Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

So for the first 5, even if you miss your goal time you keep going? Or you skip and rest but dont count it towards your 4 total failures? According to Rushall the first 5 your body is adjusting to the interval and even if you miss, you don't rest (you don't really need to that early) and you don't count it toward your 4 failures. When I miss during the first 5 it is usually a 33 rather than a 32 and I just turn it up a little on the next one. I made this same mistake when I first started until I asked Rushall about it. If this was Rushall answering he would say do not use fins or any other device... ever. Actually he says you can use toys during the rest time between sets if you wish. He suggests taking an EZ swim and some wall rest time of as much as you need between USRPT sets. Me answering, I'd say it is up to you. USRPT is about race pace. If you want to swim fast in a race you have to swim fast in practice. Other than a recovery day which I believe in but don't know where Rushall stands, I believe the only way to swim fast is to swim fast. So, if you swim fast once a week that will probably help. If you swim fast twice a week that will help more. If you swim fast three times a week...you get the idea. Good luck!

Since coming across this thread a few weeks ago, I've been wanting to try a UST@RP workout for a while now. It was delayed by an illness at the start of the year and then resting to do the one-hour postal, which I did on Sunday. After recovering the last couple of days from the postal, I finally got to do an UST@RP set today! I attempted it, at least. I'd love some feedback from Glenn (or anyone else who does this type of training), to let me know what I need to adjust. My training goal: hold 1:08s in the 1650 (my personal best is averaging just over 1:09s) The set I chose to start with: 2 x (16 x 100) on 1:30 trying to hold 1:07s The results: ========================================= 300 warmup 16 x 100 @ 1:30 1 = 1:06 2 = 1:06 3 = 1:06 4 = 1:06 5 = 1:06 6 = 1:05 7 = 1:06 8 = 1:06 9 = 1:06 10 = 1:06 11 = 1:06 12 = 1:05 13 = 1:05 14 = 1:05 15 = 1:05 16 = 1:05 300 swim and rest for a couple of minutes Since I easily made all of the first 16 on 1:30, I adjusted the interval to 1:25 16 x 100 @ 1:25 1 = 1:06 2 = 1:06 3 = 1:05 4 = 1:05 5 = 1:06 6 = 1:06 7 = 1:06 8 = 1:06 9 = 1:06 10 = 1:06 11 = 1:07 12 = 1:06 13 = 1:07 14 = 1:07 15 = 1:07 16 = 1:06 400 cool down ========================================= As I understand UST@RP, the ideal amount of rest for this type of set is around 20 seconds, so I figured that trying to hold 1:07s, starting with 1:30 (or 23 seconds rest) would be OK. I guess I was wrong because I easily made all of the first 16. I adjusted the sendoff for the second 16 to 1:25. This was a bit more challenging, especially near the end of the set, but I still made them all. I guess I either need to drop my target interval to 1:06 or 1:05 or change the sendoff to 1:25 or both. What would be your advice?

the only time you rest is if you miss one (except for the first 5) Hey Glenn, So for the first 5, even if you miss your goal time you keep going? Or you skip and rest but dont count it towards your 4 total failures? Ive tried twice now to do a set of 30 x 25s free and both times Ive missed an early one but then do better for the rest of the set. But I have been skipping when I miss, which kinda helps me "reset" and do better from there. Is that wrong? Am I supposed to just keep going until I miss one after rep 5? Also after the free, Ive been doing a mini set of 25s fly but using short fins. Its the only way for me to keep my stroke together and maintain race pace. My thought is maybe after a month or so I can try taking them off. Lastly I am only planning to do this once a week. Does that defeat the purpose, or will there still be a benefit? I assume there will be some benefit because I did significantly better this week than last week.

well you certainly have different workouts. but considering that above it was said you need days off to recover....meaning you can only train 3 events a week. i dont think you will see a multi-event elite doing that.

