Thursday 14 July 2011

Swim Threshold T100

Today I was coaching at a local Triathlon club in Norfolk, through the past weeks we have been working through technique.  Learning how we swim and what we as Triathletes are trying to achieve within the swim leg,  "Get from A-B as quick as possible and using a little energy as possible".  We have started right back at basics, BODY POSITION, KICKING & HAND ENTRY,  we are now week 3 so having covered those 3 we have more to come. Tonight we looked at utilising T100 within our swim sessions and how we can benefit from using T100.  


What is T100?
Swim time for 100m at "threshold pace". We want to achieve "threshold pace", a pace that is "comfortably hard." That means you're approaching the border between an effort that can be maintained for long period of times and one that causes the muscles to burn to the point where you're unable to continue.  We use Threshold pace workouts to improve swimming speed over long distances. Determining your threshold pace is the first step in allowing you to move faster through the water for longer periods of time.


How do I get T100?
Warm up  400m Easy swim
5/6 x 50m  Slightly faster pace
 Timed 1000m straight swim  , You will do this at the fastest pace that you can maintain throughout the entire distance. This can be done without stopping, or you can do shorter distances such as 10x100m at a time with very short rests in between and recording splits to gain average.
Cool Down 200m


Record your time and divide by 10, this will be your T100 pace, the swimming pace per 100m that you can use to design threshold workouts for yourself.


The goal is to cover 1000m in the least amount of time possible, while keeping a steady pace throughout. In other words, don't start out too fast and then burn out at the end. You will get better at determining this with more swimming experience, so in subsequent weeks, as you repeat the test, it will become a better measure of your true "T" pace.


Performing 100m repeats at your threshold pace will improve your performance. Therefore, it will be necessary to repeat this test at regular intervals to insure that you are getting the most benefit from your threshold-pace swims.


Once you have your T100 time you will looking to add this time with Recovery (10-20sec) and therefore gaining what is known as a "Swim Time".  Using your Swim Time in intervals, reps, Pyramids and ladders swim sessions you gain increase your threshold pace.  You can vary the main set as much as you wish but bear in mind the T100 and monitor the Rest period, because if you swim faster you get more rest time.  You need to pace your splits so that you can maintain threshold pace and improve it. 


Example ........


T100   =   1:30min (90sec)
Swim Time = 1:50 (T100 + 20sec rest)
Main Set  
 1 =     4 x 50m  Swim off 55 sec
           2 x 100m    "     "   1:50 min
           1 x  200m   "      "  3:40 min
           2 x  100m    1:50min
           4  x  50m      55sec


2  =     10 x  100m  Swim off  1:50min









Wednesday 13 July 2011

Blog Launch

Paradise Tri Training is approaching it's first successful year of many to come.  Having launched our website www.paradise-tri-training.co.uk in October 2010 we have held our first training camp in February 2011.  With athletes from the first camp competing in Enduroman Decaman (10 IM's in 10 days), 70.3 Majorca, Quelle Challenge Roth, ECO Healing Seychelles Marathon and 1/2 and Ironman South Africa, with many more races to come for the season.

Whilst on the camp athletes were able to "Train in Paradise" and also appreciate the culture and people of Seychelles.  With the train sessions being constructed to the athletes ability and also the climate and conditions of Seychelles, athletes were able to kick start their season with sunny weather and personal challenges.  The future of Paradise Tri in Seychelles is bright and will change slightly, with the direction of Triathlon Holidays.  Allowing the athlete to travel with non-training partners and still have quality sessions and relaxing comfort and beauty of Seychelles.  We will be looking to still providing a base for clubs/teams/groups to go to Seychelles and be accommodated at the Football Academy for a Training Camp.  However we are also providing the Triathlon Holiday with the accommodation being located in villa style self catering facility, in house chef if required for local Seychelles cuisine and also in house Triathlon Coach for training in and around your holiday.

Back in the UK Paradise Tri has been involved in swim/bike/run coaching, video analysis, coach education nationally, open water swimming introduction session and also active within Tri-Anglia Triathlon club based in Norfolk.

With the launch of the www.paradisetri.blogspot.com this is to provide not only Paradise Tri News and information but also for us to provide you with exclusive training tips, topics, sessions, discussions and even results of races that Paradise Tri Athletes have entered or linked with.  We would be interested in hearing what you would like to see in addition to the above on the Blog, by this please subscribe to us and Join us by clicking the box and filling in a few details.