Reply To: USRPT for 12&unders
Swim mama, the 50s set you describe does not sound like true USRPT to me. I can’t find it in the paper again, but I thought that I had read that the target is set at 93% of the best time in each event. The training target must be faster than their best time, correct? I do know that I read training should be 3-5 times the yardage of the event. Honestly, I have read so many of Dr Rushall’s papers that they start to run together. My husband and I have been forced into training our children ourselves. Neither of us are swimmers. He is an official, so he understands the mechanics of each stroke. It is very difficult for us to do this, but we will study and research to do the best by our kids. That is what most parents do, right? I completely agree with you that most parents want to understand what is being done in training and why.
I am a bit confused by some of what I am reading. In the Step by Step paper, he outlines training sessions for two hours in the pool. I love the guidance of how many sessions per week by ages, but these descriptions do not mirror Michael Andrew’s training. I am trying to get a good grasp on how much time and yardage we should be doing. Many coaches tell me that most 12&U kids will improve simply by being in the water regularly. I think I agree with that. My ten year olds typically drop in 80-100% of their races at every meet. My 13 year old only drops in about 50%. He is my main concern right now.
Can anyone confirm the 93% of best time as target? Does Michael Andrew adhere strictly to Rushall’s recommendations, or is his training very specific to him within Rushall’s guidelines?
