Aerobic Training

If you know me and how I train, you will probably laugh about what I call aerobic conditioning these days. I usually don't put in more than 5-6000 yards in a day, but aerobic conditioning is still a big part of my training. Without it, taper doesn't work (especially when you taper for more than a month like I do).

In high school and the beginning of college I was a good sprinter who trained like a 400 IMer. I was no stranger to massive pull sets, tons of IM yardage, and plenty of VO2 max type sets.

As I have gotten older and redefined what I swim and how I train, I have also had to redefine how to remain well conditioned without breaking down.

I do this in a number of ways:

1st: I don't train slow backstroke (unless it's really slow). I try to remember that if I can't keep my tempo high and my technique clean through a main set, I shouldn't be doing that set. What sets me apart is that I train for one (sometimes two) events. If I was still trying to swim all the events I did in high school, I would have to drastically change my approach.

2nd: I do my aerobic training in and out of the pool. In the mornings I go directly from the pool to the weight room and I keep my heart rate at or above 140 bpm for around two hours. This may not be the long distance pull sets I used to do, but the result is similar.

3rd: I take my dryland training much more seriously these days. I don't just go upstairs and do crunches anymore. I always pair my core/stability work with aerobic type exercises (like stationary bike, running stairs, jumping rope, etc.). This way I am getting tired, my heart rate is high and I still have to maintain core strength and stability, much like at the end of a race.

I love my training schedule right now. I enjoy being able to mix up the type of workouts I do both in and out of the pool and most importantly, I believe in my training.

Coach Richard Quick said that "belief makes the extraordinary ordinary." I try and keep that in mind daily. If I don't believe I can do great things, then how hard I work doesn't mean much at all.