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Key elements of periodization include:
♦ Macrocycle: The a
♦ Mesocycle: Several weeks to a few months within the macrocycle, each with specific goals. This includes base training, strength development, speed work, and tapering.
♦ Microcycle: Weekly training cycles that specify the daily workouts, volume, and intensity.
2.2 Individualized Training Plans
Elite open water swimmers benefit from individualized training programs tailored to their strengths, weaknesses, and competition schedules. Coaches collaborate with swimmers to design programs that include:
♦ Training Volume: The distance and duration of training sessions, adjusted based on the swimmer's endurance capacity and goals.
♦ Intensity: The level of effort, often categorized using heart rate zones or perceived exertion. Intensity varies throughout the training cycle.
♦ Stroke Specificity: Focus on the primary stroke used in open water races, typically freestyle. Technical drills are integrated to enhance stroke efficiency.
2.3 Dry-Land Training
Dry-land training is a critical component of an elite open water swimmer's regimen. Coaches should incorporate swimming dryland training to maximize swimmer performance. The type of swimming dryland training may change over time, perhaps incorporating more weights once the athlete reaches the collegiate level, but all programs should incorporate dryland workouts. The purpose of dryland training for swimming is to improve the swimmer’s power, athleticism, and overall speed in the pool. It complements pool training and includes:
♦ Strength Training: Targeting muscle groups used in swimming, with a focus on the core, shoulders, and upper body.
♦ Flexibility and Mobility: Stretching and mobility exercises to enhance range of motion and prevent injuries.
♦ Plyometrics and Power Development: Exercises to improve explosive strength and streamline dives and turns.
2.4 Nutrition and Hydration
Nutrition plays a pivotal role in an elite open water swimmer's performance and recovery:
♦ Pre-Race Nutrition: Timing and composition of meals and snacks before a race to optimize energy stores.
♦ During-Race Nutrition: Strategies for maintaining energy and hydration during long-distance races, including feeding schedules.
♦ Post-Race Recovery Nutrition: Refueling and rehydration after races and intense training sessions to support muscle recovery.
2.5 Monitoring and Performance Analysis
Swimming can be classified as a complex task because it ca
Elite open water swimmers rely on data and feedback to fine-tune their training:
♦ Data Tracking: Using technology such as GPS devices, heart rate monitors, and swim metrics to analyze training data.
♦ Performance Analysis: Regular assessments of stroke technique, race times, and fitness levels to identify areas for improvement.
♦ Collaboration: Working closely with coaches and sports scientists to interpret data and make necessary adjustments to training plans.
As in any other sport, swimming coaches rely mainly on their observations and coaching experience to monitor and evaluate swimmers’ performance. However, such subjective and qualitative analysis is not accurate enough to provide precise information about a swimmer’s strengths and weaknesses. The complex nature of swimming has also led the research community to study it with new tools and systems from different perspectives, such as physiology, motor control, and biomechanics. As a result, more attention has been paid to the use of sophisticated analytical systems by both researchers and coaches to obtain an objective and quantitative assessment of swimming performance. Despite all the novel analysis methods that have been proposed for swimming analysis, there is a lack of an appropriate analysis system that can help both coaches and swimmers in better performance analysis. Video-based systems, most commonly used as the gold standard in swimming, suffer primarily from shortcomings such as the time-consuming process of calibrating and digitizing landmarks, image distortion due to water reflections and air bubbles, and small capture volume in aquatic environments. In contrast, ease of use, accessibility, easy-to-understand results, and feedback are the top four priorities of coaches in an analysis system.
Training for elite open water swimming is an ongoing process of refinement and adaptation. Swimmers and their coaches must continuously assess progress and make adjustments to achieve peak performance. In the chapters that follow, we delve deeper into the specifics of technique, race strategy, mental preparation, equipment, and safety, all of which contribute to the comprehensive preparation of elite open water swimmers.
Chapter 3: Technique and Skills
3.1 Open Water Specific Techniques
Open water swimming demands specialized techniques to navigate the challenges of natural bodies of water. Elite open water swimmers must master the following skills: