Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

Tried a variation on Tuesday: 30 x 25 on 40s. Target time based on 1/2 2nd of 100m *** = 17.6 - so figured 18s would be about right. I can only do a couple of 17s at a time - and it doesn't really feel like 100 pace if I force it. We had to do it self-timed, but at least we had an electronic clock, so my rule was that if I saw 17 or 18 I would keep going, and I'd sit out 2 if I saw 19, which was only once. So I did 28. I was getting a little more rest than the 20 recommended, but this makes it more manageable. Nothing like trying to work out exact rest intervals when your head is starting to spin! All in all it was good. The whole squad had a go and feedback was positive. Seems to be quite a motivating set, even for those that aren't so competitive (rather than 'race pace' they were asked to target a time, around 90-95% effort, that they didn't think they could complete the whole set on).

Hey USRPT experts. How soon are you supposed to see results from this type of training? I have been trying it out for just over 4 weeks now and swam in a meet (50s and 100s) this weekend with terrible, terrible times. All slowest masters times ever and my 100s were just dreadful! No speed out and just died, died, died coming back. If I compare the times to typical "in season" times I was over a full second off in the 50s and around 4-6 seconds off in the 100s. But given USRPT doesnt have a taper, I feel like I should compare to my "taper" times and in that case I was over 2 full seconds off in the 50s and around 6-8 seconds off in the 100s. Granted I would have had much more rest between events at a true taper meet. I am doing the USRPT twice a week with two sets of 25 yard repeats - first one up to 20 completions on approx :15 sec rest (free) and the second one up to 16 completions on approx :24 sec rest (fly). I feel like Im working really hard - much harder than at a typical masters practice, and have never swum this much fly (my 100 fly was the absolute worst swim of them all). I swim one other workout each week that is usually dedicated to platinum speed stuff and resistance (parachute). My all out 25 times are slightly slower than prior seasons right now (about .5 sec). Compared to prior training seasons, the amount of swims per week is the same though I would normally do alot of lactate work. Also I am used to weight training 2x a week which I am not doing at all. So I am wondering if I need to give this training longer to show effects, or if I should take the hint that it doesnt seem to be working for me and switch to other stuff. I have just under 2 months before the championship meet I am supposed to attend, so I feel woefully behind/under-prepared at this point. Help!

SwimKat: Are you actually going race pace or AFAP? This is a trick question. If the answer is anything other than race pace then you aren't doing USRPT. Yours is one of the first horror stories I have heard related to USRPT. Also what you are doing is not the 50 practice recommended by Rushall. I want to hear if you were going your 100 pace though.

SwimKat: Are you actually going race pace or AFAP? This is a trick question. If the answer is anything other than race pace then you aren't doing USRPT. Yours is one of the first horror stories I have heard related to USRPT. Also what you are doing is not the 50 practice recommended by Rushall. I want to hear if you were going your 100 pace though. Im going race pace for the back half of my 100s. However to make those goal times consistently with so little rest I am basically going AFAP while breathing alot more than I would breathe if I was truly doing AFAP 25 sprints.

Im going race pace for the back half of my 100s. However to make those goal times consistently with so little rest I am basically going AFAP while breathing alot more than I would breathe if I was truly doing AFAP 25 sprints. You are not the first to base the USRPT times on the back half of the 100, but Dr. Rushall advocates for the 100 time divided by four (which is faster of course). That being said, I know of one team that does it exactly the way you do and they are having good results. What is your 100 yard time? What time are you holding for your 25s based on the back half of the race? Dr. Rushall does not like dryland or weights - true and false. He has mentioned the importance of weights for Masters swimmers only. Can't remember the full rationale but I think he cited some study.

My understanding of USRPT is that you dont need to taper, and can expect to swim fast throughout the season. But I do feel pretty tired and am wondering if its my body adjusting to the training, or perhaps doing so much fly. Or, maybe its just not the right training for me. Well, I think USRPT has a lot going for it, and I think race pace training is useful for pretty much anybody. But personally I do not agree with Rushall on everything. I think dryland training is good for swimmers at most levels beyond beginner. And I would argue that anyone, especially Masters swimmers, needs rest before competition. Especially if you have been doing a lot of race pace training.

Can you tell me, is there an adjustment period to the USRPT? I certainly dont expect any program to produce immediate results, but I got the impression that this would translate fairly quickly. Hello SwimKat, is it possible that you are simply worn out, perhaps suffering from nervous system fatigue? Lots of hard sprinting (which it sounds like you're doing) can really drain the nervous system, and that is the sort of fatigue it is difficult to measure. I should know, it has happened to me many times. If USRPT does not allow for rest before competition, it should, especially for Masters swimmers.

For 100 free, time is :55.3 - right now Im holding mostly :15s with a handful of :14s. I know I should be targeting :14s, but I havent because I would fail the set too early. For 100 fly, time is 1:03.0 - right now Im holding mostly :16s with a handful of :15s. That should be right on track (though I know Im capable of a much faster time with the right training, Ive been :27.1 in the 50 fly). Im not doing weights because of time limitations only. I absolutely would be doing them if I could fit it in, but if I only have 3 workouts a week I feel they should all be in the pool. Can you tell me, is there an adjustment period to the USRPT? I certainly dont expect any program to produce immediate results, but I got the impression that this would translate fairly quickly. I was not correct when I said there is a team doing usrpt the way you do. I was thinking of something else. The only reasons that I can think of to legitimately target times slower than race pace would be: 1. you are super hairy and you normally never go near your best times unless you shave 2. you are recovering from injury Do you know you can fail 3 times, not just once?

You are not the first to base the USRPT times on the back half of the 100, but Dr. Rushall advocates for the 100 time divided by four (which is faster of course). That being said, I know of one team that does it exactly the way you do and they are having good results. What is your 100 yard time? What time are you holding for your 25s based on the back half of the race? Dr. Rushall does not like dryland or weights - true and false. He has mentioned the importance of weights for Masters swimmers only. Can't remember the full rationale but I think he cited some study. For 100 free, time is :55.3 - right now Im holding mostly :15s with a handful of :14s. I know I should be targeting :14s, but I havent because I would fail the set too early. For 100 fly, time is 1:03.0 - right now Im holding mostly :16s with a handful of :15s. That should be right on track (though I know Im capable of a much faster time with the right training, Ive been :27.1 in the 50 fly). Im not doing weights because of time limitations only. I absolutely would be doing them if I could fit it in, but if I only have 3 workouts a week I feel they should all be in the pool. Can you tell me, is there an adjustment period to the USRPT? I certainly dont expect any program to produce immediate results, but I got the impression that this would translate fairly quickly.

Hello SwimKat, is it possible that you are simply worn out, perhaps suffering from nervous system fatigue? Lots of hard sprinting (which it sounds like you're doing) can really drain the nervous system, and that is the sort of fatigue it is difficult to measure. I should know, it has happened to me many times. If USRPT does not allow for rest before competition, it should, especially for Masters swimmers. My understanding of USRPT is that you dont need to taper, and can expect to swim fast throughout the season. But I do feel pretty tired and am wondering if its my body adjusting to the training, or perhaps doing so much fly. Or, maybe its just not the right training for me.