Written by: Rebecca Friedlander
Posted: Monday, 05 May 2008
On race day, you expect to go faster. After all, you’ve
done the training. You’re rested. You’re fueled.
But you don’t throw down a swim PR. Even worse, you’re
beginning to see a pattern. You keep clocking the same time for that lead leg,
race after race, season after season.
Training pace is one key factor contributing to this
frustrating phenomenon. It’s often repeated, but it’s unfailingly true: You
race the pace you train at. That’s why those steady-but-slow continuous mile
swims don’t translate to race-day speed. Your body just doesn’t know how to
hold a faster pace.
The good news is that you can train to become faster in the
water. Here are six techniques to incorporate into your regimen:
1) Wear fins to simulate a faster pace. According to Ken
Classen, former Denver University Aquaholics masters head coach and COMSA Coach
of the Year, fins “increase your stroke cadence.” Although many triathletes
rely on paddles to gain speed, Classen advises against it. “In my experience,
paddles are abused. Yes, they can reinforce good stroke technique but paddles
also can reinforce bad form. Fins help tighten up intervals, allow you to
maintain that new pace and improve aerobic capacity without reinforcing bad
muscle memory.” Obviously, becoming reliant on fins won’t help you on race day,
so keep them in the “training equipment” category and use them only once or
twice a week.
2) Do power training. Marcia Ancianzo, the current DU masters
head coach, agrees that you “have to train faster to swim faster.” Since power
workouts focus on speed, Ancianzo recommends doing one every few weeks. Here’s
a favorite:
8x25 fast on 1:00
1x100 easy
4x50 fast on 2:00
100 easy
2x75 fast on 3:00
100 easy
100 all out
3) Add race-pace sets. To familiarize your body with a
desired race pace, Ancianzo suggests doing a set holding race pace, even if you
need a lot of rest in between repeats. For example, if you want to hold
1:20/100m, try 20x100m on 2:00.
4) Use a Tempo Trainer. Although affordable and easy to slip
behind a goggle strap, it takes expertise to get the most out of this little
waterproof gadget. Kerry O’Brien, Walnut Creek masters head coach since 1980,
USMS Coach of the Year, and Masters Aquatic Coaches Lifetime Achievement award
winner, says that wearing a Tempo Trainer all the time “will drive you nuts!”
He does recommend using one, however, for a few sets per week. Here’s one of
Kerry’s workouts that uses both training modes.
Mode #1 helps you discover an optimal stroke rate, one which
doesn’t force you to turn over too quickly, or rely too heavily on your legs
because your stroke rate is not fast enough.
3x50 on a moderate interval to establish your comfortable
“stroke tempo” (match each water hand strike with a “chirp”).
3x50 swim descend on a moderate interval. Increased speed
must come from pulling harder, becoming more efficient, or kicking harder but
NOT by changing the speed of your stroke tempo.
3x100 descend on a moderate tempo without changing stroke
tempo. Count the number of strokes you take per 100.
3x100 adjust your Trainer to a faster tempo, but maintain
your stroke count from the previous set to ensure that you’re not shortening
your stroke length to keep up with the faster tempo.
Mode #2 lets you choose a send-off interval for a particular
pace.
1x500 with trainer set at your ideal 50 pace. For example,
if you want to hold :36/50y, set the trainer to “chirp” every 36 seconds.
You’re right on pace if you hit the wall on each chirp. Stop and rest 10
seconds if you fall off your 50 goal pace. Track and record the number of
breaks you took within the 500. Next time, try to take fewer breaks.
5) Improve flexibility. Good flexibility is essential to
achieve a “high catch” in freestyle. Why is catch so important? SwimLabs
co-owner Giff Cutler, who works with athletes on this element every day in the
pool, emphasizes that the ability to catch a lot of water is the difference
between having the most efficient and strongest pull versus “slipping through
the water.” As he explains further, “Swimming without a high catch is like
being in the wrong gear on your bike—you’re spinning but not going anywhere.”
Two easy ways to improve flexibility are taking yoga classes and performing a
daily routine created for you by a personal trainer.
6) Lift weights. According to Neil Bogan, physical
therapist, certified athletic trainer and strength and conditioning specialist,
off-season work in the weight room, even just three or four months, can improve
swim speed. Specifically, shoulder muscle imbalances can be addressed. “Any
time you do a repetitive motion your body adapts. The problem is that if you
have any mechanical flaws, they get exacerbated over time.” With swimming,
“this means developing shoulder problems because the rotator cuffs tend to get
beat up and weaken. If you strengthen them, you’ll be able to reach, glide and
pull with more efficiently,” says Bogan. Of course, having more strength to
apply to your stroke is always a good thing too. “The stronger you are, the
more capable you become of pulling your body through the water. It becomes
easier to do the same amount of work.”
After winning her third Ironman in eight months, England’s Chrissie Wellington is an IronWoman on a roll. 
