Training of Top US Distance Swimmers

Genadijus Sokolovas, Ph.D.

www.globsport.org

info@globsport.org

Successful Distance Clubs in US

• Mission Viejo (Chad Carvin, Larsen Jensen, Chad LaTourette, Chloe Sutton, Ashley Twichell, etc.)

• Nations Capital (Katie Ledecky)

• Fish Club (Kate Ziegler)

• University of Michigan (Chris Thompson, Peter Vanderkaay, Jaeger)

• University Southern California (Eric Vendt, Ous Mellouli, Haley Anderson)

Reasons for Success in Distance Swimming

• High volumes training

• Attention to swimming technique

• Competitive training environment

• Early competitive success

• Opportunities to train in college

Number of Swim Workouts

• Number of swim workouts a week:

• Mission Viejo – 11 (1.5 hours in the mornings, 3 hours in the afternoons, 3.5 hours on weekends)

• Fish Club – 11 (2 hours in the mornings, 2.5 hour in the afternoons, 3 hours on weekends)

• University of Michigan – 10 (2 hours)

• Nations Capital – 10 (2 hours in the mornings, 2:15 in the afternoons)

• University Southern California – 8 (1.5 hours in the mornings, 2 hours in the afternoons)

Weekly Training Volumes

• Mission Viejo – 80-85000 yd a week (peak 90000 yd a week)

• Nations Capital – 60-65000 yd a week (peak 75000 yd a week)

• Fish Club – 70-75000 yd a week (peak 90000 yd a week)

• University of Michigan – 55-60000 yd a week (peak 70000 yd a week)

• University Southern California – 5-8000 yd per workout (they don’t track swim volumes)

Speed for Distance Swimmers

• Distance swimmers need to have easy speed to be able to change gears and finish when racing.

• If distance swimmers don’t have speed, they will “burn tank” faster.

• Building speed gradually during the season.

Speed Development for Distance Swimmers

• Resistance training, normally twice a week (Power Racks, Power Towers, stretch cords, paddles, etc.)

• Speed training in the water from the beginning of the season (15 m blasts, dives, turns)

• Increase distance of speed work over 50s and 100s later in the season

• Incorporate fast sprints in aerobic sets

• Sprint sets at the end of the workout

Speed Training for Distance Swimmers at USC

• Lower volumes and lower number of workouts, but higher intensity

• Anything can be done fast at race speed and above (kicking, pulling, drills)

• Communication with swimmers what kind of speed they, creating competitive environment every day

• Non standard swimming sets (125s, 175s, mixed aerobic and fast speed sets)

• Rarely repeat the sets

• Options for swimmers what workout/sets to swim

Speed Training for Katie Ledecky

• Easy speed training from the beginning of the season

• More speed sets at the end of the workout, especially if there has been a long workout

• Speed sets at the end of the workout: 25s and 50s on tight interval, 16 x 25 descending

• Swimming sets using race tempo

• Over kicking sets

• Swimming with resistance (paddles, chutes)

Speed Training for Kate Ziegler

• Something fast every practice

• Negative split sets for longer sets (200s, 300s, 400s)

• Many sets include descending rest intervals

• Emphasis on distance per cycle

• Mimicking race over shorter distances with active rest between

• Focus on race tempo in fast sets

Kicking in Distance Swimming

• In the past, many distance swimmers swam 2-beat kick, especially women

• Kicking has huge potential to improve swim times

• Better kicking improves distance per stroke

• It also improves swimming technique by keeping body more horizontal and higher on the surface

• Good kickers are winning the end of the race

Kicking Training for Distance Swimmers

• If you don’t train kicking, you will drain your kick energy very fast

• Normally, two practices a week devoted for kicking

• Distance swimmers can improve in college by doing more kicking

• Kicking after hard race pace sets to include larger muscles to promote lactate use a fuel

Kicking Sets for Distance

Swimmers• Vertical kicking with weight belts

• Long kick sets with fins

• Short kick sets without fins

• Kick on Power Racks

• Kick against cords

• Emphasizing strong kick during swim sets:

