An overview of how to maintain strength and power during the taper of a championship swim meet

1. MAINTAINING STRENGTH AND
INCREASING EXPLOSIVE
POWER DURING PEAK
PERFORMANCE SEASON
Charlie Hoolihan, CSCS*D, PES
Pelican Athletic Club Training Director
ASCA workshop, Jan. 28, 2021

2. ASCA SWIMMING STRENGTH AND
CONDITIONING SPECIALIST COURSE
• ASCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist course available now.
• 12-chapter course. (Roughly 12 hours of on-line video)
• Notes for each chapter provided.
• Science, planning, exercise techniques. More than 100 exercises. Access to
exercise library once available.
• Content updated monthly as new research and in-the-field information becomes
available.
• On-line open-note test to demonstrate content understanding.
• Will be an official NSCA and NASM CEU provider in 2023.
• 24 CEU Credits towards ASCA levels.

3. INSTRUCTOR BIO
Swimming/Athletic background – Average and adventuresome!
• 4 yr. Scholarship swimmer @ LSU as a sprinter.
• BUT…
• Multiple marathons and half marathons
• One of the first 500 individuals to ever finish Kona Ironman.
Coaching background – Average and enthusiastic
• Multiple HS AA’s, Junior national qualifiers and collegiate athletes, one OT
qualifier, one national champion, one Louisiana team Senior and AG
championship team.
• Strength training swimmers for more than 30 years.
Fitness Industry background – Above average and passionate.
• Wide variety of athletes and individuals – stroke survivors and paraplegics to
collegiate track and field, soccer, golf
• National training conference presentations and journal articles.
• Member of two national personal training advisory boards.
• Five ASCA World presentations on strength and conditioning.
• NSCA, NASM, Bioforce HRV, TRX and Trigger point certified.

4. A HUMBLE
OFFERING
“When the human body is
concerned, we are dealing with a
system that is so complex with so
many interrelated variables, we can
do nothing but be humble about our
beliefs and recommendations.”
Chris Beardsley

5. 1. EVERY BODY IS
DIFFERENT IN
RESEARCH AND
SCIENCE.
2. ONE IN FIVE ARE
LOW RESPONDERS OR
NON-RESPONDERS.1 IN
5 ARE HIGH OR SUPER
RESPONDERS.
3. PLACEBO RESPONSE
IN CONTROLS IS
BETWEEN 15-30%
MORE IN PHARMA
TRIALS.
4. MOST EXERCISE
SCIENCE RESEARCH
SUBJECTS ARE YOUNG
MALES.
LET’S TALK RESEARCH FOR A SECOND

6. •
MUSCLES
BONES
TENDONS/LIGAMENTS
STRESS HORMONES
EXERCISE/LIFE
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
GENES
BIOMECHANICAL
CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM

7. THEN THESE FACTORS
Gender
Age
Body
type

8. MERGED INTO THESE ATHLETIC NEEDS
FACTORS
Training
age experience
Training
modality
Event

9. • Extensive research into Strength
training is less than 20 years old.
• Most research done on young
males ages 18-30
• Most research presented is general
strength training info
• Strength training educated
coach/practitioners are limited.
• Emphasis on strength training is
variable from program to program.
• Present estimates are 70-80 % of
volume is low intensity aerobic
swim conditioning
NO CONSENSUS FOR STRENGTH FOR
SWIMMING

10. QUEST FOR
THE PERFECT
POWER AND
STRENGTH
TAPER PEAK

11. RECOMMENDATIONS HEREIN ARE…
• Primarily designed to provide possible adjustments to
current programming.
• Caveat- Any adjustment should be a small in this meet prep.
• Designed for bigger and more individualized
adjustments in next seasonal or macro cycle.
• Caveat – Do a post-meet strength test and compare with
meet results to begin initial individual variation.
• BIG Caveat – Information is delivered by a sprinter with a
strength training bias.

