Principles of Planning for Age-Group Swimming Dr Ralph Richards

Transcription

1 Principles of Planning for Age-Group Swimming Dr Ralph Richards Introduction Training plans evolve through a series of stages from general to very specific objectives. Each level of planning should fit into the next, providing a framework for constructing day-to-day training plans. Documenting the plan (in writing) will help the coach review and adjust the plan during a season and from one season to the next. Planning should take into account a large number of variables and provide a pathway for decision making. A wellconstructed training plan should also be flexible enough to be an interactive document always guiding the direction of the program, but changing and growing as circumstances warrant. Before the plan begins to take shape the coach should identify what long-term strategies are to be used; for example, philosophical decisions regarding the frequency of training and volume / intensity desired from each training squad. The Australian Swimming Multi-Year Age-Group Development Model provides a general blueprint for constructing conceptual training plans for young swimmers. Older age-group swimmers and senior swimmers may follow a more specialised training model that s influenced by specific performance goals. The annual plan, or perhaps a - year plan, should target the most important competitions for that level of swimmer and then work backward to develop a training program that builds peak performance at the appropriate time. It may be necessary to replicate this planning exercise for various age-groupings or squad levels. For example, very young swimmers will aspire to achieve greater skill and fitness and will compete within the limits of their maturity. These swimmers can easily prepare to swim at their best very frequently because their rate of improvement is heavily influenced by maturational factors. Older age-group swimmers will have more specific performance objectives, such as State or National competitions, and will target peak performance several times each season to achieve qualifying times. Different plans will dictate a different level of commitment and this may require that some less important competitions coincide with training periods designed to enhance a longer-term performance objective. Next, the coach must determine the long-term and medium-term preparation requirements for each training squad. How much and what type of training is required for swimmers to achieve interim goals? Naturally, factors such as technical skill, maturation, training background, competition experience, and performance expectation will influence the answer to this question. The coach may need to consult with parents, so that everyone has the same understanding of what commitments will be required. Parents are often dissatisfied with end-of-season results because they failed to establish a consensus of opinion with the coach regarding the necessary training and competition commitments and the relative capability of their child. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

2 Performance goals must also be viewed in light of each swimmer s innate talent and state of maturation. Comprehensive training plans evolve from general objectives through a series of stages to give focus to short-term plans. At the end of the process the coach must sit down and write out individual training sets that fit logically into a single training session; that fit within the current training cycle, that build upon other cycles. This process supports the original long-term training goals or objectives. All stages of the planning process should be written down and reviewed from time to time to assess current progress and plan future training. Three important concepts should be incorporated into the coach's planning. First, different training periods should have different emphasis in terms of training components and developmental objectives. Second, it's of paramount importance that both mastery and retention of lower level skills and fitness components are carried forward to the next training period. Swimmers must be able to maintain basic skills and fitness components, or quickly re-acquire these after a period of reduced training. Third, training plans should be progressive (i.e. advancing in a logical manner) in their application. Developmental Considerations There are numerous accounts of how young children progress from novice to elite swimmer. Three challenges face coaches in sustaining performance improvements through the age-group years: (1) teach proper technique and continue to refine skill levels, particularly when the swimmer is under stress, () plan appropriate training for physiological improvement that is both interesting and challenging, and () nurture the late maturing individuals by keeping them in the sport and maintaining their developmental progression. It's also important for the coach to understand what aspects of sporting development are most sensitive to change during certain stages of physical growth and maturation. Examples of developmental variations among swimmers are numerous. Physiological capacities, such as aerobic endurance, will develop quite rapidly during the critical period of pre-pubertal growth and it s possible for some 1 or 1 year-old girls to achieve elite performance in a number of events (in particular distance freestyle, IM). At the other extreme of the developmental scale, late maturing athletes have slowly developed physically without many of the pressures or demands of elite performance. They must produce large performance improvements from a platform of several years of solid training background and combine that with a fast-track approach to racing under pressure before they can make the transition to senior swimming. Maturational variation between individuals is not an excuse for coaches to over or under train individuals. Proper planning, monitoring and evaluation of training should ensure that every swimmer s training is optimal. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

