Slides from a presentation from Dr. Ernie Maglischo as part of a workshop from SwimISCA.org within the Eastern States Clinic in King of Prussia, PA.

1. Information on cycling training

2. The importance of progressive overload
P.-O. Astrand, and K. Rodahl. 1977. Textbook of Work Physiology. New
York, N.Y: McGraw-Hill Book Co.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
Blood lactate
in
mmols/l
Training days
Training speeds:
A = 7.0 mph B = 8.0 mph C = 8 mph
All testing was done at 7.0 mph
The effect
of running
speed on
blood lactate
accumulation.
Figure 7.3. An example of the principle of progressive overload. Modified from: P.O. Astrand, and K. Rodahl. (1977). Textbook
of Work Physiology. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill.
A B C

3. Why alternate Rest and Work?
We must create chemical changes at the cellular level. This is what
adaptation is all about.
However, If the muscles and other tissues are not rested
periodically, cellular regeneration will be compromised.
For adaptations to take place, it will, under “normal conditions”,
require at least 3-4 weeks of similar effort stressors to do so. For
more “mature” athletes, it may require 5-7 weeks. These time
frames are critical in the planning of training.

4. The most effective form of training is
probably to swim at present or intended race
speeds for under-distances while using some
form of progressive overload that involves
increasing repeat speed, or set volume, or by
reducing the rest between repeats without
changing volume or speed.
But you can’t swim this way every day
without losing mitochondria, muscle fibers
and other protein structures.

5. Weekly cycling of training

6. Training Cycle for Katy Ledecky
Summer 60-70 K weekly
Mon. Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
AM Dryland 1 hr. Off Drills Dryland 1 hr. Off En 1 or 2, En-1 9K
8K
PM Threshold Active En2 Threshold Active OFF OFF
8-10K Rest 7-8K 7-8K Rest
Weekly cycle: 9-10 Water Workouts, 2 Dryland workouts
7-8 Water workouts (3 Major workouts, 2 Active recovery, 3 slow endurance.)
2 Dryland workouts
4 Off, (6 sessions out of water.)
School Year 50-60 K weekly
Mon TUES WEDS THURS FRI SAT SUN
AM En1-2 Kick Off/Dryland Pull set Off/Dryland En-1 Off
5-6 K 5-6 K 5-6K 8K
PM Threshold Active rest En-2&3 Threshold Power Off Off
7-9K 7-8K 6-7K 5-6 K 4-5 K
Weekly Cycle:
9 workouts (3 Major, 5 Slow endurance, 1 Active rest)
2 Dryland workouts.
3 sessions off (5 out of water.)
Intense training

7. Fast twitch skeletal muscle fibers may need a
recovery period of 24 to 72 hours between
overreaching training sessions.

8. Weekly Cycling
1. The major purpose of weekly cycling is to allow
time for the fast twitch muscle fibers to
regenerate
2. Train 5 to 10 times/wk.
3. Swim major sets 2 to 3 times/wk
4. Land train 2 to 3 times/wk
THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD DO NO FAST
SWIMMING IN YOUR MAIN STROKES OR EVENTS OTHER THAN 3
TIMES PER WEEK!
WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT YOU SHOULD PROVIDE THE FAST
TWITCH FIBERS OF THOSE MUSCLES 24 TO 48 HOURS TO
REBUILD AFTER EACH MAJOR TRAINING DAY OR GROUP OF
DAYS IN THE WEEK. HOW CAN THAT BE DONE?

9. Figure 8. 32. Planning a 3-peak week with double workouts. Adapted with permission from: V. Issurin. (2008). Block
Periodization, Breakthrough in Sport Training. p. 83 Michigan, USA: Ultimate Athlete Concepts.
AM Med Med Med Med Small Key Off
PM Big Key Off Key Big Off Off
Meters

10. Cycling Training. Planning items to consider
ST RESYNTHESIZE 33% FASTER THAN FT. FIBERS. FT
FIBERS NEED MORE RECOVERY TIME.
THIS DOESN’T MEAN ATHLETES CAN’T SWIM FAST IN THEIR
MAIN STROKES EVERDAY. THE EFFECTS OF TRAINING ARE
SO SPECIFIC, ATHLETES CAN (AND SHOULD) SWIM FAST
EVEN ON RECOVERY DAYS SO LONG AS THE NET MILEAGE
OF FAST SWIMMING IN MAIN STROKE(S) IS KEPT TO A
MINIMUM.

11. However; EVEN RECOVERY TRAINING
MUST BE CHALLENGIING OR SWIMMERS
MAY NOT FEEL THEY ARE BEING TRAINED
PROPERLY.

12. Mix strokes and speeds.
Kicking or pulling to rest the arms or legs depending on
your purpose
Descending sets
Swim on very short sendoffs. Too short if can’t do 1000
to 2000 meters in one or only a few styles. Difficult to
swim fast on these sets yet they are challenging.
Keep heart rate in 120 to 140 HR range but try to swim
faster without going beyond that range of effort. Great
for Increasing stroke volume.
Swim very short distances on moderate to long rest
EVEN RECOVERY TRAINING MUST BE CHALLENGIING

13. Training is VERY specific so you can
possibly use the same muscle groups from
day to day while still allowing some muscle
fibers within those muscle to regenerate
The effects of training will be specific to:
1. Muscles used.
2. Speed/intensity
3. Patterns of motion
4. Volume of work.
Can athletes sprint during recovery sessions? Can they swim
short sets at race pace?
Sure they can! However, keep the amounts of fast swimming
In their main stroke to a minimum so that, at the end of the
day, regeneration exceeds the net breakdown of tissue
in the muscle fibers of their main strokes

14. The effect of detraining on land swim bench strength
and in-water tethered swimming power
Figure 7.14. Adapted with permission from: D.L. Costill, D.S. King, R. Thomas, and
M. Hargreaves. (1985). Effects of reduced training on muscular power in swimmers.
Physician and Sports Medicine 13(2): 94-101.

