Mutual of Omaha BREAKOUT clinics are a SwimSwam partner.
More and more coaches and programs are learning the benefits that Ultra Short Race Pace Training (USRPT) can potentially provide their swimmers when effectively applied. We reported back in August how Coach Bob Young of the Hudson Area Swimming Association (HASA) program in Hudson, Wisconsin researched the ins and outs of the training program and decided to give it a try with a small group of kids, resulting in significant time drops. Key words, such as motivating, energizing, and ‘immediate feedback’ characterize his squad’s refreshed outlook on training, as he and other coaches describe their USRPT in action in this video clip.
And word keeps spreading about the science-based, results-driven methodology that is USRPT. Coach Zach Wagers of the Capital City Sea Dragons started implementing USRPT in June after learning about the concept at a coaching seminar. While letting the swimmers be more involved in practices via monitoring their own times and rest intervals, Wagers feels as though he can get back to what he really loves – actual coaching. “USRPT allows coaches to get back to focusing on technique and not just clock-running and time-tracking. We can provide instant feedback to our swimmers during a set, which makes them correct things right away.” Additionally, Wagers cites USRPT as an excellent way for kids to learn about failure, as well as setting one’s mind to a certain result and achieving it.
And, achieving goals is what the Capital City Sea Dragons club is all about, as evidenced by recent meet results. At a recent meet, Coach Wagers had three swimmers drop significant time in their 200 freestyles in the form of Ruby Knutson dropping from 2:35.42 to 2:31.26; Dalton Platt dropping from 2:30.20 to 2:27.34 and Matthew Mattivi knocking his 2:11.23 previous personal best down to 2:09.37. Dalton Platt also crushed new personal bests in the 200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke events, dropping over 9 seconds and 20 seconds off each, respectively.
Wondering if USRPT might work for your club? Leading USRPT Coach Peter Andrew, and his USA Junior National Team member son, Mutual of Omaha BREAKOUT athlete Michael, are traveling to Carroll, Iowa to conduct clinics on USRPT on October 10th and 11th. Any coach, swimmer or team who has ever been curious about what USRPT is and if it might work for you and your team are welcome to attend. The clinics are being hosted by CAST Tidal Waves and sign-ups are available online here.
I want to first preface that I am not a user of USRPT for my swimmers. I am adhering to it on myself as I get back into the pool. Clearly people are having success with USRPT. But I want to point a few things from my own experience of the 2 months I have used it:
I do not feel prepared at all to swim beyond a 100. I am falling off on my last 75 of my 200 BR. If you watch Michael Andrew you will notice a similar thing happening in his 200 BR. I am adding some longer 300 swims twice a week to gain cardio. These 300 swims helped me in HS.
I do enjoy… Read more »
I am a coach with this team and can tell you 100% USRPT training has changed these swimmers. I coached these swimmers with a previous team and they had lost the joy of swimming, it was becoming a chore and their times began to reflect that. Since the change, which they all made in June or July, they have a new found joy of swimming and their times have improved consistently.
Michael S.,
I agree that one never truly knows whether a change in swim training, body dynamics, diet or any other variable, can be pointed to as the culprit to lower times. While a small sample size that was defined by the Capital Sea Dragons might not convince you, how about the transformation of an entire team as witnessed by HASA, Hudson, WI? Not only has HASA surged n their teams overall MN LSC success, but it has carried over to the Hudson girls high school swim team, where many of the HASA swimmers now attend. With these USRPT coached swimmers, Hudson was able to break the strangle hold Eau Claire Memorial had on conference for 20+ years, and… Read more »
While I’ve been a fan of the idea of USRPT since it’s inception, I can’t help but feel that these “dramatic time drops” stated in this article could have happened for a number of different reasons. The kids listed here are probably fairly young based off of the times listed here. Even if we were to assume those were LC times we would still have to assume some rather young kids are the basis of the study here. And growing young growing bodies that are just learning what swimming is about are going to improve just by being in the pool and swimming. Now how much they will improve can certainly depend on the type of training, but without some… Read more »