3 Age-Group Training Model A general developmental model will establish the background conditions and training experiences applicable to most swimmers during the age-group years. Biological maturity, progressive skill development, physiological capacities, emotional and social maturity are all major considerations when guiding swimmers through their teen years. The age-group swimming program must target objectives that are compatible with each swimmer s readiness and ability to achieve. Therefore, age alone is an unreliable criterion for assigning athletes to specific training squads. Older or younger swimmers may fit the achievement model (i.e. ability to make qualifying times) for a particular squad without being able to fulfil all of the required performance objectives (i.e. ability to train a number of sessions per cycle and fully recover, ability to absorb complex training routines, etc.) for that squad. The important criteria for optimal placement within a squad structure should be the attainment of key performance objectives physical, technical and psychological. Squad organization and the application of training methods should reflect appropriate objectives for each stage of swimming maturation. The effects of youth training programs on sporting achievement have been extensively studied. Various recommendations forthcoming from generic research can be directly linked to our coaching models for skill development, physical development, and psychological development in swimming. Many coaching practices impact upon our implementation of these recommendations. These key points (see below) should be incorporated into each coach's age-group training model. Skill Development Good Technique = High Efficiency. It's important to know the difference between Technique and Style. Complex skills should be broken down into simplified technique. Skills develop from 'Learning' to 'Performance with Speed' to 'Performance with Speed while Under Pressure'. The current level of physical preparation impacts on skill acquisition. Motor development and the complexity of a skill will affect the time it takes to consolidate the permanent application of a skill. Physiological Development Sporting preparation that coincides with developmental stages will result in better long-term improvements. Prior to puberty the energy system that is developing most rapidly is the aerobic system. Aerobic endurance based training is likely to produce long-term residual training affects. Training loads are only affective if the young athlete can sufficiently recover to stimulate adaptation. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

4 Psychological Development Programs must address social and emotional needs to maintain a swimmer's motivation to participate. Age-group swimmers are not little senior swimmers ; this has implications for the way a coach communicates with his/her athletes. Acknowledgement of success encourages high self-esteem. Positive reinforcement instils a sense of success. The transition from age-group to senior swimming is psychological as well as physiological. Psychological skills will improve faster when they are practiced in a positive environment. The emotional state during adolescence may be unpredictable and can change quickly. Applying Appropriate Training Loads Most swimming coaches would agree that effective training requires an applied understanding of key training principles. We seek to understand how (in theory) individual principles shape the outcome of a training program. However, when training plans are actually implemented there is a net outcome from multiple training methods that may reflect both complementary and opposing theories. Training stressors may be overlapping, accumulated, sequential, or sometimes even contradictory in the way they affect adaptation. Training an athlete to achieve one s potential requires a complex mix of calculated as well as intuitive judgments about how various training principles are best applied. Training is the systematic application of stress to produce a change or adaptation so that, over time, similar stress is more easily accommodated. The process challenges each of the body s capacities to overcome the introduced stress (also called the training load) in a specific way. The training load becomes significant because of its intensity or volume over time. The combination of intensity and volume of work present an overall stress on the body and its systems. When the load reaches a point where training can just be accommodated, the concept of overload is being applied. The term implies that certain limits of exercise intensity or duration are within reach, but the body can t continue to perform at that level for an unlimited period of time. Training loads are usually sequenced into exercise modules (i.e. repeated applications) so that individually the applications place a high, but achievable, demand on physical capacities. The total load from all training modules determines the degree of overload. The total stress must always be within one s ability to recover sufficiently so that the training stress is absorbed. The sequencing of stress and recovery takes place over both long-term and shortterm periods of time to produce the required change. The concept of training overload must always be applied concurrently with the principle of training adaptation; that is, stress recovery sequencing. The timeframe required to affect change exists on several levels. For example, on a micro-training level the rest time between successive training swims, along with the intensity and duration of that swim, will determine the swimmer s ability to continue at that ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

5 level of performance. From a macro-training perspective, progressive increase in training volume and intensity over weeks, months, and years will shape long-term adaptation in a number of performance capacities. It s obvious that training must be specific to the physical capacity we wish to overload. This is known as the principle of specificity of training. In theory we would like to isolate a capacity, overload it, allow it to recover or regenerate and then stress it again until it has adapted to an optimum level of performance. However, in reality it s very difficult to isolate one capacity in this way. Even the most specific types of training must rely upon the integration of many exercise capacities. Specificity and Variation Training loads having a narrow focus, where the major emphasis is on a single or limited number of physical capacities, are examples of the principle of specificity of training. Although we can never completely isolate one energy system or one performance variable, there is great benefit in targeting specific training outcomes. This allows for a more efficient utilization of training time. Once again, we can relate this principle to the micro and macrolevels of training. On a micro-training level, each training set can be constructed so that a specific capacity is overloaded. On a macro-training level, training over weeks or months can be programmed to facilitate a progression of adaptations in a performance capacity. The principle of specificity is a very powerful tool for the coach to use. However, there is a contrasting principle known as variation of training effects that is also important when constructing training programs for age-group swimmers. If one physical capacity is stressed to the exclusion of others, over time there may be a regression in those capacities receiving insufficient stimulation. This aberration of the principle of specificity is most often seen when coaches concentrate training exclusively on the extremes of the energy systems. If swimmers are given a program of only slow distance swimming they may loose some of their natural speed and muscle power. If swimmers are given an exclusive program of short sprint work, they are less likely to improve their cardio-respiratory function. Variation in the training program allows the coach to target some capacities for major adaptations and others for maintenance. In addition, variation in program objectives allows the coach to keep the training sessions interesting and fresh. Another way of applying the principle of variation is to recognize that a single training objective can be satisfied using an infinite number of combinations or permutations of training sets. Although there is value in repeating certain training sets on a regular basis, there is also value in altering the specific content of training sets to accomplish the same objective in a slightly different way. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