15. An example of Aerobic Training
Specificity
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Figure 7.12. Training specificity. These results demonstrate that swim training improved subjects’ swimming VO2max and their
swimming times to exhaustion by a large and significant amount. However, when retested for running VO2max and running time to
exhaustion their improvement was minimal and nonsignificant despite the subject’s obviously improved physical condition. Adapted
with permission from: W.D. McArdle, F.I. Katch, and V.L. Katch. (2014) Exercise Physiology. p. 463. Baltimore, MD.: Wolters
Kluwer Health.
Running Maximum Swimming Maximum
VO2max running time to VO2max swimming time to
exhaustion exhaustion
%
improvement
VO
2max

16. Guidelines for macro and mesocycle
design
☛ Macrocycles should be 3 to 6 weeks in length.
☛ The working stage of each macrocycle should be 9 to
20 days in length. The recovery stage should be 3
to 5 days in length.
☛ Each mesocycle should include a period of hard
training that is, in some way, more difficult than
the previous mesocycle.
☛ This should be followed by a period of recovery
prior to the start of the next macrocycle.
☛ Increase the work in small, but manageable steps.
Usually, an increase of 3 to 5% from one macrocycle
to the next is best.
☛
Most athletes adapt to a new training intensity within
two weeks.
☛ 2 to 4 additional weeks may be required to stabilize
these adaptations before applying an additional overload
(Olbrecht (2000).
Figure 8.18. Some guidelines for mesocycle design.

17. Most common cycles.
11 days work + 3 days recovery
3 weeks work + 1 week recovery
2 weeks work + 4-6 days of recovery
4 weeks of work +1week of recovery
Most common mesocycles used

18. Kaylee Mc Keown’s Cycle
17 days continuous hard training
Followed by 4 days of complete
Rest, out of the water.

19. If structure is not your thing!
ALLOW 3 TO 5 DAYS OF RECOVERY EVERY 2 TO 4
WEEKS FOR REBALANCING THE RATE OF FAST TWITCH
MUSCLE FIBER REGENERATION.
GET ADEQUATE SLEEP MOST NIGHTS, 7-0 HOURS
TAKE IN ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF ESSENTIAL
AMINO ACIDS AND CARBOHYDRATES MOST DAYS
MAINTAIN A NORMAL BMI THROUGOUT THE SEASON
USE CARBOHYDRATE/PROTEIN SNACKS BEFORE,
DURING AND AFTER TRAINING IN ADDITION TO 3
WELL-BALANCED MEALS DAILY. REMEMBER, EATING MORE
IS NOT BETTER THAN EATING THE RIGHT FOODS AT THE
RIGHT TIME.

20. BMI (Body Mass Index)
The best way for the layman to measure body
composition:

21. Body Mass Index (BMI)
Calculating BMI. Body weight in pounds X 703.
Divide by height in inches TWICE:
Example: Body weight of athlete is 160lbs
Height: 68”
160 x 703 = 112,480
112,480/68 = 1654.1176
1654.1176/68 = 24.32
Optimum range 15 to 18 for males.
20 to 23 for females.

22. Changes in muscle weight with traditional and
reverse periodization
Muscle Tissue in kg.
Figure 8.37. Changes in muscle weight with traditional and reverse periodization. Adapted with permission from: J.J. Arroyo-Toledo,
et al., (2013). Comparison between traditional and reverse periodization: Swimming performance and specific strength values.
International Journal of Swimming Kinetics, 2(1): 87-96.

23. Table 8.1. Test Results for Traditional compared to Reverse Periodization.
Tests T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 %Chang
e T1 to
T5
100 tt 61.6 61.3 61.2 61.2 61.3 -0.4%
Stroke Rate 45 47 46 46 46 +2.9%
Stroke
Length
1.37m 1.31m 1.32m 1.32m 1.33m -3.0%
Power 43.2w 39.2w 44.8w 45.4w 45.7w +5.7%
100tt 62.7 60.9 59.1 58.6 58.6 -6/9%
Stroke Rate 49 48 48 50 47 -3.9%
Stroke
Length
1.28m 1.28m 1.23m 1.18m 1.25m -2.4%
Power 41w 40.6w 46w 47.6w 49.6w +20.9%
Data were taken from: J.J. Arroyo-Toledo, et al., (2013). Comparison between
Traditional and Reverse Periodization: Swimming Performance and Specific Strength
Values. International Journal of Swimming Kinetics, 2(1): 87-96.
Training
Group
Traditional
Perodization
Reverse
Perodization

24. Comparison of Polarized and Pyramidal training for
age group swimmers.
Subjects. 12 best adolescent swimmers in Spain.
Trained 12 weeks in two 6 week mesocycles. 2 groups,
traditional and polarized.
The traditional group performed low and moderate intensity
training for 6 weeks and added high intensity (10%) for final 6
weeks. High intensity was done every other day.
The polarized group did low intensity training and high
intensity training. No moderate intensity training.
Polarized group improved in 100 m time trial
The traditional group improved most in 800 m time trial.
No loss of fat free mass for either group.