USRPT Progression

[Tom Pamperin]

Originally Posted by Streak

Thanks Tom, that's great and something even I can understand!
When my swim buddy is there we normally finish our session with 4x50 on 50 seconds.
I usually do these around 41 for the first maybe 43 for the last. I have done a few sub 40's but those are rare!!
Hopefully with a 20 second break between each set I will be able to do a few more than 4 without getting totally winded.

Cheers

Joel

Joel,

I hope you enjoy the USRPT. Your times do sound very similar to mine, so with luck the :45 goal pace will work well for you. Even if you can do 15-20 repeats to start with, it'll still be a good set, I think. You'll just be ready for a faster pace sooner. I don't do much low-rest stuff like you do--frankly, it's a bit intimidating! Sometimes a set like 5 x 50m on 1:00 or something, but otherwise I rest as much as I feel I need to to really concentrate well. At :20 rest, my USRPT sets are the shortest rest I get, usually. It'll be interesting to hear how adding more rest affects your swimming.

[Tom Pamperin]

I bit the bullet and added a 3rd USRPT session this week--I am a chronic avoider of "hard" sets and have probably been too conservative about this. Anyway, it went well. Results:

13 repeats before first failure (+3 from last session 2 days ago)

15 successful repeats total (+3 from last session)

Interestingly, I swam the first 25m of each repeat at 15-16 SPL by intentionally using a slower SR and focusing on maintaining body position. Speed was consistent at :43-44/50m. Second 25m often crept up to 17, never above 18. My SPL had typically been going up to 18-19 in previous sets.

It's pretty clear to me that continuing to prioritize SPL is the way to go in these sets, especially as the repeats start to feel harder. Still hard, but starting to be fun, too.

[Streak]

Hey Tom,
I tried out the 30x50 set today.
No warm up just got in and started with the exercise.
Times were almost exactly 44 per 50, the odd flier at 41 or 42 as well as a couple just hitting 45. Spl (I only counted now and again) was between 16 and 18 towards the end.

So here's the fun part. When I had actually completed the 30 I thought I had only completed 18 so I went and did another 12 totaling 42 x 50!!
I wondered why I started feeling a little tired towards the end.

My 3 times a week swimming usually consists of doing about 1650 yards mixing it up with different exercises. Instead of the 1500 it would have been today I ended up doing 2100 and then still a few warm down sets.

It was probably the toughest session I have ever had but pleased in the end that I kept it all together even after doing an extra 12 sets.

So do I continue with the 30c50 for a few more sessions before increasing the challenge or do I just go straight ahead and make things a bit more difficult right away? If so how?

[Tom Pamperin]

Originally Posted by Streak

So do I continue with the 30c50 for a few more sessions before increasing the challenge or do I just go straight ahead and make things a bit more difficult right away? If so how?

Streak,

great start! As far as what to do next, some options:

1) Many USRPT sets go up to 50 repeats. You're almost there, so you could continue until you complete 50 x 50y on your target time.

2) Pick a faster speed, like :40 for 50y, and start a new set, with a 1:00 send-off time.

3) Pick a new distance, like 75y repeats, and keep the same target time of :45/50y, for a 1:08 target pace, and a 1:30 send-off time.

With luck, some of the other USRPT swimmers here will chime in with suggestions. Meanwhile, enjoy!

[WFEGb]

Hello,

just thoughts (perhaps typical TI-like) without own USRPT-experiences...

How about to share half a SPL at the third, second and/or first lap... as long as you're not in the lower half of your GZ?

How about using a TT and taking constant SPL as (another fail-)criterium?

How about to work on the one FP in today's USRPT, you felt it held you back most yesterday?

Best regards,
Werner

[Streak]

Thanks Tom and Werner for your comments and suggestions.
I assume this USRPT training is not something that one does at every outing, specially as followers of TI?

As an aside, when I got out the pool on Friday I walked past a master coach who stopped and ask me if I would be interested in joining. He was wearing a swim smooth T shirt. He said he was a certified TI coach but that SS suited him better.
I noted the kick boards, paddles, pool buoys etc. and he stated that if I joined, I WOULD be using those as training aids. While I am sure he knows what he is doing I am not about to start unlearning all that it has taken me so long to learn!

[gary p]

Originally Posted by Streak

Thanks Tom and Werner for your comments and suggestions.
I assume this USRPT training is not something that one does at every outing, specially as followers of TI?

At every self-directed workout, I do at least one set that's USRPT or a derivative. I do a couple workouts a week with a Masters Team which are not USPRT, but I look at the distance, interval, and # of repeats of every assigned set, and try to figure a race pace I can work on with that set that's challenging, but something I can hold to the end.


Unlike many here, though, I was a USRPT user before I found TI. When my speed progression plateaued with USRPT, I knew I would only get a breakthrough by improving my technique. It was my search for technique advice that brought me to TI.

[Tom Pamperin]

Another USRPT session (30 x 50m at :45 speed on 1:05 interval) today. Results:

16 repeats before first failure (+3 from last session)
19 successful repeats total (+4)

It's nice to see such consistent improvements. Again today, I only got the last few repeats by consciously controlling SPL. As a result, even at the very end of the set, I was swimming at 15-16 SPL, as opposed to 16-18 SPL in the middle of the set.

[sclim]

Tom: I know you have explored the effect of SPL on your sustainable maximum speed before.

But do you think it might be worthwhile to revisit this at intervals? What I mean is, I wonder as you improve in strength and toughness with your USRPT training, might it be that your optimum SPL might drift from its original level to another value? If it differs, there is no particular reason to be able to assume if it will be a higher or lower value, is there? Just wondering.

[Tom Pamperin]

Originally Posted by sclim

Tom: I know you have explored the effect of SPL on your sustainable maximum speed before.

But do you think it might be worthwhile to revisit this at intervals? What I mean is, I wonder as you improve in strength and toughness with your USRPT training, might it be that your optimum SPL might drift from its original level to another value? If it differs, there is no particular reason to be able to assume if it will be a higher or lower value, is there? Just wondering.

Good point--I haven't been very systematic about this yet. I think my next step will be to alternate some TT work with USRPT sessions. My intuition is pretty strong that 16 SPL is a good target for fast swimming, so I need to work on upping the tempo I can hold that at.

But yes, perhaps also some test swims at different SPLs to attempt some kind of objective measurement of my intuition would be good.