6 6 Speed and Effort Understanding the relationship between speed and effort is also important in planning optimum training loads. Effort can be given at any time and at any swimming speed, regardless of the state of fatigue of the athlete. However, true speed training places a demand upon an athlete to achieve as close to 1% speed as possible. This also requires 1% effort to maintain technical and tactical proficiency. Understanding the difference between swimming fast and swimming at controlled speed is a vital skill that must be taught and continually rehearsed by young swimmers. Swimming fast with efficient technique is the key to maximizing individual talent. Athletes and coaches must understand that you can train and race too hard, but you can never train and race too fast. High speed at sub-maximal perception of effort is the goal of every training or racing situation. A swimmer can go out too hard in any given race, but not too fast (i.e. if the swimmer fatigues during the second half it s because the back-end requirements were not fully developed or the front-end technique consumed too much energy). The ability to combine fast swimming with control, particularly during the early stages of a race, improves the likelihood of an acceptable end result. The ability to control front-half and back-half speed is a racing skill that can and should be learnt. Interaction of Energy Systems Both anaerobic and aerobic metabolic pathways contribute to energy production during all levels of activity, from the shortest sprint to the longest distance swim. The relative contributions of aerobic and anaerobic energy systems are dependent upon the energy requirement in terms of 'how much energy' and for 'how long a period of time'. Because competition swimming involves the application of peak or optimal resources, sprint swimming requires a rapid supply of very high amounts of energy. Similarly, high submaximal energy output must be provided and then sustained during longer swims. We determine the relative energy contributions from aerobic and anaerobic sources by monitoring two key physiological parameters: (1) oxygen consumption and, () blood lactic acid accumulation. However, in most training situations coaches do not measure either of these factors directly. Note that lactic acid accumulation and lactic acid production are not necessarily the same. Performance response to lactic acid production is influenced by the rate of removal from the muscle. It has been shown that swimmers who improve their aerobic capacity are better able to cope with higher steady states of lactic acid accumulation. This is an important relationship for optimal back-half race performance, particularly in the middle-distance and distance events. Every swimmer has an individual anaerobic threshold, represented by a swimming velocity that elicits a lactic acid accumulation that may be several ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

7 7 times the resting value, but controlled to the point where the productionremoval rate is in balance. This point will change in response to the type and amount of training performed. Coaches will observe that a swimmer is capable of holding a certain pace, but if asked to swim only slightly faster he/she begins to fatigue. Anaerobic threshold loads can be associated with a specific swimming pace and a relative proportion of one's aerobic capacity. If the anaerobic threshold is reached at a relatively high percentage of one's maximum aerobic capacity, then a swimmer will have a greater capacity for endurance performance. For example, if two swimmers have similar maxvo and one swimmer reaches anaerobic threshold at 6% and the other % of capacity, the second swimmer will have a greater potential for endurance performance. Understanding Fatigue The term fatigue is used to describe the short-term sensation of tiredness and declining performance. There are a number of causes of fatigue, among them depletion of energy reserves, reduction of energy supply, or neuromuscular and psychological factors. Short-term (only a few seconds) energy supply is dependent upon the availability of fuel that is stored at the muscle site. Longer-term energy supply is dependent upon the synthesis of ATP from several fuel sources. Lower energy requirements associated with 'slower' swimming speeds can be met by aerobic energy metabolism using both fat and carbohydrate sources; this has the affect of saving glycogen stores for fast swimming. Higher energy requirements, whether from aerobic or anaerobic pathways rely upon the use of glycogen. Therefore, glycogen depletion is critical to the onset and rate of fatigue. This is an important consideration in planning the volume of intense work done during a period of time (i.e. usually over several days). If successive training sessions contain work that depletes glycogen reserves, diet alone may not be enough to bring muscle glycogen levels back to 1%. Rest, and the periodization of training intensities that do not draw heavily on muscle glycogen reserves, will help the body to recover. The most common cause of accumulated fatigue at the end of a hard training week is the incomplete restoration of muscle glycogen. The most intense sprint sets may deplete glycogen to the point of muscle fatigue after only 1- minutes of effort (note: this time estimate does not include rest time between swims). Depending upon diet and other recovery factors, it may take 1- hours (sometimes longer) for muscle fibres to return to 1% capacity after a very intense sprint training program. The accumulation of waste products from anaerobic glycolsis also produces short-term fatigue in less than one minute of intense work. Although peak lactate production is not always a direct indicator of muscle fatigue, the balance between lactic acid production and removal is the key factor in sustaining repeat high intensity efforts. A well-developed aerobic capacity will contribute to the removal side of the equation and fatigue may be delayed. Muscle buffering capacity also helps to delay the onset of fatigue and ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

