Cesar Cielo is fastest swimmer in the world -- 25 yards in 8.88 to the foot -- he was just trying to "maintain" on the second 25...
There are 3 ways to swim faster in any given race:
1) Improve your technique -- if you become more effecient in your technique, your times will drop across the board
2) Maintain a pace as close as possible to maximum speed -- You can hold your maximum speed for 6-8 seconds. There are no swim races of that length - so when training for any swimming race (50 up the mile), you are trying to maintain a pace as close to your maximum speed as possible.
3) Get Faster = improve your maximum speed
I would say on average, Masters swimmers (and age-groupers) spend their in the water workout season according to the following breakdown (rough guess):
1) Improving technique = 20-30%
2) Maintaining close to max = 65-79%
3) Improving Max Speed = 1-5%
Think about it -- if you swim 4-5 times per week, that equals about 20 hours a month. Did you spend more than a full hour in October on maximum speed ?
This Thread is all about Category 3 -- Improving your Max Speed --
Erik -
I just happened on to this thread very early this morning. Great feedback for those of us trying to get faster - and coaching these types of swimmers.
I just wrote the SPMA newsletter coaches column yesterday suggesting some ideas to get ready for the championship meets later this Spring. Definitely not as detailed as your discussions here, but then I don't have an ounce of that great "perfectionist" German in my blood!
The points I mentioned are similar.
#1 being the break down of the components in a specific race. Practicing and perfecting each.
I watch Jason Lezak do just this type of training all the time. Rarely do I see him get up & go on an entire 50 or for that matter a set of repeat 50 freestyles.
#2
There are many masters swimmers who claim they want to get faster, but then refuse to swim in many or any meets to swim really fast or practice racing.
I suggested going to the 1-day masters meets and racing as much and as hard as possible through the season in lieu of a regular masters swim practice.
I see you do it - and I try to be an example of it as well.
It is exhausting, but by the time the championships come along, 1 or 2 events a day as opposed to 5 sure feels great!
I'm off to swim.
If you can believe it, a sprint practice.
Coached by one of our great sub-coaches. Dickie Fernandes, who hails at least more recently from Tuscon Ford Masters in AZ. He loves kicking and all this sprinting stuff!
Thanks again and I look forward to more of your advice!
Erik -
I just happened on to this thread very early this morning. Great feedback for those of us trying to get faster - and coaching these types of swimmers.
I just wrote the SPMA newsletter coaches column yesterday suggesting some ideas to get ready for the championship meets later this Spring. Definitely not as detailed as your discussions here, but then I don't have an ounce of that great "perfectionist" German in my blood!
The points I mentioned are similar.
#1 being the break down of the components in a specific race. Practicing and perfecting each.
I watch Jason Lezak do just this type of training all the time. Rarely do I see him get up & go on an entire 50 or for that matter a set of repeat 50 freestyles.
#2
There are many masters swimmers who claim they want to get faster, but then refuse to swim in many or any meets to swim really fast or practice racing.
I suggested going to the 1-day masters meets and racing as much and as hard as possible through the season in lieu of a regular masters swim practice.
I see you do it - and I try to be an example of it as well.
It is exhausting, but by the time the championships come along, 1 or 2 events a day as opposed to 5 sure feels great!
I'm off to swim.
If you can believe it, a sprint practice.
Coached by one of our great sub-coaches. Dickie Fernandes, who hails at least more recently from Tuscon Ford Masters in AZ. He loves kicking and all this sprinting stuff!
Thanks again and I look forward to more of your advice!
