Swim Progress elements

Across the Users of SwimTech there is wide range of goals from general fitness to high levels of competitive performance.

And the higher levels of competitive performance range from age groupers to adults.

We have received many questions that can be summarised into what is involved is getting to the 'next level'.

That next level ranges from swimming with better technique and feeling good in the water to doing personal best times to competing well in higher levels of competition.

In answer to those questions here is a 5 point summary to what is involved in getting to the next level.

The article may raise questions and if so feel free to ask.

Each of these elements are goal dependent.

The weighting table below values their importance, based on goals.

They all scale depending on goals

1.

Physical adaptation parameters

• Session frequency to match aims

• Cardiopulmonary adaptation

• Duration: training volume - calculated by SwimTech Aerobic Points

• Metabolic efficiency of energy systems

• Neuromuscular Skills Proficiency

2.     

Technique Development

Technique in all strokes is about 3 things:

Maximise propulsive force

• Power production perpendicular to line of movement through the water

• Maximising primary muscle use (differs by stroke)

Minimise drag

• Frontal drag: Swimmers front profile through water (up to *50% of total drag)

• Frictional drag: Body alignment through the stroke cycle (*25% of total drag)

• Surface drag: wave profile from level of submergence of swimmer (*25% of total drag)

Maximise efficiency

The Cardiopulmonary power of the swimmer powers the muscles by delivering nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and taking waste away.

Best practice technique enhances speed and endurance potential by lowering the work rate on the Cardiopulmonary system, delaying fatigue e.g.

• The recovery of the arm in FS is proportional to its mass and length and velocity. A straight arm recovery versus a high elbow, low hand recovery produces up to 4 times more work

• Doubling the speed of recovery increases the work rate by 4 times.

• Do both and that’s 16 times more work.

Frontal drag 3 times greater at 2m/sec than at 1m/sec 2004 study

Drag profiles differ with swimmer level i.e. developing to experienced

3.     

Energy Systems

Training these systems enhances their metabolic efficiency, in resynthesising of ADP to ATP i.e. the provision of energy to muscles.

• Phosphocreatine

• Anaerobic – Glucose without O²

• Aerobic – Glucose with O²

• Aerobic – Glucose, Fat O²

4.     

Periodised Planning

The use of a training plan, varying volume and intensity to achieve Progressive Overload which results in physiological adaptation – improved fitness

·A typical Periodised Plan, within a 12-month cycle has 3 cycles which look like this

• Macrocycle represents 1 year

• Mesocycles is the Macrocycle divided into phases called:

  • Preparation phase

  • Competition / Development phase

  • Transition (end of season/ Programme transition) phase

• Microcycles are the weeks within the Mesocycle

  • Individual sessions within the week

This planning applies to aerobic, anaerobic conditioning and resistance conditioning.

5.     

Tracking Technique and Physical Adaptations using Evaluation Sets

Evaluation sets can be done repeatedly through the training cycle and are a better indicator of progress than just competitive results

Use of specific sets to evaluate progress

• Sets are duration specific and match, or are a subset of performance goals / competitive events

• Sets use a combination of data: pace, exercise heart rate, stroke count

• Evaluation set results are tracked over time within the Periodised Plan and from year to year

Importance to achieve goals, scaled to the Goal level.