Developing fitness is important- you need to be able to create a lot of energy AND you need to be able to use that energy efficiently.
In other words, you need to be physically fit, and you need to have the swimming skill to use that fitness efficiently.
I’d like to take the idea of fitness one step further to make it even more practical.
To do so, I’m going to flip the definition around.
Racing is the ability to swim with great skills and have the ability to execute those skills to meet your goals.
It doesn’t matter if you can execute your skills perfectly at slow speeds for 50 meters.
You want to be able to execute great skills for whatever distance you choose, at whatever speed you choose.
To ensure you do so, you have to train differently.
You can’t just ‘work hard’ or ‘do some drills’.
Here’s the simple framework that I use with every individual, regardless of their goals.
Step #1 Do it right
Step #2 Do it faster; do it longer
Step #3 Do it harder
It’s simple, straightforward framework that anyone can implement.
Here’s a little more detail on each step of the process.
Step #1 Do it right
The goal here is learning and practice.
Whatever skill you’re trying to learn, you’re doing everything you can to get the hang of it as fast as possible.
This is all about learning a new skill and doing so as quickly as possible.
Step #2 Do it faster; do it longer
Once you’ve improved a given skill, it’s time to start challenging it.
You can do so by going faster OR going longer.
You can practice picking up the speed over short distances.
You can practice increasing the distance while swimming relatively slow.
By working on both, you’re improving your ability to swim well under more difficult conditions.
You’re also building a great fitness base of speed and endurance.
Step #3 Do it harder
This is the final stage.
Once you’ve got it right, you can swim well going faster, and you can swim well going longer, it’s time to put it all together.
Now you can work to push the pace AND go longer, all while swimming really well.
This is the final step- if you can execute it well, you’re ready to accomplish whatever goal you’ve set.
The key is to continually focus on swimming WELL, regardless of what step of the process you’re on.
How do you know when it’s time for the next step?
Simple- give it a try.
If it goes smoothly, you’re ready.
If not, you were probably a little too aggressive.
Take a step back, tone it down, ]and then try it again.
Check out the sets below for practical examples of what these types of sets might look like.
They’re all based on learning how to optimize your timing and your rotation.
Give one or two of them a try depending on what you’re working on.
Change the skills and the exercises based upon the skill you want to focus on.
Comments