Tempo/SPL/Pace "Pop Quiz"

[terry]

What beneficial imprint or adaptation do you think is produced by each of the following and how might you mix them in your practice:

Low Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace

Low Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace

High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace

High Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace

Hint: You can find clues in my post #25 in the thread Formula for a Faster 1500.

[CoachShane]

Low Tem/SPL, EZ/Rlx:
I use this combination (without the Tempo Trainer) for my warm-up and cool down:
- Lengthen my muscles (hence my reach) for longer stroke
- Warm-up neuromuscular and aerobic systems, as well as my "swim-brain"
- Easy to apply focal points to this combo during warm-up
- Hone technique

Low Tem/SPL, Fast/Intns:
This combo works to train higher muscle fiber recruitment:
- Hone "micro timing" of 4 elements of propulsion (good with Pause Drill)
- Strive for low SPL: maximize glide, maximize "snap" of propulsion (see line above)
- High specificity "strength training" - best as short reps with adequate recovery
- learn to use strength without disturbing the water

Hi Tem/SPL, EZ/Rlx:
Used to focus on neural speed, without the distraction of high aerobic requirement
- Train turnover speed while maintaining relaxation and ease
- Develops efficiency - turning off all unnecessary tension
- Tests for compact kick and efficient recovery, clean entry
- Refine breath timing and biomechanics

Hi Tem/SPL, Fast/Intns:
Used for race simulation: As a distance swimmer, this is faster than race pace
- "Put it all together"
- Learn to stay relaxed at high output
- Evaluate economy and technique (prevent SPL from going "thru the roof")
- Apply the "maximize glide time" (relaxation) and dial in "snap" of propulsion (precision of micro timing)

In summary, the focus is on neuromuscular training - I call it "kinetic intelligence" The aerobic system also benefits! Voila - a free lunch! I use these same combinations in my bike and run training as well.

[Grant]

What does Rix and Intns stand for please. Ignore this please I just light bulbed.
"relaxed and intense"

[CoachToddE]

While not succinct and crisp as Shane,

Low Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace: Allows you to fine tune your technique while imprinting muscle memory and feel for the water (getting into EVF to feel pressure on hand and forearm) required to swim and maintain a low tempo/SPL. This should increase efficiency.
Can be used over entire training season more percentage of time in early season. For tune-ups/pull work Low Tempo/SPL easy/slow relaxed. Can also be used for a recovery day once a week as well for the main-set(s). Use TT for slowing tempo and maintaining or reducing SPL further before increasing tempo.


Low Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace: This start to train the muscles to work harder to obtain the fast/intense pace and simultaneously holding the low tempo/SPL. Increases sensation of feel for the water to apply more power without applying more speed to the propulsion phase (causing slippage due to moving water rather than the body). The time is reduced but the low tempo/SPL remains constant testing and adapting your system to maintain efficiency.

Start to incorporate as SPL becomes consistent at varied distances. Building on the use of the TT and starting with base TT setting can start to increase tempo while maintaining SPL. Periodic sets of reducing and increasing tempo until SPLs are added will be an indicator of improvement. Gradually increase distances through longer repeats.

High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace: Transition to swimming faster by increasing tempo. Increasing tempo usually leads to a higher SPL but only increase tempo gradually over time to allow your muscles and body to adapt to increased tempo while adapting SPL. Swimming faster at an easy/relaxed pace teaches how to achieve “easy speed” without over pulling towards goal of race pace.

Mid-season to late-season training. Through the use of the TT and learning to increase tempo and maintain SPL you will find the tempo where the SPL starts to increase (number may vary) and stroke starts to fall apart or feel hurried and out of sync. Use of the time, SPL and tempo fine-tuning to keep progressing towards race pace goal.


High Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace: This is your race pace you want to achieve. Being able to hold high tempo/SPL at race pace with short rest intervals imprints the muscles and nervous system to adapt to more stress with more success. Being able to swim at desired race pace, tempo/SPL, with less exertion and more speed should become easier. Keeping the technique of the slow tempo and adapting it to the higher tempo allows the stroke to feel more integrated, i.e., the basic technique (recovery, entry or propulsion) of the stroke does not change as the tempo increases and the overlap of the front-quadrant becomes less.

Use at least once every 1-2 weeks as test/rehearsal sets.

[Georgina]

In devising my personal swim practice programme I fell back on what I know best in my running training. The masters type training experience made no sense to me, mixing it all up – I would never to hill repeats and a long run in the same session.