8 adolescent swimmers will not have the same capacity as mature swimmers. In general, improved fitness helps to reduce or delay fatigue and assists in returning the muscles to a chemical balance where additional intense work can be performed. Repeated intense training sets will naturally cause accumulated muscle fatigue. This residual fatigue, if sustained over longer periods of time (i.e. several days), may lead to a state of over-reaching as a precondition to over-training. There are a number of training and recovery techniques that can be used to reduce long-term sustained fatigue. The training principle of integrating recovery swimming with intense training loads is a method used to minimise fatigue. Techniques such as massage, muscular stretching, hydrotherapy, contrasting temperature stimulation, and psychological recovery techniques all help to assist the body during the longer-term recovery-adaptation process. Fatigue may also result from an inability of the nervous system to activate muscle fibres. Failure of nerve impulse transmission may be due to a number of chemical reactions (or lack of those reactions) involving calcium, potassium, and/or muscle enzymes. The importance of good dietary practices that contribute to faster or more complete recovery, can not be overestimated. Stress will also change the threshold for electrical stimulation of muscle fibres, particularly the fast twitch fibres, and this contributes to fatigue because fewer fibres are recruited for the required muscle action. It's also likely that central nervous system stress contributes to fatigue. Exhaustive efforts may subconsciously inhibit the activation of muscles because the brain is constantly receiving messages regarding the 'pain status' of the muscle. An increase in the perception of effort is usually an early sign of fatigue. Swimmers can learn to overcome some of these central nervous system inhibitions; every swimmer will have an individual level of pain tolerance during exercise. Psychological factors can never be completely separated from physiological factors. Muscle fatigue and inefficient neuromuscular coordination is often brought about by general conditions associated with psychological state, such as anxiety. Keeping adolescent swimmers motivated and focused on achieving realistic outcomes will make it easier for the coach to apply optimum training loads. Understanding Recovery Recovery is a process of reducing the current training stress so the body can regenerate and rebuild. The frequency, duration and intensity of training loads are used as factors to manipulate the implementation of recovery. For example, when the frequency of training application is high (i.e. the swimmer is training many sessions each week), recovery may take the form of active swimming involving lower-level energy demands. If the training frequency is low (i.e. only a limited number of sessions per week) and the training load for each session is relatively high, then passive rest or out-of-water recovery techniques may be used. There are many individual variations possible in the application of training loads, based upon frequency, duration and intensity. There are also uncontrollable variables, such as biological maturity and genetic potential that influence the overall effectiveness of a swimmer s ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

9 9 recovery program. The important point for coaches to realize is that total training load must be balanced between overload and recovery. Every swimmer will have a unique capacity to recover and adapt. Strength Training The misconception that young children should not participate in a land based program has been widely refuted by various research studies, worldwide. Provided the basic components of the initial program include flexibility, general body strength and movement coordination there is no lower age limit to training. However, equipment should be used sparingly with younger swimmers; jump-ropes, lightweight rubber cords, medicine balls and Swissball exercises are commonly used. Individual sessions may be short (1- minutes) and they must always be well supervised and appropriate to the child s level of development. Prior to puberty, the frequency of exercise sessions will progressively increase each season; on the model that core strength and range of movement are the primary objectives of any exercise program. * The number of sessions may progress from 1- per week to daily in some cases. The length of each session may only increase slightly. The total training contribution of land-based strength specific work is the product of intensity, frequency and duration of sessions. The overall objective is an even development of all muscle groups. Learning how to exercise is a major objective during the pre-maturation years. Insist upon warm-up, correct exercise technique, and integration of land-based exercises with the swimming program. Speed of movement can be progressively increased once correct technique is maintained. Body weight and simple resistance exercises are performed in sets of - repetitions; multiple sets are progressively added. Land based exercises are used for muscle strength-endurance training, this will complement the muscle endurance improvements that result from swimming training alone. Keep the exercise program simple (i.e. two or three exercises in each of the major muscle groups) to fit within the overall training time per session. When the adolescent is ready for a more formalised strength training program a circuit training format can be performed with equipment to facilitate greater muscle loading. In general, rest and repetitions are used to manipulate the relative strength and endurance characteristics of the session. Longer rest between stations and/or lower number of repetitions at each station will favour muscle strength development. Shorter rest and greater repetitions (performed at a lower percentage of one s maximum capacity) will favour muscle endurance development. * Note: many young swimmers may achieve their strength goals by participating in other sports programs during the year. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

