This is the first part of a winter coaching feedback series, to accompany the winter swim sessions. Hopefully it will give novice swimmers, and anyone who has missed out on the coaching sessions, an idea of what swim training to be doing this time of year. As with any sport, if you’re coming back from a long period of inactivity take medical advice before training.
The following are the notes from the coaching session on Oct 30th. Thanks go to Shane O’Doherty (last summers Metalman Swim Series race director) for providing the feedback:
“We kicked off with an interesting set where the swimmers set off on what they thought was a simple 100 meter full out sprint. What they didn't know was that when they finished the sprint they were told to go immediately into a 250 meter 75% intensity swim. Everyone’s lungs were burning by the end of it since not knowing what was coming, they didn't hold back on the sprint. The purpose of that set was to reinforce the idea of the importance of pacing, set off to fast in a race and you will be exhausted very quickly and will loose time overall. The set's also a very good high intensity work out.
The following are the notes from the coaching session on Oct 30th. Thanks go to Shane O’Doherty (last summers Metalman Swim Series race director) for providing the feedback:
“We kicked off with an interesting set where the swimmers set off on what they thought was a simple 100 meter full out sprint. What they didn't know was that when they finished the sprint they were told to go immediately into a 250 meter 75% intensity swim. Everyone’s lungs were burning by the end of it since not knowing what was coming, they didn't hold back on the sprint. The purpose of that set was to reinforce the idea of the importance of pacing, set off to fast in a race and you will be exhausted very quickly and will loose time overall. The set's also a very good high intensity work out.
We did some drills then did a Hypoxic set which meant breathing every five strokes instead of the three or two strokes that most of the group breathe on. The idea with the set is to train us to cope with reduced levels of oxygen while swimming. The reduced levels of oxygen also has the effect of making us swim smarter which in some cases you won't event realize you're doing it.
We did a simple exercise of doing some distance while breathing on the "wrong" side or side we're less comfortable on. A good open water swimmer needs to be able to breathe comfortably on either side to be able to see what's going on around them and in case of choppy conditions.
It's a good idea to try these sets out in your own time to see the full benefits.”
