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 --
Chris...as much as I would like to someday be seen as a "coach"...in my book that title is reserved for the Frank Bush's, Eddie Reese's & Kerry Obrien's of the swimming world.
But...as you know to well I do have opinions! :)
So, piggybacking on your post....which I agree and like your definitions...the only thing I would add is "speed assistance" work that truly allows one to "feel" what race pace and beyond race pace feels like. Examples would be reverse bungee work where the swimmer is pulled vs. pulling the cord, use of fins and wearing tech suits in workout...also running/dive into turn work where you take a few short strides on the deck, dive in the pool, take a few quick strokes and hit your turn at/above race pace.
Chris...as much as I would like to someday be seen as a "coach"...in my book that title is reserved for the Frank Bush's, Eddie Reese's & Kerry Obrien's of the swimming world.
But...as you know to well I do have opinions! :)
So, piggybacking on your post....which I agree and like your definitions...the only thing I would add is "speed assistance" work that truly allows one to "feel" what race pace and beyond race pace feels like. Examples would be reverse bungee work where the swimmer is pulled vs. pulling the cord, use of fins and wearing tech suits in workout...also running/dive into turn work where you take a few short strides on the deck, dive in the pool, take a few quick strokes and hit your turn at/above race pace.