Also probably contrary to Terry, many TI coaches and swimmers I keep it really simple. It just doesn’t do it for me to be doing complex sets that I can’t remember. I keep my ‘brain power’ focused on technique improvement and away from counting and mathematics.

So I aim to swim 3 times a week in the pool and once in ow. The ow sessions will depend if I have company or not. Mostly over race distance with a group where we swim together as a group with 1 person setting tempo. Focus is on the love of open water.

Session 1
Warm-up Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace
- 500 metres continuous swim
- Maintaining SPL – no rush
- Focus on feeling – balance and ease
- Focus on rhythm
Main-Set - Low Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace
- Short intervals – 10 x 100 building to 20 x 100 as closer to race
- Short recovery – based on feel
- Focus on timing of stroke
- Focus on strength by engaging big muscles, quietly
Warm-down Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace
- 500 metres continuous swim
- Similar to warm-up – check balance, ease and rhythm

Session 2
Warm-up Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace
Main-Set High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace
- Medium intervals – 10/15 x 200 and 5/8 x 300
Longer recovery
- Focus on relaxed speed
- Maintain quiet, compact kick
- Swim quietly
Warm-down Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace

Session 3
Warm-up Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace
Main-Set High Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace
Long intervals at race pace – 3 x 500 building to 6/8 x 500 and 2/3 sessions of continuous swim over race distance.
- Check SPL
- Relaxed and fast
- Extend ability to focus over duration of swim
Warm-down Low Tempo/SP and Easy/Relaxed Pace

[CoachBillG]

Low Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace:

Focus on relaxed exhale to decreasing heart rate and increase buoyancy
Focus on decreasing any tension in the head / neck and forearms and leading with the elbow
Focus on a precise timing of the kick to the opposite arm entry
Focus on a clean catch utilizing the lats and flaring out the elbow
Focus on the arm entry into the water and not “slapping” the elbow on the water
Focus on a relaxed, weightless lead arm
Analysis the angle of the shoulder and hips during rotation and making sure they are at the same angle
Get an accurate stroke count across the pool

Mix in quite a bit of fist drills to increase balance and timing. Work with tempos from 1.35 to 1.70 to focus on pure balance in the water and not shear momentum.

Consider this to be a balance, fluidity & timing building practice

Low Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace
Focus on a clean snap with the hip in the kick
Focus on hip drive and arm entry into the water
Analysis the angle of the shoulder and hips during rotation and making sure they are at the same angle
Focus on a slightly harder catch utilizing the larger lat muscles of the back
Focus on a minimal number of strokes across the pool

Alternate intervals of regular whole stroke and fist drills and count strokes for both. Work with tempos from 1.20 to 1.50.

Consider this to be a strength building practice

High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace
Focus on the timing of the kick to the arm entry allow the kick to dictate the cadence
Focus on the absolute minimal amount of rotation when breathing
Focus on a very relaxed exhale to allow the arm to remain relaxed
Work on stroke rates that are slightly faster than race pace to increase proprioception (making breathing at slower rates feel easier)
Find out what breathing patten works best for you (2, 3, 4 or even 5 stroke)

Alternate intervals of regular whole stroke and fist drills. My race tempo is 1.15 to 1.20 so for this I use tempos of 1.00, 0.95, 0.90, 0.85, 0.90, 0.95, 1.00 and then do a time trial at my race tempo and it feels incredibly easy and slow.

Consider this to be a breathing proprioception practice

#note: during this session, one of the best drills for developing overall timing is a drill I caught Terry doing on one of the TI videos (can’t remember off hand). It is swimming with only one arm or what I like to call “Stroke into Skate Drill” which is exactly what it is. Get into Skate Drill and stroke and breathe only on one side. I can’t think of another drill that builds breathing proprioception better as well as head position, timing of the 2 beat kick, hip drive and propulsion, precise rotation and streamlining.

High Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace
All of the above with High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace
More of a focus on leg snap and hip drive
More emphasis on the timing and power of the catch
Focus on short sets of high stroke rates and low SPL
Focus on decreasing the rest time in between intervals
End the session with one 5 - 8 minute time trial at a normal stroke count and notice how slow it feels

Alternate intervals of regular whole stroke and fist drills. My race tempo is 1.15 to 1.20 so for this I use tempos of 1.00, 0.95, 0.90, 0.85, 0.90, 0.95, 1.00 and then do a time trial at a tempo of 1.05 and see how long I can hold it for.

Consider this a cadence proprioception practice

[terry]

What wonderful analysis by TI coaches. Thanks to all for your contributions.

