Hi,
Relatively new to swimming - only started last May, but have become obsessed with the sport. So much so that I have done a fair amount of reading on how to best workout and properly train the correct energy systems for the appropraite purposes (sprinting, middle distance, and long distance events). I have not yet competed, but want to, perhaps next year. I am a 47 year old male, 5'11"+, about 195 Lbs. (need to lose about 10-15 more, but have already dropped about 35 lbs since I started swimming). From my reading, apparently one key to proper training seems to be determining your Anaerobic Threshold speed. This will help you determine your EN1, EN2, EN3 training paces. But I am confused by all the different ways that it can be calculated, and what appears to me to be able to produce wildly different results, even using the same method. Any comments on this point? And what method (except for actual blood testing) do you recommend?
Thanks Craig!! I actually decided to do the T-30 minute test just today. I got to 2,100 yards right at 29.:59, so that supposedly translated to 1:25 Anerobic Threshold for 100 repreats (1:25 holding pace with about 20 seconds Rest Inbetween i.e. starting each repeat at 1:45).
I had done an extended warm-up (1,400 yards) and two 50 yard time trials (32 and 31 seconds, respectively) prior to doing this timed 30 minute swim, so I think I could have done a little better if I were truly fresh. Then again, I took a fifteen minute rest before starting the T-30. Also, did not feel completely spent by the end of the T-30 and could have kept going for a little while longer, but I was certainly tired. And this subjectivity seems to me to be the problem I have with all of these methodologies for determining A.T. and the EN1, EN2, En3 training concept in general. If I were to do a T-1000, I feel confident I could do it in under 13:20 (1:20 pace, maybe even 1:18). But I am not sure that I could keep even the 1:25 for a full T-3000 test (maybe more like 1:28-1:30???). Also the Critical Swim Speed method would almost certainly give another set of results. And even more dispersion would be created by how I felt on any given day that I would perform any of the different tests.
My point is, a 3 to 5 second change (4% difference) in repreat times would put me in a completely different energy system according to the literature I have read. Yet these different methods of determining A.T. seem to create a spread of up to 10 seconds difference (8% difference). Given all this, is this method really the best way to determine repeat times and build a training program? Comments . . . . am I missing anything? Up to this point, I have just been kinda making up my own workouts and swimming til I was tired with little rhyme or reason beyond that.
~Bob
Thanks Craig!! I actually decided to do the T-30 minute test just today. I got to 2,100 yards right at 29.:59, so that supposedly translated to 1:25 Anerobic Threshold for 100 repreats (1:25 holding pace with about 20 seconds Rest Inbetween i.e. starting each repeat at 1:45).
I had done an extended warm-up (1,400 yards) and two 50 yard time trials (32 and 31 seconds, respectively) prior to doing this timed 30 minute swim, so I think I could have done a little better if I were truly fresh. Then again, I took a fifteen minute rest before starting the T-30. Also, did not feel completely spent by the end of the T-30 and could have kept going for a little while longer, but I was certainly tired. And this subjectivity seems to me to be the problem I have with all of these methodologies for determining A.T. and the EN1, EN2, En3 training concept in general. If I were to do a T-1000, I feel confident I could do it in under 13:20 (1:20 pace, maybe even 1:18). But I am not sure that I could keep even the 1:25 for a full T-3000 test (maybe more like 1:28-1:30???). Also the Critical Swim Speed method would almost certainly give another set of results. And even more dispersion would be created by how I felt on any given day that I would perform any of the different tests.
My point is, a 3 to 5 second change (4% difference) in repreat times would put me in a completely different energy system according to the literature I have read. Yet these different methods of determining A.T. seem to create a spread of up to 10 seconds difference (8% difference). Given all this, is this method really the best way to determine repeat times and build a training program? Comments . . . . am I missing anything? Up to this point, I have just been kinda making up my own workouts and swimming til I was tired with little rhyme or reason beyond that.
~Bob