10 1 Older teenagers will progress to more specialised programs that suit their individual needs. Swimmers should periodically undergo assessment to determine their relative strength deficiencies. Exercises may be prescribed on an individual basis (i.e. developing leg power for one swimmer, or shoulder stability and strength for another). Strength training should always be integrated into the swimming program so that overall swimming performance is enhanced. A stronger swimmer who does not swim faster has not trained efficiently. Training Objectives The planning process is defined at every stage by training objectives what do we want to accomplish today, this week, this month, this season? The complexity of training objectives is directly proportional to a swimmer s age and experience. Therefore, planning a training program for a 1-1 year old swimmer is comparatively straightforward because the primary objectives of training are very narrowly defined. Skill development, having fun, developing aerobic capacity, and building natural speed do not require large variation in the training plans throughout the season because these training needs are simple. Good advice for coaches working with young age-groupers is to concentrate the plan on developing skills and general fitness. This means learning how to construct many training sets that look different, but achieve the same physiological and skill objectives. During the years when swimmers experience their most rapid physical maturation (i.e. growth spurt and puberty), the complexity of training variables will change. Consolidation of technique and continued improvement in aerobic capacity are still important objectives. Additional training factors such as limb speed and acceleration, core body strength, and training volume/intensity relationships become more important. However, it s a mistake to accelerate the complexity of training variables too quickly. At every stage in the age-group swimming progression there are some training variables held in reserve for introduction at the next level of development, when addition of these training components are justified. Large volumes of high intensity training can wear down age-group swimmers, so volume/intensity issues must be carefully considered. The interaction of training volume and intensity must be carefully weighted at each stage of a swimmer's career. This is not to say that either high quality sprinting or submaximal endurance efforts are overlooked; all aspects of the program must remain in balance. Some training concessions may be necessary to accommodate individuals who are either early or late maturing physically. Between the ages of 1 and 1 years most swimmers will be ready to take a major step up from earlier training patterns. The coach must be able to recognise when adjustments should be made that lift or reduce the program for maximum stimulus or additional recovery. The greatest differences in planning training programs for older age-group swimmers, as compared to younger age-groupers, are the amount of intense ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

11 11 swimming and the length of recovery time. Both of these factors must be increased as the swimmer trains through their late teens. Another challenge for the coach is to identify specific competition needs. For example, the ability to work out suitable race strategies for heats / semi-finals / final-swims must be learnt. Gaps in the swimmer s training profile need to be filled during the age-group years, before they become limitations at senior level. Training complexity increases because competition objectives narrow as older agegroup swimmers begin to specialise. The coach must respond with more specific programs each year, and this requires more detailed planning. Monitoring Performance Every coach needs reassurance that his/her program is producing the desired results. Some improvements are easily seen and can be documented by recording a few simple measurements and tracking results. Changes in performance are seldom due to just one factor; fitness and skill will always complement one another. Analysis of the mechanics of swimming indicates that several important relationships exist. First, if we try to increase the forward distance travelled with each stroke we must either apply a greater amount of propulsive force, or decrease the resistance to forward motion, or use a combination of these two factors. Second, if we try to increase the rate of movement there must be a corresponding increase in energy supply to cope with muscle demands. Stroke-count and stroke-rate give the coach technical information about the first set of relationships and heart-rate (to some degree) gives the coach physiological information about the second relationship. The coach will also want to assess each swimmer's ability to execute racing skills. Therefore, simple tests can be applied periodically as part of the training plan. In addition, the coach can add subjective measures, such as analysis of video tape to review technical proficiency against a model. Most coaches will find that visual analysis (a good video camera is very useful tool) provides useful information that can be used in planning future training. Season Outline d upon the composition and objectives of a training squad a rough outline of a complete season is constructed. The yearly outline may be as simple as an overview of when to begin, evaluate, or change the focus of a particular training emphasis. It may also contain bits of information that help to explain why the program cycles are constructed as they are, these elements might include identifying school holiday periods, major or minor competitions, training camps, or transitional periods when the swimmers are out of the water or following a reduced training load. Two generic plans are shown to illustrate the differences in seasonal planning based upon squad make up and program goals. Similar outlines would be prepared to fit the specific needs of other training groups. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

