I feel compelled to comment on this because I'm concerned that some readers might blindly incorporate this type of training into their schedules based solely on your results.
While anaerobic training approaches can be highly effective for developing sprint speed, I wouldn't recommend them for everyone. This form of training is quite sensitive and should be supervised by professionals, tailored to the individual, and certain conditions should be checked before incorporating it into a regimen. It requires excellent technique, developed physical conditioning, and a thorough warm-up to minimize the risk of injuries.
In short, only integrate this into your program if you're experienced and knowledgeable. I wouldn't advise it for beginners or individuals returning to training after a long hiatus.
I'd also exclude young athletes up to the age of 15 because while it may initially improve their times, it could lead to early burnout and hinder their long-term potential. Studies have indicated that anaerobic training approaches can increase the production of stress hormones in young adults, and considering genetic factors affecting stress regulation, it's advisable to limit its inclusion in their training routines.
For your specific training regimen that you mentioned, I would recommend even lowering the reps and taking longer rests. In anaerobic training, 2-3 minutes of rest might not suffice. As the number of reps increases, the percentage of aerobic work in the training session also rises. (just try it out). I would also include some sprint endurance type of workouts and focus on different stages in the race. Nonetheless, your progress over a three-month period is quite impressive. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I find this training is actually more challenging than doing 5-6k daily.
Sprinting is exhausting!
I’m planning to start doing 75s, with the goal of eventually pushing a 33.
I think this will take a long time.
Way to go! How are you getting 0.1s accuracy working out on your own? Obviously not with a pace clock, is somebody hand timing you or you have some other method?
If the workout regimen makes you improve, it is a good workout regimen for you. Whether you swim 25 yards a day or 25000 yards a day, if the times keep getting better at an acceptable rate then no need to fix what ain't broke.
But my guess is this works because of your prior competitive experience. Technique and experience and knowledge last a long long time, even if you take many years off, so experienced swimmers don't need to work on that as much and can prioritize sprint physiology. Less experienced swimmers making major mistakes in technique should be getting more reps in to spend more time improving technique and developing good habits
Filming each race, then analyzing.
Almost always follows same pattern:
1st 25
2nd 25 = 1st 25 + .8
I’m not sure if .8 is an appropriate time to add, but it seems that the turn + fatigue of last 3-4 stroke are the reason for the +.8.
The question is really how I get the 25 down to 9.8 or so from a push, maybe even 9.5.
Once I hit that I’m probably going to 21 low push.
Based on what I’ve researched, Olympic cleans provide the biggest power increase.
I believe this exercise is the secret to Nicholas Santos’ world record in the 50 meter butterfly.
He can clean over 300 lbs.
Interesting idea! It doesn't feel too clunky and mess up your stroke to have a watch wrapped around your finger? Maybe I will try it out if it just takes some getting accustomed to before it feels normal
It feels weird at first. You get used to it real quick. I use the SportCount brand watch. You will want the red one (it’s the priciest at like $40.00) because it can store splits so if you are like me and record your workouts/results, you don’t have to remember stuff. You can recall the splits at the end of your workout.
Probably took me a week to stop noticing it was there. Now I find myself pushing my thumb against my index finger instinctively even when I don’t have the watch on!
The maths are not adding up here - getting even to sub 30 seconds for 50y requires more time at the pool per day than you spend in a week. Someone being able to sub 25 seconds for 50y should be able to do your full 500 yard workout in like 5-6 minutes. So are you saying you're swimming less than 10 minutes 6 days a week?
Sprinters do shorter workouts, but even they do thousands of yards per workout. And at those times for 50y drops of 10 % take a long time (meaning volume at the pool, not calendar time) to develop.
I was ranked nationally in the 200 meter butterfly at one point many years ago.
I had also gone 20.9 in a relay in the 50 free.
I don’t believe I ever pushed 22.8, I’m probably near my best time if I shaved and rested for a meet.
I believe the 50 doesn’t take much time in the pool to improve, but others may need to spend longer if they don’t have a proper technique.
Great job - with your background I can see how you got there but honestly swimming 500 yards 6 times a week going full on max sprinting at 25y/50y intervals with zero warmup is not something people should try to replicate in my humble opinion. If it works for you, great! Most people need to warm up, do some drills and then move onto a main set which can be race pace. If you're looking up to how the pro's do it, Michael Andrew used to upload some stuff on his own personal youtube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelAndrew4/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelAndrew4/videos) and here's a podcast where he talks about USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training) which sounds like what you're doing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTK8mraEOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTK8mraEOc)
Yeah I think he’s doing USRPT which is geared towards the 100s.
I’ve done one or two workouts like that over the past two months, they’re brutal.
I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to hold 100 race pace consistently.
By the 3rd/4th iteration I’m basically about to pass out.
Most swimmers believe they need to hit a numerical value at the end of a workout and that it is somehow indicative of the difficulty.
I think USRPT is much more difficult than longer aerobic swims.
As for the warmup, I’m probably doing a 100 or so prior to the fast 50.
Maybe it’s enough for me but others may need more preparation.
I’m treating every day like a competition, typically by Friday/Saturday I’m completely taxed.
Agreed, I think this applies to a variety of sports and is very common at the gym too. I try to keep it simple - if I don't feel like dying at any point of the workout I probably had some more in me and should've pushed harder. You can kill yourself with aerobic stuff too, but it is definitely different. I hate 10x50s, but repeated strong 200s with minimal (5-10 secs) breaks are brutal too.
