Really basic swim question - modifications for a 20yd pool

MattAaronson

Sorry if this is a super-basic question, but I am completely new to structured swim workouts.

All of my pool swimming is at the local Y which has a 20 yard pool. It seems most of the workouts are in multiples of 100yd/m. If it is an odd multiple of 100 that implies you'd stop at a different end of the pool than the one you started at. Based on the norms of the pool, this seems unworkable.

Yesterday the workout called for sets of 25/75, 50/50, 75/25, 100/0 (hard/easy). I rounded down to 80yds 20/60, 40/40, 60/20, 80/0 but it seemed like a bit short. Perhaps should I have just rounded up to 40/80, 60/60, 80/40, etc???

Any general guidance on modifications for a 20-yard pool?

William Jenks

Make everything a little long, rather than a little short would be my recommendation. Every turn/push-off eats 5+ yards off the lap. (i.e., if you look for the flags out of the corner of your eye when you take your first breath, your head is probably well past them...they are at the 5 yard mark)...so I would do 75/25 as 80/40 or 80/20 and probably do 50/50 as 60/60 or 60/40 (see below)

A really good swimmer will go way past half way in a 20 yard pool before even taking a stroke....

Some pools are more amenable to doing sets that start on opposite ends of the pool every other time, such as whether there's a clock visible from both ends (and it's at the same time...). If you can see the clock from both ends, then you don't really have to start every interval from the same side. :-)

Just my $0.02

Michael Byerts

Mr. Jenks is right. I would definitely round up. The longer the pool, the more swimming you have to do on each length, and the more difficult it becomes. I train in a 50 meter pool whenever possible because it comes the closest to open water conditions. A 20 yard pool becomes a flip-turn contest. You can get away with training in short course pools for now, but some long course or open water swimming will be important. I did a quick google search and turned up a couple of 50 meter pool options in Chicago:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2009/Our-Top-5-Guide-to-Summer-Fun/Sports-Recreation/
http://www.swimmersguide.com/query/Detail.cfm?PoolID=6181
The pool should have a pace clock visible from each end, but some don't. You are left counting 10-15 seconds in your head (or whatever the rest interval is). Does the pool have a rule that oyu can only stop at one end? So long as you move out of the way of approaching swimmers and rest in the corner (preferably the corner you will push off from to swim back), I have never had a problem.

atasic

 @Matt, that is just like in our world of travel. I run into 20y pools from time to time. Everything that was said above. Get yourself a little Timex, sync the stopwatch with the pace clock on one end and swim. When you reach the no pace clock end, you have your watch to refer to, than opposite end next with the pace clock. So back and forth, it works. Just like having two pace clocks.

Welcome back to the structured world of chlorine ingestion/ controlled suffocation. 

Coach Rich

Ugg. I just wouldn't swim. I can't stand anything other than 25y/m or 50m. And don't get me started on the newfangled digital clocks at the ends of the pool. A clock should be analog, with a big black and red seconds hand, a small minute hand, and it's proper placement should be at the SIDE of the pool, not the end, so you can catch your splits as you breath into/out of the turn.

The Rose Bowl, awesome 50m pool, has none of this and it drives me nuts. I had those damn digital clocks. And they don't even have the minutes synch between all three damn clocks...and there is no time of day clock visible anywhere.

That is all, carry on.

MattAaronson

All - many thanks for the advice

@ Coach Rich - please don't give me any excuse not to swim...because I'll be really close to taking you up on it!!!