12. WE HAVE TO MAKE
SOME
ASSUMPTIONS
HERE!
• Strength and explosive
power/velocity training is a critical
component to overall training.
• Swimmers have at least a season’s
experience in S&EP/V*
• Some form of maximal strength
peak in training has already
occurred.*
• There has been some introduction to
EP/V this season.*
• Championship meet is sometime in
the next 4 to 8 weeks.
• *Regardless of training modality

13. GOALS OF CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION
MAINTAIN
PEAK
STRENGTH
INCREASE
EXPLOSIVE
POWER AND
VELOCITY
MAINTAIN
MUSCLE
ARCHITECTUR
E
INCREASE
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ENERGY
INCREASE
“CONTEXT”
TRANSFER
OF
TRAINING

14. MAINTAINING STRENGTH IS POSSIBLE
SINCE MINIMUM DOSE TO GAIN STRENGTH
3 x p/w
6-12R
3 sets
“Sub-optimal
gains in squat
and bench”
But our goal is
not GAINZ!
Fisher et al 2017
Androulakis-Korakakis et al,
2019

15. • Maintaining Strength
after reaching peaks is
relatively easy.
• 35 min sessions of 3
sets 3 days per week
reduced to
• One-Third (3 sets
once per week) or
• One-ninth (One set
once per week)
(3 or 4 basic exercises)

16. STRENGTH DECLINE UPON CESSATION OF TRAINING
(PRITCHARD, ET AL 2017 AND VACHON ET AL 2020)
3-21
days
Increases
in
strength
occur
during
taper.

17. AEROBIC INTERFERENCE
IN STRENGTH, POWER AND
HYPERTROPHY
WILSON ET AL, 2012
• Priority conundrum
• A careful balance is needed in order to
preserve strength and power.
• Addition and careful balance of training
modalities can preserve both.

18. HOW TO MAINTAIN STRENGTH JUDICIOUSLY
• Repetition Reserve – “Leave reps in
the tank.”
• Use 10Rmax as a guideline and reduce
reps and/or sets.
Or
• Tempo or velocity emphasis
• 50 to 70 % of 10Rmax but slightly
increase velocity to mimic neural
patterns of strokes - .5 – 1.0 per rep
pending exercise.
• Use a few primary exercises for this option
• Bench, hip extension, pull-ups/lat pulls, squat
pattern

19. VERY GENERAL 8 TO 2 WEEKS OUT GUIDELINE
2-4 weeks out
2-3 sets explosive
power and/or
velocity
4-8 weeks out
1-2 sets explosive
power or velocity
*8 weeks out
1 set explosive
power or velocity
*Recommendation for most of
spring/summer macrocycles
2-4 weeks out
1 set of peak
strength
4-8 weeks out
1-2 sets peak
strength
*8 weeks out
3-4 sets peak
strength
*Recommendation for most of
spring/summer macrocycles
Power
and
velocity
Strength
development

20. TWO WEEKS AND LESS
• Individual variabilities play a critical roll the
last two to four weeks.
• Some can reduce peak strength to one set per
week.
• Some can/need to continue almost to meet.
• Explosive power and velocity are stimuli to
keep motor units active. (1-3 reps w 1:00 rest
between each) for power. More upper body
than lower body.
• Velocity – 50% -70% of 10RM @ prescribed
velocity

21. PRIMARY GOAL:
MINIMIZE
DISRUPTION OF
MUSCLE
ARCHITECTURE
• “Stimulate not annihilate” is more important 8 weeks out
than any other period.
• Fine tuning of reactive response.
• Length tension relationship
• Eccentric loading and static stretching

22. THREE TYPES
OF MUSCLE
CONTRACTIONS
• Swimming, cycling
and rowing are
concentric
dominant
movements.
• So is the flight of
birds.

23. LIMIT ECCENTRIC
CONTRACTIONS SIX
WEEKS OUT
• They are powerful tools
during strength and
explosive power
development.
• Swim response may be
more reactive
• Reduction needed closer
to peak meet due to
intensity.
• All good if not better
during S&EP/V
development
• Graphic by YLM sports

24. COMPLEX
MUSCLE FIBER
ACTIVITY!
• The more resistance to
length or stretch a muscle
fiber gets the more potential
for muscle damage
especially when excessive
eccentric strength activities
are introduced

25. REDUCE ECCENTRIC
CONTRACTILE
FORCE
• Top – relaxed and prior to
lengthening into eccentric.
• Bottom – Contraction –
shortening into concentric
• Kinda like velcro

26. HEAVY AND SLOW OR
LIGHTER AND FASTER =
SAME GOAL
WATERBURY, 2014
The goal is to bring all the motor units to the
party and choice is individual.
Faster and lighter may allow for some wiggle
room in downregulating intensity by degrees
during championship season especially with
less experienced lifters.