12 1 EXAMPLE #1 -- Yearly Training Outline for Junior Squad (approximate age 1 yrs. ± 1 yr.) Long-Course Preparation SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR Training Week (accumulative) Training Phase Endurance Quality Race- Endurance Qual. Quality Assessment or Test Set Data Collection Number of Training Sessions Planned this Week Volume of Training (kilometres per week) Adaptation Week Competition Championship Competition (State) S S School Holiday Training Camp C C Out of Water Strength Training Cycle x min Gym Session per Week Team Meeting or Function Short-Course Preparation MAY JUN JUL AUG Training Week (accumulative) Training Phase Endurance Quality Race Assessment or Test Set Data Collection Number of Training Sessions Planned this Week Volume of Training (kilometres per week) Adaptation Week Competition Championship Competition (State) S S School Holiday Training Camp C Out of Water Strength Training Cycle x min Gym / Wk x min Gym Team Meeting or Function Summary: week program -- approximately pool sessions and 6 gym sessions 9 km completed in training 11 regular competitions, plus State Championships ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

13 1 EXAMPLE # -- Yearly Training Outline for Age-Group Squad (approximate age 1-1yrs ± 1yr) Long-Course Preparation SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR Training Week (accumulative) Training Phase Endurance part 1 Endurance part Endurance Quality Quality Race Assessment or Test Set Data Collection Number of Training Sessions Planned this Week Volume of Training (kilometres per week) Adaptation Week Competition Championship Competition (State, National S S N Age) School Holiday Training Camp C C Out of Water Strength Training Cycle x min Gym/Week x min x min Gym/Wk Gym/Week Team Meeting or Function Short-Course Preparation MAY JUN JUL AUG Training Week (accumulative) Training Phase Endurance Quality Quality Race Assessment or Test Set Data Collection Number of Training Sessions Planned this Week Volume of Training (kilometres per week) Adaptation Week Competition Championship Competition (State, National S S N SC) School Holiday Training Camp C Out of Water Strength Training Cycle x 1 hr Gym/Week x min Gym/Week Team Meeting or Function Summary: 6 week program -- approximately pool sessions and 9 gym sessions 16 km completed in training 1 regular competitions, plus State and National Championships ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

14 1 Training Phases Within each season's training program there will be several intermediate objectives that are usually based upon attainment of a certain level of fitness, strength, or speed. The period of time a coach devotes to achieving these objectives will vary. For example, four fundamental objectives to be achieved through a concentrated phase approach might be: (1) improvement of swimming technique, () increased aerobic fitness, () improvement of speed, and () greater sustained speed or specific race preparation. Sometimes common-language terms such as technique endurance, quality, race preparation, or transition are used to describe these phases of preparation. There is also a taper phase that is actually a summation of earlier adaptations designed to bring the swimmer to peak performance. While many training objectives must receive simultaneous attention throughout the season, greater attention or weight may be given to a single or limited number of objectives during a training phase. Within each large training phase there may be two or more training cycles of repeated patterns in the training plan. For example, during early-season training it s advantageous to place more emphasis on building a sound fitness base by increasing training volume. This might take -1 weeks in total to accomplish. By programming three or four cycles of - weeks duration, the volume can increase from one cycle to the next. Adaptation periods are used at the end (or at some point within) a cycle to consolidate gains. Each cycle might be similar in structure, but building in a manner to allow the application of successively greater training loads. The planning outline below illustrates how volume and intensity build up and then reduce to facilitate overload and then adaptation effects. Note that when training cycles are repeated, the total training load is usually greater in successive cycles. Sample Plan for Age-Group Swimmers (1-16 yrs), Endurance Phase Week Sessions Per Week Training Volume/Wk Notes on Major & Minor Training Objectives for Session Design 1 6 km Aerobic and Endurance, work on Stroke Technique and Pacing km Aerobic Endurance and CS training, HVO s four times per week 9 km Aerobic Endurance and CS, HVO s five times, two sprint sets, one La Tolerance set 7 km Recovery or Adaptation Week Aerobic, continue HVO sets Test Sets ICS Test over 1 & m, Descend s Test T- Test and x m Step Test, CS Test ICS Test over 1 & m Individual Consultation & Assessment x m Step Test, Descend s Test 6 km Range of Aerobic Work, plus HVO s and three sprint sets 7- or 9-6 km (as per week ) T- Test 9 7 km Recovery Week Aerobic, continue HVO s Competition or Time Trial ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

