ericmulk wrote:
Somewhere back in the middle of this thread someone asked "what if I want to get really fast, as in a 16:00 1500 m", and you replied that he/she need to swim a lot of yards but also to swim fast 25s and 50s every day. Since 25s and 50s are the staple diet of young swimmers learning to swim faster in a competitive swim clinic, I am curious as to why you only recommended the 25s/50s to this one fellow and not to everyone trying to get faster. Thanks, Eric.
Speaking to a 16:00 1500m, my assumption (perhaps incorrect) was that this individual was already a pretty competent swimmer and reasonably close to achieving this target. Perhaps they can swim 19:00 for 1500m or something similar. Someone like this probably has pretty decent skills and a pretty decent base of fitness. Most people tend to neglect the speed aspect, particularly in longer swimming events, and when they start to get pretty good. Everyone focuses on the volume and the fitness aspect. However, it's still a speed event and they need to work on that.
To your point, I think doing short sprints is beneficial for anyone, provided they are focused executing their skills as fast as possible, rather than just swimming hard. The reason I hadn't discussed or made that suggestion to anyone else was that's the only real question that's been directed my way about training. Everything else has been mostly about technique, so I haven't really gotten into training prescription for anyone else.
I am NOT a fan of just doing 25s DRILL and thinking that doing so will magically change your skills. Technique has to be integrated into everything you do. If you're referencing that advice, I see doing 25s/50s FAST and repetitive 25s drill, I think that those two strategies are very different.
As a basic approach to training, with technical development in mind, there are three types (all of which have nearly infinite sub-variations)
1. Slow training- Sub threshold, doesn't have to be continuous, the focus is on building volume over time. You should be executing your skills to the best of your current ability. Strict technical work can and should be a part of this process.
2. Fast training- very short and fast, larger recoveries, swimming as fast you can with a reasonable standard of technique based upon your current abilities. You can do some technical work FAST here.
3. Hard training- threshold type work/VO2max type work/etc. This can encompass a range of activities, most requiring effort and creating fatigue. Again, executed with a reasonable standard of technique.
Over a season, you build a 'base' with 1 and 2, and start layering in and eventually focusing on 3.
To clearly answer your original question, it does have value for everyone. It will be more valuable to the individual that is already working on their technique and doing a decent amount of solid swimming. This is especially true when covering longer distances. If someone just focuses on the short stuff, it's probably not a winning combination to swim well over longer distances, so it's not something I emphasize immediately in my communication.
One of the big values for ANYONE is NOT swimming at the same speed every time they get in the water. The should practice swimming slow, fast, and somewhere in between. Swimming the same speed all the time is not a great strategy.
If anyone has questions about the training side, happy to answer them as well.
Hope that helps. If you have follow up questions, please let me know. Speed matters.
Andrew
http://www.masteringflow.info http://www.youtube.com/@masteringflow http://www.andrewsheaffcoaching.com/...freestyle-fast-today