Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

I was reading more into it and came to the realization I'm gonna need something more accurate than my Garmin Swim. My plan is to return the Garmin Swim and maybe try those vibrating Speedo watches as said before in Hughes thread. Anyone have any experience with the FINIS tempo trainer? Or maybe any other watches that I could set 2 intervals? I've been using the Speedo watch for 5 months. It does the job, although you can only program intervals in whole seconds so you have to estimate fractional intervals. If you go this direction, PM me, I can give you some tips how to use it.

Here's a great talk that Bob Bowman, Phelp's coach, gave on the difference between capacity training and utilization training. The Rushall method is more or less what Bowman would characterize as all-utilization training. Somewhere in this talk, he says something along the lines of, "Some people believe you can just do pure utilization training . I say, keep believing that. We'll kick your tail long course until the end of time." If you want to do the fastest time your current fitness level is capable of right now, by all means do some Rushall training. If you care about what you'll do 2-3 seasons from now or further along, don't rely on it so much. And for the record, unless Michael Andrew gets into a program that cares about building his capacity training right now , he won't have much chance of ever making a final at Olympic Trials, much less of being the next Michael Phelps. www.youtube.com/watch

Blasphemy! I agree, though. While I am enjoying my usrpt (now that I have a few training partners) it isn't exactly doing wonders for my 100 LCM fly.

Blasphemy! Here's a great talk that Bob Bowman, Phelp's coach, gave on the difference between capacity training and utilization training. The Rushall method is more or less what Bowman would characterize as all-utilization training. Somewhere in this talk, he says something along the lines of, "Some people believe you can just do pure utilization training . I say, keep believing that. We'll kick your tail long course until the end of time." I listened to the whole lecture, start to finish. I found it very interesting, thanks for sharing. I do have a few bones to pick with how you present it here, however. First of all, he never mentions the "Rushall Method" or USPRT specifically. Secondly, I strongly disagree that USRPT as prescribed by Rushall would fit his characterization of "all Utilization training." The work/rest ratio certainly doesn't match what he describes as pure Utilization workouts. I will grant you that USRPT sets for shorter distances (100's) would be skewed toward the Utilization side of the spectrum he describes, but there's still some Capacity building there. I think USRPT sets for middle distance events would be pretty close to the center, especially for a "club level" swimmer. Seriously, swim 20-30 50's at 200 race pace, or 20-30 75's at 500 race pace, on 20 seconds rest, and then tell me that there's not a substantial "Capacity" component to that set. In any event, the lecture seems to be aimed more at age-group and high school coaches and doesn't really address the specific circumstances of Masters swimmers. I wonder what Bowman would recommend to the average 40-something year old Masters competitor who can get to the pool 3 or 4 times a week for 90 minutes, give or take? While I'm sure it would be more diverse than Rushall's USRPT, I suspect there'd be some similarities.

Seriously, swim 20-30 50's at 200 race pace, or 20-30 75's at 500 race pace, on 20 seconds rest, and then tell me that there's not a substantial "Capacity" component to that set. Hah, for real!

... swim 20-30 50's at 200 race pace, or 20-30 75's at 500 race pace, on 20 seconds rest, and then tell me that there's not a substantial "Capacity" component to that set. I am pretty sure that if I could swim 20x50@200 pace on :20 RI, it would not be my 200 pace any more. I think my record is 5.

I am pretty sure that if I could swim 20x50@200 pace on :20 RI, it would not be my 200 pace any more. I think my record is 5. Agreed. Doesn't USRPT call for the amount of swimming at race pace to equal from 3 to 5 times the race distance?

I am pretty sure that if I could swim 20x50@200 pace on :20 RI, it would not be my 200 pace any more. That's kinda the point! :agree: I think my record is 5. I've found (and have had confirmation from others who coach USRPT) that "back half" pace for the 200 is a more practical benchmark. And when you first start, you'll probably have to set the target time even slower while you adapt to the program. Doesn't USRPT call for the amount of swimming at race pace to equal from 3 to 5 times the race distance? When Rushall says 3-5, he's discounting the first 4 reps as some sort of "adapting to the task" phase. So it's really 4-6, with 4 being the bare minimum to achieve the desired affect. You will typically offer 7.5 times race distance for events 400 and less.

I use both a garmin swim and a sportcount finger watch in combination. Say I'm doing a set of 30x25 on the 14.5 I set the garmin REST TIMER to enable, and countdown enabled to. I use the finger watch to get accurate times and keep a scuba notebook on deck to write down my times every few sets (doing it every time is a pain). I also stop the garmin watch after each interval, knowing the splits aren't accurate, but I can then use it as a way to gauge rest. I use the countdown timer so i don't have to push off the wall, press the garmin, and press the finger watch at the same time, so at 56.5, I press start and go at the beep. I was finding my walls were suffering because I was reaching over to stop my watch as I was rushing to stop the watch and doing a 2 handed touch. I think for 50s and up, the garmin is great, but more limited on the short stuff.

I just read(ish,it is very long and I skimmed parts) Rushall's article about sprinting. coachsci.sdsu.edu/.../56USRPT50m.pdf . Wow,although it suffers slightly from his usual pedantics,it is none the less the best thing I have ever read on sprinting. It covers the mental,physical and technical aspects of the 50M free in amazing detail.