Ultra Short Training At Race Pace

We did a progression of something similar to these sets last fall. We were doing it with an eye on 1650 times. If I were to do this with an eye on 100 or 200 times, I'd do rounds of it with rest in between rounds. For holding the times, you put your thumb right on it, that is one of the key challenges. For our swimmers it was at around 600 yards that people wanted to back off, but a little coach inspiration and a reminder of what the set was about helped people stay on task. As for the times, it's a pretty quick matter with a spreadsheet to adjust the times and number of repeats to make sure everyone gets the proper challenge. If you look in the coaching section, I uploaded one that does those calculations for you. I prefer to have everyone doing their proper interval and adjust so that the set time is the same for everyone than to have some folks twiddling their thumbs while others get hammered by the set construction. Don't people get in each other's way?

Fast lanes & slow lanes, perhaps? :-) Yeah, of course we do that but over 30x25 it won't take long for people to get caught. Although if they fall back into 5 second gaps when they drop out for 50m, that would help. I'm not normally one for having too much order and structure, but in a high quality set don't really want people having to stop to let others past.

Can this method work for the 50 specialist? Other than a once or twice a week set for aerobic work, I don't see pure Ib2 fast-twitch isolation using this method, but am I mistaken?

Can this method work for the 50 specialist? Other than a once or twice a week set for aerobic work, I don't see pure Ib2 fast-twitch isolation using this method, but am I mistaken? Would you recommend this over a more traditional training method?

Would you recommend this over a more traditional training method? Also according to this dryland training will not benefit me at all?

My understanding is that Rushall doesn't like mixing strokes in the sets. Does he give a good reason why not?I don't think he says specifically other than not to, but I think the reason is you are doing the set to train for a specific race. Your rest intervals and distance intervals are set for the event you are training for. Rushall's training is all about race specific training and mixing up the stroke in the middle of the set isn't simulating your race. You can still train for IM, but you would need to have split times from a race to determine the correct pace for each stroke.

Would you recommend this over a more traditional training method? Yes, there was a variation for 50 pace. I think it was 4 sets of 6x12.5, without rereading the paper...

I don't think he says specifically other than not to, but I think the reason is you are doing the set to train for a specific race. Your rest intervals and distance intervals are set for the event you are training for. Rushall's training is all about race specific training and mixing up the stroke in the middle of the set isn't simulating your race. You can still train for IM, but you would need to have split times from a race to determine the correct pace for each stroke. I hear what you are saying but I am trying to focus on what I thought his 2 basic principles were: 1. Race pace good 2. Lactate bad Switching strokes seems to help with principle number two.

Yes, there was a variation for 50 pace. I think it was 4 sets of 6x12.5, without rereading the paper... Sorry I have to quotes things to respond on my iPad so I randomly quoted that. My question is Rushall's training method be superior to traditional training methods? Also Dryland training has no benefit on performance according to this?

Rushall does not specifically say that weight training or dryland is useless for Masters swimmers. In fact here is a link to a study he uses to say that we DO need strength training.coachsci.sdsu.edu/.../hartley.htm Now, here is a study by Zamparo that says the decline in speed as we age is due to other factors www.swimmingscience.net/.../brief-swimming-review-volume-1-edition-7.html