– 200s with 1st 50s 2-beat kick, 2nd 50s with 4-beat kick, then 6-beat kick, then 8-beat kick

Kicking Sets for Distance Swimmers at USC

• Kicking with fins

• Kicking against the wall

• Underwater Kicking

• Over kick catch-up stroke

• More kick at the end of the practice:

– 10 x 100 kick at the end of the practice

Katie Ledecky’s Kicking Training

• She was 2-beat kicker in the past

• No one kicks with a board during the race

• Increase speeds with the same stroke count

• Instead of going 15-16 strokes per lap, she had to learn how to swim 12 strokes per lap

• Limiting stroke count forces to use more legs

• Legs have to be used during the second half of the race

• Kicking set:

– 800 swim first 400 pull, then drop the buoy and go with strong kick

Technique vs. Training for Distance Swimmers

• Technique is in jeopardy when train long dist swimmers

• At the peak volume and high intensity set coach isn’t going to stop a swimmer to correct technique, set is more important

• Technique is constant dialog with swimmers, especially distance per stroke

• A lot of video work

• 15-20 min of skill work at the beginning of each workout

Talking to Swimmers about Technique

• Coach has short cues – words to fix technique during the set

• Focus just on most important things of technique during the set

• If a swimmer doesn’t correct the stroke, we will talk about it after the practice

• Another way to deal with that – start the set over again! You hold swimmers accountable to the standards.

Talking to Distance Swimmers about Technique

• Coach has short cues – words to fix technique during the set

• Focus just on most important things of technique during the set

• If a swimmer doesn’t correct the stroke, we will talk about it after the practice

• Another way to deal with that

– start the set over again!

You hold swimmers accountable

to the standards.

Working on Swimming Technique

• More experimentation of technique at the beginning of the season

• More technique repetition phase in the middle of the season

• Very little work on technique during the high-intensity training

• Using towing machine

• Swimming with parachutes

• Drills to lower head position, especially for Open Water swimmers

• Using a snorkel

Working with Katie Ledecky on Swimming Technique

• Fast high-elbow catch is very important

• All good distance swimmers have 90 degree angle catch at the beginning of the stroke

• Combine high-elbow catch with a nice torque of the hip

• Don’t break a body line

• Don’t cross over with hands

• Swimming against cord to feel better driving from the hips rotation

Working with Katie Ledecky on Swimming Technique

• Fast high-elbow catch is very important

• All good distance swimmers have 90 degree angle catch at the beginning of the stroke

• Combine high-elbow catch with a nice torque of the hip

• Don’t break a body line

• Don’t cross over with hands

• Swimming against cord to feel better driving from the hips rotation

Weekly Training for Distance Swimmers (Michigan University)

• Monday morning – 2000-3000 kick set + aerobic training

• Monday afternoon – threshold: 10 x 200 :20-30 sec with the best effort or 4 x 1000 on 11:00

• Tuesday and Friday mornings – speed changing, descending and ascending sets (fartlek)

• Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning – race pace

• Wed – high volume practice, how much can get in two hours (max is 11,200)

• Fri afternoon – second big kick set of the week, interval set

Weekly Training for Distance Swimmers (USC)

• Monday and Friday – swimmers are in the weight room

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday mornings – swim

• In the afternoons, a lot of odd distance – 175s, the last 75 fast. Creating an environment for swimmers racing each other.

• It is important that swimmers would buy into training, everybody will do something different. Swimmers have to believe what they do.

