Help with weekly plan and questions on USRPT

[sunny pajamas]

Hey everyone, not sure if this site is still active but I will give it a shot.

I am a high school swimmer looking to get into USRPT, I have read Dr. Rushall’s guides and have a good understanding of it. I have done traditional training most of my life except for a few select times where I was able to practice by myself and try out USRPT. I am planning to go full USRPT when I have the opportunity to train by myself this summer. I mainly have a few questions:

1. Is it okay to specialize in a few events? My primary events are the 50/100 of breast and free. If I only train for those events, is it better because I am more focused or am I missing out on being more rounded from swimming other strokes? Basically, should I train other events like 200 free, 100 fly, 100 back, and will that improve my main events? Traditional coaches would say yes, but the principle of specificity says otherwise? I do believe that training 200s of the same stroke definitely helps the 100, but not sure about different strokes. When I read the guide, Rushall’s plan had every single event, with doubles on multiple days. I am pretty busy and want to have the most focused training plan.

2. IF it is okay to only train for a few events, how many days per week? I can’t be doing hard breaststroke sets every day. Maybe I need to experiment? Here is a basic plan I was thinking of (If it is okay to only do a few events of course):
Monday – 20×50 200 breast pace, 50 free work
Tuesday – Off or easy aerobic
Wednesday – 20×25 100 breast, skill work
Thursday – Off or easy aerobic
Friday – 20×25 100 free, UW work
Saturday – 12×50 100 breast or free alternating every other week, then 50 breast and free work
I would also probably be doing starts every day.

3. I also want to know your guy’s thoughts on gym and power (chutes, towers) training. I still can’t wrap my head around how he says it’s unnecessary.

Thanks a lot for reading, I look forward to talking more about USRPT!

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