When planning my training programme it was important to consider the principles of training. I carried out an 8 week training programme, which consisted of 3 sessions per week of interval swimming training.
Below are examples of 3 sessions I completed, one from week 1, week 4 and week 8 of my programme:
WEEK1
Distance Set Intensity Rest
3 x 40m Full stroke 65% max HR (130-135bpm) 30s
1 x 40m Kick (legs only) 65% 30s
3 x 40m Full stroke 65% 30s
1 x 40m Pull (arms only) 65% 30s
3 x 40m Full stroke 65% 30s
Total distance – 440m
WEEK 4
Distance Set Intensity Rest
3 x 40m Full stroke 75% max HR (150-155bpm) 25s
2 x 40m Kick (legs only) 75% 25s
4 x 40m Full stroke 75% 25s
2 x 40m Pull (arms only) 75% 25s
3 x 40m Full stroke 75% 25s
Total distance – 560m
WEEK 8
Distance Set Intensity Rest
4 x 40m Full stroke 80% max HR (160-165bpm) 20s
3 x 40m Resistance kick 80% 20s
4 x 40m Full stroke 80% 20s
3 x 40m Resistance Pull 80% 20s
4 x 40m Full stroke 80% 20s
Total distance – 720m
Throughout the programme, I progressively overloaded my training which means I gradually increased the demands of my programme which allowed me to improve my fitness levels.
Each week I increased the duration of my training, which meant I trained for longer in each session. I did this by increasing the amount of 40m sets. From week 1 to week 8, I increased my overall distance swum from 400m to 720m. This meant in week 1 I worked for 15 minutes in my training zone, whereas in week 8 I was working for 25 mins in my training zone.
I also progressively overloaded by increasing the intensity of my programme. I did this by ensuring I worked nearer the higher end of my training zone as my fitness improved. To monitor if I was working at the correct intensity during each session, I took my pulse at the end of the last 40m in each set. I also increased the intensity by doing resistance kick and resistance pull sets to work specifically on my muscular endurance.
After week 3, I increased the frequency of my training to 4 times per week and then to 5 times per week in week 6. Rather than adding in more swimming sessions, I did land based training for my extra 2 sessions. I did a circuit training session once per week and an interval running session once per week. This also added variety to my training to help reduce boredom and increase my levels of concentration and motivation.
I applied the principle of specificity by ensuring the training I carried out was specific to the activity of swimming, specific to the aspect of fitness I wished to improved and specific to my current levels of fitness.
By doing a pool based session it allowed me to do conditioning work to develop both my fitness and technique at the same time. This also meant my training simulated the demands specific to the activity such as having to hold my breath for short periods of time and having to pull against a resistance, i.e. the water when I started encounter muscle fatigue.
I ensured my training was specific to improving CRE by working within my aerobic training zone (60-85% of my maximum heart rate) and to improving my LME by doing kick and pull sets which isolated my arms and legs to work against the resistance of the water. I ensured the training was specific to my level of fitness by gradually increasing the demands as my fitness improved.
Reversibility occurred after week 4 of my training due to an injury, which meant I did not train for one week. I felt this caused my fitness levels to drop slightly so I repeated the programme from week 3 to try to build my levels of fitness back up.
After the final week of my training I redid by T15 test. As I wanted to be at peak physical condition and not suffer any effects of fatigue, I did tapering sessions in my 2nd and 3rd sessions of the final week. This meant I worked at a lower intensity than normal that I knew my fitness levels could comfortably cope with without feeling any effects of fatigue.