Weekly Training for Katie Ledecky

• Three-day cycle building toward really good Wednesday afternoon or really good Saturday, , when swimmers swim really fast

• Between those days – IM on Tuesday and Friday, change strokes

• One practice a week swimmers go high volume – up 9000 yd, when average is 6500 yd

• High yardage is good mentally and physically

• Be proud swimming a lot and the last finishing long workout

Swimming Sets for Distance Swimmers

• Broken 10000

• 5 x 100 on 1:40, 5 x 100 on 1:30, and 5 x 100 on 1:20

• 5 x 100 on 1:20, 5 x 100 on 1:30, and 5 x 100 on 1:40 (at the end of the season)

• 9 x 300: first 100 – over kick with catch-up, 2nd 100 smooth, 3rd 100 strong kick

– 4 x (300 free + 100 DPS) on 5:30

– 4 x (200 free + 100 DPS) on 4:10

– 4 x (100 free + 100 DPS) on 2:50

– 4 x (50 free + 50 DPS) on 1:30

• 8 x 200 on 2:45 (odd – negative split, even – descending)

• 3 x (400 negative split + 3 x 300)

Physical and Mental Toughness for Distance Swimmers

• Every workout has to be tough and challenging

• A lot of race pace training (USC)

• Negative split, descending sets (Ledecky, Mission Viejo, Ziegler)

• Long sets with maximum effort

• Broken sets: 1500, 1650, 3000, 5000, and 10000

• Lactate sets: 6 x 100 on 5:00 or 6 x 200 on 6:00

• Maximum possible volume in one practice (2 hours)

Weight Training for Distance Swimmers

• In College, each athlete dryland is individualized, based on school schedule, weaknesses

• Swimmers are in the weight room twice a week

• More general strength and flexibility

• Low weights, resistance (med balls, swim benches, Vertical Swim Trainer, vibration machine)

• Strength training after swim practices to keep good quality in the water

• Reps increase over the week of training

Dryland Training for Katie Ledecky

• Dynamic warm up before going in the water:

– jumps, squats, push ups, lunges around the pool

• Shoulder exercises

• Shoulders stability especially for young swimmers

• Injury prevention

• Preventative training before doing strength training

– Stretch cords, body core muscles, abdominal, lower back

Six Weeks before the Race

(University of Tennessee)• Mastery of pace

• Efficiency of stroke (long DPS, strong kick)

• Swimmers have to be in control when they are under stress

• 4 x 500 + 4 x 400 + 4 x 300 + 4 x 200 + 4 x 100 on 1:10 long course descending, pace on #1 has to be higher than pace on #4 of previous distance

• If swimmers can descend 20 times, they are in control

Six Weeks before the Race(University of Michigan and USC)

• Michigan:

• 1650 add up or 1500 add up

• 11 x 150 or 3 x (200+150+100+50) holding 1500 pace

• Long mile threshold sets bringing distance shorter down to 4-5 x 550 with the last at mile pace

• USC:

• Generally don’t repeat the same sets

• 12 x 100 with odds at mile pace and even ones at pace +5 sec holding good technique and stroke count

Six Weeks before the Race(Katie Ledecky)

• 3 x (4 x 100 desc 1-4 + 200 fast with the same 50s)

• 2 x 800 :20 sec + 100 ez + 2 x 400 :20 sec + 100 ez + 2 x 200 :20 sec in the morning and the same the next day in the evening (mimic race schedule)

• First repeat from a dive, but second repeat has to be faster

• Be better the next day in the same set

• They did it 3 times leading trials in 2012 (January –May)

IM Swimming for Distance Swimmers

• Most of distance swimmers swim 400 IM

• IM helps for distance swimmers mentally

• Every practice swimmers do some set that has an IM component

• Age groupers have to swim IM to be a more skilled swimmer

• IM will keep swimmers in the sport longer, keep them healthier

• IM develops good capacity for collegiate swimmers

Altitude Training for Distance Swimmers

• A training center created for Olympic athletes to come and prepare for the Olympics.

