Tracking Improvement

A coach and an athlete need to have measurement points along the way to measure improvement based on the training plan. The obvious first tracking area is the athlete’s performance in swim meets. The key question should be “Is the athlete’s performance in swim meets consistent with expectations based on the training load?” A coach may make necessary adjustments to the training based on performance in a meet.

Meet performance, however, is not the only way for a coach to track improvement. Another essential element to tracking improvement is the use of test sets in practice. Test sets should be designed to test the various energy systems that a coach is trying to overload and adapt. Run test sets every couple of weeks and be sure that they are run in the same consistent manner every time. Over time, results from test sets will give the coach and the athlete a more accurate picture of overall development than swim meet performance.

Test sets for young swimmers can be as simple as 10 x 50 on 60 seconds recording the swimmers’ times for every 50. Instruct the swimmers as to how the set is to be completed. Possibilities include:

• Maintaining a consistent (average) time throughout the set and striving to improve the consistent (average) time each time the set is offered.
• Descending (getting faster) throughout the set.
• Starting out as fast as possible and maintaining the time for as long as possible.
• Dropping the interval (from 60 seconds, to 55 seconds to 50 seconds) each time the set is offered.
• Dropping the interval throughout the set and challenging swimmers to keep “making the interval.” (Example, 2 x 50 on 60 seconds, 2 x 50 on 55 seconds, 2 x 50 on 50 seconds, 2 x 50 on 45 seconds.)

The same kind of set can be varied endlessly by altering the number of repeats, the repeat distances and the rest intervals, depending on the age and ability of the swimmers. The important thing is to set up the set consistently each time it is offered so that results can be tracked. Swimmers should be excited and motivated to participate in test sets. Posting of results, especially showing individual and group improvement, can be very motivational. Results that show a lack of improvement or even a decline in performance must be analyzed. Are the swimmers too tired? Unmotivated? Bored? Has the set been offered too often? Is it too difficult?