Back to slower “intensive tempo” swimming.
25 yard pool
300 Warmup
5x100 freestyles from a push. 2 minutes rest between each. Goal: stay under 1:15.
Times: 1:09, 1:11, 1:11, 1:12, 1:14.
Warmdown.
Felt good. Probably the best 100 yard free I could go from a push right now is a 1:01 or so, if I am honest with myself. So all the above times were about 80%-87% of my best. Going that fast off 2 minutes rest is a good sign.
But I wish I could sprint.
Went on a trip over the weekend.
September 22, 2003
Weights first…I worked specifically on my bad leg
3 sets of step-ups, bodyweight.
3 sets of 8 quarter squats. 45 pounds, 65 pounds.
3 sets of one-legged Romanian deadlifts
25 meter pool
200 meter warmup.
Broken 100 Individual Medley:
(50 meter fly to back, rest 30 seconds, 50 meter back to free) repeat five times.
Broken 100 I.M. times - 1:22, 1:23, 1:24, 1:29, 1:30.
200 kick.
Tuesday, Sept. 23rd
Weights only today.
3 sets of external rotator exercises. 5-6 reps, 30 pounds.
7 sets of chin-ups (supinated grip). 3 reps each. 1 set w/25 pounds, 1 set w/30 pounds, 5 sets with 35 pounds attached to my waist.
4 sets of drop-and-catch barbell bicep curls.
3 sets of bent-over barbell rows. Keep the elbow high to target the upper back. 5-6 reps. 50 pounds on every set.
Wednesday, Sept. 24th
Swimming, 25 yard pool.
Tempo Work Today
Warmup - 400 yards
10x100’s freestyle. 90-100 seconds rest between each.
Times were between 1:22 and 1:25.
Felt pretty good, but I miss speed training.
Weights
5 sets of Bench Press. 1 WU set, 3x220, 2x220, 2x220, 2x220.
4 sets of dips. 3-4 reps, 25 pounds.
4 sets of plate raises. 6 reps, 35 - 40 pounds.
That was hard! I think I need to avoid lifting two days in a row, at least while I am swimming.
Thursday, Sept. 25 - rest.
Friday, Sept. 26th.
Swimming, 25 meter pool.
500 meter warmup (300 swim ez, 200 kick ez)
5x200 individual medley, in a modified individual medley format. Instead of full 50’s of every stroke, I do 25’s of each stroke and a 25 freestyle. Breaks down like this:
(25 fly/25 free, 25 back/25 free, 25 back/25 free, 25 free/25 free)
My doctor will not allow breaststroke yet.
Rest: 2 minutes between each.
Times: 3:30, 3:28, 3:24, 3:22, 3:21.
4x100’s kick.
Felt absolutely fantastic. This was the best I’ve handled an aerobic workout in a very long time. Felt very strong and, as you can see, dropped my times with every repeat. I wonder though if this will hamper my explosiveness when I return to speed work. We’ll see.
Weights
4 sets of Perterson step-ups. 70 second intervals. Progressively higher steps. I have read that the Peterson step-up, which features the raised heal ont he working leg, contracts the vastus medialis of the quad, which is a muscle in severe atrophy since my ACL operation 4 months ago.
3 sets of split squats. 4-6 reps each, holding 10 pounds in each hand.
3 sets of one-legged Romanian deadlifts. 45 pounds, 55 pounds, 65 pounds. Focused, of course, on the weak left leg.
Tried speed work today - we’ll see how the knee holds up.
Swimming, 25 yard pool.
Warmup - 300 swim, fast 50, easy 75, fast 25, easy 25.
2x50’s all out, from a push (not a dive.) 25 fly/25 back, just like the front half of the 100 individual medley. To do a 1:02.9, my target time for the first 50 is a :29.1.
11 minutes rest between.
Time: :30, :31.
This was a fine effort. I am near where I need to be. The knee is a little sore, however. We’ll see how it holds up. If it swells again and gets very sore, I’ll have to draw back from speed work again.
Weights
4 sets of 20 Peterson step-ups. The Reebok step I used had five “blocks” underneath it on my 3rd and 4th set.
4 sets of 6 Split squats, left leg emphasis. Bodyweight only.
4 sets of Romanian deadlifts. Both legs. 5-6 reps. 95 pounds, 115 pounds, 135 pounds, 135 pounds.
Tuesday
Tempo. 25 meter pool.
Warmup
5x150’s freestyle. CAme in around the 2:30 on each. 2 minutes rest.
No Weights.
Wednesday
Weights Only
4 sets Bench Press. 1 WU set, 3x220, 2x220, 2x220.
4 sets Dips. 1 WU set, 3x30, 4x30, 3x30.
Ab Wheel
Thursday
Intensive Tempo - 80%-90%
400 meter warmup
7x100 individual medley and freestyle. Rest: 2 minutes, Pace 80%-90%.
Best free time: 1:24. Best I.M. time: 1:28
Felt awful today! I need more than 2 minutes rest for this kind of thing.
Friday
Weights Only
4 sets of Peterson stepups, left leg only. (I am raising the step a little more each session. I hope to be able to do deadlifts in a few weeks.)