To sum up succinctly, you can think in terms of four quadrants for 'playing' Tempo and Pace against each other - if using a Tempo Trainer. Without the TT, SPL works the same way as Tempo.
Quadrant 1 Lower Tempo and Lower Speed
Quadrant 2 Higher Tempo and Lower Speed
Quadrant 3 Lower Tempo and Higher Speed
Quadrant 4 Higher Tempo and Higher Speed

Practicing in Quadrant 1 will improve:

• body alignment and stability - "Active Streamlining"
• the 'silky magic' feeling in the catch that Coach Suzanne blogged about.

Practicing in Quadrant 2 will improve:

• fluency -- i.e. avoiding splash and turbulence, keeping the water still --at faster rhythms or tempos
• the feeling of easy speed - like spinning on a bike while riding slightly downhill, or letting your legs just carry you while running downhill.

Practicing in Quadrant 3 will improve:

• integration of arms, legs and torso with the weight shift.
• recruitment of more muscle motor units - i.e more propulsive power

Practicing in Quadrant 3 will improve:

• integration of arms, legs and torso with the weight shift.
• recruitment of more muscle motor units, i.e more propulsive power - this is like cycling up a hill without downshifting.

Practicing in Quadrant 4 will improve:

• your feel for keeping a 'clean' stroke at your fastest paces
• avoiding 'slippage' - maintaining firmness and a sense of leisure - in your stroke when pushing your edge in tempo and speed.

[johnny.widen]

Originally Posted by terry

To sum up succinctly, you can think in terms of four quadrants for 'playing' Tempo and Pace against each other - if using a Tempo Trainer. Without the TT, SPL works the same way as Tempo.
Quadrant 1 Lower Tempo and Lower Speed
Quadrant 2 Higher Tempo and Lower Speed
Quadrant 3 Lower Tempo and Higher Speed
Quadrant 4 Higher Tempo and Higher Speed

I like this! An image of it with links to explaining text would be perfect on the new web site.

But skip the numbering of the quadrants, since it goes against mathematical conventions, since it doesn't follow the normal cartesian coordinate system's way of doing it. I see low on the negative side of the axis and high on the positive, then the first quadrant is (high,high) and then they are numbered counter clockwise.

:-)

[jenson1a]

Originally Posted by terry

What beneficial imprint or adaptation do you think is produced by each of the following and how might you mix them in your practice:

Low Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace

Low Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace

High Tempo/SPL and Easy/Relaxed Pace

High Tempo/SPL and Fast/Intense Pace

Hint: You can find clues in my post #25 in the thread Formula for a Faster 1500.

OK I hesitate to ask this, but just to make sure I understand what tempo and relaxed and intense pace mean:

Low tempo means that the TT is set higher (1.6, 1.7,etc)which should result in a lower spl?
High tempo means TT is set at a lower rate (1.4, 1.3, etc)?

What constitutes a Fast/Intense Pace and how is that done when swimming at a low tempo/spl? (or conversely the high tempo/spl at a relaxed pace)?

Sorry to ask such basic questions, but sometimes I overlook the obvious.

Hope someone answers.

Sherry

[terry]

Originally Posted by jenson1a

What constitutes a Fast/Intense Pace and how is that done when swimming at a low tempo/spl? (or conversely the high tempo/spl at a relaxed pace)?

I hadn't visited this thread since last year, but an email with one of our coaches reminded me of it so I searched it out and found Sherry's unanswered query.

Swimming a Fast, Intense pace at a low Tempo/SPL requires you to get all you can out of each stroke. By that I mean
1) fire a LOT of muscle tissue when you stroke, to generate the power so that each stroke propels you a great distance.
2) Even while stroking with great power, you must still stroke with great care or finesse.
When you apply more power, it's incredibly easy to have that power move water around, rather than move YOU forward.

The challenge of maximizing power and finesse is a real brain-teaser. If you'd like to experience this, a simple way is to swim a series of 25s at a very leisurely tempo - say 1.6.

For me this tempo would result in an SPL of 11 in a 25yd pool -- if I swam with a light touch. If I set myself the challenge of striking the other wall in 10 strokes, instead of 11, I'd have to propel myself about 10 percent farther on each stroke.

So, once you've found the lowest SPL you can manage swimming with real ease, try to reduce it by one. If you succeed, try to take off another stroke. If you try this experiment, let us know how it goes and what insights you gain.

A high tempo at a relaxed pace would mean doing just the opposite. Reduce power and hand/arm pressure to nil, while avoiding splash or slip at very quick tempo.