Reply To: Shorter rep distances to increase volume early in season
Another conceptual observation: Depending on the volume you’re expecting for the first miss (failure) an adjustment can be made for the number of strokes per rep.
Yesterday I was using 7 strokes to the wall and completed 10 reps before getting sloppy. I took a minute rest but was only able to complete 2 x 2 reps for the next two failures. Normally I’m expecting 3-5. I chalk this up to some residual fatigue from the 100 free set before. Normally, I’ll do a 200 free pace set before I do fly – doing back-to-back 100 pace sets is tough.
Hindsight, I could trim the stroke count to 6 strokes per rep after the first miss. This would take me back to ~22 yards. If I wanted to get some significant volume in I could even trim to 5 strokes. Again, working on power phase to drive the stroke distance so I understand that the fatigue will be higher than other micros. Also focusing on arm exit as I become fatigued since that seems to get really sloppy in the end. My hands are exiting asymmetrically; the left tends to drift under the hip before coming back out.
7 strokes x 10 = 70 quality stroke “reps” to failure. 2 x 2 x 7= 28 to finish.
Or, 7×10 = 70 then trim to 5. Feasible to get 10 more laps in at that point. 5 x 10 = 50. Maybe again for a 3rd miss 5 x 6 = 30.
As long as the stroke “reps” are the same intensity (pace/DPS/rate) with race-specific coordination then 7 or 5 is irrelevant after the first failure. This will be an optional tool to use when I feel like the initial set specifications are too hard after the first failure and I need to get more volume in.
Ryan