4 sets of split squats, no weight. (I adjusted my form today, and pushed off the left leg much more. Very strong recruitment of the quad and VMO, I am told.)
Saturday
25 meter pool
Speed Day
400 meter warmup, including a 50 meter free at 90%.
4x12.5 sprints, full recovery. (No time available on these. I did them butterfly and backstroke.)
2 x 50’s all out. (The 50’s were 25 fly, 25 backstroke, just like the first half of the 100 individual medley. I need to go a 32.5 in the first 50 meters, by my calculations, to go a 1:10.2 in the 100 meter individual medley.)
Hand times: 33.3.
Rest 15 minutes
33.1
These times are excellent, because they are from a push, not a dive. I dive would give me at least another second, so I am just where I need to be. In addition, rarely do I go faster on the second repeat than the first. That is good news as well.
You need more low intensity volume…how can you get results from such a low volume program in swimming?
Clemson,would you please give figures of what You have found to be optimal volume ranges for Athletes of different levels?
And maybe share possible H.I /L.I. distribution of such?
Talking of Sprint Swimming (50/100 m/y),I have seen- and run myself -programs which consintently produced and/or assisted in their development rather fast athletes easily falling in the 18000-25000m per week,with an average weekly sessions number of 5/6.
Also I have seen Sprinters who actually do not tolerate volumes of low intensity work,neither physically nor spiritually,if not extremely limited (less than 2000m per session).
But again, my take is once You are in a range which allows Your body to still be plastic to the training inputs,it is absolutely individual.
Clemson,
What would you recommend in terms of low intensity volume? Basically my strategy has been to treat my swim workout as a sprinter would a track workout, hence the low volume.
In your opinion, what makes swimming different?
Thanks!
I will take this ball,while eager myself to hear Clemson’s feedback:
Mikeh,besides what we can speculate on the matter,ranging from CNS related issues to the very nature of the different sport movements,there stand a practical training truth: all other things being equal,You won’t see the same drop off’s rep after rep,set after set in the pool as you would find on the track, unless :
1> the set is not designed according to one’s current fitness level
(that is it’s actually too demanding to allow the proper ratio
between intensity and volume )
2> we are talking of rather high average swimming velocities
( high caliber athletes,whose fitness level and common familiarity with
huge overloads complicate things anyway)
3> the Athlete is extremely motivated and able to express His potential
near current limits,which seems equally rare in the water,being the
nature of application of force,and the rate of movement of the sport
absolutely not supportive of the issue.
While I draw these purely from experience,that does not necessarily imply I favour different volume/intensity approaches: if You manage working consistently in the 95%+ zone,technique parameters improve,and Your program is properly designed,and low intensity and conditioning are appropriate,You should be ok.
Just let these variables dictate Your volumes,and not vice versa.
Clemson,
Your expertise would be appreciated. Thanks!
Monday, Oct. 6
Weights today only.
4 sets of 5-6 reps seated external rotators. 25 pounds, 30 pounds.
9 sets of chin ups. 1 WU set, 8 sets of 3 reps, 1 minute rest between each. 35 pounds aded to my waist.
3 sets of bent-over reverse flies. 20 pounds, 25 pounds.
4 sets of drop and catch bicep curls. 45 pounds, 55, 60 pounds.
Got a little carried away today. I really can’t lift like this and speed train at the same time.
October 7, 2003
Speed Day
Had to cut the workout short because of the knee. I have been extending the knee and flexing the knee (trying to put my foot up to my glute) a lot over the past 24 hours in an attempt to gain 100% ROM. Four months out from the surgery I have about 99% ROM.
Apparently this stretching irritated the knee, hence the sharp pain.
25 yard pool
Warmup - 300 yard swim, 50 hard, 100 easy.
7x12.5 all-out sprint. fly, back, and breast.
Workout ceased here because of knee pain.
Weights
4 sets of 6 reps of split squat (left leg only.)
4 sets 10-20 reps of Peterson step-ups.
I will need a few days for this one to make any sense…I am on assignment for a couple of articles. I was at the franklin zoo to interview little joe.
BEAST MODE
Understood - look forward to your response.
Wednesday, October 8 - My wife had our second baby! Y’all understand if I have less than perfect recall for the last week. The wife has been wonderful in allowing me to slip out for a quick swim or lifting session over the past few days.
Friday, October 10
Swim only - 25 meter pool.
Warmup.
4x12.5 all-out.
2x75’s I.M - (fly, back breast only) 10 minute rest.
59, 1:02.
Felt awful, and the times reflect it. Oh well, probably stress and lack of sleep with the baby and all. In addition, my knee just doesn’t allow the whip quick of good breaststroke right now.
Saturday, Oct. 11
Weights only.
4 sets Peterson step-ups, left leg only.
4 sets split squats (bodyweight) left leg only.
(My left quad is gaining in strength, and that is good.)
8 sets of dips, 3-4 reps each. 1 WU set, 7 work sets. 30-40 pounds added to belt.
3 sets of bench. 1 WU set, 2x220, 1x225.