Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

True enough. It’s evolving for 50s. That’s part of the fun. But there is some relevant science (see SSJ): ♦ Pace and mechanics are inseparable. ♦ Mechanics improve only by way of serial repetition. So, how can you get enough repetition into your training week, at race pace, without wearing yourself out? You can’t even do race pace if you're tired. USRPT would seem to be an answer. Dr. Rushall wrote me that at his recent clinic he met a top masters swimmer, a drop-dead sprinter, who was having trouble with the sets. Seems he couldn’t do enough yardage, using the prescribed 15 and 20 second rest intervals, to work on his stroke mechanics. Rushall told him that since 50s are largely hypoxic that he should err on the side of race-pace yardage rather than oxidative conditioning. That he should increase the rest intervals in his sets, progressively, until the yardage came, even if he had to go up from 20 to 30 seconds. If I were able to get serious again, I think I would start the season with strict USRPT, as a way of solidifying my stroke and of laying down an “oxidative base.” We sprinters are mainly fast-twitch, and I can’t help thinking that it would be of benefit, especially in long course, to force some of that muscle to use oxygen (II to IIb conversion), as well as to enhance the capacity to store oxygen. Then at some point I would begin adding long-rest sets, like the ones Leslie advises, to work on power. That would be a kind of periodizing, which Dr. Rushall doesn’t like, but until we get the full science we are surely entitled to experiment. Merry Christmas!

There he is, Usain Bolt, snug in his bed, while visions of decent half miles dance in his head. Can you possibly picture that? So what is it with swimming, anyhow, that makes us drop deaders pine for events that God designed us not to do? I’ve been there, and I think it’s the need for some sort of legitimacy. Or maybe we feel that we just don’t suffer enough. Bringing home a 200 will sure take care of that. OK. Here’s how you do it, strictly from the USRPT point of view. First, realize that your muscle is 90% fast twitch. It is not aerobic. It derives energy from the ATP-CP and lactacid systems. Which means that you are going to pump out gallons of lactic acid in the agonizing final meters of a 200, especially long course. That is, unless you use USRPT, which will at least reduce the acid output to quarts. It does this by forcing some fast-twitch muscle to switch over to using inhaled oxygen. That will get at least a few of acid monkeys off your back. Plus which, it will train your 100. The 50, at least short-course, is not entirely decided, but I would wait to see what USRPT does for it before loading up with other kinds of sets. It would seem to me, that if you want to focus on 50s and 100s, you are better off converting the transitional fibers to fast twitch mode to maximize power.Am I missing something?

Dr Rushall's view about maximizing repetitions at race pace seems very sound. The problem is that he thinks race pace repetitions can be maximized for 50s by doing, among other things, 4x6x12.5m. I do not think this set can be accomplished at race pace by anybody on the planet. It is like asking for a square-shaped circle. Many seem to advocate the "platinum" 25m or 20m. You can only manage a few of these per day - not sure how many but far less than 24 (4x6). I think I am becoming a believer in a few "platinum" 25s almost every day as the best way to implement Rushall's principles. I would love to know how Manadou and others do their 50 training. I do know he used a 20 minute sprint practice every Friday, but that is about all I know.

Really what I am saying is that a fast sprinter would have massive fatigue well before completion The whole idea with USRPT is that you are not supposed to complete the entire set. It is self limiting. Three total failures or two failures in a row with the skip if missed and you are done. You never get to massive fatigue. If you can complete the set, it is too easy. With traditional sets you are supposed to complete the entire set, but not with USRPT. We are so used to completing a traditional set, it is hard for some people to get used to USRPT sets and the concept of failure. If you are failing every other one, as I was at one point, you are not doing the set. You need to change the target time.

It would seem to me, that if you want to focus on 50s and 100s, you are better off converting the transitional fibers to fast twitch mode to maximize power.Am I missing something? I don't recall Rushall discussing transitional fibers, do you? Presumably they are an intermediate kind of fiber that converts to fast twitch in response to training. If so, is there any reason to think that race-pace training, which is hard, fast, and tough, would not do the trick?