Thanks so much for the response, Glenn! Next time I do the 100s set, I'll do 2 x (30 x 100) on 1:05 skip if missed on a rest interval of :20. That sounds very intimidating to me right now, but hopefully I can get at least part way through the first set before reaching failure. Yikes! That seems like a lot of yardage, but I guess with all of the failures, it won't work out to be too much; perhaps 4000 to 5000 per set, on the longer end, which is reasonable. Though it does seem that with that much swimming, I'd need more than one day off per week in order to recover. Just to clarify, when doing the 2 x ( XXXXX ), I can take time between the first and second major sets, right? Something else I've been wondering: I have several goal times in the different distance freestyle events. In the 1000, I'd like to go a 11:10 (holding 1:07s). In the 500, I'd like to go a 5:15 (holding 1:03s). Is it possible with UST@RP to train for different events with each workout? I know you're focused (exclusively?) on the 400 SCM. But say I want to focus on the 1650 race pace two days a week, the 1000 pace 2 days a week and the 500 pace the other two days. Is that something that's possible with UST@RP? Yes, that is a lot of yardage. But I think it is OK to modify the number of sets you do. Rushall had suggested that I do 2 x (30 x 50) three times a week plus two days of 2 x (40 x 25) two times a week plus another workout on Saturday. This 65 year old body needs rest so I don't do Saturday's anymore. And as yet I have been able to do 2 days of 2 x (30 x 50), 1 day of 40 x 25 plus 20 x 25 and one other day of 40 x 25 , my fifth day has been time trials and a partial set of USRPT. He suggested to work up to a full schedule. I may not ever get there. It kind of depends on if the current training gets me to my goal time. As far as time between sets is concerned, Rushall told me to take as much time as I needed. So I usually swim an EZ 300 or so and then rest on the wall for another 5 minutes. In terms of other freestyle events, yes you can train for other events by just adjusting your target time for the set.

Dr. Rushall is opposed to doing IM sets. So, other than turn work, he rejects the idea of doing IM sets if you are an IMer. By the way, Michael Andrew's only 13-14 LC NAG in a 100 or 200 happens to be the 200IM. He doesn't want you to do different strokes within a set i.e. swimming IM, but he suggests doing backstroke or fly or *** sets.

that's were i think it really fails. as an example how would Michael Phelps train for the 400im, 200im, 200fly, 100fly, 200free and 100free using this method? if you are trying to condition your muscles for 400im race pace, you wont be ready for the 200im. same on the others. it would be even worse if you want to swim the 1500 and 400m. training for the 100s and a single 50 (say like the kid michael andrews does) isnt very broad. except the strokes are also totally different. again, may work for a few, may not. if it does for you great! but 1 size does not fit all coachsci.sdsu.edu/.../47GUIDE.pdf If you look at this latest bulletin, specifically page 2.2 (Training Sessions), 2.3 (One Day's Training Using USRPT), 2.4 (Sample Training Session), 2.5 (Microcycles - 1 week), and 2.6 (Michael Andrew's workouts), I think it shows that you actually can train for a variety of strokes and distances using USRPT. Now I'm certainly not going to do two-a-days, but it looks like he has most of it covered.

Something else I've been wondering: I have several goal times in the different distance freestyle events. In the 1000, I'd like to go a 11:10 (holding 1:07s). In the 500, I'd like to go a 5:15 (holding 1:03s). Is it possible with UST@RP to train for different events with each workout? I know you're focused (exclusively?) on the 400 SCM. But say I want to focus on the 1650 race pace two days a week, the 1000 pace 2 days a week and the 500 pace the other two days. Is that something that's possible with UST@RP? that's were i think it really fails. This is really only a problem if you believe (as I definitely do not) that training at race pace for event X has little or no benefit for event Y. I think the overlap is considerable, especially if you are talking about things like the 500/1000.

So for the first 5, even if you miss your goal time you keep going? Or you skip and rest but dont count it towards your 4 total failures? USRPT is about race pace. If you want to swim fast in a race you have to swim fast in practice. Other than a recovery day which I believe in but don't know where Rushall stands, I believe the only way to swim fast is to swim fast. So, if you swim fast once a week that will probably help. If you swim fast twice a week that will help more. If you swim fast three times a week...you get the idea. Good luck! Thanks for the info and clarifications! I am also trying to do a pure speed workout one day a week and a lactate workout one day a week. So trying to do all fast swimming, just not all USRPT. I like the USRPT for speed endurance for 100s, but at the moment, I don't have enough speed to start with so I need to focus on that for 50s. I suppose I should substitute the lactate with another USRPT, but I don't have the mental fortitude to do it more than once a week - I would get bored and unmotivated. l also like doing 50s/75s/100s lactate because it really builds my confidence that I can keep moving through the burn in those last yards. Good luck breaking the 400 record!! Though it doesn't sound like you need any luck at all. (:

Dr. Rushall is opposed to doing IM sets. So, other than turn work, he rejects the idea of doing IM sets if you are an IMer. By the way, Michael Andrew's only 13-14 LC NAG in a 100 or 200 happens to be the 200IM.