27. MAINTAIN
NEUROMUSCULAR
ACTIVITY
• Exercise velocity
determines amount
of motor units
• EP and V at lighter
weights can provide
similar benefits to
heavy lfiting
kettle bells

28. REDUCED ECCENTRIC
PLYOMETRICS:
LIMIT LANDINGS AND
BRAKINGS.
MAINTAIN/EMPHASIZE
PROPULSION
GRAPHIC BY DRAKE BERBERET, HAWKIN DYNAMICS

29. OVERHEAD
BOUNCE BALL
SLAM
• Cues/context–
anchor, catch and
acceleration
through the push

30. DB Assisted Seated
box jumps
• Cues and context – drive
from legs while throwing
arms forward. Feel
momentum generated
from DBs which
transfers to more
velocity of the
movement- turns and
relay starts.

31. HIGHER VELOCITY (TEMPO) DEVELOPED
SUPERIOR ATHLETIC GAINS
(W 60% OF TOTAL VOLUME)
Two groups – no more than 20%
velocity loss or 40% loss.
Maintain a specific velocity
during repetitions.
VL20 group 60% Total
repetitions than VL40
Both showed similar/significant
improvements in muscles size,
sprint speed, and squat max over
the course of the 16 sessions.
 VL20 group significantly higher
(fast twitch/explosive fibers)
VL20 group had superior
improvements in the vertical jump
test.
Pereja-Blancho, F. Et al. (2016). Effects of velocity loss during resistance training on athletic
performance, strength gains and muscle adaptations. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science
in Sports.
http://complementarytraining.net/velocity-based-training-tips-for-newbies-vbt-quick-start-guide/

32. INDIVIDUAL VARIABLES
.

33. SOMATOTYPE
(FIBER TYPE?)
• Seven variants of
three…
• Ectomorph
• Mesomorph
• Endomorph
• Fiber Type hypothesis
• More reflective of athletic
body types.
Type 1 & 2?
Type 2
Type 1

34. FIBER TYPE
TRAINING
Strength and EP/V guesswork based
on experience
Type 1 dominant athletes in first two
columns quick strength loss
Type 2 dominant in third column.
Strength maintenance
Type 2 in fourth
Male v female consideration
Post meet strength test to compared
with swim results
Type 1 & 2?
Type 2
Type 1

35. WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN FOR
CHAMPIONSHIP
SEASON?
• Leaner athletes can handle more
strength work closer to peak
meet and leanest maybe should.
• More muscular athletes should
still do strength work but get
more recovery. Downregulate
volume, maintain peak weight,
perhaps w more velocity
emphasis.
• Muscular athletes get more rest
during EP work, less eccentric
contractions.
• “Elite” percentile vs the rest of us

36. Session Date
Male and female exercise variabilities
Remember 75% of exercise science research is on young males
• Females tend to have more slow- twitch fibers than men
• More efficient at utilizing lipids.
• More efficient endurance-like profile – high rep/velocity strength training.
• More volume/less rest between sets.
• Strong females had a faster MV @ 1RM than strong men – Torrejon et al
2018
• Anti-catabolic effect of estrogen which reduces protein breakdown and reduces
the overtraining risk.

