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Swim TSS - any new thoughts on estimating it?

David FlintDavid Flint
in General Training Discussions

Hi folks - any new info on how to estimate swim TSS since EN3.0? Using the 1 hr = .80 IF and manually over-riding in WKO.

No biggie, but be nice to load quality data considering bike/run stats are up there.

Thanks,

Dave

Comments

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    No. When I was tracking it I just manually created a workout by swagging my IF for the workout and the time. However, realize that swim TSS is not equal to bike or run TSS (from a recovery, what do my legs feel like, etc standpoint) and is likely different from person to person. So if you make a PMC chart that includes swim, bike, or run, it may not be an accurate reflection of how you actually feel. For example, I basically pull everything when I swim, no true swimming, so my swim sessions have no impact on my legs. So my while I rack up swim TSS, it has almost no impact on my ability to bike or run. You may be different.

  • David FlintDavid Flint
    Thanks Rich - I think that my bike/run affects my swim training quite a bit (rather than the other way round) as i'm doing loads of drills that require kicking to maintain position - not allowed fins in my pool unfortunately. So yep, for me it all impacts on the PMC - also, a swim newbie so the concept of 'easy' swims are still a novelty (and rare!). Getting there however but still haven't found 'cruise mode'.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Yeah, it's tough, but essential, that you figure out how to swim without having it being affected by biking or running. For example, I just can't swim within time x of having biked or ridden hard. I will get foot or calf cramps. However, I'm going to do just that today: about 55' TT, then 15' downhill to the pool, swim, P90X myself, then ride home. Kicking and flopping my feet around = cramps in a situation like that so I pull...all the time.

  • david waredavid ware
    About a year ago I created a spreadsheet that calculates swim, bike, run, elliptic, etc based either on a form of FTP or a HR calculation. If you would like a copy just let me know and I can forward it.

    Dave
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    The Training Peaks website offers this method written by Matt Fitzgerald + Stephan MacGregor. Several options are given for estimating FTP, then the calculations are pretty straightforward after that: get a NSS (Normalized Swim Speed) by dropping the time spenting hanging on the wall from the overall time of the workout, get an IF by dividing NSS/FTP, and get a TSS by multiplying IF by the FTP times 100.

    Given the concept that FTP  (shouldn't it be FTS - function threshold speed?) is how hard you can work for an hour, I think one could take his/her IM swim speed as an FTS, and be pretty close - alter the resulting time/100 by a few seconds either way depending on how much faster or slower you are than an hour.

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