Swim Assessments

Question 1

Fitness Measures: Pace

Answer 1

• If the athlete can swim 1,000 yards or meters, the test is conducted using 100 yard/meter intervals.
• For less experienced swimmers, the coach may choose to conduct the test using 50 yard/meter intervals.
• Using intervals rather than a continuous swim makes it easier for athletes to pace themselves, and therefore makes the test more accurate.

Question 2

Fitness Measures: Stroke Rate

Answer 2

To determine the stroke rate, count the number of strokes in 15 seconds and multiply by four. This will give you the number of strokes per minute.

Question 3

Fitness Measures: Heart Rate and RPE

Answer 3

• Although heart rate can also be measured during the fitness test, due to issues with heart rate monitors and the time it takes to manually obtain a heart rate, most coaches prefer to use Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) along with pace.
• As you may recall, RPE is a psycho-physical method of quantifying how an athlete experiences exercise intensity.
• The revised Borg Scale, which will be used in this course, more closely reflects the metabolic (lactate) and ventilator response during progressive training intensities.
• Using this measure in addition to pace can provide a qualitative analysis of the athlete’s current fitness level.

Question 4

Training Zones and Measures

Answer 4

Once pace, stroke count and stroke rate have been determined, the training pace and rest periods can be established for each training zone.
When developing training plans, the coach will identify a targeted intensity for each training session based on a desired goal.
The level of intensity is categorized in “zones” ranging from easy (Zone 1) to very hard (Zone 5).

ZONE 1
Use for warm-up, cool down, recovery and technique. Main source of energy derived from aerobic energy pathway.
ZONE 2
Swim pace is 10 seconds slower than the swimmer’s fitness test pace. Use as a basic component of all endurance training as part of long sessions. Promotes aerobic capacity and endurance. Main source of energy derived from aerobic energy pathway.
ZONE 3
Swim pace is five seconds slower than the swimmer’s fitness test pace. Use as a component of progressive training, especially time trials and repetitions. Main source of energy derived from aerobic energy pathway
ZONE 4
Swim pace should be the swimmer’s test pace. Use for race pace training for middle distance in the form of time trials and repetitions. Promotes muscular endurance and lactate threshold endurance. Source of energy derived from aerobic and glycolytic energy pathway.
ZONE 5
seconds faster than the swimmer’s fitness test pace. Use for speed training with short recovery and short repetitions at close to maximum pace. Promotes lactate threshold endurance, muscular endurance, speed endurance, anaerobic capacity and power. Uses aerobic energy system with a larger dependence on the glycolytic energy pathway.

Question 5

Analyzing the athletes stroke

Answer 5

• The coach should evaluate the stroke form to identify issues causing drag and opportunities to increase propulsion.
• The stroke assessment can also identify any movement dysfunction or biomechanical abnormalities that may lead to potential injuries.
• The coach and athlete will use this information to create swimming goals, identify strengths and develop training plans that target the areas needing improvement.