37. • Need more recovery after HIT and
EP/V
• More efficient at fat metabolism than
glucose metabolism for energy fueling.
• They produce less metabolic by
products after strength training.
• Can train with greater frequency
• May need monthly workout diversity
• When normalized for free fat mass,
women can build strength as well as
men. (Sims, 2016)
• Arm strength/body weight ratio
decreases.
(Henslemans, 2016; Nuckols, 2018)
Session Date
Male and Female variabilities
part 2

38. MONTHLY
VARIABILITY
• Strength training, explosive power and plyometric training Days 1-17 (follicular phase)
• Muscle stimulus and recovery more hormonally efficient
• Lower circulating levels of estrogen and progesterone.
• Testosterone (anabolic) levels are inverse to progesterone (catabolic)
Testosterone
increases day 7-14
Testosterone at
lowest level day 21

39. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Female athletes can handle a lot of training
load but monitor recovery from EP exercises
during season and provide more rest and less
reps to those needing it.
Higher velocity/higher rep strength training
closer to taper (8-4 weeks out) as a substitute.
Maintain strength workouts closer to peak
meet especially for ectomorphs.
Downregulate intensity during luteal stage.
Increased carbohydrate and protein intake
after higher intensity strength or EP/V
workouts* .

40. PAP RECOVERY TEST
Variable recovery rates
Found optimal individual recovery rates
(2-10 min) which provided most
response from resisted sprints and
sprints in order to maximize the
effectiveness of the training.
Simplifaster.com

41. AGE AND TRAINING EXPERIENCE
Lot of changes from 12 to 22 Sometimes all in one seasonal cycle!
Muscle/shape of hull/bouancy/arm strength to body weight ratio: male strength increases/female's plateaus
Moran 2018

42. PEAK HEIGHT VELOCITY AKA GROWTH SPURTS PER MONTH
• Significant variability and
outliers
• This is in the 50 percentiles
• But a good indicator of how
variable a group of teenagers
will be at any given time
between 11 and 18.
• Athletic characteristic spurt
begins 1-1.5 years before
peak and extends .5 to 1 year
after

43. UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Athletic performance improvements observed at the
onset, during, and after the adolescent growth spurt are
caused by maturity-related changes including:
• ↑ androgen concentrations.
• ↑ fibre-type differentiation.
• ↑ resting adenosine trisphosphate.
• ↑ creatine phosphate levels.
• Architectural development of the muscle-tendon units.
Owen Walker, Science for Sport, 2016 citing Meyer, et al 2011
 Brain changes as well during this period

44. • Monitor growth spurts.
• Seasonal baselines can change
rapidly.
• Baseline assessments during
workouts are crucial
• Strength & EP/V
• Examine results of a baseline
check 8 weeks out and gently
adjust taper protocols
accordingly.
• Utilize more concentric exercises
with a velocity emphasis
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON?

45. CHANGE THE WORKOUT
• 14 cross-country skiers changed annual
low/high intensity percentages 83/17% to
76/34%
• The results of this switch produced
improved oxygen transport (VO2max)
power output and overall competitive
results in the experimental group.
(Gaskill, 1999)
• A plan for next seasonal cycle OR this
seasons chronic taper underperformers.

46. TRAINING, COMPETING AND SLEEP PHENOTYPES
• Early, intermediate and late A.M. Genetic preferences
• Test based on time between waking and work out.
• 7-26% between optimal and sub-optimal performance.
• Late A.M. seemed to perform poorly the in early trials.
• 2008 Beijing Olympics - a 1% improvement in 100 4th
to 3rd and 4th to 1st in 400 m. Track.
• Knowing your preference and working around
disadvantageous competition or workout time could
make a big difference in competition/workout
performance

47. IN CONCLUSION
• Use this as a primer to begin
understanding your athletes.
• Make some subtle adjustments this
season but use this taper as a baseline.
• Test strength and power after this taper
as soon as you can after meet.
• Use results as a bigger clue.
• Slainte’

48. ASCA SWIMMING STRENGTH AND
CONDITIONING SPECIALIST COURSE
• ASCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist course available now.
• 12-chapter course. (Roughly 12 hours of on-line video)
• Notes for each chapter provided.
• Science, planning, exercise techniques. More than 100 exercises. Access to
exercise library once available.
• Content updated monthly as new research and in-the-field information becomes
available.
• On-line open-note test to demonstrate content understanding.
• Will be an official NSCA and NASM CEU provider in 2023.
• 24 CEU Credits towards ASCA levels.

49. MY CONTACTS
• Charliehoolihan@gmail.com
• 985-966-9594 TEXT first!!
• Facebook – Charlie Hoolihan
• IG - @charliehoolihan