50m Training – Sprint USRPT

[Batman767]

Hi All,

Hoping people can help me with 50m freestyle training. The below is my current training routine. I have been training using USRPT for 6 months and really enjoy it, but was training for 200m free. I have switched focus to 50m free now (current pb 26.1) and have based the following routine from the sprint usrpt guide. Could people give me advice on the following, Thank you in advance.

Current weekly routine:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: training the 50m race
– warm-up (400m)
– set 1: 25m reps (to failure e.g two below best practice time as prescribed in the sprint USRPT guide)
– recovery: 200m and 5-10mins on the wall
– Set 2: 15m reps (to failure ….)
– warm down

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday: training the 100m race
– warm-up (400m)
– set 1: 25m reps (30x25m, but the normal failure method as prescribed by the normal usrpt)
– set 2: repeat set 1
– warm down

Sunday:
Off

A few notes:
– My kick does need to improve, not sure if USRPT advocates kick sets?
– I don’t do any technique sets, as I incorporate them into my sets, not sure if people agree with this.
– I do not do any dry land training, with the exception of stretching. Do people recommend this also.

[ryanupper]

It’s good that you started with the 200 but you need to keep plugging in 200 sets twice a week. I would plug them in on your Mon/Wed sprint days. This is also your opportunity to work on turns 100% VO2max Development Concepts

Everything else is correctly structured based on the 50m manual. If you aren’t going from the blocks then try to do that 1-2 times a week. I would plug in 6 x 25 @100 pace on a :40-:45 before starting the sprints. This acts as a bit of a primer to activate your muscle and raise your heart rate. If you want to get more sprint yardage in you can also do 20m sprints, 5m glide to the wall. You can probably do these on a 1:00-1:20.

Don’t bother with surface kick sets, just focus on short and fast without overkicking. No noodle legs. For underwater double-leg kick, warm up with 6-8 x 25’s trying to kick underwater to half as fast as possible, tight streamline, then moderate surface swim to the wall. This can replace some of your 400m warmup.

Always integrate a technique item from the manual into the set. This is a core lesson of USRPT. I haven’t done a “drill” set in 5 years. I don’t recommend dryland only because I don’t know what your level of training and explaining a proper dryland program is too complex for this forum. Stretch after your warmup and before your main pace sets.

Since you seem to be in pretty good shape and your times are in the experienced catergory I’ll give you one more option. The “Go” swim. After your 50’s @200 or 25’s @100 set take 2 minutes of rest. Then try to hold that same pace for as long as possible; for 200 pace this might be 100-125m, for 100 pace this might be 50-75m. Take 2 mintutes of rest and go again. Only hold the target pace, when you slow down/get tired then stop.

[ryanupper]

delete: typo

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