[Denaj]

Thanks for the info on the DVDs Kevin. How do you feel about the value provided on them? Would you recommend them to others?

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

[Denaj]

Hi,

I’ve started writing sets up as 100p 25’s for 20min as opposed to 30 or 40×25 as I seem to get a better approach to the sets.

I try to keep the work/rest ratio as close to 1:1 as possible on 25m repeats (unless it means more than 15s rest), and then I only use 20s rest intervals for longer distances.

I also try to get them to finish with a turn regardless of what distances we are doing.

Generally I do a short warm-up (up to 15 minutes) then either a skill set or straight into my first set, depending on the length of session.
After the first set i generally do drills in the stroke just swum and then I move onto the next.

I try to do:
60min – 1 USRPT set
90min – 2 USRPT sets
120min – 3 USRPT sets

And fill the rest with skills and technique work.
Thoughts?

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

[Denaj]

I keep track of what my swimmers accomplish as far as times held and the date and sometimes the number of reps. Ideally I would like to record failures, but I’m coaching 8-10 year olds and they rarely remember how many we’ve done. We still adhere to the failure system though.

I like to announce how far some of them have come as it relates to time drops and that gets them excited to know they’ve dropped so much time, but then again I don’t want to recreate the traditional atmosphere of swimmers who are just getting better at a particular set so I like to tie in race results so that they can easily make the connection.

Kris, showing them a graph is a great idea, I will have to do that soon.

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

[Denaj]

Hey Swimin,

I coach 8,9 & 10 yr olds with USRPT (there is also a 6 year old girl in the group who has national times already) and I’ve seen really good results with it. I always keep my sets targeted between 15-25s rest and because of USRPT my swimmers have become very disciplined. They get their own times and tell them to me (including the 6 year old).

To answer your question, the times difference doesn’t matter because USRPT is specific to the individual so the swimmer going 45 and the swimmer going 28 are on the same set with different target times and different expectations and hopefully in different lanes. Also, the science doesn’t discriminate by age and it still applies to 12&U within reason as they have the same energy systems

As far as technique to work ratio. Our practices always begin with 15-30 minutes of technique work because that’s when fatigue isn’t an obstacle to learning. Our practices are only 1.5 hours and I can often get in two USRPT sets, if I want, but sometimes we play games.

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

[Denaj]

Greg,

I think you are on the right track. To help you out I’m just going to post a quote from Dr. Rushall.

Even those who swim individual medley races should practice each stroke independently incurring training effects of the particular nominated stroke for the set. When practicing skills, time should be allocated so that individual medley swimmers can have substantial repetitions of turning from one stroke form to another. Those turns should also be practiced in blocks of substantial numbers of repetitions so that learning can occur. A suggested
minimum limit of skill trials would be greater than 15. Fleeting exposures to skills, such as four trials, are insufficient for any credible learning to occur

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

[Denaj]

Kris,

I think the format of your practice is solid. Keep the technique instruction first because that’s the time when they are going to learn most.

Also,keep doing what you’re doing on some days and on other days I would substitute one of those 15min segments for another USRPT set.

Here is a resource that might help: STEP-BY-STEP USRPT PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES

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? P2Life - Performance Nutrition

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