• It was built in Colorado Springs due to the high elevation level

• Elevation at Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is 1868 m

Adaptation to the Altitude

• Potential physiological changes of aerobic capacity:– Release of erythropoietin (EPO) – Increased number of red blood cells (RBC)– Increased hemoglobin and hematocrit – Increased number of mitochondria in the muscle cells – Higher capillary density (Hoppeler, Vogt, 2001) – Improved anaerobic/ lactate threshold– Faster recovery – Improvement of movement economy (Gore et al., 2001,

Katayama et al, 2003, 2004, Saunders et al, 2004, 2005)– Maximized aerobic capacity

Responders vs. Non-Responders• Responders to altitude training experience a

significant increase in their erythropoietin (EPO) concentration in their blood after about 30 hours at altitude

• This initial EPO response may lead to an increase in total red cell volume and VO2 max

• Non-responders have a smaller increase in their erythropoietin (EPO) (Chapman 1998)

Pre Altitude Camp Testing

• Blood tests should be done prior to an altitude training camp to verify adequate serum ferritin levels:

– 30 ug/L or higher for women

– 35 ug/L or higher for men

• A blood test should be completed 6-8 weeks prior to altitude to assess all of the components of the blood (total iron, iron binding capacity, etc)

Nutrition at Altitude

• The body uses more carbohydrates at altitude. It requires increased intake of carbohydrates (Dyck et al, 2000).

• Dehydration may occur because of low humidity at altitude. To prevent dehydration more water and energy drinks should be used (Armstrong, 2000).

• Initial adaptation to the altitude may be improved by intake of vitamin C (Subudhi, 2006).

Optimal Altitude

• The optimal training altitude is from 2,000 to 2,500 meters

• Less oxygen is bound to hemoglobin and delivered to the muscles at higher elevations

• Training at too high an altitude may reduce the athlete’s ability to train at high intensities

Timing and Duration of the Altitude Camp

• Timing of the altitude camp depends on the competition schedule and goals of the training plan

• Altitude camps may improve aerobic conditioning and recovery between seasons and after competitions

• Altitude camps may be designed between seasons, in early season, and before the taper

• To ensure the desired physiological reactions, the duration of the altitude camp should be about three to four weeks long

Timing between the Altitude Camp and Major Competition

• The time between the altitude camp and major competition should be shorter if the athlete is to compete in long distance events

• The improvements in VO2max are the highest up to 14 days after the cessation of administration of rhEPO (altitude training)

• Altitude training effects are very individual and may last up to 5 weeks after returning to sea level

Duration of Altitude Training Effects

• The duration of these effects depend on factors such as:– Elevation of the altitude camp

– Duration of the altitude camp

– Workload volumes and intensities of practices during and after the camp

• Sprinters should compete 5 to 6 weeks after altitude training

• Distance athletes should compete 1 to 3 weeks after altitude training (depending on event)

Training Volumes and Intensities at the Altitude Camp

• High stress on the cardio-respiratory system of athletes during the initial stage of adaptation: the first five to seven days at altitude

• Aerobic work may be supplemented with some sprint work during the first week of altitude training

• Workouts with higher volumes and intensities may be designed during the second week at altitude

• More experienced athletes adapt to the altitude faster

Number of Daily Workouts at Altitude

• Conservative training:

– 2-1 for sprint and middle distance

– 2-2-1 for middle distance and distance

• Intensive training:

– 2-3-1 for middle distance and distance

– 3-2-3-0 for middle distance and distance

– 3-2-3-2-0 for middle distance and distance

Aerobic Weekly Training Cycle for Kate Ziegler (FISH Club) at Altitude

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Morning AerobicTechniqueThresholdAlternating speed7.5 km

ThresholdNegative splitShortening rest interval7.8 km

Negative splitDistance per strokeDrills8.1 km

ThresholdShortening distancedrills7.9 km

VO2 maxDrills7.6 km

Negative splitDescendingDistance per stroke7.7 km

ThresholdRace pace7.8 km

Afternoon Anaerobic with speed bursts5.0 km

Off or work on technique/filming/turns/dives

Anaerobic sprintAlternating speedKick5.0 km

AnaerobicRace pace4.8 km

Off or turns,technique

DrillsAnaerobicRace pace 4.8 km

PullDistanceper stroke5.0 km

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!