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). He is very doctrinaire -- everything is black and white with no nuance. I agree with Glenn's comments about 20 x 50 @ 100 pace @ :20 rest being almost impossible for a masters sprinter. I would never even attempt this set. I also think Rushall's dismissal of strength training is suspect …

I agree with Glenn's comments about 20 x 50 @ 100 pace @ :20 rest being almost impossible for a masters sprinter. I would never even attempt this set. depends on if we are talking the 1st 50 of a 100 or 2nd 50 of a 100. would make a huge difference. i think i could make 2 of the 1st 50...with 10 MINUTES rest or 3 of the 2nd 50 with the same 10 MINUTES rest. 20? forget 20. i'd be laughing at thinking of even 6.

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...

I also think Rushall's dismissal of strength training is suspect … Training for Swimming Here is a piece of work that Rushall includes in his abstracts. I believe that for Masters he may say that weight training has some benefit.

You are right the table says that 50yd repeats are OK for training for the 100. This is unfortunate and I hope he changes the table. Nobody does 50s for 100 training with USRPT.

I coached swimming for 35yrs....and about 10yrs in after conversatin' with Dave Salo, and reading stuff by Brent, Bob Steele, and getting corroboration from about every page of every exercise physiology book that looked at volume vs intensity parameters, made a big shift to high intensity training, drastically reduced volumes (under 30,000/wk) with the centerpiece of the program being 'Goal Sets'...defined by best or goal times. Relative recovery days (2 a week, focused on other components of the sport). The results were immediately dramatic. Initial mindblowers for me, were mid-season lifetime bests....opposing rivals always said we rested for them! Did a lot of Rushall alactic style training, but also lactic tolerance sparingly: 100's on 3min@200mtr pace. 50's@100mtr pace, even 250's on 8@500pace. I can vouch for High intensity in general for sure....and'l say continual volume overload ala much of the swimming world (back then) didn't do any swimmers justice. The genetically gifted rise above it, but lose out on even faster performances cause of being hampered by the unnecessary volume. ... If your training for a 4min event, cranking 6000-9000yd workouts is a crock. Amen.I don't think there is much doubt from any of the forward thinkers is swimming that race pace is the way to go. Rushall has a plan that may maximize race pace.That makes sense.Workouts like Leslie's HIT are a different way to do race pace.Both are very specific to race conditions in some ways.I am going to give Rushalls workouts a try and see if they work for me,but I reserve the right to go more in the HIT direction at any time(I'm a Masters swimmers so I reserve the right to do whatever seems right for me on any given day.)

Hey Glenn - Kathleen here, from swim camp. Nice to hear you are swimming so fast! Your workouts sound intense! Congrats on your hard work and results. I am trying to get back in shape after having a baby. Its slow going, but Im inspired and will try some very modified versions for the shorter distances that I am inclined to race. (: Kathleen, nice to hear from you! Glad you are getting back in the swim. Go easy and enjoy, that's the best part of Masters swimming - I get to enjoy it everyday. I can't wait to get up in the morning and get to the pool!

Understand that I think USRPT is intriguing and I've done similar sets in the past. But the following types of statements (from Becca Mann's blog) drive me a little crazy: - Dr. Rushall said in his seminar was that USRPT is, “not theories, but deductions made from scientific work.” - You must accept that science is right and opinions are mostly wrong. I think that in both cases Rushall is trying to say that his approach is primarily data-driven rather than conjecture derived from fundamental principles. Well and good. But I hate it when people -- especially scientists -- invoke science as some all-powerful and distant thing that can't be understood, much less practiced, by mere mortals. In most cases that's just a way to stifle debate. I am a scientist, I work with scientists, and none of them talk like this. And when they report their work they do so in far more conservative fashion than this (sometimes almost comically so). Maybe sports science is different than chemistry, I dunno.

I coached swimming for 35yrs....and about 10yrs in after conversatin' with Dave Salo, and reading stuff by Brent, Bob Steele, and getting corroboration from about every page of every exercise physiology book that looked at volume vs intensity parameters, made a big shift to high intensity training, drastically reduced volumes (under 30,000/wk) with the centerpiece of the program being 'Goal Sets'...defined by best or goal times. Relative recovery days (2 a week, focused on other components of the sport). The results were immediately dramatic. Initial mindblowers for me, were mid-season lifetime bests....opposing rivals always said we rested for them! Did a lot of Rushall alactic style training, but also lactic tolerance sparingly: 100's on 3min@200mtr pace. 50's@100mtr pace, even 250's on 8@500pace. I can vouch for High intensity in general for sure....and'l say continual volume overload ala much of the swimming world (back then) didn't do any swimmers justice. The genetically gifted rise above it, but lose out on even faster performances cause of being hampered by the unnecessary volume. ... If your training for a 4min event, cranking 6000-9000yd workouts is a crock.

Maybe sports science is different than chemistry, I dunno. pay no attention to the man behind the curtain chris. :D