swimformation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you do not find your solution here please contact clive@swimmingnz.org.nz

MY SWIMMER
Q How do I adapt this model for each individual swimmer? What is the appropriate stroke rate and heart rate for Swimmer A as against Swimmer B?

A The stroke rate and heart rates shown on the poster are a ‘model’, that is they are shown as they apply generally to the whole swimming population. Some individuals will differ from the model, some more than others, however, as a general picture of what happens the response from coaches has been that it fits very well. To apply individualised training every coach should continually monitor their own swimmmers and record how and where they ‘fit’ on the model. For example a highly talented Open Water swimmer may show higher stroke rates than indicated by the model when compared with the heart rate or lactate levels. This indicates they can produce high levels of energy without over-stressing the aerobic energy systems and potentialy can swim fast for long periods. Test sets including stroke rate and heart rate monitoring (and lactate if appropriate for the age and standard of the swimmer) can assist in ‘fitting’ the swimmer to the model or the model to the swimmer.

Q First of all great book, learning a lot. My question is I do a lot of HR work using Beats Below Max (BBM) instead of a generalized HR format. What would you think if I convert your general range to BBM for the individual?

A BBM; personally I’m not 100% convinced about BBM, however, it does make sense if you use a percentage of the functional range (FR) between Resting HR (RHR) and Maximum HR. eg, taking two extreme examples; if Swimmer A has a RHR of 60 and a MHR of 180 the functional range is 120 (180-60). Swimmer B may have a RHR of 45 and a MHR of 215, so the functional range would be 170. We then have three options, BBM, percentage of MHR or percentage of functional range:

BBM – say, 30 BBM - Swimmer A 150, Swimmer B 185, a difference of 35 beats between the two swimmers (that’s my problem with BBM, I can’t see any way those intensities can have the same effect as each other). Percentage of MHR – say 80% – Swimmer A 144, Swimmer B 172, a difference of 28. Percentage of FR – say 75% – swimmer A 150, Swimmer B 172.5, a difference of 22.5

So, with these extreme examples, we still end up with a difference of over 20 beats per min when prescribing a set but, at least, the method has significantly drawn in the HR difference and with less extreme cases the difference would be within a ‘believable’ range.

I would suggest you do a descending set (or, if you do periodic step tests, which are ‘merely’ ‘rainbow’ sets descending from easy to fast, you will already have this information) checking the SR and HR on each repetition. Then you could draw up individual HR ranges for each intensity zone based on the SR ranges for each zone. If you did that it wouldn’t then matter which HR method you used because the results would be independent of RHR and MHR. It would also illustrate any gaps in the swimmers’ ability to move smoothly through the range as a lot of swimmers get ‘stuck’ at particular SR’s which they are comfortable with and ‘jump’ a zone or two rather than demonstrate the ability to ‘step’ smoothly through the range.

HEART RATE
Q What is the significance of the heart rate falling off from 215 to 200 as the stroke rate increases from 56 to 60. Is this an indication that full capacity has been reached and stroke efficiency is falling off or that further effort from this point is counter productive and not sustainable?

A Neither, it’s an indication that the total time or distance possible at that intensity will not push the heart rate to maximal values. On very short distances, eg 25 yards or metres, the heart rate will not be pushed up to maximum and is irrelevant.

A2 I understand what you are saying now. My confusion was that I was looking at stroke rates as simply stroking faster whereas you are clearly talking about swimming faster. I understand what you are saying – that this maximium speed can only be maintained for short distances which will not be long enough to raise heart rate to maximum. From my perspective, I was looking at the increasing stroke rate as increasing effort – not necessarily speed if it is inefficient but still raising heart rate because of the extra effort.

REST INTERVAL AND INTENSITY
Q At intensities targeted at ‘lactate tolerance’ (Zone 5a) does a 5×200 set with 2-3 minutes rest achieve the required movement speed or should this set be done as broken 200’s or in sets of 50’s (eg 3×10x50 on 60) or 6-8×100 on 3 minutes.

A Any of those sets will do the job IF they are done at maximum. There is a temptation for the swimmer to hold back on the 5×200 but that would put them in zone 4 rather than zone 5.

A2 The key is obviously maintaining the correct speed and that is why I favour breaking down into manageable sections. Maintaining the correct speed through 5×200 would require massive determination and/or fitness and/or talent but again this is perhaps what the Olympic Champion needs. It is the sort of set which I have seen recorded for Thorpe but not many others.

