Skill Development & Race Specific Training John Grootveld, BPHE, BEd. Head Coach Toronto Swim Club (TSC) All Slides © John Grootveld, 2007

Skill Development Primary objectives of the skill development program are: – Good technique which translates to high efficiency Great skills are the result of : – knowledge, physical ability and a desire to make it habit Skill teaching program is matched to stages of swimmer development including: – biological maturity (are they strong enough to perform the skill), – neuromuscular development (can they execute the skills), – Psychological emotional and social maturity (can they learn what they are being taught). Other considerations – There is a difference between technique and style (good technique does not always mean good style and visa versa) – Complex skills can be broken down into smaller elements, – Physical preparation impacts skill development – Complexity of skill and neurological adaptation effects learning – First learn skills, then to perform skills with speed and efficiency – Success in all four strokes starts with kick and body position – You ‘kick to swim…not swim to kick’ – Core body strength and flexibility impacts stroke mechanics and efficiency

Effective training of mid-distance and distance swimmers in the same program 100 m & 200 m (Hilary Bell) vs. Distance (Zsofi Balazs)

Freestyle Observations Women’s Freestyle- Olympic, WC Observations In 400fr, 800fr stroke rate significantly higher for finalists vs. non- finalists In 400fr, 800fr finalists had significantly higher DPS in middle 200 (400) Stroke rate seems to be factor that correlates most with speed in distance events In sprint events, DPS, seems to be a more important indicator of success 200fr seems to have biggest variations between SR vs. DPS Men’s Freestyle- Olympic Analysis Differences in men and women….DPS critical for male sprinters and distance Men should work work on developing distance per stroke cycle in all distances 200fr requires superior SR and DPS

week during mid season training week during taper Keys to success include – tempo/rhythm, – no more than one day out of water, – do more than anyone else, – good mix of aerobic/aerobic power, – some fly everyday, – grumpy if she doesn’t succeed (give the odd gravy set) During taper the key is tempo/rhythm DistanceMid-Distance week during mid season training week during taper Keys to success include – ‘grooving stroke’, – core body strength, – give specific targets, – aerobic power/anaerobic, – Free & I.M. During taper the key is technique, race quality swimming

Hitting the Target Set Goal time Set Goal targets X + 1.6, x + 1.5, X (Goal 1: , 30.1, 30.0, 29.9) Design sets with target in mind Tae Hawn Park 11.6, 12.8(24.42), 13.3(37.71), 13.0( ), 13.2(1:03.9), 13.2(1: ), 12.8(1:29.6), 12.3(1: ) 20 X 1:10 25high, 25 low, 24high, 24low, 23.9 Same stk # throughout

Mid-Season Training Week - Mid-Distance

Mid-Season Training Week - Distance

Taper Training Week - Mid-Distance

Taper Training Week - Distance

Aerobic Power Test - Critical Speed Recommend x 200 m on 5 minutes (6 if doing lactates) – Descend by 5 sec each – P.B sec – Even Split – All from push – Record time, heart rate, # strokes on 3rd 50 – Can do x 100 m for younger swimmers – Download group recording form and analysis template from © Gregory D. Wells, Ph.D. (2006)

Decreased Resting HR Decreased Submax HR Increased MaxHR Stress, Immunity, Detraining + Lactates to assess Aerobic & Anaerobic Simultaneously

Typical Testing Results - Mid-Distance AND Positive aerobic adaptation & anaerobic maintenance.Good for sprinting as you need lactic acid production to be able to go fast. So Keeping high lactates and still improving VCr through balanced training and technique improvements is what was done with Hilary.

Testing Results - Distance BUT Positive aerobic adaptation with Zsofi. Aerobic system can now handle any lactic acid produced in the muscles. This allows her to swim at close to VCr with minimal lactate - great for distance swimming.

Contact Information If you have questions or comments please contact John Grootveld at: – Thank you for your interest in our program