[Sportsandrec] Swim Training

[Thornbury, Kelly]

Joe, 

Still here and reading, and have graduated to typing with my right, and hunt and peck with the left. 

 

How long do you have to train, and how long is the pool? Important for determining training priorities. 

 

Water is something like 25 times denser than air, so technique is vital in swimming, especially if you have to perform a turn during the race. A moderately fit person with good technique can make up huge differences in power and endurance over the fitter "rock." 

 

If the race is in a month or less, go for the sprints. You won't improve endurance or muscle tissue strength significantly in that amount of time, but you can see training adaptations that will improve your performance. . Freestyle swimming has no real match in weight training, and training is very specific in nature. Freestyle sprints incorporate new muscles in new ways, and in the first 4 weeks (or less) of this new training will provide neuromuscular adaptations (the nervous system will work better, without getting scientific) and you can see significant performance improvements. The muscle tissue itself will not be noticeably stronger from a cellular standpoint, but your performance will be improved. Besides, you are already a cardio-monster, so your cardiovascular system is up to the challenge. Relative local muscular endurance takes longer than a month to develop, and your training time can be better spent on obtaining speed results. 

 

So, go for the sprints, and definitely work on the technique. I can't be 100% without knowing your training or having real test results, but that's my "shot from the hip" thoughts. 

 

And start asking "Yes" or "no" questions, I'm only typing a whopping 10 words a minute.maybe. 

 

DL Kel