Swim-Just do Master's workouts??
Just starting to get comfortable/move up a lane in my Master's group I've been swimming in since December. I'm getting faster, so 3-3.5k is a general workout and we're in a long course pool. Swimming on about a 2:05 send off (so I'm still slow obviously). 300 is about as long as a single swim in a set gets. Am I really short changing myself by not swimming the EN workouts? Input from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks.
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On the other hand, the swim masters class may not provide you with the best ROI for the time you are spending in the pool.
IMO, the maxims inside the EN haus when it comes to swimming are
- only swim as far and fast with whatever recovery is necessary to swim with great form
- those with an IM swim > 1:15 IM probably posses stroke/balance flaws that fitness cannot overcome = tie yourself in with a local resource to improve your technique
- at some point in your season you will have to switch from form/technique focused work to fitness work
- early in the year (the OS) sacrifice the time you would be swimming to absorb the work during the OS and focus on the run/bike which provide much higher ROI metrics.
For the first couple years with EN I only did Masters. Mostly because I was not a swimmer by background and enjoyed the camaraderie and accountability. I did have a few 1-1 sessions with a coach initially to get my form optimized, and he led our Masters classes so would give me pointers along the way.
It worked for me....I only stopped because the scheduled days changed and conflicted with my weekly schedule.
My results were pretty solid.....I went from never swimming in a lap pool to a 31' HIM swim in 8 months. The following year I swam a 1:01 IM swim with only 2 x 75 minute masters classes (with 1-1 additional RR swims thrown in).
Net...it's doable for sure. Your relative efficiency and natural ability will tell you what the ceiling is without supplementing those workouts