15 1 During the major competitive period of the year there will be grater demands for race performance. Training must change to meet these demands, but training must never focus so closely on one fundamental that all others are neglected. Training units, whether individual sessions or weekly cycles, are always a mixture of many things. From the first day of the season onward there must be specific race components included in the training plan. Speed and technique are important even during periods of heavy fitness training and conversely, fitness must not be lost when specific race preparation is planned. Weekly Training Cycles Most coaches use a multi-level planning system to prepare each week's training program. Training is broken down into units that may describe one day or several days within a cycle. Each training day or session should be constructed so that it contributes to the objective of the unit, which in turn supports broader objectives. Planning training programs within units of time allows the coach to control the application of the stress-recovery-adaptation sequence of events on a day-to-day basis. Design of weekly training units is influenced by many factors, most are related to the developmental level of the athlete, and they would include: Age and experience of the swimmers (as a group) this will influence the complexity of the training plan. Number of training sessions to be included during the cycle. Duration of each training session. Distribution of training sessions within the week some days will contain one session and some days may contain multiple sessions. Amount of training volume to be completed in a session, day, and cycle. Specific types of training loads to be applied. Considerations for either short or long-course venue. Considerations for recovery (both active and passive). Considerations for supplementary land-based training sessions. Considerations for specific technical work. Considerations for assessment or test sets. It would be impossible to illustrate every possible weekly training cycle construction. However, based upon the considerations outlined above, a few examples follow. Note that examples having two rows indicate both morning and afternoon training sessions. Primary training objectives (i.e. those that receive the greatest attention) are listed in bold type and secondary objectives appear in italic type. Definitions of the individual type of training load (i.e. Aerobic, Critical Velocity, Sprint, Endurance, etc.) are included in the textbooks listed as references. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

16 16 Typical Weekly Training Cycle for young Age-Group Swimmers during an early season phase Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1. Stroke 1. High 1. Stroke Race Tech & sub-max Tech & Threshold Practice Skills endurance Skills pace set Swims. Aerobic Conditioning set 1. Specific. Race Speed. Max Speed. Aerobic Conditioning 1. Max Speed kick and pull sets 1. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills As mentioned earlier, young swimmers have fairly simple training demands. There are three basic components included in the above plan: (1) technique & race skills, () aerobic conditioning, and () maximum speed development. The emphasis on all components is relatively constant throughout the training year. Training variables will be manipulated slightly during the season to first build endurance (using good technique) and then maintain that endurance with additional speed (also using good technique). The basic weekly model does not change too much. Training is generally conducted once per day, in the afternoon, but individual circumstances will dictate the exact weekly schedule. Additional sessions may be added during school holiday periods. This typical weekly plan might target a total training volume of -6km per session. Weekly Training Cycle for young Age-Group Swimmers during mid-season Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Rest Day 1. Threshold Set 1. Specific Drills. Max Speed 1. Aerobic Endurance. Max Speed 1. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Sprint. Aerobic 1. Max Speed 1. Threshold Set 1. Specific Drills. Pacing work 1. Max Speed. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Sprint. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Aerobic Endurance. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Aerobic This example includes both morning afternoon sessions, but may vary according to pool availability. Whenever possible it s advantageous to program sessions for young swimmers in the afternoon because this allows more complete recovery and/or regular sleeping patterns. Weekend sessions may be used when there are no competitions. As swimmers get older the demand for additional training volume will require more frequent sessions and naturally this will include regular morning training. The example above shows how combinations of training objectives are prioritised. The number one primary objective always receives the greatest time and emphasis. This example shows an emphasis on endurance, but there are also training sets that contain very fast swimming. The weekly training volume is weighted toward aerobic level conditioning and the total volume completed this week ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

17 17 might be -km. Secondary training objectives are occasionally compromised slightly if time and space requirements are tight. Weekly Training Cycle for young Age-Group Swimmers as a lead-in to minor Competition Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1. Sprint Swim Meet 1. Aerobic 1. Aerobic Endurance. Stroke Tech & Skills 1. Max Speed 1. Sprint. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Max Speed. Aerobic Endurance 1. Aerobic 1. Sprint. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills 1. Race Practice 1. Stroke Technique & Skills This example illustrates greater emphasis on quality training to build race specific speed. Sessions are sometimes manipulated to incorporate race practice and pacing strategy. Remember that swimmers at this age have high energy levels and usually recover quickly, but school and other factors must be considered. There may be only minimum change to the weekly training plan prior to a weekend competition; some training volume may be sacrificed to allow more complete recovery and the total volume for this week might be slightly less (over 6 sessions). Note that training sets of aerobic intensity are still plentiful, but primary objectives focus on sprint and maximum speed conditioning. The number and complexity of training sessions increases for older age-group swimmers. Older age-group swimmers who are slow to adapt to the program, or do not wish to commit to a full-on training load, will probably remain at 7 sessions per week. However, it s common for late developing swimmers to delay their increase in total workload and still continue to improve their performance. Older swimmers will need some very intense aerobic work as well as intense anaerobic work in their training mix. Individual training sessions usually extend to hours or slightly longer (land based training may be included). In the next example the pattern of training applications allow for two successive sessions; either morning-afternoon of the same day or afternoonmorning of consecutive days; then a break to establish a stress-recoveryadaptation sequence. Adding more sessions to the weekly training program places a greater emphasis on how successive sessions or days are structured to build-up stress or allow recovery. ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

