paul gives us even shorter sets, like 50s @ 50, for me holding :35 or better. He adjusts both the interval and goal time, mostly based on lane (who is in the lane on that day). So yes some teams actually do train like this. And to think he usually passes this off as a distance set ;)

aztimm, but did you stop if you didnt go under 1:15? or just continue on with less rest? big difference there

i dont see how this works for elite nor any distance over 500 even for masters. i could be quite wrong but i just dont think anyone is willing to try it for a season to "test it" I think it works better for 500 and over! If you are swimming a set of 500s you could do 2 x (24 x 75s). If you are doing 800 you can do 2 x (36 x 50) or 2 x (30 x 75). If you are doing 1500 you can do 2 x (25 - 30 x 100). My time in the 800 at the SCM meet was also my fastest in 4 years and the water was way too warm! Just because no one is doing it doesn't mean it doesn't work. Even the "elite" swimmers are not doing the mega yards they did in the 70's and 80's. It is no longer in vogue to do 20K a day.

I don't see why a swimmer couldn't do a set of say 16 to 20 x 100's with 20 sec rest, holding a mile pace? A couple weeks ago, as part of my team workouts, we did just that. Paul assigned each of us goal times, then the interval was that + 20 (we rounded up to the nearest 5/10 for simplicity). My interval was 1:35, with a goal of under 1:15 on each. Yes, but can you imagine doing this same set every day? That's the part I can't wrap my head around. It seems like it would be very boring to do the same sets day in and day out.

Yes, but can you imagine doing this same set every day? That's the part I can't wrap my head around. It seems like it would be very boring to do the same sets day in and day out. I do the 30 x 50 sets on Monday and Friday and the 2 x (40 x25) sets on Tue/Th. Wednesday I do 75's or 100s. The reason it is not boring is that I am always trying to get fewer failures and to push the first failure later and later. That is the challenge every single day. I also work on speeding up at the flags sometimes or counting strokes or hitting the turn faster. I never find it boring. I also have a measure from day to day and week to week as to my progress. I also throw in a time trial evry week or two. Sometimes at the end of the sets and sometimes at the beginning. Then I can compare my times against a rested time trial or a fatigued time trial.

You are doing the sets on :50 for freestyle. If someone was going to this set backstroke or fly, what interval would you recommend? The rest is always the same for 50s and above, i.e.20 seconds. If you are doing 25s the rest is :15. Just figure out what your race pace time is and add the 20 seconds to get your interval. Say you want to go a 1:10 100 fly. Each 50 would be :34 to a hand touch - (your feet should hit at :35 as they would on a touch pad). So in this case your interval would be :54 - but I would round up to :55 to make it easier to see on the clock.