CHANGING CAPACITY INTO POWER
Q How do I design training for Aerobic and Anaerobic Power without losing the fitness gained from Capacity Training? I always felt that one of my swimmers had great Aerobic and Anaerobic Capacity but lacked the ability to fully use it all in racing. Whether this was due to an incorrect training programme or whether there were psychological factors involved I could never truly figure out. I could never understand how to test for or measure the Power factors despite lengthy talks with exercise physiologists.

A The step test gives you valuable information about many, many aspects of the swimmer’s ‘training status’ but you have to have very sophisticated analysis and evaluation of the results – not just a ‘right shift is good/left shift is bad’ approach. A booklet specifically describing the protocols, analysis and evaluation of step tests is curently in production by swimformation.

A2 I think this is a key area. I did speak at length to eminent physiologists on this some years ago. If the testing could be refined sufficiently it would be a great tool for coaches and swimmers.

AGE DIFFERENCES AND POWER
Q The book says, “a male 50m swimmer uses huge amounts of anaerobic power …... a female age group swimmer will use similar amounts of anaerobic power”. Does this mean as a percentage of her total anaerobic capacity?

A Yes, the actual amount of power available to the two swimmers wil be significantly different.

TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS & TESTING
Q My biggest fear has always been is my training regime detrimental to the swimmers’ racing improvement? I am sure that all coaches have this dilemma as to how to maintain or improve capacity gains whilst not impeding the development of speed and power. I used to think that the taper would compensate for this if Icould get it right and were brave enough to let it run for the older swimmers but I am sure that there is more to it than this if only we knew how to test and measure these factors.

A Jan Olbrecht, in ‘The Science of Winning’ uses the term ‘steering’ and it is an essential concept for coaches. The ‘fall-back’ position is summed up very well – “I used to think that the taper would compensate for this if you could get it right and were brave enough to let it run for the older swimmers” but, of course, the bravery to hang back from work during those last few weeks is not easy. Some coaches visibly shake at the sight of a swimmer not being in the water at 0600 hours precisely and the same problem applies to backing off the workload during taper, however an analysis of work during taper by Olympic champions would prove enlightening to most.

The step test analysis needs to include movements of the curve ‘up’ and ‘down’ on the page (indicating a change in body shape or body position), the right/left change in the aerobic areas (indicating aerobic capacity or aerobic power changes depending on the lactate level), the maximum lactate level (indicating the anaerobic capacity), and the ‘shape’ of the curve connecting the aerobic (say around 4mM) and anaerobic (La max) data. This shape (ie flatter or steeper curve) will indicate changes in the aerobic and anaerobic power. Mind you the data has to be good because some of the results I’ve seen produced are physiologically impossible! Curves that look like a worm climbing upstairs do not fit with human exercise physiology.

A2 You are very right about my swimmer once he was in his 20’s. He wanted to do absolutely nothing in the final weeks and the whole think became very scary and stressful but I do think that great swimmers “know themselves” and we just have to have the confidence to listen. I think it may be “easier” these days when swimmers have much longer careers and can experiment more over the seasons. As you know, back in the 80’s and before it was very much “a last chance saloon” with few swimmers going more than one or two Olympics and usually being finished by early to mid 20’s.

EASY SOLUTIONS
Q I do not think that there is any easy solution because most people are basically lazy and look for the easy route. What differentiates the great coaches from the rest is that they listen to everything and rule out nothing but then MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND and get on with it in their own way. The only thing we can do is to keep repeating at all clinics, talks, in books etc that everything we say is in fact a generalistation arising from our experience with particular individuals and everyone needs to understand the basic principles but then to adapt those basic principles to existing circumstances. Human beings are not machines and they are not lab rats and therefore the stronger and more capable ones are not entirely predictable in their responses.

A Absolutely correct! The bok describes the poster which is a ‘model’. It encapsulates the trends and tendencies from the whole population but it cannot not encompass all the individual differences for all levels of swimmer; height, weight, limb length, relative limb segment length, neuromuscular cooordination, hand and foot length, width, cross-sectional area, and so on, and on and on. Coaches must monitor their indiviudal swimmers’ response to training and ‘fit’ them to the model. Most will be very close the ones who are further away will be more or less talented.