18 1 Weekly Training Cycle for older Age-Group Swimmers during a quality training phase Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1. Critical Rest 1. Aerobic Rest 1. Sprint Velocity. Aerobic. Max 1. Aerobic Speed 1. Stroke. Max Technique Speed 1. Sprint. Aerobic Endurance 1. Max Speed 1. Max VO or Lactate Tolerance 1. Aerobic 1. Sprint. Stroke Technique 1. Critical Velocity. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique 1. Peak Lactate and/or Race Pace 1. Aerobic 1. Aerobic 1. Stroke Technique & Skills When seven or more sessions are scheduled during a week the coach will begin to plan training loads that follow a pattern; for example sessions and a break, then, then leading into a weekend recovery. Other weekly loading patterns, such as a --, are also popular. If Saturday or Sunday racing (i.e. minor competition) is scheduled, then the primary training objective planned for Friday afternoon may include only light work. A lighter session at the end of the week might help to keep the weekly training volume up while allowing the swimmers to freshen-up slightly. Older swimmers can absorb some very intense training, but they need a proportional amount of recovery if they are expected to race. Although 9 sessions per week (plus competition) appears to be a demanding training load, it may be necessary to achieve longer-term training objectives. This level of work is certainly not appropriate for junior swimmers, regardless of their talent. Only some young age-group swimmers (particularly 1-1 year old girls) may be mature enough to benefit from such a concentrated program. Elite senior swimmers typically train 9-11 pool sessions per week and include specialist gym sessions on top of that. As you can see, the complexity in planning appropriate stress-recovery cycles is enormous. However, there are two types of training that all swimmers (regardless of age) must retain in their program at all stages of the season. First, swimmers use high velocity swimming (i.e. greater than race pace for very short distances) in their program throughout the season. The accumulated volume of high velocity work must be carefully monitored because it can hasten the depletion of muscle glycogen. Therefore, maximum speed training and sprint training are used somewhat differently. Max speed training is done frequently, but accumulates to a small volume (i.e. perhaps m per session) while quality sprint sets are performed less frequently because of their greater accumulated volume and residual fatigue. Second, swimmers of all ages use aerobic base swimming to help maintain accumulated fitness. The volume of individual training sets and the accumulated volume of aerobic base training during a week will be determined by age and ability. Young swimmers maintain their volume of aerobic base training because their aerobic capacity is still improving. Older Rest ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6

19 19 swimmers maintain sufficient training volume to help recover from higher intensity loads and maintain accumulated physiological adaptations. Individual Training Sessions d upon the planning outline each training session will be structured to reflect the desired outcomes within the broader framework. The majority of training sessions will probably contain only one or two core components contributing to the major or minor objectives of the session. Common activities, such as warm-up routines, are also incorporated into every training session because they re used to prepare the swimmer. It s an advantage to construct warm-up activities so they address general fitness and skill related objectives, often these double as the minor focus of a session. The main body of a training session will focus on specific performance objectives and therefore, training sets must be designed with a specific physiological, psychological or tactical objective. To allow sufficient recovery between training sets the coach must also program active recovery. Sometimes the active recovery is at a sufficient level of intensity and volume to also provide a low level training stimulus. Most coaches will have a collection of recovery sets as part of their repertoire, and swimmers are taught to understand exactly how these sets should be performed with regard to technique and effort. Recovery sets are actually low-intensity aerobic loads that may contain complex skill components. The traditional swim-down fits into this category and can be structured to fulfil a very specific purpose. Care must be exercised to construct training sets that complement each other and contribute to the success of the overall session. Training sets are usually constructed to define a specific training stress, but there are many instances where the coach will want to program a range of training intensities into a single training set. The coach should have a good idea of how swimmers are currently responding to the training plan; this is usually based on both objective and subjective information. If swimmers do not respond to the training plan as expected, the coach should be in a position to adapt the set as required. Sometimes this involves changing the motivational level of the swimmers to lift them to the required level of performance. Examples of Session Plans It would be impossible to adequately represent the infinite variety of individual session plans. As mentioned earlier, plans must be consistent with the age/ability of the swimmer, the phase of training preparation, and the specific objectives of the training sets. The training sets themselves must be sequenced for optimum affect on technical and physiological performance factors. Every coach will develop a unique way of articulating the components of a session plan; this may vary from simple notes to complex sets of instructions and alternatives. I have provided only two examples, along with some notes regarding the process of how to plan and achieve a desired ASCTA (Victorian Branch) Professional Development Conference 6