You sound like one of my athletes. We've sorta plateued on his swim volume from "gains" this winter. I had to remind him that we've added bigger blocks of biking and running. But the key that he even admitted, "I'm not trashed" anymore from swims. He can get in his "steady" paced effort and now swim it all day long and it's like "meh" when he's done. A year ago he'd not even be able to do 1 500yd set at the paces I give him to do 3-4 on "distance" days, etc.
So I think sometimes athletes look at only the number and get discouraged if they aren't getting "faster". It's not always about getting faster. It's what it's doing to you overall as a triathlete. You also need to look at what your volume is. If your in a swim block and your getting faster, that makes sense. But if you then put that swim into sorta "maintenance" mode while bringing back bike/swim workouts; you shouldn't see these huge time gains. But what you should see and notice is that your fitness is improving and your recovering quicker.
So be careful when you only look at "I'm not getting faster"...there's probaly a reason why.
ETA: ST's "BryanD" I've coached for nearly 7 years. Met him in college when I was coaching the college team. He was AOS, not very "talented", he started out all kinds of a mess in the water. If he broke 1:55/100yd I'd be shocked. But he wanted to do the best of his ability, so I made him swim a lot. 7 years later (he's kinda taking a break this year from racing due to life), for the past 3 years at any race (he's raced 70.3 events and some locals) he's easily top 2-3 out of the water. I just made him be patient and consistent. No real "breakthroughs" other than the fact that he worked at it. That's the issue I see with many athletes, they think they'll get a coach and suddenly in a month they'll be this new changed athlete. You'll be a new changed athlete if your consistent with anything you do, whether with a coach or not. I think a coach will more easily help move you along faster, but the coach isn't the answer. Working at it is the answer. That's not a fun answer to hear, but that's the reality. Of course ppl come back with "swimming is hardest to get in". And I agree, but then what is it that you want to get out of this. So yes the swim is the weakest link, but unless you are such a bike/run stud it doesn't matter, most AG athletes would benefit overall by getting more fit and efficient in the water. It's just likely that you don't always see how being efficient but not always "faster" in the water actually can lead to a better bike.
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
So I think sometimes athletes look at only the number and get discouraged if they aren't getting "faster". It's not always about getting faster. It's what it's doing to you overall as a triathlete. You also need to look at what your volume is. If your in a swim block and your getting faster, that makes sense. But if you then put that swim into sorta "maintenance" mode while bringing back bike/swim workouts; you shouldn't see these huge time gains. But what you should see and notice is that your fitness is improving and your recovering quicker.
So be careful when you only look at "I'm not getting faster"...there's probaly a reason why.
ETA: ST's "BryanD" I've coached for nearly 7 years. Met him in college when I was coaching the college team. He was AOS, not very "talented", he started out all kinds of a mess in the water. If he broke 1:55/100yd I'd be shocked. But he wanted to do the best of his ability, so I made him swim a lot. 7 years later (he's kinda taking a break this year from racing due to life), for the past 3 years at any race (he's raced 70.3 events and some locals) he's easily top 2-3 out of the water. I just made him be patient and consistent. No real "breakthroughs" other than the fact that he worked at it. That's the issue I see with many athletes, they think they'll get a coach and suddenly in a month they'll be this new changed athlete. You'll be a new changed athlete if your consistent with anything you do, whether with a coach or not. I think a coach will more easily help move you along faster, but the coach isn't the answer. Working at it is the answer. That's not a fun answer to hear, but that's the reality. Of course ppl come back with "swimming is hardest to get in". And I agree, but then what is it that you want to get out of this. So yes the swim is the weakest link, but unless you are such a bike/run stud it doesn't matter, most AG athletes would benefit overall by getting more fit and efficient in the water. It's just likely that you don't always see how being efficient but not always "faster" in the water actually can lead to a better bike.
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Last edited by:
B_Doughtie: May 23, 19 8:13