The problem is that he thinks race pace repetitions can be maximized for 50s by doing, among other things, 4x6x12.5m. I do not think this set can be accomplished at race pace by anybody on the planet. I believe you are mistaken. But why waste your time on me? Take it up with Dr. Rushall. He does not suffer fools, but I have always known him to be willing to listen to reasonable arguments. Dogmatic, anecdotal assertions, however, unsupported by evidence, will not get you very far.

I believe you are mistaken. But why waste your time on me? Take it up with Dr. Rushall. He does not suffer fools, but I have always known him to be willing to listen to reasonable arguments. Dogmatic, anecdotal assertions, however, unsupported by evidence, will not get you very far. True. But it only takes one example to prove me wrong. He has presented the set to do well over a year ago. If the set was doable at race pace by a fast sprinter then surely one would be around to say "I did it" or "I know someone who did it". You are right that I was being a bit hyperbolic when I said not doable by anyone on the planet. Really what I am saying is that a fast sprinter would have massive fatigue well before completion - I assume it would be central nervous system fatigue but that is just speculation on my part. By the way - I have tried the set and I have seen others try it too. My guess is that race pace may be achieved for a 1/3 of them but that you are operating slightly slower than race pace for about 2/3 of them. Also I am not saying it is a bad set. I like the set and I think it helps with 50s and 100s and underwaters and sprinting speed. My point is that the set might be good - but not for the reason that it maximizes race pace yardage.

There he is, Usain Bolt, snug in his bed, while visions of decent half miles dance in his head. Can you possibly picture that? So what is it with swimming, anyhow, that makes us drop deaders pine for events that God designed us not to do? I’ve been there, and I think it’s the need for some sort of legitimacy. Or maybe we feel that we just don’t suffer enough. Bringing home a 200 will sure take care of that. OK. Here’s how you do it, strictly from the USRPT point of view. First, realize that your muscle is 90% fast twitch. It is not aerobic. It derives energy from the ATP-CP and lactacid systems. Which means that you are going to pump out gallons of lactic acid in the agonizing final meters of a 200, especially long course. That is, unless you use USRPT, which will at least reduce the acid output to quarts. It does this by forcing some fast-twitch muscle to switch over to using inhaled oxygen. That will get at least a few of the acid monkeys off your back. Plus which, it will train your 100. The 50, at least short-course, is not entirely decided, but I would wait to see what USRPT does for it before loading up with other kinds of sets.

It seems to me that someone who focuses on 50s really needs to practice lots of starts and lots of turns (assuming you are swimming short course). Any USRPT (or any training regime, for that matter) aimed at 50s that does not include these two elements is inherently flawed.

There he is, Usain Bolt, snug in his bed, while visions of decent half miles dance in his head. Can you possibly picture that? So what is it with swimming, anyhow, that makes us drop deaders pine for events that God designed us not to do? I’ve been there, and I think it’s the need for some sort of legitimacy. Or maybe we feel that we just don’t suffer enough. Bringing home a 200 will sure take care of that. ??? I admire my distance brethren, but I do not pine for anything over a 100. I don't care for "suffering" and it seems Rushall doesn't either. And sprints are "legitimate." There is no room for error and sprint practices are demanding both mentally and physically. Kirk really just made my point. Rushall seems entirely focused on actual swimming. But 50s are about starts and turns and SDKs. (Recently read that even in long course, starts are 26% of a race.) Does Rushall now endorse kick only sets? I certainly spend plenty of time doing AFAP 15s dolphin kick … But having had success with my method of training for 50s, I'm not going to "wait to see what USRPT does before loading up with other kinds of sets." Just saying. I will try doing some 25s @ 100 pace, but I think I will be in the category of needing more rest than 15-20 seconds.