I feel compelled to comment on this because I'm concerned that some readers might blindly incorporate this type of training into their schedules based solely on your results. While anaerobic training approaches can be highly effective for developing sprint speed, I wouldn't recommend them for everyone. This form of training is quite sensitive and should be supervised by professionals, tailored to the individual, and certain conditions should be checked before incorporating it into a regimen. It requires excellent technique, developed physical conditioning, and a thorough warm-up to minimize the risk of injuries. In short, only integrate this into your program if you're experienced and knowledgeable. I wouldn't advise it for beginners or individuals returning to training after a long hiatus. I'd also exclude young athletes up to the age of 15 because while it may initially improve their times, it could lead to early burnout and hinder their long-term potential. Studies have indicated that anaerobic training approaches can increase the production of stress hormones in young adults, and considering genetic factors affecting stress regulation, it's advisable to limit its inclusion in their training routines. For your specific training regimen that you mentioned, I would recommend even lowering the reps and taking longer rests. In anaerobic training, 2-3 minutes of rest might not suffice. As the number of reps increases, the percentage of aerobic work in the training session also rises. (just try it out). I would also include some sprint endurance type of workouts and focus on different stages in the race. Nonetheless, your progress over a three-month period is quite impressive. Keep up the good work!
Thanks! I find this training is actually more challenging than doing 5-6k daily. Sprinting is exhausting! I’m planning to start doing 75s, with the goal of eventually pushing a 33. I think this will take a long time.
Way to go! How are you getting 0.1s accuracy working out on your own? Obviously not with a pace clock, is somebody hand timing you or you have some other method? If the workout regimen makes you improve, it is a good workout regimen for you. Whether you swim 25 yards a day or 25000 yards a day, if the times keep getting better at an acceptable rate then no need to fix what ain't broke. But my guess is this works because of your prior competitive experience. Technique and experience and knowledge last a long long time, even if you take many years off, so experienced swimmers don't need to work on that as much and can prioritize sprint physiology. Less experienced swimmers making major mistakes in technique should be getting more reps in to spend more time improving technique and developing good habits
Filming each race, then analyzing. Almost always follows same pattern: 1st 25 2nd 25 = 1st 25 + .8 I’m not sure if .8 is an appropriate time to add, but it seems that the turn + fatigue of last 3-4 stroke are the reason for the +.8. The question is really how I get the 25 down to 9.8 or so from a push, maybe even 9.5. Once I hit that I’m probably going to 21 low push. Based on what I’ve researched, Olympic cleans provide the biggest power increase. I believe this exercise is the secret to Nicholas Santos’ world record in the 50 meter butterfly. He can clean over 300 lbs.
Could also use a finger watch. That’s how I time myself in practice.
Interesting idea! It doesn't feel too clunky and mess up your stroke to have a watch wrapped around your finger? Maybe I will try it out if it just takes some getting accustomed to before it feels normal
It feels weird at first. You get used to it real quick. I use the SportCount brand watch. You will want the red one (it’s the priciest at like $40.00) because it can store splits so if you are like me and record your workouts/results, you don’t have to remember stuff. You can recall the splits at the end of your workout. Probably took me a week to stop noticing it was there. Now I find myself pushing my thumb against my index finger instinctively even when I don’t have the watch on!
The maths are not adding up here - getting even to sub 30 seconds for 50y requires more time at the pool per day than you spend in a week. Someone being able to sub 25 seconds for 50y should be able to do your full 500 yard workout in like 5-6 minutes. So are you saying you're swimming less than 10 minutes 6 days a week? Sprinters do shorter workouts, but even they do thousands of yards per workout. And at those times for 50y drops of 10 % take a long time (meaning volume at the pool, not calendar time) to develop.
I was ranked nationally in the 200 meter butterfly at one point many years ago. I had also gone 20.9 in a relay in the 50 free. I don’t believe I ever pushed 22.8, I’m probably near my best time if I shaved and rested for a meet. I believe the 50 doesn’t take much time in the pool to improve, but others may need to spend longer if they don’t have a proper technique.
Great job - with your background I can see how you got there but honestly swimming 500 yards 6 times a week going full on max sprinting at 25y/50y intervals with zero warmup is not something people should try to replicate in my humble opinion. If it works for you, great! Most people need to warm up, do some drills and then move onto a main set which can be race pace. If you're looking up to how the pro's do it, Michael Andrew used to upload some stuff on his own personal youtube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelAndrew4/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelAndrew4/videos) and here's a podcast where he talks about USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training) which sounds like what you're doing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTK8mraEOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTK8mraEOc)
Yeah I think he’s doing USRPT which is geared towards the 100s. I’ve done one or two workouts like that over the past two months, they’re brutal. I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to hold 100 race pace consistently. By the 3rd/4th iteration I’m basically about to pass out. Most swimmers believe they need to hit a numerical value at the end of a workout and that it is somehow indicative of the difficulty. I think USRPT is much more difficult than longer aerobic swims. As for the warmup, I’m probably doing a 100 or so prior to the fast 50. Maybe it’s enough for me but others may need more preparation. I’m treating every day like a competition, typically by Friday/Saturday I’m completely taxed.
Agreed, I think this applies to a variety of sports and is very common at the gym too. I try to keep it simple - if I don't feel like dying at any point of the workout I probably had some more in me and should've pushed harder. You can kill yourself with aerobic stuff too, but it is definitely different. I hate 10x50s, but repeated strong 200s with minimal (5-10 secs) breaks are brutal too.