TSS above target
Shorter faster efforts with a swim limiter
Tristar athlete, during your swim training you may find that the planned training stress vs actual can be quite different. There are a few rules to follow towards having more accuracy in your training data and swim load as follows;
What is swim TSS?
Swim training stress
Measured against a 1K swim time trial or approximately your Olympic distance swim race pace.
Swim TSS is usually “easier” on the body vs TSS for the bike or run.
Have a form limiters? Learn more how to correct them
Accuracy
Those swimmers with form limiters (where they have trouble holding form during sets) will find that their training stress is often times lower for longer harder sets and higher for shorter faster swim sets.
This is due to the fact that as form degrades so too does the pace and slower pace means less training stress per minute.
When an an athlete with a form limiter swims longer they may slow down even though the effort remains high! The key should be to slow to the place where you can still hold best form.
When an athlete with a form limiter swims shorter faster intervals with recovery they are able to swim well above their thresholds and add training stress more easily.
Fundamentally, this can make charting the stress of swimming more difficult.
What you should do
Your coach and you should keep reviewing your training data to keep the accuracy as close to the standard of the 1K swim time trial. When you are unsure what pace you can hold it may be time to retest.
You should continue to develop your swim stroke and make sure to learn how to hold best form at all swim speeds and distances.
Be Zen and move with “purpose” in your swim training. ~ The Tristar Athletes Coaches
Tristar Athletes Coaching
